Lucy---I was diagnosed with LCIS back in 2003; had lumpectomy, took tamoxifen for 5 years, have now taken evista for about 4 years, added MRIs into the mix in 2006 so alternating with mammos every 6 months (just got another clear one this week!); my risk is further elevated by family history of bc (mom had ILC, is a survivor of nearly 27 years!). I agree with you---no wrong options, just have to find the one that is right for your own situation at the time.. I'm not ready to go the route of BPMs at this time in my life, but will always keep my options open. Best of luck to you moving forward, praying your surgery and recovery go smoothly.
Good for you. Living with worry is no way to live. I made the same decision but mine came quickly. People thought I was crazy and told me over and over that I was making a radical choice because I had DCIS, intermediate grade and could simply "be patient and see if it becomes invasive" or at the most, have a lumpectomy and radiation. It got worse when I decided to have a double mastectomy. I heard lots of "how could you cut off a perfectly healthy breast?" I just couldn't deal with worry that it would show up in the other breast and knew that being patient & constant worry would make my life miserable. My surgery was 6 weeks ago. The pathology report showed I had several areas of LCIS in the "perfectly good breast" that hadn't been picked up on two mammograms or a pre-op MRI with contrast to make sure there were no other suspicious areas in either breast. I made the right decision.
Congrats Sandra for being six weeks out! That is scary when they don't pick things up on all this sophisticated equipment! So happy that you are on the road to recovery!
I just had bi lateral oct 28, 2013,, just had LCIS, mother had breast cancer,, I just felt it was the right decision for me,, did not rush into it but after 3 biopsies in rt. breast since last dec, I just got sick of it. It is an aggressive approach but for me I think aggressive is good,, yes you can monitor and wait and see but at least this way for me I have no more worry, and if I got invasive breast cancer in the future that would be worse for me.. So I chose to kick cancer before it got to me. All of my friends supported me, and my surgeon.. She knows I am an anxious person as well, so we together decided that was best for me.
