Hi. I am 31 yrs old. I had mastectomy my right breast and lymph node were clear. My doctor sugested me I should go through chemo, radio therapy, and hormone therapy for 5 yrs. Because my cancer is grade 3, invasite one, tumor was near muscle. I know I will get benefit to reduce to coming back cancer in the future. If I have all of treatments. But the other hands might be not coming back...then I am not able to have children in the future..... it;s such a gamble. I moved to Australia from oversea 6 yrs ago. I dont have any family here. I dont want to tell my friends about it. so I would love to share it and support with someone of my age are having same situation. I try to be positive in front of my friends.but it is hard to keep myself stronge... thanks.

Sorry Mimi I hadnt finished , my husband bought me this tablet thingy for Christmas and I swear itnis doing my head in trying to get it to do what I want lol. Anyway what I wanted to say and I have said it to other young women on here before is that you need to be armed with all the facts before you make your decision and the thing i found is that everyone is so busy trying to get rid of the cancer that sometimes they forget to look at the bigger picture, so have a meeting with the IVF specialist ASAP and find out all your options. Good luck and dont feel alone, pop in here anytime you want. xx Tanya

Hi, Leonie , Tanya. Thank you for your message. It was nice to hear from somebody to listning my feeling. It was hard times last year in my life. Separation of partner after 6yrs together, I just restart my life. then I found out this diagnose...... Difficult times test me my endurance but the other hand It teach me the most, I am just hoping that It happens after hard times comes good times.... Ive got an appointment with gynecologist on 3rd of Jan. so hopefully they will give me any hopes. anyway thank you for your advise and kind message .hope you both had a happy new year!! talk to you soon.

Sorry for your hard times Mimi, but I can assure you that the good times will follow after this hiccup (bloody cancer) lol. So hang in there and be kind to yourself. Great that you do not have to wait too much longer before you will have some answers from your Gyno. Please call in again and let us know how you get on. And stop trying to be positive in front of your friends, if they are true friends they will support you even if you are not positive. Being positive is just something people say when they dont know what to say. It is OK to have down days, weeks and months. I reckon I was not positive for a whole year, and if someone told me to be positve I would tell them that I was positive......positve that my hair would fall out from chemo, positive that cancer is a crap card to receive, positive that it would hurt when they couldnt find a vein. But now I am positve that I will have a bright future, but in the start when there is so much uncertaintly it is fine to just say how you feel. Admittedly some friends will head for the hills, but the true friends, will hold your hand. Take care, sorry for my ramble, just wanted you to know that there are many people who care for you and you are not alone during this dark time. Take care. Tanya

I have been thinking about you and wanted to add something. I have a young friend that I met during my first diagnosis of BC. She was your age when she was diagnosed. She had a little boy about 3 years old and was pregnant when she received her BC diagnosis. The baby had to be terminated but her and her husband thought that they were lucky enough to have the little boy. They didn't worry about saving her eggs etc , they just wanted to get on with the treatment and make her well. Anyway when all the treatment was done they asked her doctors if it was possible to try for a baby. The doctors said that they had to wait for 2 years after the treatment finished. Well my friend fell pregnant straight away at the end of this 2 years and has a beutiful little girl who is now nearly 3. She was born with a red strawberry birthmark on her forehead. We all think that this is to show how special she is. I know your story is different and i am sad that you are not in a relationship right now but please let us support you in whatever decision you make. XLeonie

I don't know what to do! | BCNA Online Network

18 Replies

Melr
Member
14 years ago
Thanks Lee. It's the hardest decision I've ever had to make.
LeeS
Member
14 years ago
I was ready to throw the towel in half way through chemo because it was making me so sick. My dad ( who is a doctor) said...go on then, 3 treatments is better than none at all. BUT no matter how much I was suffering I felt that I had to go on and finish the treatments just to know that I did everything in my power that was offered to me. I'm glad I did. There's enough worry down the track about having breast cancer again. At least this way I feel that if by some small chance there was still cancer in me after my surgery...I had well and truly dealt with it. It's like having a clean slate. Good luck with your decisions. Speak to your oncologist. XXX
Melr
Member
14 years ago
I've had a Grade 3 cancer. I had a bilateral mastectomy in Dec 2011 and lymph nodes removed. The cancer wasn't in the nodes. I've started Arimidex. The oncologist gave me the OPTION of having 4 cycles of chemo as well - Taxotere and Cyclophosphamide. I have to decide by tomorrow as apparently there is a 3 month window of time between diagnosis and treatment. I am worried about the permanent damage of these drugs such as kidney damage. Also I don't know if I should even have the chemo or not. Everytime I decide to have it I think I am silly because it could cause permanent damage. Then I think if I don't I haven't done everything in my power to get rid of any stray cancer cells! Can anyone talk to me who's been in a similar situation? Please?
happylittlevegi
Member
14 years ago
Hi Mimi

I was diagnosed with stage 2B IDC in Sep 2010 at age 32. I have no children and because my tumour was hormone responsive and very fast growing, they wanted me to start Chemo straight away. I had no option but to to skip the IVF as it was too risky to pump me with hormones to be able to take my eggs. That and it was going to cost $4000.00 that I didnt have!! Everything happened so fast. I hated the fact you had to make discissions right there and then. I'm so glad you have the oportunity to freeze your eggs. I finished all my treatment in June 2011 and have been on Tamoxifen for 8 mnths now. As I still have my period the Onc has now insisted I also take Zoladex implants (to suppress my overies) as well. My chances of having any children in the future is grim. Which makes me very sad but hopeful that one day I could prove them all wrong! This site has helped me tremendously. Its encouraging and empowing to know there are so many women out there that are going through a similar journey. I wish you all the very best in what ever treatment you choose. Please stay in contact and keep posting. Take extra good care of yourself!
happylittlevegi
Member
14 years ago
Hi Mimi

I was diagnosed with stage 2B IDC in Sep 2010 at age 32. I have no children and because my tumour was hormone responsive and very fast growing, they wanted me to start Chemo straight away. I had no option but to to skip the IVF as it was too risky to pump me with hormones to be able to take my eggs. That and it was going to cost $4000.00 that I didnt have!! Everything happened so fast. I hated the fact you had to make discissions right there and then. I'm so glad you have the oportunity to freeze your eggs. I finished all my treatment in June 2011 and have been on Tamoxifen for 8 mnths now. As I still have my period the Onc has now insisted I also take Zoladex implants (to suppress my overies) as well. My chances of having any children in the future is grim. Which makes me very sad but hopeful that one day I could prove them all wrong! This site has helped me tremendously. Its encouraging and empowing to know there are so many women out there that are going through a similar journey. I wish you all the very best in what ever treatment you choose. Please stay in contact and keep posting. Take extra good care of yourself!
mimi
Member
14 years ago
Hi. everybody gave me kind message. Thank you for your kind message, It made me more storonger.

I have been sick in this couple of days. I just could not stop coughing and sore throat. I am already back to work after 5 days later I had mastectomy. I throught It is too early to back to work. but I wanted to keep me busy. but I might need a break a bit....

yes, I went to see gynecologist on 3rd. I just throught it was nice to see gynecologist!! And they were so nice. he definitely recommend me egg freezing. he also said ""it might have a child naturally after finish all of treatment. but it make you feel better for back up "" i agreed what he said. and I felt he is really trustworthy person. but I had to decide the day to start or not. because I was having period the day. I wanted to think about it a couple of days for financially. but it means I have to wait next my period. it happened me so many time this time to have to make a decision the day. It was so hard to decide something such a short time... but I throught egg freezing is best way to make me feel good in the future.so I started it doing now. this is my 2nd days now. I will have egg collection on 13th....

and I have an appointment with medical oncology on 12th. so hopefully It make me help to think about chemo.

I have a question for you guys.

Do you know any natural therapy If someone do not take chemo?

or

Do you know someone decided to not have chemo? and whats happen after that??

I know everybody think it is silly if i do not have chemo....but I just want to know that any chance to go throuh to other treatment instead of chemo....

thank you.
Anonymous
14 years ago

Hey Mimi, and welcome!

Good to see you taking the plunge and making your introduction post. As you can see from the response to your blog post there is a great support through the online network.

You seem to have found your way around but if you need some tips please just ask.

Welcome, again!
Daina
Anonymous
14 years ago

Hey Mimi, and welcome!

Good to see you taking the plunge and making your introduction post. As you can see from the response to your blog post there is a great support through the online network.

You seem to have found your way around but if you need some tips please just ask.

Welcome, again!
Daina
Smiley_30
Member
14 years ago
Hello Mimi, I hope your appointment went well today & u got answers to your questions,... I was 30 at the time of diagnosed, (31 now) single with 2 kids! BCNA is a wonderful source of help, support, sharing. Take care...thinking of u Soly
Tanya
Member
14 years ago
Ditto to Mel and a BIG hello to you Miss Lee S, would not have realised it was you unless you pointed out that we met in person!!! Yes I have met some truely wonderful women on line throughout my breast cancer journey and had some wonderful experiences that I would not have had....2011 The Block with you Lee was definatly a highlight.

Be kind to yourselves and love lots. xxx

Tanya