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Hi Everyone, My story is a little long so bear with me and apologies in advance for the waffle..... Mid May I woke with a terrible pain in my left boob. I examined myself but didn't feel anything. The pain continued so I kept checking. A few days later I found a small lump in the shower. As my period was due I thought I'd wait and see if it went after it finished. Being the consummate worrier I kept checking and 2 days later I found a lump in my arm pit. I went to my GP that same morning and she said she didn't think I had anything to worry about but she would refer me for triple assessment to make sure. She tried to get me an appointment for the clinic but couldn't get through so she decided to make an appointment with a surgeon instead. I saw the Surgeon in St Vincents on 27th May. He examined both lumps and told me I had nothing to worry about. He said (I quote) "the lymph node is clinically benign, everyone is entitled to an enlarged lymph node, and the breast lump is nothing to be concerned about". I asked if it was a cyst and he said probably.....!!He said he'd send me for an ultrasound for "CLOSURE". I was out of the office in less than 5 minutes - probably 3. I had the ultra sound on Thursday (02/06) and it all went desperately wrong. The radiologist took one look at the breast lump and said it didn't look like a cyst. The lump is solid and has jagged edges and the lymph node is also solid. When I asked for her professional opinion she said the breast lump concerned her but the fact I had two suspicious lumps she was very concerned. She did a biopsy of both (ouch). I was due to see the surgeon this morning but the results weren't back - bank holiday weekend. I have a new appointment for Friday at 1.15. I have a mammogram before hand at 12. I'm so confused, terrified, angry etc I don't know what to think. How could the surgeon have got it so wrong? He works with his hands and feels lumps all day. Has anyone had a similar experience? If the results are positive should I change surgeon or get a second opinion? I'm 36, single with no history of breast cancer in my family. My Father died from lung cancer 3 years ago (heavy smoker). Many thanks for reading this and again, apologies for the waffle. Kar

Hi all fellow BC sufferers, I was first diagnosed with estrogen and her2 positive breast cancer at 22, had mastectomy and recon plus lymph nodes removed, 6 months of chemo, radio and a year of herceptin. Was getting on with my life on tamoxifen for 2 years, had just turned 26 when was diagnosed with secondaries in my hip bone. Had pin put in femar and am now back on herceptin, along with zometa to strengthen bones, zoladex and femara for the past year. I was just recently married when the cancer came back coming up to my first anniversary now and have only just nearly got my head around everything. I have been coping with cancer for 4 years but always stayed away from the internet and discussion groups as I found it made me more scared in the beginning and I didn't think anyone was as young as me, but I have just got to the point where I am beginning to not even care what happens to me as anything has to be better than the side effects I am suffering on all these drugs. I feel like a 75 year old woman (no offence to the elderly) and so far away from what a normal 26 year old woman should feel like. I am even considering alternative treatments, much to the shock and worry of my family and friends but nobody seems to understand how bad I feel and everyone keeps telling me I look great. Living with secondary breast cancer is supposed to be about having a good quality of life for however long you have left isn't it and I just don't think that is possible being on this kind of treatment. If I was given a time frame of when I might be able to come off the drugs or even some glimmer of hope I might see the point..........I'm sick of having absolutely no control over my life, is there anyone out there in a similar situation who knows of any alternative? Please help, Jam

I have been asked to take part in the taylor x trial. Im just wondering if anyone here is involved in it? I have to wait till the 1st of july (more waiting...lol) to get the results. The tumour was sent off to america for a specific test. There is a chance that i might escape having to have chemo...fingers crossed!!!!

Hi I have a mastectomy next Tues. I'm hoping to go to my daughter's graduation in Edinburgh the following Tuesday - the consultant says I should be able to, but what does he know I know we're all different but do you think I would be up to flying, eating out, crowds in terms of pain, meds, etc. I've been told I should be out Thurs or at the latest Fri. Btw if anyone wants a giggle, "Lopsided. How having breast cancer can be really distracting" by Meredith Norton is a really funny book with loads of black humour Made me laugh out loud several times.

Hi girls, The surgery is done, chemo done, radiotherapy done! Went to see my Oncologist last Tuesday and he doesn't want to see me again until October. So thrilled, I'm giving cancer the boot. Its so nice to have the summer ahead without any treatment. Well I am starting Tamoxifen this week but I refuse to anticipate any problems there, am I naive? I hope you are all keeping well and thanks again for the support. Garcon

Hi everyone, I've lurked for a few weeks but finally decided to post. I had a mastectomy in May and an axillary clearance 3 weeks ago as some of the sentinal nodes showed signs of cancer also. Thankfully the results from the other nodes were all clear and the bone and cat scans (which I found terrifying) were also clear. I've recovered from both surgeries very well and have been feeling pretty positive about everything. But today, I met the oncologist for the first time and am now trying to process all the information I've been given. I'll have chemo every second week for 8 weeks and then weekly for 12 weeks. Then radiotherapy when that's all over. It's all stretching ahead of me now and I am so scared of it and the side effects. I know I have no option and I said from the outset that I would do whatever I need to do to get through it all - but I'm just plain scared now. There seems to be so much to take in and the thoughts of having weekly doses of chemo are so daunting. Will I be totally debilitated or will my body have any chance of recovering a little between treatments? I have some great friends and a fantastic husband, but no one I know has gone through this, so any advice or suggestions are most welcome. I think I need all the support I can get right now

There is a meeting on monday the 12th of july for young women with breast cancer. Its in arc house in eccles street, dublin. It is a great place to meet people who are going through or have gone through the same crap we have. Plus the tea and coffee tastes fab

Hi everyone Nearly one year on since my diagnosis, have had the mastectomy and the chemo now on Tamoxifen. There could not be much more I said . . wrong. I have been very down crying nearly every hour on the hour not like me at all. I had gotton through the hard bits why go down now. Anyhow just to let you know I started counselling this week at The Gary Kelly Cancer Support Centre and after my first session I feel slightly better. I never realized how much I was holding in trying to protect my family. I could do everything, I was superwoman rather than admitting to them I needed help. Hopefully the counselling will help. Evelyn

I do think breast awareness campaigns are a good idea but i also think they need to be accompained by GP awareness campaigns. there is no point in going to the doctor and being made feel like a fool or a hypochrondiac when you have breast cancer that they have put down to hormones and it takes five visits before getting to the trible assessment point, young healthy fit people do get cancer too.

Having had my first chemo session on monday, I thought it might be a good time to put up a thread for people to put up some good advice for us newbies starting. Im having 8 rounds. 4 AC and 4 T. I was just so relieved to get it started, i wasnt worried at all. I just couldnt wait to get going. Im on day 4, and not doing too bad so far. Im taking things really easy, just pottering around (waiting to grow a second head or something ) Ive taken all of the tablets given to me, Im not taking any chances at all. Even the ones that say take if necessary, Im not waiting to see if theyre necessary. So far, Im extremly thirsty. Im dringing about 3 ltrs of water, plus tea and orange juice during the day. Ive an endless supply of orange ice pops to cool me down. Im rinsing with oral b 5 or 6 times a day, and brushing my teeth very carefully after every meal. Im resting as much as i can, sometimes i just crash and have no choice but to lie down and sleep. If anyone has any other tips they could stick up here to give me a heads up on what more to expect. My head feels like mush