MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

Elimar, what IS that? at the top? it looks like a lighthouse teepee, somewhere in europe.

I am 49 and also just went in for my yearly mammogram not even thinking there was anything wrong. I got a phone call from the BC the next day telling me they found something they didnt like and that they wanted me to come in for diagnostic films and possible US. I went in for the films and then they said they wanted to do the US because the films confirmed what they found on the mammo. I knew during the US something wasnt right when the tech went and brought back in the Radiologist who then looked under my arm as well. Next was the biopsy which I was still thinking in my mind would be benign. A couple of days later I got a phone call from my PCP who also happens to be a friend of mine. I knew from the sound of his voice he had bad news. 

When he told me I had IDC I heard nothing else he told me. I am a Respiratory Therapist and immediately thought the worse. All I heard was invasive cancer. I couldnt sleep, was gagging, angry, crying, depressed. Here I am 49 I have two children. A son who is 28 and a daughter who is 25 and a beautiful grandson who is 2. What the heck! My grandmother had breast cancer and died from ovarian cancer and I have a Aunt who died from ovarian and cervical ca, my dad had just passed away a year ago from small bowel ca, and his twin had lung ca. What am I going to do.

When I went to my BS he told me I have stage 1 ER+ PR+ HER2- Grade 2 cancer. I had my lumpectomy July 30. They didnt get all of the cancer so I have to go back Sept 10 for a re-excision. Then Radiation and Tamoxifen. As of now the BS said I dont need chemo. I meet with my MO on Wed though and we will see what he says. BS said I was borderline on oncotype test. 

I am very nervous. I still hurt, my lymph node was clear but I have had this cough off and on since April and get SOB just walking a lot or walking fast. I am also very tired, which I didnt expect yet since I havent started any tx yet. Glad to find this site.

Nancy, so sorry about your troubles. I had pneumonia 2 years ago, and was absolutely exhausted for weeks. I hope they figure out what's wrong. Two family members with ovarian cancer is a red flag for a BRCA1 or 2 mutation. Have they ruled that out? 

Yes Elimar, Daughter1 had the BRCA testing and it was negative. I need to call my ins. and see if they cover it for me to be tested. I just read on a site suggested by SpecialK that with all of the relative factors that Daughter2 has going she is definitely high risk and the assessment test shows that she is 4 to 5 times more likely to get breast cancer than the average person. That really ups the ante. Bright Pink has lots of info and answers lots of financial aid questions. Lots of homework to do. No matter how old they are they are always your children

KLJ:  glad you were able to get some helpful advice!!

elimar:  i was also lucky that insurance covered the test!! That thing is HUGELY expensive.

that's a long time to be on antibiotics!!  i hope you get some answers soon.

ncollet, that sounds like annarborB symptoms to me, or, maybe you are in early pre-menopause? Have they done all the other imaging tests? has your onc suggested being tested for i think its called: Li-Fraumeni syndrome? its  blood test i think, that will give them a lot of info about you, especially with those specific types of cancer running through your family..

Elimar, thank you so much for your picture information, i had no idea there was even such a thing. i wonder which came first, the phrase people use, or that? guess i will go put my googles on..

oh yeah, ncollet. if you do have that syndrome (L-F), then they would want to think twice about giving you radiation.

3rdtimenow, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

No they havent but I see my MO on Wed so maybe he will check for that.

jbokland I'm not sure what I'm going to do about the wine thing. I'm no lush, but a couple nights a week I liked to have 2-3 max glasses of good red wine.

was chocolate on the hit list?  Please say no,,, I need one vice left.

I was very scared of my beloved red wine initially. I have relaxed some since then. Other studies have not confirmed the great evil of moderate alcohol consumption. There is also an issue with the difference between getting the stupid cancer and having a recurrence. In other words, that which contributes to the primary cancer does not necessarily contribute to recurrence in the same degree. Lastly, when they look at death from all causes, the slight increase in cancer risk from moderate alcohol intake is outweighed by the decrease in cardiovascular risk.

So, I continue to drink red wine in moderation.

Chocolate is on no hit list. Chocolate is a health food. Seriously.

I agree they say now a days that just about anything causes some type of cancer so I just choose to live smart, enjoy life and do everything in moderation. Live Life 

http://youtu.be/ZAAvPDgKf30 This is a song that I love love love. Hope you all enjoy.

Barbie, I'm with you on the chocolate. Not much of a drinker anyway but hope I don't find chocolate on the list, lol. The dietician I saw said dark chocolate is fine. Not my favorite but I guess I'll have to deal.