To share my experience with being diagnosed with breast cancer

[Tailfeather]

I used to have a different username, but for months I couldn't log in, but carried on reading and I have now set up a new account with a new name.

Anyway, there was a post about someone who had a painful lump in their breast, with lots of comments saying that pain is not a sign of breast cancer - with some saying their GPS had told them that. This categorically isn't the case. Pain can be a sign and any breast changes should be checked out.

That said, I'm not trying to worry anyone - 90% of lumps, bumps and breast changes are benign. But I just wanted to share my experience as I think it's dangerous for people to post about a potentially life-threatening illness saying one of the signs isn't a sign in case people read it and don't bother going to the doctor as they think pain is a good sign.

I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer a few years ago when I was 30. I had no lumps, my symptoms were that one of my breasts became became bigger than the other and I had pain that came and went in the centre of my breast. So many others I have met during my treatment also experienced pain.

So please, please get any weird symptoms checked out. Most will be fine. But if it is something dodgy, the earlier it's found, the less extensive surgery you'll need, you would avoid chemo, and have a very, very high chance of being ok.

X

Thank you for sharing - very important for us to be aware.

Thanks for sharing.
I hope you yourself are ok and you get rid of the cancer as quick as possible

Thank you very much for sharing your experience. It is because of posts like yours that I recently had the confidence to push for a referral to the breast clinic (thickened area with lots of small lumps and intermittent breast pain on one side only). Most info online says the pain is nothing sinister but 'fortunately' posts like yours have made me realise otherwise. I am a very confident person in most aspects of life but with doctors I am not great at being assertive. I'm so grateful women like you take the time to post their experiences to give other women knowledge and confidence.

I hope your journey has a great outcome

@Scootingthebreeze Hope you had a good outcome and it wasn't anything sinister? Well done for being insistent.

@Pigglesworth and @RaidTheCupboards - thank you. I had 2 and a half years of treatment and 6 operations. I still have scares, but life is great now as I had a miracle baby last year, having been told that the chemo had left me infertile.

This was the thread with many comments saying pain is a good thing!

breast lump and pain. Terrified!!! www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/3156369-breast-lump-and-pain-Terrified

Tailfeather - that's lovely news on your miracle baby. I am awaiting breast clinic appointment still. Hoping for the best

Thank you for sharing- more awareness needs to be spread for sure. Hope everything is well now, I saw this campaign a whilst back which pretty much is the same thing but I found it good on a visual level as it really stuck in my mind, so I'll post a picture

@Scootingthebreeze everything crossed for you. X

My mum had breast cancer - pain was the first symptom which made her check herself and found a small lump.

I have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. May I add the symptoms are vague: bloating, lessened appetite, lower back pain. Please also know OVC symptoms and see your doctor if you experience them. I was lucky, I was diagnosed in Stage one. Thank you for letting me add this to this very important post.

i had a lump remov d which turned out to be something called a Phyllodes tumour. i went back for a wide excision as it was important they got the whole thing. i was told that if it recurred it would be malignant. that was 5 years ago.

i have another lump. same breast. i am fucking terrified and haven’t made a doctor’s appointment yet. i’ve been aware of it for months.

OP, i am in awe of your courage. of everyone’s courage when faced with a cancer diagnosis.

i just booked a gp appointment. OP, thank you for posting.

Thank you for reminding. Many issues can be dealt with if caught early enough but that means us taking responsibility and being self aware.

@FiveStar2805 So sorry to hear that. I hope it was caught early. Wishing your mum all the very best. X

@marylou1977 Our internal bits and bobs are harder to monitor. So glad it was caught in the early stages. Big hugs. X

Thanks &Tailfeather! We’re coming towards the end of treatment and things are looking good.

@exWifebeginsat40 I know you will feel terrified, but if it's benign, your mind will be put at ease and you can relax again, but is it was (and chances are it isn't) cancerous, the sooner you go, the easier it all is and the better the outcome. Really scary, but it's time to be brave and do it. X

@exWifebeginsat40 Let us know how you get on. Everything crossed here for a fatty lump, cyst or build up of scar tissue from your previous surgery (that is very common after lumpectomies and excisions). X

@Els1e And being a little bit brave! It's sometimes easier to put your head in the sand and pretend it's not happening.

Bump.

I'm terrified after reading this. I'm 32 and have had pain in my left breast that raidiates into my armpit. (No onvious lumps)A dull ache, stabbing pain and sometimes no pain at all. I've had this pain for just over a month and I'm going to the breast clinic next Wednesday.
I'm so scared. Has anyone had similar symptoms that turned out to be nothing serious?

yeah, me, I had sudden WOW pain in from-nowhere huge lump The pain was actually gone by the time I got my clinic appt; turned out to be a mystery lump that was gone completely soon after.

Should point out this is a Z O M B I E thread.