Hi All, my name is Sarah and I’m 34 yrs old and mum to 2 small children. On 30th December I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer and on 20th January I was told it had spread to my spine and pelvis. I’m looking for others in similar situations to talk too.
Sarah xx
Hiya Sara so sorry to hear that you have had to join this board. There are loads of ladies here that have so much knowledge and will help you. I am 63 had the original primary bc in 2004 and the chemo and rads etc, I went 11 years and then in October was dx with bone mets to pelvis, femur and hip.
At the moment I am on Letrozole, adcal and denosumab injections for the bone mets. As my femur was so damaged I had to have a nail /pin put in to stop it breaking .
Everyones treatment is different and no one seems to have exactly the same but as long as you put trust in your Oncologist you will no doubt get the right treatment.
Its very scary and you have to take a day at a time …focus and try to be very positive for the sake of your young children which isnt easy. I hope you get plenty of support from friends and family but you will also find many very kind ladies here on this board when you feel down in the dumps.
Hope this helps and no doubt you will get lots of replies but sometimes the weekends can be a bit quet here.
Carolyn xxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi sarah Louise and welcome to the secondaries part of the forum, a place none of us want to be! However you have come to the right place for support, advice and just a place to voice your fears and have a rant if you need to. We all understand what you are going through right now and, unfortunately, you will find that many of your close family and friends won’t have that understanding as it is an area they wouldn’t be familiar with.
Most of us tend to post regularly on the Bone Mets, please join in thread but pick up extra threads as and when they appear or we feel we can help with. There’s usually at least one person who can offer advice or say what they had done or what treatment they had. You will also find that we are all different in the type of mets we have and what treatment we’ve had or what worked for us. I have had bone mets for 8 years now and luckily have had no pain in that time and no surgery. I have had two lots of IV chemo plus one lot of tablet chemo (Capecitabine) and been on hormone treatment in between. Although this sounds an awful lot of chemo it really hasn’t been that bad and they have been 7 years apart (the IV ones).
take time to adjust to the news and there have been ladies on the forum who have had their primary and secondary diagnosis at the same time. I think all of us have felt more able to cope once a treatment plan is in place so once this happens, or before, do come back and ask any questions you might have.
Take care
Nicky x
Hi Carolyn, thanks for sharing your story and advice. It doesn’t seem real at the moment although I’m trying to stay positive for the children’s sake. I’m finding hope in people’s stories and taking each day as it comes xx
Hi Nicky, wow 8 yrs?! That’s great!!! Thank you so much for the advice. Unfortunately ive already started to experience pain in my back and pelvis. Im meeting with my consultant on Thursday so ill tell him. I started chemo last Saturday which, apart from being really fatigued, went well until I woke up this morning with signs of a chest infection. The Dr had prescribed antibiotics which I started today. Hopefully it will clear quickly xx
Hi my name is Iris i to am a newbie I have secondry breast cancer first diagnosed Christmas Eve 2013 .am 59 and live alone my children and few close friends have been my support throughout on a roller coaster of emotions and endless hospital visits .i love them dearly but feel they don’t really get it I read a lot of posts on this site and find it helps to know your not alone .i get so frightened sometimes and can’t sleep because the night time as am sure you all know is when the panic sets in and worried about dying .i go hospital every 3 weeks for herceptin injections for as long as it controls the cancer in my right lung had Masectomy to left breast and all lymph nodes cancerous removed .but some travelled to right lung being small and aggressive .3 monthly ct scans to determine any change have grown a little .i get so anxious and stressed at this time I feel like am waiting for them to grow trying to stay positive and hope .is anybody else like me .
Hiya Iris.
I feel for your concerns and its night time when the mind starts racing and every twinge makes you think there is trouble ahead !!
I have my hubs and so do not live alone but I keep busy during the day but have these nightmares too. Unfortunately , Herceptin will not work on my cancer as Im not HER positive but this is a wonder drug that is supposed to be very good. Back in 2004 when I was first dx with BC - it was only being tested but its obviously good as its in general use now . Also, you do not loose your hair with it and thats a bonus too.
Im on Letrozole , Adcal and now these Denosumab bone injections and fingers crossed they will all do what they say on the tin and keep the cancer blighters under control !!
You are not alone with fears and concerns and there are some really brave ladies on these boards that have been through the mill with treatment and are still fighting the big C.
Can I suggest you go on the website " Second Hope" - I spent a half an hour browsing it yesterday and found it very inspiring .