Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[PearlJ]

Hi Ladies
I haven’t been on here in a few months as I was diagnosed with Breast cancer in October. I wanted to share my story with you because I think it’s important and you are a large group of women and it may make a difference.

I was in the shower at the end of September and while washing under my armpit I felt a small hard lump like a marble. I wasn’t checking and couldn’t feel anything in my boob. I was sure it was a cyst but went straight to the GP. She also thought it was nothing but sent me to the breast clinic where I was seen within 10 days. As soon as the consultant felt my armpit he said it was very worrying.  Long story shorter - after several mammograms including a 3D one, absolutely nothing showed up in my boob. The consultant thought there would be a tiny lump hiding somewhere. I was sent for an MRI which revealed cancer 9x8x5 cms!! This was a real shock and still doesn’t show up on a mammogram.  It turns out I have dense breast tissue and apparently 20 percent of mammograms give false negative results. If I had not found the lump in my armpit which turned out to be a malignant lymph node, the cancer would never have been detected and it would be too late by the time I had any symptoms. If I had known what I know now, that a mammogram is useless to me, I would have paid for an MRI privately. I would not be in the situation I’m now in.
I’ve obviously had to stop HRT immediately as my cancer is hormone receptive. I’m on chemotherapy and have surgery and reconstruction in May.
I just want to raise awareness of this. Never assume. Ask questions. Ask about your tissue type. Ask what the mammogram can see. Take control.
Thank you for reading. Please pass on!

[Emmia49]

Hello Pearl!

Thank you for sharing this with us.

I am so sorry that you are going through such a difficult situation. I hope you have good support from your doctor and your loved ones.

I hope you are not going through this alone....We are here to support you and I would be happy if you would contact us again.

One would say that in the 21st century, doctors should understand the importance of a patient being well and professionally informed about their health.

Unfortunately, this is not the case and we often have to fight for ourselves and our health alone.

There are wonderful ladies on this forum who are very well informed about women's health and fill the gap of doctors' ignorance about the use of HRT.

Could you please tell us what type of HRT you have been using and for how long?

I wish you all the best on your journey of treatment and recovery. Take care.

My thoughts and prayers are with you!

Emma

[CLKD]

Tnx for sharing and hopefully your ongoing treatment will be successful. 

In 1991 I found a lump above the right nipple which never showed on mammogram or ultrasound.  MRI's weren't available then.

Good Luck!     Why MRIs aren't used sooner I can't understand.  My Surgeon insisted on a list of concerns to ask every morning whilst in Hospital, he was so clear in his treatment plan that I didn't need to ask.

[PearlJ]

Hello Pearl!

Could you please tell us what type of HRT you have been using and for how long?

I wish you all the best on your journey of treatment and recovery. Take care.

My thoughts and prayers are with you!

Emma

Hi Emma. Im 56 and I had been on evorel conti patches for just 9 months when I found the lymph node. The consultant said it was not long enough for that to have caused the cancer but I do wonder if it did something to make the node swell which to be honest if it hadn’t would not have found it. I will never know. Hopefully I will be ok.

[CLKD]

My Consultant told me that we will never know how fast my lump would have spread as my glands were clean.  Best out was his advice.

How do U feel otherwise?

[HellsBells]

I had a mammogram in 2007 - it missed an aggressive TNBC. It was found on an ultrasound just under a year later.

Younger women do have denser breast tissue - we are all treated as one group and not advised of these details. We are encouraged to be passive. When a doctor says it is 'unlikely' you have BC they just mean statistically - they don't mean YOU.

Its essentially based on big data - much of medicine is driven this way. It's why many younger people with all kinds of cancers are missed, because it is not 'statistically' likely. That's why you are so right - you have to know your body and heed the signs and keep pushing. Doctors have many patients - we have just the one body. Even on this website we are encouraged to bow to the ultimate wisdom, not question and not give any info which may help us. It is treating us like children and assuming we can't assess the info and make our own decisions. The paternalistic nature of medicine is disempowering.

I did my own research and discovered the link between Vit D and breast cancer, and the fact that immunotherapy was the way forward. I trust the biochemists and their research. I was told by an oncologist this was absolute rubbish. Both are now mainstream.

[HellsBells]

Hello Pearl!

Could you please tell us what type of HRT you have been using and for how long?

I wish you all the best on your journey of treatment and recovery. Take care.

My thoughts and prayers are with you!

Emma

Hi Emma. Im 56 and I had been on evorel conti patches for just 9 months when I found the lymph node. The consultant said it was not long enough for that to have caused the cancer but I do wonder if it did something to make the node swell which to be honest if it hadn’t would not have found it. I will never know. Hopefully I will be ok.

They don't know. Triple negative breast cancer is called that because it's NOT 3 things; not estrogen, progesterone or HER2 driven. WHich means it's the 'we have no idea' cancer.

[bombsh3ll]

Thanks for sharing this - information is power!

I just wanted to add something I learned from a breast surgeon about breast density; if you are (or were as a younger woman) very slim but had large heavy breasts ie a bra size with a small back but a large cup, this is a clue you likely have high density as it is all breast tissue not adipose tissue, whereas on someone in a bigger body, large breasts can simply reflect greater overall adiposity.

This is also reflected in the Nurses Health Study, where larger breasts per se were not a risk factor, but large breasts on a slim frame were.

Also as someone who has been fortunate enough to be able to access risk reducing mastectomies and also fought for flat closure, I feel really strongly that women affected by breast cancer and previvors should know that they can request both mastectomy and flat closure

These options are often not presented by surgeons who have a paternalistic bias towards breast conserving or reconstructive surgeries.

[CLKD]

I'm not sure that I would have considered reconstruction had I required mastectomy.  Even if it was performed at the same time.

There are some good bras, I think Lady Jayne?  MayB having a lookC prior to surgery will give an idea as to what is available and designs that might suit.  I haven't worn a bra for many years due to the lack of breast tissue on the R - surgeon had his head in I reckon  .  The cost of getting underwear made to fit was too much phaff!

Let us know how you get on PearlJ!