Breast Cancer at 31

Hi,

My name is Bec, I am 31 years old and 6 weeks ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. To say it came as a huge shock is a major understatement. 

I came across the lump by accident in the shower while washing myself. It was a small lump just above my nipple on my right breast. I expected it to go away after my next period, so I waited. Unfortunately this didn't happen and it was still there, so I told my husband Pete about it and he told me to make an appointment to see my GP straight away. 

The GP said she was concerned due to the dimpling in the skin above it. I seriously just thought it would be a cyst or a blocked duct. I've had two children so thought this would be the cause. She referred me to have an ultrasound to get it checked out.

I had to wait four weeks for the ultrasound, and when I went in the sonographer said it looked like a cyst to her. I was immediately very relieved and started joking around a little, 4 weeks of worry about nothing!! It was when the breast Doctor came in to check it out that it suddenly became serious again. He said it looked small, but he was indeed worried and did a biopsy.

The following day I received a call from the clinic saying my Dr wanted to see me the following morning and could I please bring someone with me for support. My Mum came in as my hubby was away in the mines. I was absolutely beside myself when she told me I had Malignant Breast Cancer. I am relieved I took Mum in with me, I'm not sure I took in a lot of what she told me after that. I'm pretty sure I went into shock. That was Friday 10am. By 10.30am I had called Pete to break the news. He was in the car within 10 minutes to start the 7 hour drive home.

Sunday we drove to Adelaide where I had the usual tests, full body scan, chest x-ray, ultrasound, mammogram, breast MRI, and of course to see the breast doctor. My paternal Grandma had breast cancer 25 years ago at the age of 59 and he was the Doctor that operated on her back then, and she has seen him ever since which made me feel a little better.

The results came back in my favour (well as well as they can be considering). The cancer had not spread anywhere else in my body according to the scans, and was just in my right breast. Surgery was booked for the following Tuesday.

We drove back home, got everything in place and came back a few days later. Monday I went in for the radioactive dye, which no one tells you absolutely hurts like hell. The following morning I had a right partial mastectomy and sentinal node biopsy.

I can't honestly say I've ever been so scared while waiting for the biopsy results to come back. Friday I had an appointment with my DR and this is what I got:

Pathology haven't found the cancer in the lump. It means one of 3 things:

1. They haven't found it yet and need to keep looking, so hopefully that's good and it hasn't spread.

2. It hasn't been removed yet, which I find hard to believe because I felt the thickening in the tissue when I removed the lump

3. It wasn't cancer in the first place which is also impossible given all the test results. 

We'll have to wait until Monday and see what happens.

Well, what a long and agonising weekend. Finally Monday night at 8pm I received the call. They found the cancer, and the outer margins were clear. So were my lymph glands!! YESSSSS I thought. Then I was told about the Hormone receptor test and HER2 tests which we were still waiting on to determine treatment. Again I had to wait until Friday to find out that my receptors came back positive, and HER2 came back negative. From there it was decided radiation treatment would be the next step and I avoided chemo.

I came to Adelaide 3 weeks after treatment to see the radiation oncologist. From there, he booked me in to start the following Monday. I then saw my breast DR for a check up. The wounds were healing well and he was generally happy. This is where the next blow came, and one I still can't get my head around, hence why I am writing this post. He said after 4 weeks of radiation treatment we would need to discuss hormone therapy. "What?" I replied, "I thought I avoided this with my good results". His response was it would be recommended given my age. 

I started radiation 3 days ago. 3 down, 17 to go. The only thing I keep thinking about is hormone therapy. To be honest, my husband and I had been planning on trying for another baby at the end of the year so this has thrown a spanner in the works. I mentioned to my DR about getting pregnant, and he recommended being on the treatment at least two years first, then going off it for 4 months for trying to get pregnant, then going back on it afterwards. I can't fathom the thought of waiting so long, or of the therapy affecting my chances of falling pregnant, or even the side effects. It is completely consuming my thoughts.

If there is anyone that has been on Tamoxifin at such a young age that can give me some advice, or that has fallen pregnant soon after breast cancer, please I would love to hear from you. 

Thanks :)