Myth Busting

sweatyspice

Whoever said 'you'll feel better after you have a plan and a date' lied.  I'm totally freaking out.  I really don't want people taking knives to my breasts.  A boob job wasn't in my life plan.  They may be middle aged, big and saggy  - but they're MIIIINE.

WAAAAAAAH 

There should SO be a nice injection or something....something FAR, FAR less barbaric, for this miserable and measly condition. 

blondedoris

((hugs))
Yup, the whole thing sucks. You're not alone and there's always peeps here to listen when you need to vent x

LauraM

I know how you feel, BC was such a surprise to me since it doesn't run in my family.  I had never even thought it possible that I would get it ( I know.. very naive of me).   It has taken me about 2 months to get over the shock and to finally get my mind in gear to take charge.  I am now determined to get rid of this beast once and for all.   I wish you luck on your decisions, I know this has been the hardest part of my diagnosis. 

redsox

Sweatyspice -- I know you did lots of research and really considered all of the options.  Aren't you the one who spent Thanksgiving weekend watching the NIH Consensus Conference on DCIS?  WOW!  You are as informed and have made as rational a decision as anyone could.

I agree that having a plan does not make it easy.  I think it is more --  you learn enough about your disease and your options and possible doctors to make an informed decision about what treatment you will have and who will do it.  Then you mostly back off, trust the doctors you chose, and gut your way through treatment.  That is not really the same as feeling better about the whole thing but it is my experience.

baywatcher

Sweaty-

All the money and research that goes into breast cancer research and they can't do better than this? They can put a person on the moon but they have to amputate your breasts for DCIS?

I totally understand your frustration. And they DO lie!! I thought I had made peace with the plan but both before and shortly after surgery I fell apart. You are not alone here. I wish I had never found out that I had DCIS. I think the "cure" for DCIS is worse than the disease!!

IronJawedBCAngel

The problem with DCIS is that there is absolutely no means of knowing which will become invasive, and which will remain contained within the milk ducts.  I was fortunate enough to be diagnosed early with it contained in one small area of my breast, so I was able to have a lumpectomy.  I have friends that had to have a mastectomy because it was in multiple areas, or they simply decided that that was what they were comfortable with.  I would not call your diagnosis "measly".  Hopefully both of us will live to a ripe old age with no problems, but I learned long ago not to take DCIS too lightly.  A friend of mine from another message board was diagnosed about the same period of time I was.  Because it was "just DCIS", she had surgery but declined some other things her doctor recommended, a year later she recurred with an aggressive, invasive cancer.  Two years after her DCIS diagnosis, she passed away, so any time someone thinks my treatment plan was overkill, I think of her, I don't think my cure was worse than her disease.  God bless you and bring you strength and comfort.

JillAnnB

Sweaty -

I have to disagree with you on this.  Of course it sucks living through all of the doctor's visits, surgery(ies) and follow up (and everyone touching your breasts).  However, once I made my plan to go ahead with radiation, it has taken a huge load off my mind.  I am finally relieved to start moving ahead and not letting this hiccup take over my life (which was how it was when I was first diagnosed).  May you have peace and patience during this time.

Kitchenwitch

Sweaty: You're preaching to the choir, here... I'm sick of thinking, "Could be worse!" or "Well, I'm not going to die!" In about two months, someone is going to cut open my breast, muck around, take out something that shouldn't be there plus a little extra, AND do a biopsy. Which could lead to more cutting and mucking about. I know this probably isn't that comforting to hear, but, YEAH, waaaaaaaaaahhhhh! If only we could have take-away-the-DCIS-but-leave-our-boobs-alone shots! 

tamc130

I am coming up on the second anniversary of my diagnosis and am almost 2 years cancer free.  I haven't visited these boards in quite some time and am not entirely sure what brought me back to them tonight.  Thinking a lot about the whole ordeal lately as the anniversary draws near I suppose.  I did bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction using expanders.  I would not be telling the truth if I said that I don't miss my old breasts from time to time.  I was only 35 at the time and my breasts were one of the few body parts that I actually really liked!  Mostly though, I am just happy to be cancer free and my new breasts really are okay.  There are days when I hate them but there are more days when I hate other body parts.  I did not have to do chemo or radiation and I am completely thankful for that as I have been able to become pregnant again - something that would not have been possible had I chosen other options for treatment.  I agree that it seems a barbaric way to treat something that some don't even agree is really cancer (don't even get me started on that ridiculous assertion) but for me life on the other side is really okay - full even again which is something that I didn't think possible when I was in the throes of it all.  I guess that is the point of my post - not to minimize what you are saying but to give you hope that it does get better, much much better.  Not immediately and probably not for quite some time and it may get a lot worse before it does start to get better.  For me some of the darkest days didn't really hit until after I was done with everything but now there are more often than not, days when I can go most of the day without even thinking about cancer.  And more importantly when I do think of cancer, it is not something that grips me with fear as it once did.  I wish you the best of luck and speedy healing. 

lifegoeson

Sweaty,

I feel for you.  I went through the exact same thing.  I had a bilateral mastectomy because my DCIS was widespread.  Barbaric is the right word.  Allow yourself to grieve and to feel the loss.  It will get better over time.  I think the night before my surgery may have been the worst night of my life, and I am sure yours will be no picnic either, but .... you will get through it. And it will get better.  And this place will be here anytime you want to cry to people who really understand.