Questions->just dianosed with IDC

Roxie1 · May 2012

OK, got the path report today and dr is moving quickly. It was 1 centimeter and the margins were clear except for 1 small area. Am already scheduled to go back in next Tuesday so a wider margin can be removed along with some nodes. From what I remember him telling me was that I had a choice of going through 1 month of radiation, 5 days a week, or having a mestectomy and no radiation. I guess the chemo depends on either choice if there is lymph node involvement. My brain is on overload, was finally given antianxiety meds, half a dose one day and the other half the next and had a bad reaction to it, passed out and had a seizure and had to be ambulanced to the er. I pitched the stuff in the garbage. Can't remember what it was called but it started with an "s" and was a tiny little blue pill. So after that experience I'm going cold turkey and trying to deal with the anxiety.

I realize that it's a personal choice about keeping the breast vs mastectomy but was curious on other peoples choices.

jancie · May 2012

Roxie - it is such a personal choice regarding masectomy versus lumpectomy. My first gut reaction was "cut them off" but after thinking about it for a week I opted for lumpectomy and radiation. The upside was that the hospital was a 12 minute drive from my home. If I had to drive an hour for radiation I might have opted for a masectomy as many women do.

With a masectomy you have such a wide choice of reconstruction options so there are even more choices that you will have to make and take in consideration the long process of reconstruction.

I had a large area of my breast removed because of the size of my tumour but I also had one of the best breast surgeons and you can't even tell - I have no dimpling or divet and both my breasts are still the same size. Since your tumour is small (not sure where exactly it is), then you should come out with a desirable outcome.

Again, this is YOUR choice to make. You need to be comfortable with your decision.

I don't know what kind of anti-anxiety drug they gave you - maybe you could try another one? I was on diazepam (long acting valium) for over a year and then switched over to Lorazepam which is a shorter acting valium. I take them as needed as I have been prone to anxiety attacks every since I got my dx. Usually I get them from sensory overload - too many people - too much noise - too many decisions to make, etc.

Roxie1 · May 2012

Thank you Jancie, you were lucky that the radiation treatments were close to you. The facility I will have to go to is over 100 miles one way. I like the hospital, they saved my sons life there a couple years ago and stayed at one of the homes for people who live at a distance. If I can stay there again then I will probably opt for the radiation and keeping the breast. I just can't afford the bleeping gas there and back.

The lump was located at 12 just above the aerola. The surgeon did a beautiful job, don't know what it's going to look like after the additional margin is removed.

Sincerely thank you for your input.

jancie · May 2012

Roxie - Sorry the radiation facility is so far from you. I found that I got very fatigued with rads and it was cummulative. The more treatments I had the worst the fatigue got so driving back and forth that distance would have been problematic for me. Nice that you have a place you can stay - at least during the week and go home on the weekends?

There were a number of people that parked their RV's at the hospital during the week and then would travel home on the weekends as they lived a good 2-3 hour drive from the hospital.

I was Grade 1 with no lymph node involvement so I wanted to keep my breasts if at all possible and because of that I had to undergo chemo to reduce the size of my tumour. I am happy with the decision I made for ME.

I also tested negative for BRCA 1 and 2. However, I didn't get tested until after I had chemo, etc. as I don't have any children to worry about but then I figured I should get tested in case I needed to have my ovaries removed as I was ER and PR positive. I am currently on Tamoxifen and doing just fine other than my anxiety attacks here and there Laughing

Cherilynn64 · May 2012

Roxie, I am 47 and I had a 1.5cm tumor IDC with no nodal involement. My lumpectomy was Jan 20 and I did 5 day internal radiation that ended Feb 9. I was er+ pr+ her2-. My Oncotype came back 11 so I did not need chemo. That's my background so you know where I'm coming from, so these are now my questions for you to help you make decisions:

1) how old are you?

2) did you request a tumor sample be sent to get the oncotype DX test? This will give you a score to let you know if chemo would help you or not help you.

3) what is the ER, PR, and HER2 status of the tumor removed?

4) which breast was the tumor in?

5) did your radiation oncologist offer you brachytherapy option which is what I had and is a 5 day twice a day internal radiation treatment? Not all women meet qualifiations which is why I asked your age (I was initially considered too young).

6) I'm a pharmacist but I can't help you with what the tablet was you took - I would need a drug name or the ndc# or pill id# might be on the label of your rx bottle if you can grab that out of the trash. I can help you in that area once I know more than what color it was.....and being stressed out is probably why you can't remember the name of it. I developed PTSD from a situation that happened 7 months to the day before my cancer diagnosis, I lost a ton of memories for about 3 months. You're allowed to forget a pill name Wink

Cheri

Roxie1 · May 2012

Cherilynh, I'm 53. Was not told abut the oncotype but will put that on my question list for Tuesday when they go back in and remove the wider margin and 1 sentinal node.

Also I remeber last week he also mentioned that the testing would be done on the new removed tissue for the ER,PR, HER2 status.

The IDC was 1 cm at 12 oclock position in the right breast.

I do not have a radiation oncologist yet. The office seems to be on the swing with things getting put in motion. I'm trying to wrap my head around the Onco DX test, I think I remember hearing that if there was no lymph node involvement chemo may be be admistered but remember hearing more likely 5 year stint with Tamoxifin.

ALSO the med was seems to be the culprit with the seizure was sertraline 25 mg tab int. I had only taken 2 doses, 1/2 one day and the other half the next.

Have decided to continue the Clonazepan 0.5 mg with no issues other than feeling like I'm in a bit of a for BUT that's much better than having the panic attacks.

Thank you

Cherilynn64 · May 2012

Hi Roxie,

Glad you posted more info! I was at work all day or would have responded sooner.

I asked your age b/c it rules you in or out for bracytherapy for radiation. You're over 50 so you pass that part of it! Also having IDC and no nodal involvment, if the latter comes back cancer free on your sentinel node, you can also have internal radiation. There are other qualifiers (ER and PR + which you will find out). The Oncotype DX test is covered by most insurance companies b/c it rules out chemo for some (I am lucky it did for me) so they don't have to help pay for chemo. My MO was going to automatically put me on chemo b/c my tumor was grade 3 and 1.5cm, but he said lucky me getting this now, we can test it and sure enough, even with the worst grade tumor, I didn't need chemo.

I asked about which breast as that factors in to external vs internal radiation. Many women do not want external radiation if cancer is in left breast due to the heart. Yours in the right gives you more leeway, so that's good.

If they qualify you for bracytherapy radiation and you choose to do it, it has to be placed within x amount of days after your lumpectomy, so they should have already scheduled that with an RO and sent you there. The fact that they didn't might mean they don't offer that choice. But add that to your list of things to ask along with the Oncotype DX.

Also the Onc DX test will give more info on ER, PR, and HER2 - more definitive numbers than the regular path report. It's very interesting to see!

I started on 5 years of tamoxifen on March 2 as I'm still very pre-menopausal. If you are post-meno, you also can be placed on aromatase inhibitors in addition to tamox, so you have more options should side effects be an issue (I have had zero side effects on tamoxifen so far knock on wood!).

Sertrailine is generic chemical name for Zoloft. It's an SSRI like Prozac, Paxil, etc. So sounds like you need to stay away from that whol group of antidepressants. Clonazepam is a benzodiazepine (same class as valium, xanax, etc) and it's primary use is for anxiety. That's the better choice if you have anxiery - sertraline is for depression among other things and affects your brain chemistry. Clonazepam is a good choice and main side effect is sedation and feeling out of it as you mentioned....just be careful and don't drive anywhere after you take it. Best to take it at night if you take it once a day. Will usually help you sleep too.

Questions->just dianosed with IDC

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