ONLY 27, Stage 3 BC

SWEET SISTER!

You are not not not alone. We are so many ages here! This is a very active site. We help eachother so much. I have seen too many young women come through...

I know what you mean about your cancer center. When I started chemo ( I was 40).. even at 40... I was the youngest there by 10 yrs. They all gave me the look too.

So many of us... have become friends here... last year.. 20 of us went to Vegas ... the youngest was 30....Many others have met in groups in their state... actually.. I believe there are many tight groups... SURVIVORS ! If you need ANYTHING... PLEASE feel free to PM ( private message me)... I will visit with you... direct you to threads you might feel at home in...

You are going to see that many will respond to you here.... we are all a HUGE team of tough chicks! And when we do not feel tough... and we cry our eyes out.... all others are pickin' us up!

 Love to you girl.... I might be 42 now... but a YOUNG 42!!!

Let me know what I can do for you...!

((HUGS)) and Gods peace... Laura

Hi, I was 35 when I was diagnosed last year. I totally know what you mean about the waiting room-  its just me and a bunch of OLD people. Just the other day I was calling to change an appt- they always ask for your birth date - the person was like oh- 1973, that's a lot younger than most of the dates I hear.... yes I know!

 i do have family history (but I was unaware of til I was diagnosed)- but no one this young- (dad's cousins :(48 & 50), grandma : mid 70's) It's like it hit 15-20 years sooner with each generation

You are definitely NOT alone!  I felt the exact same way that you did when I was diagnosed at 34 with no family history.  I have still never personally met someone with with bc as young as I am but I have had the experience of "talking" to several on this site.  I was always the youngest in the infusion room and rads is no different.  The older ladies look at me with pity and feel sorry for me.  Until I found this site, I felt like I couldn't relate to anyone and had nobody to talk to.  The ladies on these threads have been my rock and sounding board.  Thanks to them, I go through nothing alone because they are always here for me!

Best of luck to you,

((((HUGS))))

Toyah

Nil,  God bless you!  I too am Stage 3, Stay strong no matter what.  These forums are here to help you when it is completely hard to understand, So, you are doing Neoadjuvant chemo to shrink your tumors? I will keep you in my prayers.  We are all here for you.

Koda

I am so sorry you are here with us, but glad you found us.  I know what you mean about the chemo room.  I was the youngest person at the cancer center, I ended up knowing almost everyone that works there, because they are all around my age.  I made some great friends.  Feel free to check into the stage 3 forum, bunch of great women there (here too obviously).  The Ladies there help me so much with everything, from txs to my craziness.  We are all ages there, I am 39, was 38 at dx.  I am pretty sure Billynda is 27 and she just had a baby boy . 

Much Love, Deb

Was just talking to Main Squeeze about how one of his college pals back in the day was diagnosed with BC at something like 21.  This was prior to Betty Ford coming out when women didn't talk about BC, let alone men.  He went on to lead a normal life and have a family.

I can't even imagine the sense of isolation he must have felt at that time.

Check about getting your eggs harvested in terms of preserving fertility.  This could be very important down the road.  Good luck.

I got my diagnosis 6 days after my 32nd birthday.  No cancer of any type in my family either.  I'm all too familiar with "the look" and being the youngest one in the doc offices.  It's always so surreal because most of the people there have the cancer "look" and I never felt like I did.  I was always thinking "Wow, these people are so sick" not really comprehending that I was one of them!  In that sense, it was a blessing because my 'I'm not sick' attitude really helped me get through treatment.  Maybe it was denial - I call it optimism!

I did have a hard time with being so young in the begining.  There were days where I felt I must be the only young person going through this, I must be the only young mom with cancer.  I know that's impossible, but I did sometimes feel that alone.  I got jealous of my friends that they could have "normal" lives.  Rest assured, those days of feeling alone and doubtful and fearful are fewer and farther between as you get through treatment!  Also, I had neoadjuvant chemo too and although my mass was smaller, the chemo took care of all the invasive cancer, so it can work!

Many hugs!!

Hi there,

I was 35 when diagnosed. I am being treated at Duke and live in NC as well. I am half way through chemo. I would STRONGLY encourage you tor ead the stage 3 thread also PM me if you have any questions at all-I am happy to help in any way.  Do you know your ER status? Where are you being treated? One of the issues brought up as ASCO this year is how DOCTORS don't deal with women wanting babies down the road-don't give up on that until you have done the research. If you go to MD Anderson site there are some articles on getting prego after chemo. They are the leading researchers on the subject.

Make sure you get zometa!

You can do this and beat it. 

Hi Wwaterlilly- First I wanted to send you big (((((((hugs)))))))) Yes you are young, I wanted to share with you my daughters story- She was 29 and had a large lump, was told it was a cyst and that it would go away, at age 30 she told them she wanted it removed because it hurt, long story short, it was BC 6cm stage 3c TN she had a mx with chemo, she ended up having DEIP It looks great, but my point is, she is doing wonderful, I hope this helps, even just a little!!  You are in my thoughts and prayers

debbie

I'm glad I found this thread on the forum.  I am not as young as some of you, but I am 37 and what I consider a young 37.  I'm a very optimistic person, but this week have started thinking maybe I'm just in denial.  I don't know.  I see it as a hurdle I need to get over so I can get on with the rest of my life.  I am also the only one in my family to get BC so nobody knows what to expect. I feel like they are freaked out about it and expecting me to be all down and out, but I'm not, I'm just trying to get on with things as normal as possible.  I would almost rather not talk to them sometimes because they are trying to ACT normal when I don't think they feel that way.  And that makes me feel bad & guilty because sometimes I don't want to talk to them.

I too have had comments about my "young" age at the hospital, and also have looked around and felt out of place.  Maybe in a way feeling like I don't "belong" there will help me overcome it better.  Then again if/when I start chemo I may be feeling a little different when I'm not feeling well.

One hard part for me is that I'm single and have no children.  I recently moved and have been looking forward to meeting new people and hopefully even maybe getting a boyfriend.  I have already been worried about potentially being "too old" to have children if/when I ever get married, and now with the BC and my age I am thinking I should write it off. And I'm writing off meeting someone and having a relationship until I'm totally through treatment. Any other singles out there dealing with this?

On the other hand though some good news is that I have a friend in her 30's who is pregnant with her first child 2 years after chemo tx! Yay!  So there is hope for those of you facing potential pregnancy after treatment.

Hey I'm 27 too.  Also getting my 3rd round of treatment next week, although this is my second treatment.  I had my first in October.  I was dx'ed in May and through these months, I can't say it's gotten any easier - but you'll have good days and bad.  PM me anytime! 

Hi Nil,

so sorry you have this challenge so early on. Many young ladies post here and it is a very difficult thing to have to face this so soon especially if you are wanting to have a family once treatment is over. I am sure you have gone through the big list of things to discuss - that you have sought out a fertility specialist as well as the onc and the breast surgeon - youngsters need a larger support team because of the fertility aspect! There are a couple of fertility sparing procedures - like taking a freezing your ovarian tissue - that you should put in place if you can. Also - there is a new procedure for shrinking large tumours before surgery using microwave - very successful - very few side effects - plse google this - it is brand new and all over the net - nice guy in charge of the program - maybe you would be a good candidate - finally - have they told you whether yours is hormonally driven or not.If it is - they may be able to shrink it using hormonal treatment including chemical suppression of estrogen - again a lot easier on the system - sometimes you just need to ask about options - especially if you are getting really knocked around early on - you need to have a lot in reserve because you will be around a long time and this disease takes a lot of strength to fight.

Best of luck - it is very hard to ask details of your treatment when this is all so new and they take decisions and you are all wired up before you get a chance to ask - but I do think you should see if there are ways to treat this before surgery without devastating you and also - ensure that your specialists are aware that you are thinking ahead to the time when you will want to try for a family - often they forget this is an issue for the young patient

Fidelia

Hi Ladies!

I haven't been on the boards in a while, but i thought i'd check in tonight.  I wanted to share my story, cause I remember what it feels like to be in your shoes.  I was diagnosed in 2006 with stage 3 breast cancer.  I had a bilateral mastectomy, chemo, and rads.  I was er neg, her 2 post. with lymph node involvement.  I was 29 at the time with NO family history or "risk" factors.  So you're not alone! 

Even as i type, i cannot believe it will be 4 years in June that i had my surgery.  I tell you, i didn't think i'd make it through my treatment, nonetheless years later.  I still worry and think about this every day.. it is a life changing event without a doubt.  But here i am at 33 living a somewhat normal life.  I loved reading about survivors when i was first diagnosed, so I've come here tonight to give you all some hope... life can and will go on! 

Of course, I don't know what my future holds, but i pray it's a long and healthy life!  Good luck to all of you as you get through your treatments.  remember, one day at a time , and be kind to yourself.  This too shall pass!

LittleFlower