Seven Years Out

dsj

Seven years ago I was diagnosed with DCIS. I agonized through all my decisions and eventually opted for lumpectomy, radiation, and tamoxifen. Once having decided, I told myself I wouldn't second guess myself and would get on my life. I don't think much about DCIS anymore, except when my annual mammogram is due. This week I had my seventh negative mammogram since my diagnosis. I am incredibly grateful for the medical care I received and that my decisions seem to have been the right ones. And now I will put cancer back to the side and continue to live my life.

This is mainly for people beginning the process who are-- as I was seven years ago--overwhelmed with prospect of dealing with a cancer diagnosis. For most of us (almost all of us) dealing with DCIS, life will return to (almost) normal and DCIS will not be the first thing we think about everyday. It is a horrible and difficult thing to deal with when it happens (usually out of the blue) but it's not forever and your real life will almost certainly return to you

LAstar

Congratulations!

jinmo

Congratulations! I am just starting out on this road and love to hear that things are going well for people!

Blahndie74

Congrats!! I feel such relief reading posts like yours. My first mammogram after surgery/radiation is coming up in Jan. It's been one stressful test/ wait for results after another. I hope and pray for good results and back to semi normal life soon.

MTwoman

congratulations! I was diagnosed with DCIS right before Christmas 2002. I opted for a lumpectomy too, and was awaiting my first rad 'mapping' appointment when I got back my second opinion pathology report from Dr. Lagios. He recommended an MRI, as my architecture type tends to be multi-focal. Sure enough, the MRI found several other 'areas of concern' and us guided biopsies showed they were all DCIS (in other quadrants). So then had MX with no other treatment as rads after MX for DCIS not recommended and I was TN, which means Tamox wasn't shown to be beneficial. Am 14 years out and have my annual scheduled for next week. Have to admit, even after 14 yrs, it makes me nervous. Will be super glad once the appointment is over, my images are done and I get back another all clear. Happy Holidays to you all and I hope only good news continues to come your way!

Kkubsky

Thanks for the positive story! I assume a lot of women on here eventually move on with their lives, so a lot of the posts are from newer members. I am almost 1 year out from my DCIS dx (end of January) and while it is not on my mind as much as before, it is still very easy to conjure it right to the front of my thoughts, and to start feeling anxious about recurrence etc. Hoping to one day be able to say, "20 years ago I HAD dcis....".

Anonymous

Thank you for your post- it is so helpful for us to see things can be ok.....very easy to get sucked into the negatives!

momzr

Congrats on the 7 year anniversary! I, too, had DCIS over 8 years ago (July 2008) and had a very tiny amount (1.6 mm) - after much thought and discussion with docs, I chose to have no further treatment of any sort after the lumpectomy (I was 46 at the time). So far, so good on my annual mammograms. Last year in late April my mother (age 75) was diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer and went through lumpectomy, followed by short course radiation and is now on an AI drug for five years. Sooo, this year when I am due in July I will be a little more nervous than usual for my mamm since my Mom's situation has happened, but as dsj mentioned it - I don't think about it that often other than when the screening week rolls around.