It saddens me that after mastectomy I may need radiation.

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becmag
becmag Member Posts: 30
edited June 2014 in DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)
It saddens me that after mastectomy I may need radiation.
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  • becmag
    becmag Member Posts: 30
    edited August 2011

    In a couple of weeks, I am scheduled to have a unilateral mastectomy  and after reading some posts on this board it saddens me to think that I may need radiation after  surgery.  It feels like this isn't ever really going to go away.  Even five years from now I may have to deal with this in my other breast. This is really beginning to weigh heavy on my shoulders.  My journey began this year in April and I felt numb for a very long time.  Now, I am beginning  to feel sad and scared.  Friends and family keep telling me that I'm strong and so positive...well, I don't feel like that anymore.   How do you cope with all of this?

    Becca

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  • pejkug3
    pejkug3 Member Posts: 902
    edited August 2011
    Just wanted to send some late night (early morning?) support. 

    I believe *most* women who have a MX will not need rads.  Of course, some do. 

    I'm sure someone with more experience with this issue will be along with advice soon...
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  • becmag
    becmag Member Posts: 30
    edited August 2011
    pejkug3:  Thanks!
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  • mom3band1g
    mom3band1g Member Posts: 817
    edited August 2011

    Even if you do, it's Ok.  Rads wasn't too bad.  I think there have only been a handful of us that have needed rads after a mast.  The stats are on your side to not need it.  I finished rads last summer and yes the healing as a whole (physical and emotional) has been very hard but I am getting there.  The mast was the hardest part for me.  I still have some anger over it.  I was 39 and felt too young to lose my breasts.  You are in the hard part because you can't begin your healing yet.  Has the Dr given you reason to believe your DCIS is bigger than originally thought?  HAve you had a lumpectomy yet? 

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  • Letlet
    Letlet Member Posts: 1,053
    edited August 2011

    Are you sure you will need RT?? I was told that I would not have RT if I had a mastectomy BUT after surgery I found out that I had 6 positive node. My rad onc told me that this was the only reason why I would be having RT. I see on your signature that your nodes were negative so might not need RT

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  • becmag
    becmag Member Posts: 30
    edited August 2011

    mom3band1g,

    I'm 42 yrs old and I had a lumpectomy with sentinel lymph node removal last June.  When the doctor told me my DCIS was bigger than they had originally thought he said the mammogram hadn't detected it all.  

    How did you feel after you completed your radiation? Physically and emotionally?  Did you have reconstuction?  I'm having a mastectomy w/immediate reconstruction. 

    Becca

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  • tunkylala
    tunkylala Member Posts: 57
    edited August 2011

    I did not have a mastectomy, so I cannot begin to imagine how hard that must be. But, I did have radiation and I thought it was going to be terrible. It was actually not bad at all! The only painful part was the drive to the cancer center and waiting for my appt everyday. It happens so quickly you don't really have time to think of anything. I could not even say the entire Lord's Prayer because each session is so fast. I also did double treatments on Thursdays because I wanted to finish by July 15th. The double sessions had to be at least 6 hours apart. No too bad either. I just thought each time that machine turned on that we were zapping the ever living $&#@ out of the cancer.

    I did get tired, but rested when I needed too. My skin did get red, like a sunburn, but its been about 4 weeks since rad ended and you can hardly tell what happened. Drink lots of water, allow friends to take you to treatment and take your vitamins. My fatigue is over as well.

    You will get through this stronger than ever. My sister (stage 3 colon cancer survivor) said that once you have faced cancer you can handle ANYTHING that life throws your way.

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  • mom3band1g
    mom3band1g Member Posts: 817
    edited August 2011

    Becca - I did have reconstruction.  I had TE's in place for rads and that did delay my exchange surgery about 6 months.  Physically I did very well with rads.  My skin only got a bit red but no blistering.  At the end I was very tired and that lasted a long time.  I also  have 4 kids who really needed me so I know that didn't help my fatigue (they were 4, 7,9, and 11 at the time). I did need some PT and I would highly rec you go and make sure it's someone who works with bc women.  That was one of the best things I did.  I was more devastated by the mast than the rads.  I'm still not 'over' the mastectomy to be honest.  A year later I still don't feel 100% myself but I'm getting there.  My DCIS didn't show up on any mammo, ultrasound or MRI either.  We thought we were dealing with a 1cm lump!  I hope you don't need rads but if you do know it really wasn't too bad. 

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  • DeeLJ
    DeeLJ Member Posts: 182
    edited August 2011

    Hi Becca. I am also 42 and my journey started in April also; my 'bad' mammo was April 6 and it all just took off from there. My lumpectomy showed DCIS which was removed with fair margins. I was offered rads and tamoxifen or  I had a bilateral mastectomy on July 25.

    I understand how you are feeling. I got on here and many other websites to read and educate myself and I ended up learning a lot, but also scaring myself a bit because there is such a wide variety of variables to everyone's individual case.

    Probably the best thing for you to do is to speak with your doctor. Meet with an oncologist and really discuss all the 'what-if's that pertain to you specifically. Good luck with everything :)

    I ultimately chose to have a bilateral mastectomy, even though the dcis was only in one breast. They found out from the pathology studies after my mastectomy that I had lots of precancerous cells in the tissue of both breasts but I do not need radiation.

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