Any others diagnosed on the "cusp"?

ChemicalWorld

Hi, I'm not sure what group I'd fit into around here.  I am into my 40's now but found my lump just as I turned 40 and diagnosed shortly after.  I guess because of the speed I started treatment (or it felt like it) or my "not really young" age, no one ever talked to me about fertility or anything related.  I was having periods up until my first chemo, and none since.   I was always the youngest person in my chemo unit and felt like a real oddball. 

Anyway, anyone else like me, diagnosed on the cusp?

SelenaWolf

I was on the cusp for just about everything: I was 50-years-old when I was diagnosed, so I never know whether to read the "under 50" stuff or the "over 50" stuff.  I had a positive sentinal node (in the breast, very close to the tumor), but no axillary lymph node involvement.  So, does that make me a Stage 2A or a Stage 2B?  (Depends on what I read.) The lack of axillary involvement, also put me into a grey area as to whether- or not regional node radiation would be beneficial.  Or not.  At least, chemo was a given; the positive sentinal node made sure of that.

JoelleKC

I'm right here with ya! I actually found my lump on my 40th birthday (side note: worst possible idea, still wondering what I was thinking performing a breast exam ON my birthday)



I had a DMX on 1/17 and am having my port placed tomorrow. I start chemo on Monday.

msphil

I was 42 when diagnosed, in process of making wedding plans, and I believe I also was the youngest in my oncology treatment. msphil (idc, stage2, 3 nodes, L mast, chemo and rads and 5 yrs on Tamoxifen)

mirrormirror

i was a little older. 46, and found the tumor 7 days after reconciling with my 28 yr old ex boyfriend. had a pretty aggressive lumpectomy but not a full-on mastectomy. the bf hung was an angel during chemo but began pulling away as soon as the last treatment was done. im in rads now and feel quite alone and sad. 

no one mentioned fertility to me either. when i asked they said it wasnt protocol for 'my age'. they ought to address it anyway, because it IS hard to make people understand that being catapulted straight into menopause is emotionally devastating. i was never sure if i wanted kids and it still hurt like hell. your whole identity gets shaken up the further into treatment you go, the more changes, the more they take from you. but the fertility, issue, the periods, when i asked well what about if i want a child in the future, is there a way i would be able to still do that? you'd have thought id have asked the most idiotic question in the world. i had a couple of nurses actually say things like, '...honey, didnt you know how old you were?'

and maybe she's right, maybe i did fall into the modern trap of thinking i had all the time in the world, but perimenopause gives you a few years to get used to the idea, and without it, it is for sure a tough pill to swallow

elimar86861

I'm a bit older, but when I did my rads, I was always the youngster in the waiting room.  Doing chemo, still one of the youngsters.  I was on the cusp of menopause when I began the Tamoxifen.  I had to come off of Tamox. after three years, but was in full menopause by then. (As for the hot flashes, looked like I would have got them either way!)

Since you are only 40, there is a good chance your "chemopause" will reverse itself when treatment finishes up.  Since chemo can really throw a cycle off, you will probably want to takes measures to not have a "surprise" pregnancy on top of the rest, even during the chemo because it is hard to tell when an egg might get loose.

batcatlady19

Hi, jumping in to this thread late, but I totally feel on the cusp -- early 40s, too old for the 'young BC' groups but way too young for all the other groups. Tho fertility isn't an issue for me bec. my husband & I are happily childfree & I've told all my drs that I'm OK if treatments push me into early menopause. My surgery is on Monday, & chemo is pretty likely due to grade 3, low estrogen, high Ki-67. I'd rather have a few side effects than cancer!

bevin

I was 42 when diagnosed. Young as well, most people in treatment were in their late 60s. I understand the average age of diagnosis is 65.  I will say though, I made some very dear friends in treatment who were much older.    They always felt so bad that I was so young and there with them.  Now on BCO, you see there are many young women with this dang disease.

odie16

I was also 40 when diagnosed. It was supposed to be my baseline mammogram but ended up being my only one....