Breast Cancer Diagnosis - New Mum

  • 17 replies
  • 15 subscribers
  • 926 views

32 years old; diagnosed with ER positive, HER2 negative breast cancer.

Have an appointment at the hospital tomorrow to discuss my treatment plan.

I have a 6 month old daughter and I am worried the side effects of treatment will prevent me being able to look after her

Anyone else with small babies - how did you/are you managing?

  • Hi  

    How did your appointment go? Hopefully you now have a treatment plan in place.

    I didn't have any children to look after while undergoing treatment, so can't help there, but I noticed that your post hadn't had any replies yet. Responding to you will 'bump' it back to the top of the discussion list again.

    While you're waiting for replies, it would be great if you could put something about your diagnosis and proposed treatment into your profile as it really helps others when replying to you and also when looking for someone on a similar pathway. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. To do this click on your username and then select 'Profile'. You can amend it at any time and if you're not sure what to write you can take a look at mine by clicking on my username.

    Community Champion Badge

     "Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"

  • Thank you, Latchbrook.

    Appointment went well and I have been booked in surgery for June 25th then advised I will need radiotherapy and potentially chemo depending on the results of the lymph nodes. after as well as hormone therapy.

  • Hello. 
    My children are older, but i am 40, and have ER positive, HER2 negative high grade IDC with lymph node metastasis. Obviously everyone is different and I can only  tell u my experience, along with the fact that there is so many chemos. Surgery wise though: I had complete single mastectomy and lymph node clearance. I was discharged same day with the drain- and they stayed for 7 days. Movement came back quickly( I did the exercises) very little discomfort, most was at the drain site tbh and settled with paracetamol/ibuprofen. - I actually used a breast feeding/pregnancy pillow and would imagine this would be beneficial for u to support holding baby too. My chemo regimen was 3 cycles of EC (21 days apart) and then 9 Pacitaxol (weekly). If when u know your plan u think I maybe able to help, let me know? 
    We have lots of info thrown at us, and I have found it easier to take it in ‘chunks’. 
    surgery, results, treatment day 1 and so forth. 
    it’s very overwhelming and I can only imagine your thoughts with such a small baby. The community here is very supportive and helpful. X

  • Hi Claire,

    I am slightly older - 36 - but have also been recently diagnosed and have 2 small children - also keen to hear how other cope..

  • I’m a bit older but do have a nearly 3 year old at home but due to have another baby in September and will be having chemo then. So far I’ve found the nausea relatively mild but more the tiredness. You may find that you’re still able to do a lot of the childcare and when the baby is sleeping you can put your feet up. Do you have by family around or a partner? Following my surgery I needed more help then and my parents stayed for 3 weeks to help. I wouldn’t have been able to do a lot as and drains in for about a week and I couldn’t do any lifting for 4 weeks so for a month after your surgery you won’t be able to pick up your baby. After 4 weeks I was able to do a lot more and could do the childcare. My husband helps a lot for the few days after my chemo x

  • I am having a lumpectomy on 25th June with lymph node clearance. They won’t know about chemo etc until it’s all sent off for testing.

    my partner will help as much as he can and my step Mum is coming over from Ireland for a week to help me out 

  • When were you diagnosed RKD?

    Do you have nausea and tired was without having the chemo? Or has your chemo been put on hold until you have your baby (congratulations )

    My step Mum will come over from Ireland to help me while my partner is at work and when he gets home he will help out as much as he can.

  • I was diagnosed in March. I felt nauseas on the day of the chemo and a few days after. Second time it was less than the first one. I have to have 4-5 cycles before birth then more after birth. That’s good as you’ll need some help at least for a few weeks then you may find youll be ok x

  • It must be so scary going through all of this while pregnant!

    I hope you are ok xx

  • Yes I’m ok thanks. Just getting used to the hair shedding. How are you doing?