DCIS; when will i feel better?

Hi there!  I received the same diagnosis.  The cancer had broken out and spread into the local breast tissue as well as my lymph nodes.  I have had two surgeries in the past month.  The first surgery, May 24th, I had my left breast removed.  I found out a week later the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes.  On June 7th, I had some more lymph nodes removed.  I don't feel the greatest every second, but I can say my recovery hasn't been so difficult.  I have all sorts of odd pains due to the nerves being messed with.  I actually still have one drain and have been wearing a doc ordered sports bra vest since May 24th.  No shower yet.  Eweuuu. I have only taken pain meds twice (vicodin) and I try to stick with motrin or Tylenol.  I am a mess on many levels, but I realize it could be much worse.  For now it's not.   I will not be having radiation.  I start chemo mid July.  I will have my right breast removed in October.  So, as you can see I am far from done. My husband had to return to Afghanistan.  He got to come home for 3 weeks for surgeries.  I miss him so I am really down about that.  Physically, I could be better.  I just tell myself everyday to get up and keep on keeping on.  So, going full circle, I am at 4 weeks this coming Tuesday.  you do feel better as each day goes by.  Don't stress.  You are so totally normal.  This is one heck of a situation to be in, and it can be so difficult mentally, physically and emotionally.  Hang in there!

becmag- We have all been where you are.  Breast cancer is definitely an emotional roller coaster.  More so than just about any other type of cancer.  It affects our insides, outsides and all our emotions.  Everything you are describing sounds very normal.  Sometimes our emotions are intensified by the after effects of the anesthesia and also the pain meds.  I found I felt much better when those had worn off.  As far as the nausea I would ask your doctor to prescribe an anti-nausea to take with the pain meds.  I had to take one every time.  (The one that worked great for me was Promethazine.  It's generic, very inexpensive and worked great.  I would take it about a 1/2 hour before it was time for my pain meds.)  I hope you get good news on your path report and find no chemo is needed.  As far as the radiation the biggest thing I've heard is that fatigue hits a few weeks in.  So be prepared for that.  Do you have friends and family that could pitch in and help with meals, house keeping, etc?  Can you make meals ahead of time?  Whatever you can do to line up help now would probably be a good idea.  You may not need it but you'll feel better knowing it's there.  

I know sometimes it seems that just because we "only" have DCIS we shouldn't be affected by this but, no matter what stage, we all share common emotions when it comes to breast cancer.  It changes so much in our lives.  It's almost like a loss of innocence that our body betrayed us that way and it's forever there in the back of our minds.  We never really get back to the way it was before.  It's different but it does get better.  But it sometimes takes awhile to get to that place.  You will find amazing support on here for as long as you need it and it really helps to talk to others who "get it" because they've been there.  (((hugs)))

The American Cancer Society has really good information, easy to read yet detailed enough that explains cancer. I have never researched breastcancer.org to see what they have. Here is a link:  http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BreastCancer/index. There should be two headings, one for detailed guide to specific breast cancers, and one an overview on where to start. I found the information extremely helpful.

Just click on the link at the bottom to read "Diagnosis of DCIS" on BCO.

becmag -- I had a lumpectomy and SNB with IORT and was also stage 0 grade 2. I was fine after 4 weeks. By 5 weeks it was as though it had never happened. So I think the 4 week estimate is a good one.