My primary cancer was diagnosed in August 2012 – IDC grade 2ER+ve HER2 on my left breast. I had a lumpectomy but this didn’t work and therefore one month later had to go and have a full mastectomy. This was followed by six months of chemotherapy and 15 sessions of radiotherapy.
Good health until January 2020
In January 2020 I had a pain down my right side that went round to my back which at first they thought I had strained my back as I had been coughing. The pain got worse in my back and I was sent for an ultrasound as they thought I might have gallstones but it wasn’t. This went on for a few weeks when they decided to send me for a CT scan which I went to at 10 AM in March 2020 I had a phone call at 2 PM on the same day from my doctor to say that due to Covid there were no face-to-face appointments available and that they had to tell me that my cancer had spread to my bones. I was on my own when I took the call and was understandably devastated.
I was then referred for an MRI scan where it was confirmed that the cancer had spread to my spine and pelvis known as metastatic breast carcinoma.
I am now being treated with Palbociclib, Letrozole, and Zomorph. I also receive Denosumab injections monthly but am currently having problems with this so it has been deferred for a month.
When I look back I think I had the backache towards the end of 2019 but had put it down to just backache which Ibuprofen helped. Also, I believe I had Covid as well with the cough I experienced at the beginning of 2020 along with cold-like systems.
If you have been diagnosed with secondary breast cancer then please do reach out to our secondary cancer support group on Facebook.
