Hi all
I was diagnosed with grade 2 BC in October last year. Highly estrogen and progesterone and her2 negative. I had a WLE and 10 radiotherapy zaps. I’m now on tamoxifen and Zoladex.
I’ve had a sore boob ever since with the common aches, niggles and swelling. I’ve just recently noticed a thickening, not quite a lump, more of a ridge under my nipple. I’ve been in touch with my surgeon and have a mammogram in a week.
I’m terrified I’ve got a recurrence. I just don’t feel like I can start it all again…
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Hello @ChattersJ
I’m sorry to hear you are feeling so anxious, ahead of your 12 month mammogram. Unfortunately what you are experiencing is very common and I think almost everybody who has come through a cancer diagnosis and treatment feels the same at times
Our minds can play some pretty mean tricks on us sometimes and can convince us of all sorts especially when we are due a scan or other checkup, lots of people refer to “scanxiety” and there is no easy way to reduce this.
My 12 month check up included an hour’s consultation with an endocrine nurse and it was brilliant, she was able to listen to everything that was on my mind regarding my health and worries: I hope you get something similar at your appointment it will help.
There will be times where you will be reminded of what you’ve been through: a friend described it as a weight on her shoulder which was always there but some days it felt heavier (news of somebody receiving a diagnosis can be very triggering), and days when you don’t give it a second thought: personally I found the past six weeks quite tricky whilst the schools have been off and I’ve had all sorts of “niggles” which my mind has raced off with into all sorts of places, now we are getting back to a routine they have all disappeared
Lots of love
AM xx
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Hi I had exactly the same as you and have a very thickened fibrous ridge an inch from my scar. I panicked but was checked out and it was basically an area where the radiotherapy had thickened it. I think if it as if you put a chicken breast in the microwave it goes a rubbery fibrous way! That was my boob. When did your radiotherapy finish as I would have said it was a few months after that that mine appeared. It has never gone away. I go for scar therapy massages which help enormously. Fingers crossed yours will be the same xx
Hi . I had a yearly check up and a recall so can relate to how you are feeling . I’m only just a year post op and radiotherapy . I had to have a further 3D mammogram and ultrasound . Normal post surgery changes and old lumps and bumps apparently . Hopefully the visit will be one of reassurance and thoroughness . They really do take good care of you from my experience . I’m still going to be paranoid I think so will have to learn how to cope with that going forwards - it doesn’t help with the daily tablet !!! I really hope the waiting time for you flies by and it goes well
Hi I always had the fear at the beginning then after 10 years I never thought or worried about it. Then in 2020 17 years later I had a reoccurrence in the same breast this time had a mastectomy. Probably not your wanting to hear I’m just telling my story
I actually quite like stories like yours @macfarlane09 because we all know recurrences can occur, even if the majority of women don’t get them, and I would happily settle for a 17 year gap, particularly if it was a local recurrence. But 17 years would put me at 86 and the chances are I won’t still be above ground by then anyway! So it’s four years on from your second diagnosis - I do hope all is going well for you now. PS when I say I quite like stories like yours, I obviously don’t mean I like to hear about women having to go through it a second time! Just a long gap and fixable.