I’m new to this site and having just turned 28 this is the last place I thought I would be 2 months post marriage. I had noticed some dimples in my right breast whilst drying my hair whilst on Honeymoon in August and visited the GP on our return. She refered me to see a Consultant although was not concerned. Again, the Consultant was not concerned but sent me for an ultrasound “just to be safe” and said she would see me again in 6 weeks. However, the ultrasound revealed a sizeable solid mass - immediate mammogram requested.
As I sit here 6 weeks later, I have had biopsy, 2 x MRI scans + CT scan (all clear for mets) and a unilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction (which looks incredible - I’m amazed and this part hasn’t phased be at all). My tumour was 7cm (4.5cm plus an exta foci which was so close they were considered clinically to be one) ER+PR+HER2+, IDC, grade 3. My sentinal node was also found to be positive but contained/incapsulated and two other nodes removed were negative which is something at least. I start IVF on Monday (short cycle) followed by chemo and radio therapy plus Tamoxifen and Herceptin. My surgeon has told me I am one she will remember for a long time - owing to my age and lack of symptoms - but that is not entirely comforting!
This site has been recommended to me and I guess I’m just hoping to hear from people who are or have been in a similar situation. Any positive stories would also be welcomed!!
Oh my love what a lot you are going through at your age, Its incredible how many young women are being affected, before my diagnosis I had no idea. Thankfully you had the good sense to get yourself checked out and are now on the road to getting rid of this b****r! I haven’t been through what you are but couldn’t pass by your post, I’m 47 and was diagnosed in March, I had an operation and radiotherapy but am through it all now and the more posts like yours I read the more I know I have no right to feel sorry for myself, Im sure there is a thread on here for younger women going through similar to you and someone will come along soon who will be able to give you some more information, on a positive note life does return to normal and you get through it all one day at a time, the more knowledge you gain the better you tend to feel and there is such a huge amount of support on the site from so many women going through or many years down the line from treatment with a wealth of experience and good advice! Wishing you all the very best love Xx Jo
As Jo said I can’t offer you any direct advice as I am 48 and was diagnosed this week so not very far along the road yet. I just wanted to say you sound like an incredibly brave young person. I have friend who went through BC in her early 30s and she is now 50 and enjoying life to the full. She had double mastectomy and reconstruction too and she looks amazing for her age!
This forum has been an incredible support to me. I have never posted on online forums before but it helps so much to talk to other people going through the same thing. I know what charity I will be supporting from now on!
take care, look after yourself and I am sure you will find support here.
Hi there, saw your post and thought " I can’t ignore" Just really wanted to say to you - stay as strong as you are! ! Eat well, sleep and get plenty of fresh air-cancer hated oxygen and feeds off sugar. I’m not a doctor but I’m researching with the help of a great lady with PHD in nutrition, the effects of good diet on cancer. I’m the patient. Eat well to stay as healthy as possible. Plenty of green veg, some fruit, nuts, seeds. Organic if you can afford. Some people say it doesn’t matter what
you eat. I say the healthier you are the better chance you’ve got. I would also recommend yoga and meditation. I wish you all the very best.
I am so sorry to hear what you are going through. It is so s**t isn’t it?! I am 30 and was diagnosed with grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma three days ago. I only just got married a couple of months ago too. I am awaiting my bone and CT scans next week but have somehow convinced myself that I have it everywhere! Silly brain!
I have been given the option of chemo first while they test to see if I have the gene to give them time to consider a double mastectomy. I have just started my IVF egg stimulation though and hope to have some embryos frozen in two weeks, I can say that my appointment yesterday brought tears but also some positivity. It was nice to think of happy babies instead of horrible cancer!
Hang in there. It’s made me feel lots better knowing there’s others out there who know how I’m feeling as my friends and family are amazing but i often feel I have to protect them.
Hi, I am also newly diagnosed. I found my lump in july, just a couple of weeks before my 40th birthday, and was diagnosed in August with invasive bc. I similarly found that my breast puckered when I lifted my arm. I am also ER+ and HER2+ which means i now need chemo as well as radiotherapy because of the herceptin drug.
I had a lumpectomy mid September and they found that the tumour had doubled in size since the mammogram but unfortunately they didn’t get a clear margin and had to re-operate last week. I’m really hoping its all clear this time round. My consultant didnt want to do a mastectomy as my lymph nodes were clear but if a 3rd operation is needed that could be the best option as I don’t want to delay the treatment longer than necessary.
I am quite a positive and upbeat person but find it really difficult to stay positive when people feel the need to tell me which of their relatives/friends/neighbours they have lost to cancer.
Would love to hear positive outcomes to share with my kids, so they can see its not all doom and gloom.
I have a wonderful support network of family and friends around me but do find I still feel lonely and isolated sometimes.
Hi all,
Am not as young as you, but have some fabulous friends who are your ages, and very active within Breast Cancer Now, and Young Breast Cancer groups. They get great support both from here and those other groups.
I met some of these ladies at the Penny Brohn centre where we completed a Living Well course. And if you are in Berkshire there is an active closed group on facebook for all ages. Berkshire Breast Cancer Care , you will need to.email the moderator.
Wishing you well x x
LL xx
Hi ladies I found out just after my 40th birthday. I found a lump which turned out to be grade 3 IDC. The tests found a grade 2 so I had a full mx. After results there was another area and lymph soread so I had the whole lot removed. I am having chemo at mo which is challenging. I have a 2 and a half year old and a 15 year old so very tired. If I can do it you all can. My advice is to stay positive ( as much as you can) your experts deal with this every day so trust them to pick what is right for you xxxx
I know this was posted last year, but I am 28 now and was diagnosed with DCIS on 6th Oct had a mastectomy on the 27th Oct and found out yesterday that there were two small tumours in invasive cancer but my lymphs were clear. Tissues have been sent away to see if will benefit from chemo so treatment plan will be chemo and tamoxifen or just tamoxifen. Plan to start a family when I was 30 is out the window…how are you? How did you cope? Being young as well be nice to her from others x x x
