Newly Diagnosed!

Sheryl, welcome and sorry you have had to join.

 What type of re-construction are you looking at?  

Hi mommaof4, 4 weeks ago today I had my bmx. I am 45, had DCIS, so if you need any advice, please reach out. I was introduced to someone before mine, and it was so helpful to ask simple questions. My recovery has gone very well, the only pain I really have is from the TE's, as they get more full, the tightness becomes very sore. Feel free to private message me....I've been there and was also very shocked and confused. It was 17 days from my diagnosis to my surgery. I can say the drains are probably the biggest hassle, it took 3 weeks to remove all 4 of mine and it made such a difference on me going places and doing things. Good luck and I am here if you need anything. I am in Texas but just an email away!

Hi mommaof4,

I too was 41 when I was diagnosed with DCIS this past Nov.  I had a BMX in Dec and still have some down days.  It does get better though.  Once your path comes in, you'll have a game plan.  It was the uncertainty that completely stressed me out.  Stay positive, keep educating yourself and don't stop pushing until you get the result you want.  Pre BC, I often had a hard time speaking up...not anymore!  Good luck to you. 

irishannie--take your time and read everything. Get your list of questions together for your doctor and surgeon. I, too, had DCIS grade 3. I had a lumpectomy (I was totally amazed at that--went in at 9ish, was being driven home at noon), then had radiation. I took myself to nearly seven weeks of radiation. Had some skin problems, but totally doable. That was more than two years ago.

Look for posts from Beesie on this thread. She's the expert!

MX is mastectomy. BMX is bilateral mastectomy (meaning they took both breast). (this was for the person above me who questioned what these terms meant and then deleted their post...)

 irishannie. Did the doctors get clear margins?  An excesional biopsy is basically a lumpectomy.  If they did not get clear margins, they may want to go back in and take more and yes often times they recommend radiation after that. If I remember correctly lumpectomy with radiation gives 5% or less recurrence chances. Mastectomy gives 2% or less recurrence chances. There women who get lumpectomies who do not get radiation.  

I agree look for Beesie's post.  I think someone bumped one up earlier, so it should only be a few posts down from here on the subject. 

It is so scary.  As everyone says, one step at a time. I tried to set miny goals for myself, get through surgery, find out about the nodes, get the final pathology, etc. Obviously there can be so many deviations that can cause things to change.  However, I can't change those things. I can't. I can only wait for the answers and then get a game plan from there. It took me a long time to get to this stage.  I went through the not sleeping, the not eating, the getting sick stage. It is awful.  All I can say is keep talking to people, at some point you will make a connection with someone and what they say will ring a bell through you and all of a sudden it will be "I get it".  Talking helps!

Unless you feel an immediate connection, I recommend talking to more then one PS and even asking your doctors if there is someone that they recommend and why.  I went through a couple before feeling comfortable with the one I went to.  Why him?  The other ones tried to discourage me from on or other type of surgery, doing research found it was not their specialty. This doctor said I could do anything I wanted and showed me pictures of each type that he has done.  He was very open and I talked with girls at local breast cancer groups and they recommended him highly.

I really loved the idea of DIEP, I did and do.  However I was scared of being under for 10 hours or so. I did not want to be in the hospital for 5 days and did not want to be on basically bed rest for 6 weeks, minimum. I have 2 small children and I wanted to get my life back as fast as possible, so I opted for TE and will get silicone implants when the exchange is done. If I was at a different stage in my life, I would do DIEP in a heartbeat...I was just not there right now.  Mind you, I hemmed and hawed about this decision up until my surgery last Friday.  In the end, I just knew it was what I was most comfortable with. 

I wish you the best in whatever you decide. You can always PM me if you would like

emaline,

We were diagnosed on the same day, both DCIS. I have about 2 weeks left of saline injections, then schedule implants..where are you in the process? I am so ready to get these expanders out..the more the fill, the harder they get. I have 740cc in now. What about you? I have no chemo or radiation.

Hello everyone, another newbie here.  I was diagnosed the first day of your post.  I have multifocal invasive lobular cancer, grade 1.  I will also be at NMH in Chicago.  I am in the process of interviewing surgeons, and getting genetic testing, but I will need to remove the left breast.  I am leaning towards a BMX due to family history, but will find out more this week.  It looks as if my surgery will be near the end of June/early July if the time line I have works out with the surgeons and OR schedules.  Will know more next week.

 Looking forward to "meeting" you all and gaining and providing support to those that post here.

Emaline--I have a fill tomorrow (tues/24th) and one final one next week and they will schedule it then. I am thinking probably the 2nd week of June. My PS filled me even with my drains in, I was so glad. I was happy he put 120 cc's in each time, although it does seem really tight the first day or two after a fill. I'd rather do that, than prolong the implants.

corian68--I am with you! yes they do feel like big bowling balls, I compared them to rubbermaids in my chest..I can't criss cross my arms at all, I feel the expander in my armpit! I can't even totally shave my underarm, my opposite arm won't reach it! Its driving me crazy! I feel like I am getting used to sleeping on my back, I tried to sleep on my side (which is where I  used to sleep) and it was just too uncomfortable. I have a big wedge pillow a friend loaned me, and that has helped keep me elevated, so I am not totally flat in the bed. My nurse naviagotor told me that the last week between your last fill and surgery is the hardest, because we will be so filled and tight! From what I am reading, it will be well worth it once the implants come! I just wish it was here now!

Amy I just love reading all the different posts because it is so amazing to me how different all doctors are and how each patient is treated differently.  I think this is a good thing.  We shouldn't be treated "by the book" just because that is the way it is done.

Once I get my last fill, I have to wait 4 to 6 weeks to get the exchange done. He won't do them right away. Isn't it funny how different each PS is?  

mommaof4: Wishing you the very best today and in the future!!!!!!! And to the original poster and everyone else here, too, great health and happiness!!!!!!!

Mommaof4 you are in my thoughts and prayers.  Update us when you are able!

Get your sleep and heal