Just Diagnosed and not sure where to go first

mwilson55

Good morning,

I was just told yesterday after a stereotactic biopsy that I have DCIS in both breast.  The Dr. said results would be sent to my gyno and I could get breast surgeon recommendations from him.  I have left them a message. I am not sure what to do.  Do I look up breast surgeons, plastic surgeon, surgical oncologists, etc.  I am confused and overwhelmed.

I live in Atlanta, GA and would welcome any recommendations of breast surgeons or breast care centers I should look into.  I want the best possible surgeon in this area.

Thanks so much

Teddy88

Greetings!

First, know that you are not alone and that this is the most confusing piece of dealing with a diagnosis - creating a plan! This website will be a great source of info for you, as it has been for so many of us.

I got diagnosed, and called my ob-gyn at the time. She shared a list of surgeons but did not direct me one way or another. That was moderately helpful.

I then spoke to the radiologist who diagnosed me, and she gave me two names and her daily experiences with each. I went to see one of the two, and loved her immediately. The radiologist was right.

I replaced my ob-gyn, and found one who is my partner in every step of the process since then. I love her, and call her my quarterback. When I had a scare, she recommended two surgeons for me and told me all about them, and reinforced that my initial surgeon was also great. She ruminated with me. Fortunately, 'we' did not need the surgery. I also see her right before each mammogram and talk about fears etc.

I think, and others will chime in, that it really is essential to have a partner helping you to sort through the many choices you will have -and giving you some feedback / be a sounding board and offer insights and hopefully a great deal of comfort. They can also explain jargon, and help you to understand your options.

I don't know Georgia, but I am sure others will have experiences to share. But get your quarterback, if possible, and best wishes for confident decisionmaking. Each day will bring more clarity.

Love,

Belle xxoo

Moderators

Hi mwilson, and welcome to Breastcancer.org,

We're so very sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but we're really glad you've found us. As you can already see, our Community is full of very helpful, supportive, and insightful members, always willing to offer advice and their experiences.

We know things can be overwhelming right now, but just know we're all here for you -- ask lots of questions, come back often, engage fully. The more you find out about your diagnosis and treatment, and get a plan in place, the better you'll feel. Knowledge is power!

We look forward to hearing more from you and supporting you throughout your treatment journey! Please let us know if you need any help at all navigating the boards.

Big hugs,

--The Mods

butterfly3

Just found out about the COMET study for DCIS. Too bad I have already just had first surgery. If you are newly diagnosed, you may want to check out https://dcisoptions.org/comet This study is led by Duke University, but there are 99 locations involved and listed on the site.

Butterfly3

Denise-G

I ALWAYS recommend going to a National Cancer Institute cancer center. In Atlanta, that would be

Emory. They work in a team approach and have the latest info. Good luck.

WC3

My OB/GYN first sent me to a surgeon but he was a general surgeon who did breast stuff, got a few things wrong in his notes, and wanted to remove someteen lymph nodes. My sisters got me in with a breast cancer center and then my GP got me in with another one so my oncologist and surgeons all specialized in breast cancer.

hapa

I second what Denise said. Contact Emory, tell them you have a biopsy positive for DCIS. They will direct things from there. It is way easier than figuring out everything yourself, and you also get the best possible care.

60notpretty

Hi mwilson55,

Welcome! I have DCIS in right breast and am scheduled for a lumpectomy on Feb. 8th. I talked to several ladies I knew that had breast cancer previously and got great recommendations from them. I wish you lots of luck on your journey and many ((hugs)). Please let us know how it goes.