Zay 

I hope other ladies here will come and support stay here we are all here to help you along 

love Lara ️

Hi Zay

So sorry to hear your news. I know it is scary. I have exactly the same cancer and grade and stage as you, it's early days for me as well, I have my second chemo tomorrow. I am 39.

Lymph nodes - I have cancer in at least five of my lymph nodes. If it's there it doesn't necessarily mean it hasn't spread elsewhere, which is why they are doing the further tests and scans.

I have to say this waiting period with the test and scans is the worst. It will be hard, but it's necessary. The scans show up EVERYTHING.

I had a terrifying period where they told me I had secondary cancer, that it had spread to my lungs. But to cut a long story short, the lung thing turned out to be a cyst.

Further imaging also showed up a lower grade cancer in my other breast.

So things are quite a rollercoaster. But once they know what they are working with you will get your treatment plan and will be able to go ahead with it all, and feel better, I promise.

Fertility - I know this is rough. I was also given the option of freezing my eggs but because this lung stuff extended everything for longer my oncologist was keen for me to crack on so I didn't do the freezing.

She said it's not 100% a given the chemo will make you infertile (it's also not a given the egg retrieval will work). If I wanted to try to conceive in the future I would have to try after 2 years of hormone treatment. I'd have to stop taking the pills, try to conceive, then if successful go back on the drugs after having a baby.

But the drugs are helping reduce a chance of reoccurrence so it's all risky. And I'll be 42 by then. So, I think I need to come to terms with potentially not having children. It is a grief I have not processed yet.

You are balancing so many things. Dealing with the cancer but also stuff around fertility, and menopause. It's rough. 

Any other questions at all please fire them my way.

all my love

clars 

Thanks Lara and Clars for the response. 

I'm just trying to still process the news, but the hospital have been quite good. They've booked a CT scan for this evening and an MRI for Monday. I'm just so scared about these results. 

But you're right it will give an overall picture, just scared that's all. I'm hoping the results come back quickly so I can start treatment. Just hoping for some postive news from the scans. I'm just praying that there's positive news from now, I don't want another set back. I wasn't even initially expecting the news of cancer so it's just set me in a shock. 

How's the chemo going? What's you're chemo cycle like?

Hello my luv, 

I had the exact same as you grade 3 invasive ductal cancer.. not in any lymph nodes in august 2022.

I had a CT scan early September and they noticed it was in 1 node and I also have a benign lesion on my spine. 

I started on chemotherapy in October 2022 on EC every week for 6 months and Pembrolizumab every 3 weeks for a year but unfortunately it didn't work and the tumour grew and so after 3 attempts and six weeks on the 9th February 2023 I had a single mastectomy with lymph node removal.. I had 28 taken and they found a microscopic amount in the 1 node.. 

I was told last week that they got all the cancer and I just need some radiotherapy on the armpit as a precautionary measure. 

I also was asked if I wanted to freeze eggs but I had all ready hit the menopause early as I'm 42. 
I think you need to take some time to discuss all options before making any decisions regarding eggs as it's a big thing. 

I'm here for any advice or questions you may have and wish you all the best.

I know it's easy to say but try not to worry about what ifs but face it when you find out. 
 

lots of love xx 

Yes the unknown is so hard. I went to the breast clinic and got my first biopsy on 3 Jan, started chemo 17 Feb.

I have five months of chemo. I am on EC first for two months, cycles every two weeks. Then Taxol for three months, cycles every week.

It's called a dose dense schedule. Other people have larger gaps between cycles but they think because of my age and fitness I will cope with the reduced time for recovery.

Honestly it's not as bad as I thought it would be. I had some nausea and vomiting night of the first chemo but since then largely ok although energy is obviously low. I went for a run yesterday though! Some constipation but not too bad.

I know chemo is accumulative, so am under no illusions it will be a cakewalk. The menopause stuff hasn't started yet either but I know it's incoming.

You get sent home with armloads of meds for anti sickness, mouthwash, steroids etc. 

I got a bracelet made that says "temporary" on it. I look at that when I am feeling low. Most of these side effects, pain and fear - they will be temporary. You will get through to the other side x 

Thank you sharing your experience Shell.  I think once I start my treatment I'll feel a lot better because right now everything is uncertain. Still waiting for the receptor results. 

I felt quite overwhelmed today as I kept getting calls from the hospital for appointments regarding the tests. I'm grateful that they were able to arrange the CT, bone test and MRI so quickly but got quite overwhelmed. 

It's good to hear your news and how you're getting on. It's given me a sense of hope.

Thanks for sharing clars. Hoping I can get chemo done like yours if it works for me. I just want the treatment to be over and done with. My nurse was saying treatment could take between 9-12 months depending on how I react to chemo

The bracelet sounds lovely, it's a good reminder when things get tough. Maybe I should think about doing something like that which will remind me on the low days.

Hey Lara, 

Feeling a bit better. Had a good cry yesterday and today, I think I needed it. During the time when I was waiting for the results I was just numb and couldn't cry. But it all came out after being diagnosed.

If anyone's on any WhatsApp groups where people been diagnosed with similar cancer, please do let me know so I can join. Looking for more support networks