Priya on joining the menopause workshop at Maggie's

My diagnosis came as a bolt from the blue as I'd had no symptoms at all. I'd simply opted for family history testing as my sibling had been diagnosed with cancer a year earlier. Unfortunately, my test found a lump that I hadn't been aware of.

Treatment-wise, I've had a lumpectomy operation, reconstruction surgery and radiotherapy. I'm currently on hormone treatment, which I'm finding very tough as it has put me into early menopause.

Knowing to come to Maggie's

I knew about Maggie’s because my father had come to the centre with my mum when he was going through his cancer treatment. I also came to Maggie’s adhoc with them, and we got involved in a few fundraising events too. Sadly, my dad passed away.

My breast cancer diagnosis came as a real shock. I came back to Maggie’s within the first few days of being diagnosed because I was absolutely overwhelmed and beside myself. I felt I could not be at home by myself and I needed to speak with someone.

I burst into tears when I stepped through the doors at Maggie’s, but Annie, the centre head, was very kind, and she spoke with me about the support Maggie’s could offer. She recommended some groups I could attend, including the Young Persons Group.

Coping after treatment

When I was going through treatment, I tried to switch my emotions off – I tried to be practical and get on with things, but I found that once my radiotherapy treatment was finished, the floodgates opened and I needed help to process what I had been through.

As a brand and marketing manager, I worked through as much of my treatment as I could. Work gave me structure and a bit of normality outside of the cancer. However, once her hormone treatment kicked in, I suffered from a lot of bone pain and found it difficult to get out of bed.

Managing early crash menopause and its symptoms

When I was first diagnosed, I was relieved to be getting an operation to get the cancer out of my body. I was just happy that the doctors were doing what they could to help me.

I had been informed that the hormone treatment I needed might mean I would go into early menopause, and I took the leaflet home.

I did not imagine for a moment that it could be as severe as it was.

The bone pain, fatigue and memory loss were horrendous, and once I felt I had got on top of one symptom, another would appear. The hot flushes are not just a little bit hot either - I couldn’t believe how hot I was getting.

I have stopped one of my hormone treatments for now – Zoladex – and have been put on Tamoxifen. Fortunately, it is allowing me to have better energy levels, but I did not imagine for a minute that the tiny lump that I knew nothing about would give me such lasting symptoms.

Learning to manage life after treatment through courses and groups at Maggie's

The menopause workshop was really useful for me to find out about non-hormonal options that could help me, because I’m not allowed HRT.

I have also completed the Where Now? course, which helped with gentle exercise, relaxation and getting back to myself a bit after treatment.

Coming to the Young Persons Group is also really beneficial because we talk about everything there. Even though we may not have been through the same cancer diagnosis, we do have some commonalities because we have been through treatment and the emotions of having a diagnosis and all that that means at a young age. It really helps to speak with other young people who have been through this too.

We’re here with you

Our cancer support specialists, psychologists and benefits advisors are here for everyone with cancer, and all the people who love them. 

• Come and see us at your nearest Maggie’s
• call us on 0300 123 180 or arrange a callback
• email us at enquiries@maggies.org