Hi, I’m new here.

Hi Becks40, sorry to hear of your diagnosis. I was diagnosed with idc and triple positive last year. I had surgery, chemo, radiotherapy, targeted treatment and hormone therapy. In January I finish my targeted treatment Phesgo for the HER2 positive but the hormone treatment is still for another 4 years. I did have some side effects with the chemo. Whilst it can be hard it’s doable. Radiotherapy was a breeze compared to chemo. If you click on my name you can read through my journey. 
Anything you want to know just ask happy to help .

Wishing you all the best

Hugs from cuffcake x x x x x

Hi Becks40 and another warm welcome to the forum. It’s a club that none of us wanted to join but a great place for support and shared experiences. A cancer diagnosis is such a shock and your stage is arguably the worst - the horrible limbo land of waiting for tests and results. Somehow it seems easier to face once treatment starts. 
In terms of other support groups, I believe that breast cancer now offer a ‘someone like me’ option where they link you with a trained volunteer who’s had a similar experience. I haven’t used it but I’ve seen it mentioned here, and just googled it so it seems to be on offer. Generally googling is definitely not the way to go though! Lots of out of date or just wrong information so best to stick to reliable sites. 
Keep posting here, ask questions, sometimes it helps just to rant and rave! Sending love and a big virtual hug, HFxx

Me again! 
Also, for face to face support there may be a Maggie’s centre or MacMillan centre near you. And if you’re near London, Future Dreams is a charity offering support, face to face sessions as well as online. I’ve been to a couple of workshops and found them really useful. I’ll hopefully post the link…xxx

https://futuredreams.org.uk/

Hi cuffcake, thank you for taking the time to reply to me.  So sorry to hear about your diagnosis too.  A year on and I imagine it’s been really tough, but you’ve also been strong and very brave.  I’m hoping a hurdle at a time will help keep me focused.  Plus I have 2 daughters (10 & 7) and not forgetting my husband to fight this for.  Thank you for the love and support.  Best wishes Becks xxxxx

Hi HappyFeet1, Thank you for the warm welcome and taking the time to reply.  It definitely isn’t and I’ve actually had 35yrs of my life being fully aware of this as I lost my mum to breast cancer when I was 5.  However being aware doesn’t make it any better.  Thank goodness tests, treatments etc have moved on since then.  Sorry to hear you’ve had to join the club too and big hugs.

It very much is the horrible limbo stage!  Yes thats how I feel in my head.  Oh that’s lovely to know thank, I’ll take a look.

I’m trying sooooooo hard not to “Dr Google” stuff. 

Thank you I will.

Love and hugs

Becks xxxxx

Hello you again!!! Lol  

Unfortunately not, but thank you.  I’ll still take a look. Xxx

Hi Becks40

Welcome to the forum.  Ask us anything, anytime as we are hear to support.  Make sure you are given the option of genetic testing due to your family history and you having children.  The genetic markers for breast cancer also show the likelihood of ovarian cancer and melanoma.  It took me a year of waiting for approval but finally gave blood a couple of weeks ago and now have to wait around 4 months for the results.  I have 2 daughters and want to provide them with an easier route to get tested if they wish to.  Also if I have a likelihood of it coming back I will insist on a double mastectomy, similarly have ovaries removed if necessary.

It's such a lot to think about and a crash course of medical jargon!  Here to support you,

Bex

Hi BexF, thank you and sorry to hear you are also on this journey.  I have had the BRACA 1 & 2 testing and they couldn’t find an altering gene, but that doesn’t mean to say I don’t have it.  They have done the PALB2 (think thats right) and again nothing.  We are going to mention all this to the consultant agin when we see her next.  Pretty certain my grandmother (mum’s mum) also had ovarian.  My goodness I feel like a train is hitting me at full speed!

I hope your results are ok and there’s nothing else to worry about.  Like you I also want my daughters on their radar for the future too.  I also have that mindset too but 1 step at a time.

It certainly is!!!! Let’s try (it’s really really hard) and be positive that we’ll be off this train soon!!!

I have an MRI scan today and today I’m not ok.

Much love 

Becks xxxxx

Hi Becks40 , on the subject of genetic tests, I would suggest checking that they included testing for ATM, which is less well known and carries a moderate (rather than high) risk of breast cancer if you have a pathogenic alteration. I have only found out this year that I have it. When I was diagnosed 5 years ago I asked about a genetic connection as my mum died from breast cancer (hormone positive, like mine) at age 53. They said it wouldn’t be connected and I wasn’t offered testing. But it niggled at me as her aunt had also died relatively young from breast cancer. So at my 4 year follow up I asked again. This time I got my initial referral and 5 months later a consultation and blood test. 3 more months, results, negative for BRCA etc but positive for ATM. I’m sort of lucky in that my version of this gene is in the lowest risk category but still higher than if I didn’t have it! It’s likely that’s why I got breast cancer. And it means that close relatives can be tested and get screening from 40 if they have it. It was a shock but I’d rather know. 
Sorry for long ramble, but apparently this alteration is more likely to produce hormone positive cancer, while others tend more towards triple negative. And it’s relatively recently been identified, compared to others. If I’d been tested when I first asked 5 years ago they might not have included it so I’d never have known. Xxx

Hello, sorry that you find yourself here. I was diagnosed with grade 1 IDC in September, had a lumpectomy 21st November and a re excision 4 days ago. The waiting for results has definitely been the hardest for me but this weekend I have decided to park it all and enjoy Christmas with my family. Easier said than done I know but I’m definitely giving it a good go.

There is plenty of support and helpful information on here, so tend to spend a few hours on here receiving or sharing my experiences. Best wishes