Hi HPMS,

I read your post and couldn't scroll past! You are the same age as my daughter and I can totally understand and relate to the way you are feeling. Let's acknowledge it.. it's horrible! I'm sure some others who have more experience of lobular BC will come along but I myself had ductal cancer in 2021. 

I don't want to talk about me suffice to say, I had treatment and am back at work, enjoying my life again. But at this stage your head will be all over the place. I can honestly say that with all probability you will be the same later this year. We hear the word cancer and automatically think our number is up, but it so isn't..treatment for BC is so advanced these days, most women are here to tell the tale years later. There are plenty of success stories on here and there's no reason why you won't be one of them. Anyone here will tell you, this no man's land between diagnosis and treatment starting is by far the worst, once something is happening to destroy the cancer, you'll feel different. The anxiety is crippling, I know. My GP has prescribed me fluoexetine and this has helped enormously. 

Stay in touch with us, we'll be here for you. You'll get through this! You'll enjoy life again, you'll get your career back and be changed but in a good way ️

Big hugs 

Jane xx

Hi,

I had Grade 2, invasive lobular breast cancer, three years ago. Like you, H, the size surprised the surgeon as it is difficult to gauge without an MRI.  I elected to have a mammogram, and, later, he said he was glad, because he might have had to take the whole breast off, even if I had asked for a lumpectomy as the tumour was so much bigger than he expected.  I had to go back a month later for lymph node clearance, as he though he had felt something in one of the sentinel nodes he removed with my breast. This was more uncomfortable than the mastectomy but I recovered in a few weeks and have never looked back.

I am exactly twice your age and had virtually the same cancer as you, and three years down the line I am well and strong and active.  I didn't have chemo, as my surgeon said it probably wouldn't make any difference at my age, and I didn't need radiotherapy because I had the whole breast removed.  I am still taking the hormone tablets, which is fine, despite my behaving like a child at the start, thinking I couldn't cope with the side effects. There are some, but they are mild and I don't even notice them now.

As Jane says, you'll get through this and you will enjoy life again. This is the worst time when you can't stop thinking about cancer.  All you can do is to keep busy until you have your surgery, and in a few years, you, too, might be replying to some woman who has just been diagnosed, telling her everything Jane and I have said.  Let us know how you go on when you feel up to it, and good luck with everything.

love

Christine xx

Hi,

I had Grade 2, invasive lobular breast cancer, three years ago. Like you, H, the size surprised the surgeon as it is difficult to gauge without an MRI.  I elected to have a mammogram, and, later, he said he was glad, because he might have had to take the whole breast off, even if I had asked for a lumpectomy as the tumour was so much bigger than he expected.  I had to go back a month later for lymph node clearance, as he though he had felt something in one of the sentinel nodes he removed with my breast. This was more uncomfortable than the mastectomy but I recovered in a few weeks and have never looked back.

I am exactly twice your age and had virtually the same cancer as you, and three years down the line I am well and strong and active.  I didn't have chemo, as my surgeon said it probably wouldn't make any difference at my age, and I didn't need radiotherapy because I had the whole breast removed.  I am still taking the hormone tablets, which is fine, despite my behaving like a child at the start, thinking I couldn't cope with the side effects. There are some, but they are mild and I don't even notice them now.

As Jane says, you'll get through this and you will enjoy life again. This is the worst time when you can't stop thinking about cancer.  All you can do is to keep busy until you have your surgery, and in a few years, you, too, might be replying to some woman who has just been diagnosed, telling her everything Jane and I have said.  Let us know how you go on when you feel up to it, and good luck with everything.

love

Christine xx

Hi, I just want to echo what the others have said. You will feel pains and twinges all over your body and think the cancer has spread and your time is up. That's how it was for me and I was planning my funeral. But as soon as they gave me my diagnosis and treatment plan my whole outlook changed. Survival rates are so so good now as a result of new treatments. I've just completed 7 cycles of chemo and have had an excellent response. My treatment plan is to cure me of cancer. Please don't give up! You'll be fine. We're all here to support you, and don't forget you can call the Macmillan helpline if you just want to talk to someone and offload. Keep busy and distracted if you can, and I highly recommend cancer prehabilitation to cope mentally and physically. Lots of love coming your way xx