Welp, Here We Are

NotYourEverydaySuperHero

Hello. 37 years old and here I am on my second BC forum. The last was for family members of people dx with BC. I was diagnosed three weeks ago? Four? At this point, time doesn't really have much meaning as the days go quickly when it's phone call after test after bad news to painfully slow awaiting results.

So DCIS intermediate grade. Excellent prognosis according to my BS. Family history of my Mum passing away last year from stage IV after going into remission twice over a period of 15 years.

I have an MRI Guided Biopsy for my other breast because my Bilat MRI showed "enhancement." Ok, so the doc told me what it means, but I'm wondering what people who've been through it know? They tried to do a U/S yesterday but the radiologist couldn't find anything and said there's a good chance the other radiologist (the non-holiday fill in, woman who made me feel like she stuck a needle in my nipple when she did my stereotactic biopsy but is the best radiologist I know) may not see anything on MRI.

Also, is there a way to make it more comfortable so I'm not so stiff in the shoulders afterward?

How long after surgery until you start radiation? Most likely for me, 5x/week, 4 weeks. And then hormone therapy?

Any finally, does anyone else get super annoyed when people tell you the financial aspect is the last thing you should worry about when obviously they don't have to worry about it? And my salary/hours just got cut in half by COVID!

Having cancer sucks, but I'm grateful we found it early and I have an excellent care team. But there are still days when it's overwhelming, especially when you get a glimmer of light at the end of a very long tunnel only to be stopped by a traffic jam. I haven't felt "right" for almost three months; at least I know why now.

But hey, I'm gonna kick its ass and put it in the ground where it belongs

LivinLife

Welcome NotYour.... I can hear your emotion in your post.... Understandable you'd have such mixed feelings when thinking about your own situation, your mother and then other family members. This is the most difficult time truly - if you've read other posts you will see that echoed... There is so much angst and anxiety when one first gets the news, begins other related appointments and tests and has to make decisions about surgery type, reconstruction or not, etc....

I too had DCIS - Grade 3 (most aggressive) with comedo-necrosis. After the breast MRI it seemed the area grew to 5 cm from what was seen on diagnostic mammogram... there was a non-enhanced area on MRI making it larger. Final pathology showed a lot of that area was pre-cancerous and benign conditions. I have scleroderma so was unable to have radiation which only left me with mastectomy as an option. My ER and PR were only 2% and 5%, respectively so an AI would leave me with all the toxicity/side effects and none of the benefits. I also already had many call-backs on my other breast the last 10+ years, along with two stereotactic biopsies, have lost 5 members of my family to various cancers and many other extended family members to various cancers so just decided on bilateral mastectomy. I'm also 58 and large breasted - could not imagine only having one large breast remaining. I opted no reconstruction as well - knew I would never have that before I was even diagnosed - read too many issues arising on the scleroderma boards. I have never regretted the bilateral or going flat. And I don't have to deal with those uncomfortable stereotactic biopsies or breast MRI's anymore!!!

You will read many posts from others on decisions they made and how they felt and feel about those. It will help you determine various options. Ultimately it is important you decide what you are comfortable with. You will find much support and information here along your journey. Once you make a decision about surgery and have a date the anxiety does improve. You have so much you're dealing with now and many unknowns....

kathabus

Hi—I had IDC....my timeline was 3/24 surgery, radiation started mid May which ended the beginning of July and I started hormonal therapy end of August.

Your timeline will probably be faster if you have only true DCIS with no IDC found. I had a lot of delays. I needed to wait for the results from the tumor testing to determine chemo....I had 6 weeks of rads, and I had a hysterectomy before I started hormone therapy.

Until you get your pathology back from after surgery it’s hard to have an exact plan. You hope there are no surprises that change things, but sometimes there are. I had many, but in the end I felt grateful we found everything and made an appropriate treatment plan.

I had a papilloma (benign finding) that showed on an MRI and not an US because of the location of it. The nipple was creating a shadow on the US My experience of the MRI guided biopsy wasn’t too bad. I had very kind staff and that made all the difference.

Greetings from Grand Haven!