Newly diagnosed

[MissRen]

Hi everyone. This is all very new to me and feel like I have been caught up in a whirlwind. I am 34 years old and was diagnosed with breast cancer Oct 10 of this year. On the 22nd of Oct I had a bilateral mastectomy and sentinel node biopsy. I had a grade 3 cancer in the right breast and DCIS in my left. The enormity of it all is slowly sinking. I will be meeting with an oncologist this week to discuss my treatment program, which my surgeon tells me will include chemo, radiotherapy and hormone therapy. I have a positive outlook 98% of the time, the times that I do get very upset is when I feel my partner, family and friends don't understand what it's like to not be able to do the simplest task, to loose the independence that was second nature and when people assume I have now become a frail and delicate person. I am very nervous leading up to my treatment program. If anyone has any advice I would really appreciate it. Take careMissReena

[cuartasc]

Hi MissReena,I am 31 years old and I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma and DCIS on the 28th of October. I can certainly understand what you are feeling and especially about how fast things happen. I had a partial masectomy last wednesday and at the moment I am waiting on the pathology results to see the full picture and get a treatment plan. I feel anxious and at times very afraid. Most times I cope well but there are times I just cry. I hope your treatment goes well, I would love to keep in contact with you and share the events that happen in our lives. If I get to meet good people through this ordeal then it will be easier to accept. I hope you keep in touch.Cass

[jules_jp]

Hi everyone,Firstly, it is perfectly normal for you to be angry and upset. Your livelihood has been affected. What seems to happen is the time between surgery and chemo, your friends and family look at you and think you look ok. So it doesn't sink in. You are the one absorbing the impact of how the treatment is going to change your life (whereas others do not understand - YET!). Its not until the chemo nurse tells you to cut your hair very short because you will lose it on day 12 of chemo that it really starts to sink in. The best advice I can offer is to make life as comfortable for yourself as possible. I'm 5 months out from treatment and I just now starting to feel a bit of a new normal with my hair coming back to a curly pixie style. Mine was grade 3 IDC - lumpectomy/chemo 6 cycles of FAC/ radiation (ER positive). On tamoxifen for 2-3 years. Was offered IVF treatment but declined in the hope to conceive naturally (chances are 80% positive). Stay strong

[cmarti15]

Hi all - I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma on October 22nd this year. I have had the lumpectomy and am now waiting to be told what sort of chemo and radiation therapy I am to undertake.  I am 42 and have three teenage children and a wonderful husband.  I would love to hear from others who have been through this. 

[lyndean1]

Hello Cmarti15 I also am newly diagnosed Ive had lumpectomy and sentinal biopsy and a second op to clear the margins. still waiting for results. im have 3 daughters and am still getting used to the idea of having breast cancer (I may not have it anymore).  I like you are now going through the process of what treatment to have.  what grade etc was your cancer. hope you had a good xmas lyn  

[cmarti15]

Hi Lyn Sorry took so long to reply - I was starting to think that all conversations occurred on general discussion. I had a 2.3cm Grade 3 lump cut out. Only had 3 nodes removed and they were all clear - thank goodness. I have already had two rounds of chemo (AC) and am having 2 more of this type and then 4 lots of Taxotere with Herceptin thrown in for good measure and then Tamoxifen. So much to look forward to!! I am also in contact with another girl who had same grade and size cancer, who is one week behind me in chemo stuff. She only has to have 6 chemo sessions (which I think is unfair!!!) We have been swapping notes etc and it really helps. Some of the side effects I had, she also got - so comparing and talking about things really helped. Now I know there is someone interested in chatting I will check in more often. Let me know where you are up to with treatment etc. Regards Chris :-}

[Merkel]

Hi Girls, Miss Reena, Lyn, Lyndena1, Cmarti15, Misti, Ouartasc I have read all your posts. I find it wonderful that you are all supporting one another through your treatment. It's not an easy road to travel. The big picture is, your all getting the best help and you will survive. Merkel

[applepie]

Hi Girls! I found wonderful support at www.bcaus.org.au You will get lots of replies from the very active members who promptly reply to your queries. They have all been through breast cancer or are going through treatment. This site is great too...but very slow. I'm sure it will pick up as well if we all keep posting! I agree cmarti...it does help if you can chat to someone who knows exactly how you feel. Keep posting and check out the other forum. AP

[Nikki_YAC]

Hi everyone, First of all a BIG thanks to MissReena for staring this topic. You are most definitely experiencing what i think are very 'normal' thoughts. I hope this site allows you to see this and get some comfort and strength from the many others here who have had or are going through cancer. This site is only in its second week, and the Young Adults section will grow enormously over the next few months, helping you to connect with more people :) I can see that many of us posting our thoughts here are 'young' in terms of getting cancer and I think that this adds weight to the scariness of having cancer. Our younger age means we are a lot more isolated because there are less of us diagnosed compared to older adults. Add to this that there a few to no clinical trails for young adults and therefore the doctors don't really know how to treat and speak to us younger patients (well this is what i personally experienced both during and quite a few years after my treatment), life as a young person with cancer is hard, that's for sure! I hope a website like this one will help bring us young people together so we can share and offload some of our worries and begin to smile again. nikki 🙂

[MissRen]

Hi Everyone. Thanks for replying and your advice. Since writing the original POST last year I have turned 35 (Nikki, i too forget my age all the time), completed 5 weeks of radiation and today started my 4th chemo. 2 more to go, Woo! I'd lost my hair, funnily i found loosing the last eyelash to be distressing. I'm happy to say eyelashes, eyebrows and hair grew back when i was going through radiation. I may loose a little bit during the chemo I've got left but it doesn't bother me this time. One bit of knowledege that I want to impart is to learn as much as you can about the cancer you have, plan and do whatever you kind yourself and lastly be kind to yourself. For example, I was doing a jojoba oilation after my showers everyday before the surgery so that my wounds could heal better and continued afterwards. I booked in to cut my hair short and then 4 weeks later booked in for a super pixie cut and a few weeks later shaved it all off. Treat yourself to extravagant things and not feel guilty about it. It could be anything from persian ferry floss to a pair of dynamite books. ( i treated myself to both on saturday and I still have no regrets) I found this to be so empowering. I define this journey, the cancer doesn't define my journey. It is wonderful to have the opportunity to connect with young adults. Thank you for sharing your experience