Back again!

NorthernCanuck

Hi,

I haven't been back to this site for quite a while. I was diagnosed with Atypical ductal Hyperplasia in my left breast last year so I spent a bunch of time browsing around on this site and scaring myself. Then I had a biopsy followed by a lumpectomy, and then they sent me on my way with no followup required. Hooray, nothing to worry about, right?

You guessed it. Wrong. In the last 10 days I have been to the doctor multiple times, had a mammogram and an ultra sound, another ultrasound followed by a double biopsy. It has been feeling like a bum's rush. Today I received the news that I have IDC in my right breast. I don't know about stage / grade but the main lump is 27.5 x 4.8 x 25.2 mm (stage II?). There's also a second smaller lump.

My biggest fear at this point is the chemo. Does everybody have to have chemo or does it depend, and if so, what does it depend on?

Nice to talk to you all again (but not too happy to be back).

Thanks!

Tomboy

NorthCanuck, Oh dear. I am sorry to see you back, and to have to join this merry group of women who have found themselves here. I wish they would have looked a little sooner after that last biopsy. But you may still be very early stage, and may not hopefully have to do chemo at all. Once they have found out a little more about your particulars, you will know what might be necessary to do. Sometimes it seems they are treating invasive with the anti hormonals first lately, it's kind of a new thing. Hopefully, it will not be in your nodes at all, I am keeping my fingers crossed for you on that. But you know you can read around here more, and ask any questions you might have. Get copies of all your clinic visits, besides the pathplogy reports, because you will know more that way, and also if you can, take someone with you in the begginning any way, who can help you remember what you are told, or let them know you would like to tape them.

I am sorry you have indeed found yourself part of this group of awesome women, but hey, You knew where to find the best thing going, as far as info and caring. Hugs.....

NorthernCanuck

Thank you Tomboy!

I agree with you. It seems that it would have been better with some follow up (a mammogram at 6 months?) the first go around. I certainly hope it's early stage but at this point it's impossible to know.

I just found out today and I was so shaken I did not go back to work.

70charger

Sorry to see u again. Once u have surgery, they will use the pathology from it to present to the board.  The panel of Drs will use that to

decide on treatment plan. Everything hinges on that path report. Good luck with the waiting game. Huggers

NorthernCanuck

Thanks 70charger. I have a question on that. My biopsy results were sent to my family doctor (actually a substitute as my doctor has been on holidays through all of this) and the doctor told me that I have IDC. So, I assume he must have seen some report of some kind. Should I not have gotten a copy of that report?

Thanks!

Lookforward

Hi NorthernCan Sorry to see you here, I live in Edmonton and was diagnosed April 1/14 (some April fools joke) . My doctor phoned first thing in the morning and then faxed a referral to the comprehensive breast program of Alberta. l received a phone call that afternoon from a nurse navigator , she explained the type of cancer I had and answered all my questions. I finished my last herceptin treatment 10 days ago and had my port out last week and I feel great ( minus the few side effects ) , but it's doable. You will receive very good care at the Cross .I hope your treatment goes well and wish you the best.

70charger

You will get
 a copy  of the surgical path report but not from the biopsy.

Tomboy

I did get acopy of the biopsy path report, but maybe part of the reason, is that I asked for it, because I had already decided not to stick with the place that did it. So, I had mammo films, clinic notes from the place that did biopsy, and the path report from that biopsy that had been done at cedars sinai, and I took all of that with me to the place I went for tx. Well, except for the films, which the biopsy place lost for a year....

gypsyjo

I also requested a copy of the biopsy report from my doctor and he made me a copy. It didn't answer all my questions, but it gave me a starting point for some reading so I later knew what to ask. It didn't give me a stage, pretty much just IDC, size and ER+PR+. The questions I asked my physician he either wouldn't or couldn't answer and referred me to a surgeon. I really didn't fully understand what I was dealing with until a week post surgery after the whole lump was biopsied.

 

bcisnofun

Hi NorthernCaunck.  Chemo depends on a lot of things combined.  Lymph node involvement is certainly high on the list of factors, size of tumor, type of cancer, age, etc.  There's a test called an oncotype dx that works for certain cancer types that can give you a better idea of likelihood of recurrence - therefore is used to help with chemo decision.  There was a website I used - I think it was cancermath.net where I could plug in information on the cancer and various treatments and see how statistically it was likely to change my outcome.  The Dr. gave me all of the information, he did give me his opinion but told me it was really gray for me and left it up to me whether or not to do it. Hopefully you won't need chemo but if you do, it honestly was not at all as bad as I expected.  Thinking of you...  keep us posted.

msphil

i got follow up after treatment every six months then three, and even today every year, sorry u are back, but we are still here for you. msphil(idc,stage2, 0/3 nodes, L mast, chemo and rads and 5 yrs on tamoxifen)