New to the group

Hi Pollyperk and a very warm welcome to the Macmillan Community but sorry to hear about your diagnosis. 

Navigating a cancer journey can be such a stressful and challenging time but getting support from people who have walked or are walking the ‘exact same' journey can help a lot. 

As you see the Community is actually divided into dedicated Support Groups (Discussion Rooms) and I do see that you have found and posted in our dedicated…..

        Breast cancer

…… support group. This group is a safe place to talk to others with a similar diagnosis, treatment experience, to ask questions and get support.

The Macmillan Support Line is open between 8am-8pm (timings may differ across services) 7 days a week on 0808 808 00 00…… this service provides cancer information, practical information, emotional support, benefits/financial/work guidance or just a listening ear.

We also have our Ask an Expert section but do allow 3 working days for a reply.

Talking to people ‘face to face’ can be very helpful so do check to see if you have any Local Macmillan Support in your area, do also check for a local Maggie's Centre as these folks are amazing.

Do get back to me if you need further help navigating the community ((hugs))

Hi Pollyperk and a second welcome to the online community.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022 and I just wanted to reassure you that your life is definitely not over. Breast cancer is very treatable and here I am 3 years later carrying on with life as normal.

((hugs))

Thankyou x

When you was first diagnosed how did you cope with the emotions, I can’t seem to get myself out of this black hole I’m disappearing down , I’m worried it’s gone elsewhere the cancer measures between 4/7 cm I had mammogram 14 months ago and all was ok they also found a abnormal lymph node .. I’ve only found this site this morning as needed people’s experience, thankyou for your positive message x

Hi im Tina and 4 weeks ago i had breast cancer surgery i also had two lymph nodes removed, yesterday i was told there was cancer found in one of them and now i have more surgery in two weeks to remove the rest of the lymph nodes im really scared as my scars are healing well and was just getting back to normal and was awaiting my radiotherapy treatment, i just feel lost and helpless i know how you feel its so scary but we need to stay possitive and support each other through this xx

That's a difficult question to answer as we're all different. I'm very much a glass half-full type of person and have a personality which means I tend to just get on with things rather than dwell on them. Also, having had a different type of cancer 5 years previously and getting over that, I trusted the doctors to do the right thing for me.

I stayed away from Google and tried to live in the now rather than worry about something that might not happen. Easier said than done, I know, but no amount of worrying was going to change my outcome so instead I tried to focus on the now.

If you feel that you're really struggling then having a word with your GP might help.

You aren’t alone, I felt devastated two months ago but as I progressed through the treatments, i have met the most amazing women who have given hope, you aren’t alone x

Hi I wish I was a more positive person I’ve always had health anxiety and that probaly stems from 27 years in the hospital working and having illnesses .. I need to ask all if there’s things I can try to help me stay more positive and not keep thinking I’ve only got weeks left of my beautiful life xx

Please do join the breast cancer group I linked you to originally because then you'll see that you haven't only got weeks left.

I'm guessing that if you've always had health anxiety you have been given coping strategies in the past and now would be a good time to use them.

As I mentioned before, do arrange to speak to a health professional if you're finding this to overwhelming. Your GP, or the previous person you spoke to about your health anxiety, would want to help.

((hugs))

Hi Polly

it's going to be ok.

You will get through this. These days are the hardest because you have no idea what is ahead or how you will cope. Everyone feels that shock and horror - its cancer and that is scary.

THE GOOD NEWS you are not alone. There is a whole team of people at the hospital who will be helping you to decide how to find the best treatment.

My advice for these early days for emotional support is to just tell a few people you can totally trust and cry together if you need to. 

I was fortunate to walk down the hospital corridor and find a sign for macmillan and just walked in and these lovely people sat me down and let me talk then gave me some leaflets for later and some numbers for when I was ready.

Take the time t let it sink in and know its not the end of your journey just a new one