Hello! I'm 32 and new :-(

[Guest user]

Thanks all - your advice and support is much appreciated. I've messaged you both on FB.
I'm less angry and tearful now. I went back to work today and they've been very understanding and supportive and even switched some of my exam classes around in case I need time off in the near future for an operation.
My friends have been brilliant. My dad was a bit of an idiot but no surprises there: "THIS IS NOT WHAT I NEED RIGHT NOW!"... fool.
I feel much more ready to face things now. I had therapy today too, which helped. Roll on Thursday. I'm ready to fight now.

[Guest user]

Ooh - sorry - just saw you haven't had confirmation of the diagnosis - so here's keeping all extremeties crossed that it isn't anything sinister.... x

[Guest user]

Hi Debecca,

Sorry to have you join us. I was diagnosed last year at the age of 33 and also have a really strong family history - I lost my grandma and mum at a young age and my aunt was diagnosed a few months before me. It makes it all the more scary when you've seen what it has done to your loved ones - but please remember that they will be treating you to cure you and that medicine has moved on and MOST ladies will be cured.

I also had an elective bilateral mastectomy (which I am very happy with - I had immediate reconstruction with temporary expandable implants and have them replaced in a couple of weeks) and will be very happy to share my experience with you when you come to making your decision,

I'm part of the Facebook group that Vickie has mentioned above, and am also writing a blog with hints and tips to deal with diagnosis and treatment, if you'd like to have a look: http://chemoforbeginners.com/2012/11/20/diagnosis-a-life-changing-event/.

Make sure you look after yourself - it is very difficult for the strongest person to deal wih - let alone if you are bipolar or suffer from depression.

Once you have a treatment and surgery plan in place you will feel a bit more in control and on the up. You are at the worst place right now.

Sending big hugs, xxx

[tors]

Hiya, sorry for the late response to your post, it seems to have dropped down the list! I don't know whether you have had much of a look round the forum, but if you go onto the younger women section, you'll see my Facebook network for younger women with a breast cancer diagnosis thread. I se it up a couple of months ago and there are over 200 members now from around the UK. We would be very happy to have you join us and I think it might be the support and friendship you are looking for, because within seconds of being on there you will realise that you are not alone in this. The name of the Facebook group is Younger Breast cancer network (UK), there is a public page and if you message that (with private message so the world can't see what you write), one of us admin girls will send you a friend request and click you not thegroup. Just tell us who you are, your age, a bit about your diagnosis and where you heard about us in your message.

If you don't fancy joining, that's not am problem at all. Let me know,I'll mention to the ladies that you have just joined the BCC forum, and I'm pretty sure they'll pop over here to chat with you.

Hope this helps you a bit,

Vickie
X

[carrie35]

Hi debcca oh dear I do feel for you as dealing with cancer is bad enough but having your mum suffer too is dreadful. I totally understand how scared you are feeling right now and no words of try now too worry will reassure you at the moment. The shock is dreadful, the angry of why you, the worry for the future and your kids all flood your mind and you can't think straight and then there is the job too (I teach and understand the preassure there) so let's take things one small step at a time: once you have your results you will feel better as you know what you are dealing with and you can face it head on. Most of the women in here will tell you that the waiting and not knowing is the worst and once you have all the informtion and treatment plan in motion things are more bearable. Regarding your job, don't stress you need to concentrate on you and I am sure your head will be understanding and if you need to take time off now to come to terms with the results then do. Personally I found it better to be at work it took my mind of it, a bit weepy and cried on the way for no apparent reason many times but once I had pulled myself together I was distracted by normality of my job. I actually only had one week off work as my operation coincided with the Xmas holidays and I worked all the way through my radiotherapy But we are all different and if you need to take a year off then you need to do it and make you a priority. Next you need people around you to help, family and friends, you can't do this on your own and you need help with the kids, call in their dad if you can to support you wi the kids. I can't help you with the symptoms as I had none, never been ill until the mamagram told be differently. My tumour was in my chest wall too, I am sure someone will be along to chat to you who may be able to help with your symptoms but do try not to connect all of these with cancer, it could just be your asthma or normal bugs and virus associated with winter x

[Lucy_BCC]

Hi Debecca and welcome to the BCC forums

In addition to the support you will soon have here please feel free to call our helpliners who are on hand 9-5 weekdays and 10-2 Saturday to help you through this worrying time, the number to call is 0808 800 6000

Take care

Lucy

[Guest user]

Hi all,

I've just been sort-of diagnosed, but am waiting for the official results of my biopsy. My mum had BC at 36 and died at 43, and her mum died at 43 too, so I always expected this, but just not quite this soon.

I found the lump 8 days ago, saw the GP on Monday and was in at the clinic by Thursday, which is pretty impressive stuff on the part of the NHS. My lump is hard, immovable and seems to be attached to the chest wall. It's in the top central quadrant. The GP said she was very optimistic it was benign, but I figured they said that to everyone. As soon as I found the lump I knew what it probably was as my mum let me have a feel of hers in 1994.

At the clinic, I saw the consultant, who had a feel and sent me for an ultrasound (apparently mammograms aren't very good if you're under 40 - the breast tissue is too dense). I didn't look at anything but my friend who came with me said the tumour looked like a black blob. The sonographer asked how old I was. When I said 32, he said I was too young. I knew then it wasn't good. I am petrified of needles, but I somehow managed to let him take one sample in a biopsy (he wanted to do three).

I then saw the consultant again. The sonographer said it was a hard, irregular mass consistent with cancer and the consultant said we are talking about cancer. It felt surreal. I didn't really take any of it in. They went through my treatment options, and said they would discuss them further next week when I have my result for definite. This wait is the worst bit. I just want surgery now. This lump is growing so fast; I want it out of me.

This is bad timing. I have two small children (4 and 2) and I have a serious mental illness (Bipolar Disorder). I have separated from my husband. I spent the best part of this year getting mentally stable, with intensive psychotherapy. I don't drink, I don't smoke, I go to the gym/cycle three times a week, I eat healthily, I'm a size 8. WHAT THE ACTUAL ****? How is this fair?

I left the clinic feeling like it was happening to someone else. They offered to let me go out the back entrance (they do that when it's bad news, apparently) but I went out the front because I felt fine... but when I got out I felt sick and my legs were shaking.

It only really hit me the day after, and I spent a lot of time sobbing hysterically. I don't know if I can go through what my mum went through. I'm a Maths Teacher and I've literally just started a new job, so I'm now financially screwed on top of everything else, and I'm letting the school down too.

I actually still cannot believe this. I've had more to deal with in my lifetime already than most people can even comprehend, and now this too? ABSOLUTE JOKE.

I'm hoping to meet other women on here who understand how I feel and where I'm at, and who want to talk. I'm on a pregnancy forum too (from when I had the kids) and it's been invaluable, but of course there are only two of us on there who've had cancer, and so it's not quite the same level of experience.

Oh, and I'm electing to have a double mastectomy. Get the remaining risk OUT OF ME thanks.

Also, did anyone else have symptoms prior to being diagnosed? I've had chest pain (on that side) for a few months and even went to the doctor with it, but the ECG was normal (of course). I've had breathing problems, but I just assumed my asthma was getting worse. Also, my hair has been falling out and has gone very dry and sparse, to the point where my friends have started to notice. Oh yes, and weird immune reactions (anaphylaxis after drinking Diet Coke, a sudden allergic reaction to penicillin where none previously existed, random flare-ups of hives and breathing difficulties, etc)... it all makes more sense now.

Oh yes, and they're going to give me genetic testing, which is good because there is no way my daughter is going to be the next in a long line of cancer deaths.