Surgery In 1 Week...Very Nervous!!

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nicci1980
nicci1980 Member Posts: 13
edited October 2014 in Young With Breast Cancer

I am 34 years old with no history of breast cancer in my family.  I was diagnosed with IDC about a month ago.  I was in complete shock and still am trying to get a grip on the fact that I have cancer.  I am very glad however that there was about a month's time from when I was diagnosed to surgery.  I've been able to grasp the idea the best I can, review all my options, read and research, and be confident about my decisions.  I have estrogen positive grade 2 tumors in my left breast with at least one positive lymph node.  The one tumor is 1.4 cm and the other is 1.3.  Because there are two in the same breast, the doctor recommended mastectomy and I've decided to get both removed.  He gave me the statistics on getting cancer in the other breast and although it is a low occurence, the posibility of someone my age getting cancer is less than 1% , so there always has to be someone in that small percentage. I'd rather be safe than sorry and have to deal with this all again.  They biopsied one of my lymph nodes and it was positive so I am also having an axillary node dissection as well.  I am very nervous about the surgery and am also worried that it has spread to other areas of my body.  The doctor said they usually don't do any further testing unless I would have a cough that came on all of a sudden or headache, or bone pain.  I have to get chemo after the surgery.  If the cancer has spread elsewhere, will the chemo kill it all?  I'm just wondering if anyone else has dealt with a similar situation?

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  • WinningSoFar
    WinningSoFar Member Posts: 951
    edited October 2014

    Really?  Your doc doesn't do any scans unless you have symptoms?    You do have positive nodes.  

    That certainly wasn't my protocol.

    This doesn't seem all that thorough to me.  Maybe some others will weigh in. 

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  • nicci1980
    nicci1980 Member Posts: 13
    edited October 2014

    Yes, that also worries me and doesn't seem very thourough.  When you have positive nodes, has everyone got some kind of further tests to make sure it hasn't spread?

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  • WinningSoFar
    WinningSoFar Member Posts: 951
    edited October 2014

    I didn't even have a positive node, and my onc and bc surgeon ran me through scans from head to toe (well, thigh).  I can't even remember how many there were.  That included a brain MRI.  Not only did that determine that I had 5 bone mets, but also that there was nothing else.  I have never had pain from my bone mets so it would have been a long time before that would have been a symptom.  

    If nothing else, those scans are a baseline with which to compare. 

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  • Nancy2581
    Nancy2581 Member Posts: 1,234
    edited October 2014

    as soon as my MO found out I had 1 positive node I did a bone scan and pet/ct scan.  I never did have an MRI though.  My cancer was found by my ob/gyn and she had me do a diagnostic mammo and ultrasound

    Nancy

    Good luck with your surgery and recovery.  Lots of good thoughts

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  • nicci1980
    nicci1980 Member Posts: 13
    edited October 2014

    Thank you for your responses.  I am going to talk with my dr. and get further testing to be sure.  I would feel much better that way. 

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  • AmyQ
    AmyQ Member Posts: 2,182
    edited October 2014

    I concur with at least one positive node your onc shouldn't stop there. I discovered numerous bone mets from a bone scan which shocked me because I had no symptoms at all. Relying on symptoms doesn't seem prudent to me. Good luck with your surgery and the outcome. Btw, chemo knocked my mets into oblivion. 

    Amy

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  • JWoo
    JWoo Member Posts: 1,171
    edited October 2014

    Hi Nicci- 

    I agree with the others- and would also get a second oncologist involved at another facility if you can for a second opinion. Pos nodes doesn't necessarily mean it has traveled, but I would want it quadruple checked. Many drs. still dismiss younger patient's concerns out of habit, and that has got to change. If you feel your team isn't listening, find another that will. I was 37 at dx, and have a removed family history, but as BRACA negative, but had 2 separate tumors with 2 different hormone outcomes, and while my team was amazing, I still had to advocate and speak up and demand some tests, as they are not protocol. 

    At some point, you will be angry, use that as a fire to fight for yourself not only to survive, but to stand up for what you need, which includes peace of mind. 

    Wishing you all the best and clean scans. 

    - jen

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  • inks
    inks Member Posts: 746
    edited October 2014

    I go to a accredited breast center and I did not get any scans, not even blood work after chemo. Routine scans do not increase survival. Sure the scan may find something 2 months before the symptoms would rise but it will not increase survival.

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  • jenjenl
    jenjenl Member Posts: 948
    edited October 2014

    Hi Nicci - I encourage you as well to get a baseline of the whole body.  It sounds like you're processing this well.  I had a very similar approach as you.  Surgery, chemo,rads with a few more surgeries scattered here and there.  My MO doesn't do scans post treatment unless symptoms arise, I struggle with that the most but I really just try to forget I went through it.  Be kind to yourself :)

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