Hi all.  I just wanted to introduce myself as I was diagnosed last month with metastatic breast cancer and to share my story,

Im 42 years old, nearly 43.  I noticed I had a lump in my armpit for a while and I thought it was just swollen lymph nodes, how wrong was I.  I finally made an appt with the dr who referred to the local breast cancer screening service.

I had a mammogram followed by an ultrasound which picked up the lump then I had a biopsy.  When I got the results of the biopsy, I was told it was metastatic carcinoma but I needed to have more tests to determine if there was cancer anywhere else in my body.  I had a breast MRI, a CT scan and a PET scan.  The results of these tests showed the cancer had spread to my bones and it was found in my spine, rib cage, breastbone and pelvis.

Im waiting to start chemotherapy.  Im already taking Tamoxifen and vitamin d tablets with a view to receiving bone strengthening injections.

Im aware that my cancer cannot be cured.  I just hope I will not be in this much pain for the rest of my life. I didnt realise bones could hurt so much and sometimes, like today, the pain is debilitating, I struggle to move about.