IDC (Infiltrating/Invasive Ductal Carcinoma) 2011 Sisters

tldrose

Hello - I am new to this site and recently diagnosed with IDC. Am going to chemotherapy now and thought it would be nice to start a topic for those of us diagnosed in 2011 - I have learned alot reading on this site -

pp729

Hi tldrose.  Check out the 2011 Sisters topic under this forum.  You'll find lots of good info as you begin the journey.

tldrose

Thanks for the information - I will sure to check it out!

rosey26

Hi, I am also new to this site, diagnosed June 2011 IDC, ER + PR+ and Her 2 +. I had a lumpectomy 7/21/11 and soon September 6, 2011 to start THC chemo and then 5 weeks of radiation. I have also learned a lot about this on this site. I am stage 1, grade 2. Any advise or suggestions, chemo really scares me, wondering if I will able to work (I work PT) and I willneed to buy a wig. My son age 13 asked if I will wear the wig at night !.

Blayze7

Hello just

Diagnosed in July after lumpectomy in June. Mastectomy this month. I also have learned a lot of different things on this site.

EvelynMarie

Hi rosey26 ... is the chemotherapy you will be getting, taxotere, carboplatin and herceptin? If it is, there is a topic under the forum Chemotherapy - Before, During and After called taxotere, carboplatin and herceptin: http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/69/topic/578284?page=4 which will be very helpful.

It helped prepare me for my chemotherapy. The thing to remember is that everyone is different and we react differently to the treatment we are getting. While our cancers may be similar and our treatments may mirror each other, the side effects we undergo will be very different. Don't be scared by what some people are going through -- you may never suffer from those side effects. Just read and store that knowledge away until you need it.

I finished with chemotherapy on Aug. 11 (18 infusions in total) and will continue with Herceptin every three weeks till April 2012. I worked full-time (four 10-hour days a week so I could have Thursdays off for the infusions) throughout my treatments. I had one hospitalization for four days when my white blood count went down to 0 and I started running a fever, but other than that, everything went rather well.

It is not a walk in the park and you will have to constantly adjust your life according to what is happening to your body, but this is doable. You have to go into this strong mentally and physically. My oncologist said I did so well because I came in determined not to let cancer control my life and I was strong because I kept up my exercise routine.

Losing your hair may be harder than you ever imagined but you get used to it. You should start to see hair loss between day 14 - 21 after your first infusion. Go out and get a wig now before you start treatment. If your insurance will pay for it, get a really good wig with the lacy caps because those stretch and allow your head to breathe. Buy two wigs if you can because you will need to shampoo them, and while one is drying, you'll need the other.

You can wear scarves if you don't want to buy a wig. I need a wig because I work full-time in a very public place and I did not want to constantly have to answer questions. No one has been able to tell that I've been ill because I have made a point of not looking sick.

I don't wear a wig at home and you can't wear one when you are cooking, and certainly not for sleeping. You will get used to your bald head or in my case my bird head (I never lost all my hair so I just cut it all off to an inch of my scalp). My hair started growing back before my last infusion.

As you go through treatment, do not worry about the physical changes that you will undergo ... those are only temporary. Just remember that everything you are undergoing is to save your life.

 Good luck and God bless.

Evelyn Marie

http://notmytatas.blogspot.com/

Snoopy73

Hello ladies, I would like to join this group as well:-) I was diagnosed in April (after my hubby's 40th bday), had a lumpectomy in May, started chemo in july. Did 4 cycles of Taxotere & Cytoxan, finished last week PHHEEWWW now on to the next treatment plan, whihc is Radiation for 6 weeks then Tamoxifen for 5 years. I am 38yrs old, a mother of 2 small kids (4.5 & 3). Breast Cancer SUCKS but I vow to fight it with all my being and be there to raise my kids and put them to college and be there for them for a long time. I have no BC in my family, i even did the BRCA test to make sure and it came back negative, my docs told me "its just bad luck". Anyway, I am glad to complete  the first treatment phase.Looking forward for the next phase.

Thanks,

Sophie

Snoopy73

Rosey - Chemo is doable, it sure is scary and nerve wrecking at the begining but once you start you will be okay. I worked throughout chemo, I work FT and commute to work. I took half day off the day before chemo coz of blood work etc then took chemo day off and worked from home day after chemo. I am glad that i can work from home and my work is flexible. Regarding the hair, i kept my hair through chemo because i used the penguin cold caps to preserve my hair, so after 4 cycles of TC chemo, i have a head full of hair. If you or anyone else is interested, you can go the thread "Cold Caps users, past and present".

All the best and hang in there, we are in this fight together and together we shall win!!

Mardibra

Hi all - im new to all this BC stuff and would love to get some advice on what is coming up for me.  Ive just returned from a day of MRI's, CAT scans, bone scans, etc.  Being claustrophobic made the day quite an adventure!  I have lumpectomy and axillary lymph node dissection surgery coming up in a couple of weeks followed by radiation and chemo.  My concern about the radiation and chemo is the side effects.  Is it reasonable to think I can work while undergoing treatment? 

Snoopy73

Mardibra - first of all welcome to this site and this thread, I am sorry you have to join but rest assured you will get tremendous help, support, advise adn be very educative here. I noticed that your diagnosis is very similar to mine. I understand the beginign can be very grim and scary, take it easy, you will be okay. I also noticed you are in Boston same as me:-) where are you treated at? I had a lumpectomy & sentinel node biopsy first, then chemo (4 cycles of TC) just finished chemo last week, and next i am on to Radiation then Tamoxifen. I am treated at MGH and my experience so far is GREAT!! who is your breast surgeon? do you have a medical oncologist yet? who is it? my BS is at MGH Boston (thats where i had my surgery) but i got my chemo and will be getting my RADS at MGH in the Northshore. I would be happy to recommend my MEdical oncologist, she is the BEST!! PM me if you have any questions or anything:-) Hang in there, we are all here to support eachotehr and to beat this beast called Breast cancer and we shall overcome and pass this. Take a deep breath and know that your journey towards fighting and beating breast cancer has jsut begun. Have a positive attitude, have faith.

Hugs

Sophie

Snoopy73

Mardibra - sorry i forgot to answer your concern on side effects & working through chemo & radiation. Chemo SEs vary, and they depend on person to person i think. I worked full time while going through chemo... I live in Salem, MA and work in Boston (btn downtown crossing & state st) so i commute to work. What i did was, i would work from home half day the day before chemo (becoz had to go in the hosp for blood work etc) then i would take chemo day off and work from home the day after chemo. I noticed for me, the SEs hit me harder on day 4 & 5 after chemo, and the week after chemo was usually tough for me. I scheduled my chemo on thursdays, so i would have the weekend to kinda relax and get back to work on monday (sometimes I would take the monday off coz of the SEs) but all in all i worked FT all through chemo. Again, PM when you know exactly what chemo you will be getting and i can send you a list of things that worked for me:-)

As for radiation, I honestly dont know, but am planning to work through radiation, i jsut have to schedule them either begining of the day or end of the day, will keep you posted.

Another thing if you are interested in, I used the penguin cold caps while going throguh chemo to preserve my hair, so i never lost any hair through chemo, If you are interested, you can check out a thread here "Cold Caps Users, Past & Present".

Take it easy

Mardibra

Sophie - thank you for your post.  It made me tear up.  Not sure why but knowing someone else in my "hood" with a similar diagnosis is comforting.  I live in Abington on the south shore and lucky for me, Dana Farber/Brigham & Womens just built a big new cancer center in South Weymouth about a year ago.  I met my surgical oncologist (Dr. Suniti Nimbkar) last week and I like her!  She focuses in BC only so I will assume thats a good thing.  My oncologist (Dr. Sarah May, Commonwealth Oncolcoy) was recomended by my primary care physician and I like her too (cant say the same for my primary care doc...we have never "clicked").  I also work on the south shore so traveling into and out of Boston is not ideal but my im hoping ive ended up with the best of both worlds - DF/BW doctors located down the street.  We shall see.  My goal is to try and work though as much of this "process" as I can.  Normalcy is very important to me.  Also, im single so if I dont work I have nothing else to fall back on.  Im going to check into the penguin cold caps thing.  I love my hair and I dont want to lose it if it can be helped.   

Thanks again,

Christine 

Snoopy73

Christine - great news that you will be treated at the DF Cancer Ctr. and its very good that you "clicked" and feel confident with your surgical & medical oncologist, they are your "partners" in this fight from now on, you are putting your trust in their expertise, so its good to be comfortable with them. Take one day at a time. Your diagnosis, like mine is supposed to be the "favorable" one (thats what i have been told over and over till i got sick of that word:-), meaning being ER/PR positive and HER2 neg is a pluis because the cancer can be treated by hormonal drugs etc etc.... i am not an expert but thats what i have been told. Do you know what chemo you will be getting and for how long? Dont stress yourself workwise, do what you can when you can, remember always your health and wellbeing comes first, the rest will fall into place... PM for more info/questions:-)

Hugs to you

Mardibra

Snoopy - no clue on the chemo drugs yet.  They are waiting until after surgery to make that determination as well as the duration.  Initial comments from oncologist was 3-6 months.  Ive also been told that I have "a good" kind of breast cancer (good cancer?  hmmm....).  I also keep hearing how young I am.  Im happy to keep hearing that one considering my 45th birthday is Saturday.  Also, I have no risk factors and based on their assessment my chances of getting BC was 0.9%.  Hows that for luck?  I had the genetic testing done yesterday as well so we shall see what that reveals.  Pre-op appointment with the surgeon on the 27th is the next step.  The work thing will fall into place somehow but you read that some people work through it with some accomodations similar to your arrangement and then you hear that others are unable to function for the duration.  I guess that will have a lot to do with the type and duration of chemo as well as my ability to withstand.  I look forward to finding out those details.   Nothing to do now except wait.  Thanks again for the words and assistance.  It means a lot!

Christine

Mardibra

Just received a call from my oncologist who said that my bone, MRI and CAT scans done yesterday look good.  However, they want to do some additional "stuff" for areas around the tumor to make sure they understand what is going on or not going on.  Hmmm.  Also, given that the tumor is close to the skin there is a possibility that a mastectomy may be necessary.  Also, they may want to do chemo in advance of the surgery.  I should be hearing from the oncology surgeon tomorrow so I will see what she has to say.  I really dont want a mastectomy so im hoping that will be the case.  We shall see.

motheroftwins

I was dx 07/13/11 bmx 08/08/11 and first chemo TAC 09/16/11. I am 37 with twin 6 year girls, trying to take this a day at a time. Holly

Mardibra

Mother of twins - how did the first chemo go? Ok I hope.

Snoopy73

Hello motheroftwins - Welcome and I am sorry you have to join this group:-( hope your first chemo went well. Stay blessed.

Mardibra - hope your weekedn was decent:-) any news from the doctor? Hope all is well.

dense

Hi, I was just diagnosed as well in Rochester, NY.  I was directed to a surgeon, and was told to see an oncologist after the surgery.  I had a breast MRI, but no other scans.  I am curious under which circumstances  do docs order scans before the surgery?

Kimmer1975

Hey Ladies. There is a new girl who I think is still trying to figure out the boards. She has posted on my thread under "waiting for test results". I am not sure how to help direct her to the right threads. Her name is Jena4broady. She too has been diagnosed with IDC so I thought maybe one of you might be able to pop into my thread to help direct her to those of you who can give her the most support? I'm kinda new here too so I am not sure the easiest way to explain to her how the boards work?!? 

Thanks!  

Didam

dense,

Having an MRI before surgery is common.  I was diagnosed Feb. 2011. My diagnosis - IDC, 1.5 cm. Stage 1, oncotype dx test - 10, no lymph nodes.  The MRI found another lump, but when tested it was benign.  MRI can find false positives.  Good luck with surgery.  I recommend the onlcotype DX test.  That tests your specific tumor and can give you a score of 1-100 to determine recurrence percentages.

Mardibra

Heard from surgical oncologist today about my scans last week.  Looks like there is another "spot" they are seeing.  Small but they want to do another ultrasound and possibly biopsy at the same time.  Im hoping it turns out to be nothing because if it is something then im headed for a mastectomy.  Really dont want that!  Waiting for the scheduling of the ultrasound.  Waiting, waiting, waiting.  I hate waiting!  Other than that, weekend was great.  Had my hair cut and colored.  I fear this is my last elective haircut for a while. 

Christine 

Mardibra

dense - I was diagnosed on 8/31 and I have had several scans already.  Breast MRI, CAT scan,  bone scan.  Another ultrasound coming up too.  As they have explained it to me, the scans in advance of surgery tell them lots about how to approach surgery.  Also, I have met and spoken to both my oncologist and surgical oncologist several times and my surgery is not yet scheduled (should be within the first two weeks of October).

dense

Thanks mardibra.  I made an appointment to go see an oncologist BEFORE the surgery.  So I guess I will find out more. 

Mardibra

Had another u/s today. The additional suspicious spot turned out to be not so suspicious. Happy for that! Looks like no mastectomy for me!



Thinking of you all.

Snoopy73

YYAAYY Mardibra...do you have a date for your lumpectomy? I had an appt with My Rad Onco on friday, Soooo overwhelming!! Starting radiation on 10/3.

Mardibra

Surgical oncologist called today to confirm what the good looking radiologist said....I'm good to go for surgery. Lumpectomy with axillary node dissection. I have an appt with her tomorrow (which I think she forgot about) where she will go over a bunch of stuff and give me a surgery date which will occur in the next 2 to 3 weeks. Also mentioned something about inserting wires. I missed that one so I will need to do a little research. I'm on my way to being cancer free and looking forward to it. Aaaahhhhh.

Mardibra

Hoping the rad doc gives you encouraging news!

Mardibra

Heard from the doc today. Surgery is scheduled for 10/21. Lumpectomy and axillary node dissection. Just prior to the surgery they will be inserting wires around the tumor. I guess it helps the surgeon although it sounds a little brutal! Of course I'm awake during the whole thing...great.



Hugs to all.

susanella

Hi,

I was just diagnosed with IDC. The core biopsy showed the tumor to be about 1 cm x 1 cm x 1.6.  The radiologist said she didn't think there was any node involvement.  I went to a surgeon last Thursday who read the mammo, sono & core biopsy films and path and did his own sono.  He also said that he didn't think there was any node involvement and told me to go for a breast MRI, which I am having Monday morning.  The surgeon preliminarily said I would probably need lumpectomy with rad.  I have appointments with another BS on Tuesday and a third consult on Thursday morning. 

Question for all:  Is it even possible to have a lumpectomy with only rad and no chemo?  I thought everyone got chemo and rad.  Also, is Tamoxin (sp?) always prescribed.  I am so new to this, any info would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

Susanella

tldrose

Susanella - in my case, i had a mammogram and sonogram that found a lump in my left breast. After that the biopsy found 2 more, but it wasnt until my double mastectomy/recontruction surgery that they found lymph node involevment. I was praying to avoid chemotherapy, but am now finishing  6 of 8 rounds. I don't need any radiation because all my breast tissue was removed through surgery. Once I'm done with chemo, I will go on Tamoxifen for 5 years, but haven't researched much about it yet. So, just try to ask alot of questions to your doctors and write everything down. You are your best advocate, that's what I had to do. If I can help in any way, just let me know. Good luck with your journey and this discussion board is a great way to get info, a helping hand, support or just to vent!