All of the above

You and your daughter both get breast cancer and it's just bad luck!! I am filled with sorrow but also admiration for you both. No young mum should have to endure bc treatments.It's so unfair- your daughter should have been enjoying the birth of her second bub.Sounds like you are a wonderful support for her and you are both amazing women.    Hugs to you both, Tonya xx

Hi Mona, I have sent you a private message about my hysterectomy choice, thought I was doing this but my message came into this blog??  It may appear in both not sure? I am not very good at this whole blogg thing, lol.

Cheers Viv

Its good you get some comfort here.  I think i can relate to most of what people write about. I do find it useful to talk about what is going on with my husband--almost every day; but ive had to coach him not to fix or advise or minimalise..and i find this helpful--not to too long or drawn out but just a quick check up what it is like for me to be going through this

and sometimes we even talk about what it is like for him!

Feelings do pass ..and then come back again....i enjoy having a few hours where i forget ive even got radiation up ahead or anything is going on..but i do need rest and quiet reflection time too

best wishes

Your exeperience is similiar to mine with similar test results.Im about to start radiation in a few weeks time and meds after that

im curious about hysterectomy as ive only had one appt with my oncologist but he did indicate with a wave of hand in the general ovarian direction that that might need 'thinking'--

was your hysterectomy to do with the breast ca?

Dear All,

Thank you very much for all your replies, concerns and advices. I haven't imagined that I would get so much attention and care. I already feel much better knowing that there are people who care and are there for me, even for a chat.  That is more than enough for me. I am not that young by the way, I am in the late 40s, approaching menopause, and yes I have a little one. That is another story of my life. A good story though.  I do have a caring husband, but sometimes I feel he needs support more than I do, and he worries about me and the baby more than I do. So, it is difficult to open up to him or to rely on his support. It is always easier to open up to a friend or even a stranger, than to a close family member.  Again, thank you for all your comments and the information you sent me. I will contact a support group, and I will try to take it easy, one step at a time.

With all the best of luck to you all,

Sawsan

Dear All,

Thank you very much for all your replies, concerns and advices. I haven't imagined that I would get so much attention and care. I already feel much better knowing that there are people who care and are there for me, even for a chat.  That is more than enough for me. I am not that young by the way, I am in the late 40s, approaching menopause, and yes I have a little one. That is another story of my life. A good story though.  I do have a caring husband, but sometimes I feel he needs support more than I do, and he worries about me and the baby more than I do. So, it is difficult to open up to him or to rely on his support. It is always easier to open up to a friend or even a stranger, than to a close family member.  Again, thank you for all your comments and the information you sent me. I will contact a support group, and I will try to take it easy, one step at a time.

With all the best of luck to you all,

Sawsan

Just thought I'd add my experience with tamoxifen. I was diagnosed last year, had 4 rounds of chemo, 6 weeks of radiation followed by tamoxifen which I've been taking for about 9 months. I had one period in between finishing chemo and starting tamoxifen but haven't had one since. I am 47 though so close to menopause age anyway. I think many woman, especially if much younger, still do get their period.

Tamoxifen has not made me gain weight although I am quite careful to exercise regularly and eat healthily most of the time. I'd like to lose a couple of kilos but I've found that difficult. But then I've always found losing weight difficult and I'm only a tiny bit overweight anyway.

I get mild hot flushes from time to time, particularly at night but they seem to be easing and haven't been a major problem. My biggest concern is that I think it sometimes interferes with my sleeping. I have a tendency to wake up very very early - 4.30 or even earlier sometimes. I have recently started taking melatonin some nights which I got online  and which seems to help. (I haven't mentioned it to my doctor yet so not sure what she will say.) I also try to avoid caffeine late in the day and I rarely drink alcohol now as that makes everything - hot flushes, insomnia - worse. I think getting some exercise during the day helps too. All in all, tamoxifen hasn't been as bad as I'd feared but I do worry a little about the long term risks - uterine/endometrial cancer.  I plan to get myself checked in a year or two even though my oncologist says its a waste of money.

Good luck. I hope you can connect with some other young women in your situation. It must be tough going through all this on your own and with a small baby. Take care, Janet. 

Just thought I'd add my experience with tamoxifen. I was diagnosed last year, had 4 rounds of chemo, 6 weeks of radiation followed by tamoxifen which I've been taking for about 9 months. I had one period in between finishing chemo and starting tamoxifen but haven't had one since. I am 47 though so close to menopause age anyway. I think many woman, especially if much younger, still do get their period.

Tamoxifen has not made me gain weight although I am quite careful to exercise regularly and eat healthily most of the time. I'd like to lose a couple of kilos but I've found that difficult. But then I've always found losing weight difficult and I'm only a tiny bit overweight anyway.

I get mild hot flushes from time to time, particularly at night but they seem to be easing and haven't been a major problem. My biggest concern is that I think it sometimes interferes with my sleeping. I have a tendency to wake up very very early - 4.30 or even earlier sometimes. I have recently started taking melatonin some nights which I got online  and which seems to help. (I haven't mentioned it to my doctor yet so not sure what she will say.) I also try to avoid caffeine late in the day and I rarely drink alcohol now as that makes everything - hot flushes, insomnia - worse. I think getting some exercise during the day helps too. All in all, tamoxifen hasn't been as bad as I'd feared but I do worry a little about the long term risks - uterine/endometrial cancer.  I plan to get myself checked in a year or two even though my oncologist says its a waste of money.

Good luck. I hope you can connect with some other young women in your situation. It must be tough going through all this on your own and with a small baby. Take care, Janet. 

Hi SawsanN,

It may be good for you to seek out a support group in your area so you could get to know in person some others on this journey with us.  There is a space on this site for support group information but otherwise you can ring up or also talk to the cancer council.

BCNA is also running some groups coming up in various places- more information on the main page

Hope you feel better soon,

Julia