Hi all - I was recently diagnosed in Nov with Stage 2 Grade 2 HER+ BC. I’m 30 years old and have taken a huge confidence knock as a result. Whilst I have a treatment plan in place and have recently completed my first round of Neo Adjuvent Chemo, I’m now finding that I am ‘torturing’ myself by reading horror stories of this terrible disease and have now convinced myself that this is going to spread and come back before I have even properly started my treatment. I keep searching for statistics and comparing them to me and this just isn’t helping my anxiety.
Are there really success stories out there because I just can’t see past the worst case scenario at the moment 
xx
Hi samh87
It’s a great worrie isn’t it… try not to beat yourself up thwir are successful stories out their, and been so young I find makes it that bit harder… I was the same as you although not the same diagnosis but when I was first diagnosed I had all the what’s ifs ect ect… unfortunately for me I had reacurrence with in 4 months by I found it early and now I’m on the second toad to recovery… you will only beat your self up wondering what if it comes back… the answer is who knows but what you can do in the mean time is concentrate on the fact you have made it this far and you should be so proud of yourself… I’m still struggling with the mental impacts but try not to let it take over your thoughts…
Xxx
Hi Sam,
As ever, the stats can be daunting to look at & as you say, not helpful for anxiety.
But, stats are general, not specific to you & often based on info that is 10-20 years old - a lot has happened since.
Also, there is the tendency for the ‘horror stories’ to be reported, not those stories of those who are well & getting with life as most of us are.
The temptation is hard to resist, but it’s maybe an idea to step away from google? It’s a wonderful thing, but can also just feed the anxiety monster.
Do take care
ann x
Hi Sam just thought I would reply back to your post I was diagnosed in 2014 just through a routine mammogram I was devastated as I hadn’t a clue I felt no lump had no pain I just couldn’t believe it fast forward to nearly 2018 and I feel brilliant I had to go through chemotherapy/radiotherapy and herceptin for a year as I was her2 positive yes I won’t lie I felt dreadful at times but I don’t now I just thank my lucky stars I went for my mammogram and it was caught early I’m back at work now yes I get tired but I know my limits I am currently taking letrozole for another couple of years as I was also oestrogen positive I have a few aches and pains but nothing more if you can try to keep off google as like my gp said some of the sites are ancient and the info is so outdated I think this site is brilliant so much information and of course all these ladies including myself have been through it sending you lots of love stay strong if you ever want to chat you can message me or just carry on posting and you will always get so much support love Judi xxxxxxx
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Sam it’s normal to feel like this in the early days of diagnosis, its almost impossible to convince your brain that you can get through this! I had lost my mum to breast cancer so of course I wrote myself of when I was also diagnosed, I traumatised myself reading stats and heart wrenching stories and was in a dark place for a while but as the weeks went on and I was doing ok I began to feel I could do this and come out the other side.
I won’t pretend I had an awful time of it with treatment because I didn’t , I had no chemo only radiotherapy but I still had cancer and no amount of reassurance from those looking after me did much to help in the beginning, but you won’t stay in this mindset for ever, your brain will get over the shock and your rational thoughts will return , we have no choice but to deal with the cards we’ve been handed but we have every right to believe we will be ok! Xx Jo
Sam
Just wanted to welcome you to the forum where you can see you will get loads of help and support from the wonderful ladies on here.
What you are feeling is totally normal and you really do need to keep away from Dr Google, very misleading. There is lots of very good information on here in the information section at the front page of the website.
If you want a bit of success stories click on the link below, that is 14 of us who had different diagnosis and treatment and we met up on 2 December to celebrate being 12 months at least down the line:
Sending you hugs
Helena xxx
Thank you so much ladies … you have helped to reassure me today 
— Helena, that picture is amazing! I hope that will be me out celebrating like you all did this time next year xx
HelloSam I have also felt the same but I’m 10 years I will not say it has been easy but what I’ve learnt is take all the help you can and always talk x
Hi, I was diagnosed in 2008 with BC which was aggressive and had spread to my lymph nodes at the age of 28 and found out half an hour later that I was 6 weeks pregnant with with second child
I’ve been clear since. You never lose the worry but you learn to live with it and also to enjoy each day
You are not a statistic your journey will be different to everyone else’s so don’t listen to others or research worst case scenarios. You need to fight, to beat it and refuse to let it take over your life. Your Drs and nurses will play their part to help you but it needs to come from you too
x
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Hey SamH87 - I’m still here after two mastectomies 2006 and 2007, both with total node clearance. I’ve been a regular on this Forum, sadly for only 3 1/2 yrs, simply due to not knowing of it’s existence prior to. Can assure you - there are loads of we “long survivors” !!! Please let that be of some support to you, as it’s really the main reason I post on this wonderful Forum. That I’m amongst many other women much further down the line - who want to just give support and “Hope” to others who are earlier in their diagnosis. This is just the right night to do that too.
I hate hearing of, and get sooo upset hearing of ANY other woman being diagnosed by this bleepin bleep disease. If nowt (Northern expression) else - it’s given me a huge compassion towards others going through it. But you will come across many others on here. Please take and draw hope from that.
Much love to you
Dellypoos xxxxxx
Hey Delly! It’s so nice to hear the positive stories from those who are still on the forums! I totally understand why people don’t log on after treatment and just want normality… but for those that do, it gives us newbies such comfort!! It’s what we need to hear!!! ??xxx
I was 56 large lump 4 lymph nodes vascular invasion. i had the works breast off chemo rads and herceptin. I was convinced and resigned to my fate because I am drama queen. I am still here at 67 had nine grandchildren since and still work. I haven’t been on here for quite long time because I forget that I ever had bc. You will too. It’s only normal at the moment to feel scared. I was too. Take care xx
Hello ladies
I don’t post often but I remember that there are never as many positive tales as there are problems so hope this helps
My story is dx at 48 with grade 2, 34mm tumour, vascular invasion, 2 nodes positive and a nodule in skin also no clear posterior margin
I had mx and chemo. rads then 2.5 yrs tamoxifen and 2.5 yrs Arimidex
I developed Lymphodeoma and have had a few other health issues along the way but am still here getting ready to celebrate my 62nd birthday on Monday
So although my onc classed me as high risk that was all back in 2004 and I’m still here over 13 yrs later
So here’s hoping that some of you recently diagnosed who are having a tough time will be back on here in many years to come saying “I’m still here”
So best of luck to all
Hi Everyone
Sam - What a brilliant, bloomin fantastic thread you’ve started woman!!! Loads of positive stories.
Wishing you, everyone who’s already posted and any future postees or readers, a very Happy and Healthy New Year
Dellywellydingdong xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Happy Healthy New Year!!
I just wanted to say thank you as well for all the positive post added by you ladies. It is so inspiring and faith building.
Thanks again and be blessed!
Hi ladies lovely to read your positive stories it really helps me. Sam I was diagnosed 15 Dec 2016 and was petrified at first, I found once I had my op and started on the chemo I felt a lot more positive. I’ve struggled recently with my fears about the future, coming on here really helps me knowing there are others in the same position xx
I was diagnosed in Feb 2011, aged 41, with stage 2, grade 2, 3.5cm cancer + 2 lymph nodes were also affected. I also found out I carry the BRCA2 gene mutation. I had neo-adjuvant chemo, bilateral mastectomy, rads, ovaries taken out, and hormonal treatent (tamoxifen at first switched to Letrozole). I have had no evidence of disease since. I think about my cancer every day and I have to manage my anxiety of a return of the illness. My twins were only 3 when I was diagnosed and I don’t want them to lose their mummy too soon. Also, I had loads of other medical procedures unrelated to the cancer and I really dread being put thorugh surgery and harsch treatments again … but so far so good, and may it continue.
It would be great to keep this thread going to help new users…so that anyone who has long since moved on, and pops back, can add their story. It doesn’t even have to be positive to the level of ‘I’ve never had one single scare and no recurrence since’, just demonstrating the fact that they are here and writing and have got through is helpful in itself.
Thanks Sam ! :smileyvery-happy:
We might be able to snag some of those thousands who have been successfully treated and moved on in life, somehow, to add some words.
HI everyone
14 years for me.
diagnosed age 36, whilst breast feeding my son who was 10 months at the time.
bi lateral mastectomy, recon 4 years later - beckers. Chemo tamoxifen, 4 operations. Widespread DCIS 6 X 6, 1.4 tumor, stage 2 grade 2. Lymph clearance.
so diagnosed at 36, divorced at 38 
went to Uni, got a degree, then a post grad. Now have my own little therapies clinic my son is now 14, autistic, epileptic, and in army cadets
but to me my success has been keeping fit, I’ve run 10ks post cancer, not anymore though. And I lift weights - heavy ones I can do full body push-ups even with implants, neuropathy to upper chest wall and down both arms and cording to axilla. I can’t do a pull up yet!
Some days are easier than others, just keep pushing through xxx