I was dx with DCIS in Dec and told i just needed as mx as it was in-situ but widespread, also told that it could possible stay as DCIS for up to 5 -10 years, I did opt for the mx, which was lucky as when they did the biopsy on the removed boob it had already become invasive - only 4mm but am now going through chemo, I am 45 years old and was lucky that i had a discharge and discovered this bloody dreadful disease.
Breast cancer does not care who it picks on normal person, celebrity, male or female, we need good reporting and good hospital care.
Hi all, I was diagnosed with IDC, grade 3, triple neg, last August after finding a lump. The lump was painful and obvious.
I was sent a routine mammogram appointment this February, 7 months after diagnosis and 18 months after I was 50.
I was very lucky that I discovered my lump and insisted to the GP that I was referred, as she said it wasn’t suspicious as lump was sore. Although I was referred for a routine appt.
I think that had I waited until my February mammogram appointment I would have had a very different story to tell.
So even if the screening age is lowered to 47 there may still be some women who are unlucky enough to be almost 50 before their appt comes through.
It can’t be stressed enough that women need to be breast aware and go to their GP if they suspect anything, and don’t be “fobbed off”, if you are worried insist that further tests be carried out.
Take care, Debbie. xx
I agree and MN was and still is a supremely fit athlete who watches her diet, fitness and lifestyle and if it can happen to her then maybe the rest of us can rest assured that it’s nothing we did to cause it - as sometimes haunts me. Treatments/age for routine mammograms in the US are different from those here and I can’t praise the doctors/nurses etc enough at the Royal Marsden. Am sure it’s the same for all of you. They were positive throughout my treatment and never once used language to give me any impression they didn’t think I’d make a full recovery - and I had lymph nodes affected too. So - it’s another celebrity story to help sell papers but hope MN feels it’s important to promote mammograms and proves to be a good role model for all of us who’ve gone through this.
I think it’s really important that we teach our children and friends that regardless of how pressed they are for time that attending appointments for mammograms can be life saving not a ‘Nanny State’ inconvience.That we need to recognise , be in tune to when our bodies are behaving differently - a slight tug in the breast shouldn’t be dismissed as a ‘strained muscle’ especially if it is there more often than it is not , but our lifestyles are so hectic how often do we really pay attention to these ‘irritations’. My cancer was picked up on a routine mammogram I had no lump visible but on looking back there was a slight tugging in the area. Would my GP have listened if I’d gone with that vague symptom who knows. I feel so sorry for all the newly diagnosed girls who may want to just escape ‘news reports’ on MN - I was diagnosed during Breast Cancer month and just wanted to find a desert island to hide away from it all - it seemed to go on forever and lets be honest how much reported is accurate or helpful either to us or our 'in shock ’ families.
It’s really in your face all the time isn’t…every programme I watch there is mention of Cancer, even walking through bl**dy M&S and they have massive signs on the door about their t-shirts for Breast Cancer.
Popped into a salon and there were the pink GHD’s for Breast Cancer…then got asked in TKmaxx at the till if I would like to donate £1 to Cancer Research…“why not” I said…“i’m being treated so of course i will give a £1”. I got a bit of a shocked look as she obviously thought I was wearing the headscarf for the fun of it lol.
I suppose it’s all good as it creates awareness of this sh*t disease, but when all I want to do is forget about it for a few hours it’s very hard!
I was diagnosed in the September and had surgery in the October,I was convinced someone was trying to wind me up.Breast cancer was everywhere, on the t.v in the shops,pink,pink,pink.I didn’t know at the time that October was breast cancer awareness month lol.
Just read this thread and thanks for all the positive thoughts. I was upset that MN’s doc suggested her prognosis was better than that for those of us node positive. My lump was found on routine mammogram and even the ultra sound showed small, 12mm lump with 1 suspicious node.Biopsy showed grade 1 cancer cells. However the MRI scan showed multi focal bits around the small lump and a definite node. What then really threw as much as anything else was that although i have worked F-T right through all the 5 chemos , appts etc someone in HR picked up on my monthly returns 3 days off sick since last Nov and i was referred to OCC Health a phone conversation with their advisor lasting 10 mins yielded a letter from her ending with ‘in her clinical opinion my prognosis was guarded, uncertain and precarious’. None of which came across from my onc or BCN. I was completely thrown OMG what have I missed/ misunderstood/got completely wrong? Cue hysterical phone call to BCN who picked up the message minutes later and rang me back and managed to allay my fears. That really was the last straw and I am now off sick for 1 week we really do not need some of the guff we get landed with do we? BC is ample Sorry ladies just getting that off my chest ( pardon the pun)LOL and thanks for all the supportive and positive things you say. Jackie