Women under 40
 

Just looking for other women out there who are under 40 or were diagnosed under 40 and doing the cancer dance. Please include your stage, age, marital status, children at home, fertility complications and any inspirational stories.

Also, what do you think-
Does having cancer at a young age have any advantages? Can we handle the harsh treatments better, do we have more options for treatments? Do we have less complications later in life?

Re: Women under 40
 

I was diagnosed at 29, initially stage IIIc, now stage IV and 30 years old. I am married and have one son, I'd love to have more but doctor's think it is unlikely that I'll ever be completely off some sort of chemo.

For me, I like to think that because I am young- I had fewer issues with chemo, I went jogging frequently after chemo, never got sick other than some diahrrea.

Re: Women under 40
 

Dear Kristen, glad to hear your tumur marker is down !!! Count me in the loop. I am 36 divorced with a 5 year old daughter. Have good relationship with my ex and his family and they have been taking good care of our daugher during my treatment. My period stopped 2 months after the 1st chemo.. hot flashes, memory loss, resentment, anger... you name it. I tolerated 6 chemos quite well. Not sure if it was because of my age or the supplements i was taking. Now i am doing radiation and will continue on herceptin till Feb next year. A coworker of mine was also ER/PR-, Her2+. She had IBC and didn't get any herceptin as it was only approved for stage V. She is 7 years out.

Re: Women under 40
 

Oh, i think the side effect from chemo might be related to our weight as well since the dosage is given based on your weight. So does it mean your side effects are less if you are light weight?

Re: Women under 40
 

Hi Kristin,

I was 33 when diagnosed last November I have now finished all chemo, radiation and am continuing with Herceptin till Feb '12.

I feel that I did cope well with the chemo never sick occasional runs and one bad diarrhea when went to A & E.

I had a newborn and a 2.5 yr toddler to look after throughout it all and though did have help from lots of friends we managed!

I don't really know about your other questions I guess I'll let you know in 10 years time about how I feel about this adventure so young!

Glad you're markers are going in the right direction that must make you feel a lot happier!

My little one is now 7 months and just getting into everything a real joy his big sister is having her 3rd birthday next week so as ever it's a busy happy old house.

Take care

Jenny xx

Re: Women under 40
 

Hi Kristin,

I am part of this group too sadly. I was diagnosed at 31 years old; my son was 7 months old. I was diagnosed July 19, 2010, and I finish Herceptin this November. I am still very hopeful to have more children as my baby was my first child. He is now 20 months and brings me so much joy. I am not sure if it will be possible to have more kids but I can always dream! I have resumed my cycle about 5 months after my last chemo. It was quite a shock as I had been told that I was likely in permanent menopause. I just take it one day at a time. I am married to wonderful man that has been by my side every step of the way. In some ways I feel very blessed because of the people I have in my life. I was told by my oncologists that because I was younger the advantages were that I could withstand stronger treatments. I know I am not that far out from diagnosis but I will check back down the road. I wish all of you all the best!

Cat

Re: Women under 40
 

I was diagnosed 12/24/08 after just turning 32 that October. I was stage 1 er/pr- and her+.

I didn't handle chemo well at all but I made it thru. I had TCH and I had a host of weird SE's that continue on thru now but they are slowly going away. I might just be handling them better but I will never know.

My oncologist said if I wanted any more kids that he would give his blessing after Jan of 2012 but I am not sure if we want anymore. My period came back on my one year cancerversary :) and has been back since then. My ob/gyn who I saw recently still can't get over the fact that my oncologist would not suggest for me not to have any more children. I have gotten to the point that I am used to educating people about things like that and I now tease her about my "old" eggs...lol...

Kristen~ I am so happy that your markers are going in the right direction.

Re: Women under 40
 

Hi Girls!
I was diagnosed on Feb 4th 2010 at the age of 32. I have two young boys, Louis 5 and Noah 2. Have been lucky to have lots of help from my parents and friends. I found the chemo a struggle, I only did 5 out of 6. I was hospitalised twice during chemo due to infections and always had problems with my white blood count that continues to this day. Am having no real problems with tamoxifen but the herceptin has been hard at times. I had to stop it a few months ago due to a low ejection fraction, it went back up to normal range after a break and it has since dropped again after two more treatments. I'm hoping that my Onc will allow me to finish my last 5 treatments. I'm starting to get edgy at the prospect of finishing herceptin, as it's my security blanket.
As Jenny says, I'm praying herceptin is as good as the hype!

Re: Women under 40
 

Hi Kristin,
I was diagnosed at age 36 back in 2001, with Stage III breast cancer, many lymph nodes involved, etc., but have recently celebrated my 10-year cancerversary! My kids were 3 and 5 at diagnosis and next week my youngest will join her brother at high school. I do think my young age made the treatments more tolerable and now that I'm 46 and have gone through this experience, I sure don't mind a few gray hairs or wrinkles. The Herceptin sure worked for me and hopefully for you as well. Keep the faith!

Re: Women under 40
 

That is so encouraging,Audrey. Congratulations on your 10 year cancerversary and wish you many many more to come !!! what is ur secret of staying NED?

Re: Women under 40
 

You all are so inspirational! From my perspective, with stage IV disease, I would have more kids asap because once it comes back your chances are really reduced. I am just so thankful I had my son when I did. Has anyone considered saving their eggs or trying a surrogate? Just ideas to throw out there.
I'm not even sure I want more children, but I like to have the option.
Kristin

Re: Women under 40
 

Hi, Kristen. i only have one kid and that is enough for me. I am glad that i have a daughter but at the same time, i would feel a lot more at peace if i didn't have any child.. you know what i mean...It is scary for me just to think of her life without a mom if anything happens to me and it tears my heart. Although i know her dad and grandparents will take good care of her. if i had extra money to save my egg or surrogate, i would rather this money goes to my daughter's education funds. It makes me feel better that at least financially i can do something for her.

Re: Women under 40
 

I am not under 40 (diagnosed at 44, now 45) but I am certain that at least my DCIS was present while in my thirties. I had my children older, and they are now 6 and nine, the majority of my friends are under 40 so I would like to be considered in this group! How do I get my stats to show up? I typed them in but they are not showing...sorry new posting here....stage IIIa, er-, pre-, pagets, extensive DCIS, mulit-focal tumors the largest being 1.6cm, four positive nodes...finished chemo in January, finished rads in March, one more Herceptin to go and I will be out there raw.....

Re: Women under 40
 

Click on User CP [on the top maroon bar] and scroll down to 'Settings and Options'. Click on 'Edit Signature' and then input your treatment information in the window.

By the way, love your picture.

Re: Women under 40
 

Hi Kristin, diagnosis details below. I'm married, have a daughter Hannah, just turned two at diagnosis - now 7 and my son Christian who will turn 5 on the 6th September..
I flew through chemo with very little side effects. Some digestive tract issues but mainly tiredness was the only problem and with two small children that's not unusual... My periods never skipped once despite all the chemo and to date I have no long term side effects.
For me, at 5 years out, there are advantages to having received a cancer diagnosis - I'm more focused on the things that are important than I've ever been in my life. I appreciate even the smallest things in life, listening to the rain whilst lying in bed, Autumn, jogging, spending time with my friends (& don't you discover who they are following diagnosis!!) and my children..I never know it was possible to love this much...
I have just received an all clear PET CT scan.... we will be in Disney Florida for all my cancerversary dates and on the 13th Sept we will be swimming with dolphins at Discovery Cove - giving the V's to cancer....

Good luck to you & I wish you hope, strength & lots of love xxx

Re: Women under 40
 

Hi Kristin - I'm in the under 40 club also. I felt my lump at 29 but was misdiagnosed as having "dense tissue". Fast forward 7 months and I was finally diagnosed with widespread metastatic disease with tumors to the lungs, liver, and bones. It was too late to save my fertility. I had to start aggressive treatment right away. This was in April of 2008. The rest of my stats are below. Since then, brain mets have really been my biggest problem but they have all been successfully treated. I am doing well and continue to enjoy life with my husband. I'll send you a pm with my caringbridge site since you asked in a previous thread. Its nice to meet you and and I wish you MUCH success in your journey. And if you are interested, I knew a girl who was stage IV (not her2 positive) who has since passed but she and her husband did the surrogate thing successfully as she was in treatment. They had a baby girl a few months before she died. Its tragic but at least her dream of becoming a mother came true. And she is now being raised by a very loving and wonderful father who will now always have a little part of his wife's legacy in his daughter.

Blessings to you!

Re: Women under 40
 

I was 38 when diagnosed - by children are 4,6 and 9 and I had finished having children but I have by no means finished raising them. I am having a downer today wondering if my treatment is working. Yesterday I was so positive and sure that I would get NED. The ups and downs can be so hard sometimes.
This site provides me with hope everyday that I too can benefit from the treatments and advances being made in HER2 cancer - there is no false hope, just hope.

Re: Women under 40
 

I was originally diagnosed at age 34 stage II and pregnant with my second child.Went through chemotherapy (4 doses of AC) while pregnant .Know age 42 diagnosed last year 2010(a complete shock feeling great,running10 milers) with lung mets.Still feeling great.

Re: Women under 40
 

Hi I am also part of that way to young for this club, but here I am. I am 36 now but was MISdiagnosed at 31. Stats below. I am sooooo happily married to a wonderful Man who has been so kind and gentle and loving and very much the foundation of our home for us and our three children. I have 2 13 year olds Noah and Shore(love the beach) lol and then we have a 6yr old boy Ethan. I think having Cancer so young was such a shock to me, as I worked with our local Hospice Agency when I was diagnosed and about 80% of our patients were cancer patients and they were all older and my role was meeting with the patients in the home or the hospital prior to discharge and their families and educating them about Hospice and the services it provides and the attitude that one must have to be on Hospice. I was great at it... I was kind and loving and sincere and then out of No where it was ME!!! and I was just too young!!! I once told my husband when we were having a "hospice" type of conversation that I would fight with every thing I had.... literally die fighting. Chemo was very rough and harsh for me. Every side effect you could have I did, ending up at urgent care or in the hospital more times with blood counts out of whack. My Onc even doubting I would make it through the first Half of the chemo. My husband juiced raw fruits and veggies and came up with a way to help keep my blood counts better. It was like the worse case of morning sickness ALL day long. Everyone is different though, my friend had the same chemo as I did and she breezed right thru it. Glad you have your son and you'll always find joy in him when things get rough or hard!!! Hugs and Hope ALways

Re: Women under 40