I am 32 and two weeks ago I had my tests such as biopsys and was told to expect the worst, had the worst week of my life and then was officially diagnosed with stage 3 oestrogen positive breast cancer, a tumour of 2cm and in at least one of my lymph nodes. I am absolutely devastated because i was two weeks away from starting my IVF treatment (my partner has low sperm count) after a four year wait. I have very mixed emotions as I want to concentrate on getting better but my hopes of a family is the only thing that gives me any hope at all. We have no children. Im concerned at how long the tumour is left inside as i had my ct scan and mri 3 days ago and i have another 3 days until i get my results, is this normal? I dont understand what is going to happen or what my fertility options are, please can anyone help with advice? thank you
I replied to your other thread, but just wanted to add that you should be refered to a gynae/fertility clinic. Call your breast care nurse and see if she can refer you, but otherwise see your GP and maybe he/she can get you an urgent referral. If you happen to be based in London, PM me and i can give you details of a few consultants who specialise in fertility treatment in young women with cancer. I had a cr*p experience at the beginning as was referred to someone who had no experience with cancer patients and got given alot of incorrect information. I then managed to get myself transferred to London. It’s good to get on this ASAP as you won’t want to delay treatment too long if egg harvesting is an option.
With regards your lump, I know it’s horrible having the gremlin (what I ended up calling mine!) brooding away inside you but rest assured that the process you are going through is normal and within the recommended guidelines. I think it’s natural though to just want it OUT!!!
Hiya, sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I agree that you need to be proactive with your fertility concerns and get referred ASAP to an expert. At a BCC young women’s forum I went to in manchetser last year, there was a fertility expert from Liverpool women’s hospital and they have pathways so you are seen urgently, and the bloke seemed to really know his stuff. I’m not sure where you are but there should be something similar in your area. There is a great fertility thread on here that I will bump up for you in case you haven’t already seen it. Good luck, you are at such a hard stage at the moment but it does get better, honest. Xxx
Hiya,
I would like to echo what everyone else has posted. Do get referred to the ferility clinic.
I was very lucky that my breast care nurse arranged for me to go to a fertility clinic straight away (Bourn Hall) and they could not have been better with me. They were fabulous. I like you had no children and although i had come off the pill and were trying for a family i had not been lucky enough to get pregnant.
Once i got my diagnos i said to my nurse my main concern was children and it was all systems go. I have since had my eggs harvested and I now have 7 embryos in the freezer waiting for me. (they were frozen just over a week ago now).
I know the waiting seems like an age, but it is normal (i promise).
Please talk to you nurse and see what your options are. Hopefully it will put your mind at rest a little too.
If you do want to know anything of my experience then i am happy to share with you. Please dont be afraid to ask.
Im sorry to hear your diagnosis hobo. I too was diagnosed a little over 2 weeks ago. From my understanding the do act very quickly and there are so many types so I’m sure they are well underway with planning your treatment. I’m 36 and have been diagnosed with stage 2 bc. I had mascetomy last week and am awaiting pathology report. I had all my lymph nodes removed as they found cells in one so wanted to be sure and took them all. I have one child (16months) already so my initial reaction was to get the treatment underway and that if i couldn’t have any more I’d have to accept it. I was given impression by nurses that ‘well at least I had one and that chemo may or may not make me inferitile so we’ll just see’. My care has been excellent but this hasn’t been explained as an option and i was told to bring it up when I met oncologist. I purposely avoided too much information until I got my op out of the way but am thinking that I should be proactive too.