Diagnosed 4 days ago

Hello Musiclady, Welcome! So sorry you have to be here, but very glad your friends directed you here. It is a great place to find support and to get advice if you want it.

It is a scary time and everyone here understands how you're feeling. ((((Hugs)))) to you!

There are many here, who have had the same Dx as you,They will be around soon. You may want to take a look at the September surgery thread, or even the information on the site about IDC.

I wish you all the very best and look forward to seeing you around the boards!

music - for me, the news just kept getting worse. so basically you really don't know what you're dealing with until after the surgery, the full pathology report. the MRI will probably tell you more about the size of the tumor. i don't mean to be negative, both ultra sound and MRI didn't detect any of my node involvement until the SN biopsy.

i wish you the best....the surgery wasn't bad for me..it's the wait for the full path report that really stressed me out when i look back..

The area the surgeon was planning on removing was about the size of a walnut. She said that because I have plenty of breast tissue, I would still have a good cosmetic result without reconstruction.

However, I am 5'3" and have back problems from carrying around 38G breasts. And there was an additional area of calcifications (which the doctors believed were B9) in a different quadrant of the same breast. I chose to have both areas of concern removed. Long story, the BS removed the sentinel node, BC and area of calcifications on the right side. The PS reduced and lifted the left side, then did the same on the right side. It was all done as one long operation. I woke up with the cancer removed and smaller, higher breasts.

Hope this helps!

You're welcome Music!

Although I had a Mx, not the Lx, the tracer was done for my SNB, in the morning, just before my surgery. The rest of the procedure, the blue dye and removal of the node, was done during my   surgery.

I should say, there are differing views and experiences of the SNB tracer, but for me, and many others, it was absolutely painless!

I wish you all the very best with everything! (((Hugs)))

PoppyK That was a really interesting surgery, you had! Sounds just fantastic, as breast surgeries go, you know what I mean! lol To have had the problem removed and then to relieve that weight problem in the breasts and come out at the other end, with a great result, is so good! I am so pleased for you!

Hello MusicLady:

I had my bmx in January of this year.  We are very similar. I had 2.5cm of DCIS and 2.6 mm of IDC - very close to your size.  I am also ER+ and PR-.   Are your HER negative as well?  Some residual DCIS was found during surgery and a 1mm microinvasion,  Fortunately no lymph node involvement.  No chemo was recommended as the IDC was under 5mm - this is NCCN guidelines.  I just finished my final phase of reconstruction 2 weeks ago.  I am so pleased with my results.  I do take tamoxifen.  I refused to gain weight from it so I have changed my habits - eat only healthy foods, pretty much gave up my wine ( except on Sat. night ) and wake up at 5am and go the gym every morning.  I have lost 30 pounds and feel fabulous.

this is a very scary time with all the unknowns until after surgery.  However, there is beautiful light at the end of the tunnel so to say. I realize now what is important, I am kinder, more compassionate and I don't surround myself with negativity. I am definitely a different person after all of this and I truly like the person I now am.  I wish you the very best and pray that all goes well for you during your surgery

Kathy