Just diagnosed

Sheliahm

Hi. I'm 37 and was just diagnosed with IDC. In March of this year I found out I was brca1 positive, had colon cancer when I was 15 and now this. I'm terrified. I know it spread to my lymph nodes due to the fluid I saw when they did the biopsy. Going for a MRI next week and maybe a PET scan. I think my major concern is how much it spread in the past 5mths. I was told they are gonna hit it hard with chemo then surgery then more chemo. But if they don't know how bad it is how can they determine the treatment. I know this isn't the place for answers I guess I'm just venting.

Englishmummy

Hi Shelia -

Just jumping in with a response, no superior wisdom - just well wishes. There will be others along shortly I am sure, far more knowledgeable than I but I wanted you to hear from someone quickly. I remember those awful feelings and feeling alone.

I know this is a really scary time, coupled with your past experience: I am sure you are scared out of your wits! Hang tight, it will seem a lot more manageable once all the results are in and you have a finalized treatment plan - it is a waiting game right now, and perhaps the hardest part of the 'deal'. Don't assume you know anything until your Dr breaks it down for you, as hard as that is. Vent away, we all do it

Just know that you are not alone. BC.org is a bright and informative community - everyone here has a tie that binds and can understand where you are coming from.

Moderators

Hi Sheila-

We're so sorry you find yourself here, but we're glad you've joined us. It's a very scary time, filled with uncertainty, but just know that you are not alone, and we are all here for you! Good luck with your scans next week, please keep us posted

The Mods

Molly50

Welcome Sheila, sorry you have to join us but glad you found this wonderful website and forum. I do hope your scans alleviate your fears of the cancer spreading beyond your breast. Hang in there!

Sheliahm

Well got some news after my scans. They found something in my chest, thyroid and a "fullness in my ovaries" but they don't know what any of it so they want to do more test, they love to say they don't know what it is which is bs. It all sounds bad to me. I can't help but think the worst. So while they're waiting to do all these test this ginormous tumor that I can feel through my bra is growing. If this thing is going to kill me I need to know if not let's move forward.I was kind of mean to the nurse had to apologize to her.

ElaineTherese

Hi Sheliahm!

Yes, it's hard to wait, wait, wait for all these tests, tests, tests. However, your doctors' approach to your treatment may depend on exactly what's going on. Scans often produce "false positives," and your doctors will want to make sure that what they've found is indeed cancer. Are they planning to do some more biopsies?

Also, your treatment may depend on whether or not you are HER2+ or negative for an over expression of the HER2 protein. I see that you are ER-/PR-, but you don't list your HER2 status.

I hope you get some answers soon! It's hard not to have a treatment plan in place.

((Hugs))

Sheliahm

Hi Elaine. Well they want to do another scan but didn't say anything about a biopsy. However I do have an appointment with my gynecologist to perform a follow up biopsy of my endometium( I think that's he's its called) and uterus due to an abnormal paps I had earlier this year. Ido have a clinical navigator from oncology and she said "the good thing is your tumo isn't hormone receptive" I was in so shock of everything that was going on that I didn't ask what that meant. So I don't know if that answers your question about HER status.

Sheliahm

Well I had my surgery bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction. I'm home now with tolerable pain but a lot of pressure. Still waiting on my margin and nodes results. Not sure how many were taken out because they wouldn't tell me. I really don't know how I feel about any of this anymore. So whatever happens..happens. Just wanted to get that out

MinusTwo

Sheila - sorry for your pain but glad you're done with surgery. Treat yourself like a princess and don't do too much. Seriously - keep your arms below shoulder level and don't lift anything over two lbs. Just because you think you can, doesn't mean you have to. Good luck with the healing.

Sheliahm

just got my pathogy report back. 26 lymph nodes removed with 15 still having cancer in them. The chemo worked on the big tumor but not the 2 other smalls ones some cancer escaped out of one of them. So I went from a 3a to a 3c. My margins were clear or negative. I don't know how to feel about this.

MinusTwo

Sheila - so sorry about this path report. I wouldn't know what to feel either. My lymph tumor(s) we not completely destroyed by my first 6 chemo treatment either, so after surgery I did a set of another kind of chemo. And then I did rads. Please do let us know how you're doing and what the doc says.

Sheliahm

Just an update. I don't have to do anymore chemo even tho I still had a number of cancerous lymph nodes removed but I'll definitely be having 28 treatments of radiation.. that was expected. On a side note Im having my expanders expanded next week but having a lot of discomfort..sometime pressure in the middle of my chest and sometime just all around pain. I feel like I don't want to get them done. I know my doc filled them a little during my surgery so I'm hoping what I'm feeling is normal.

Sheliahm

Hello

Just an update on my conditon. Chemo didn't work as well as they wanted it to. Residual cancer left over and it's growing. Three new tumors found. One in my neck next to my collar bone and two really small ones still in my breast. I have to get another cat scan to see if it spread to other organs if it did then I won't do radiation just more chemo. It doesn't look good. I'll find out everything after the cat scan. I'm really scared