Overwhelmed

CBT, sorry you found yourself here. My mother had BC also, 21 yrs ago and she is fine. I always worried that I would be next...But, don't assume because you lost your Mom 8 yrs later, that you will lose to BC too. My half sister had BC at 27 and she is now 45. We all had different TX's even though it was caught at early stages. Once you get all of your test results back, you will know what your choices are. Meanwhile, try to keep yourself busy and come here for support, if you need to . I'm sure you are feeling over-whelmed and worried. That comes with it. I think we all wonder why and how we ended up with BC. You are doing all of the right things. Keep being your own advocate. Get second opinions if you need to. Follow your gut. You can do this! Best wishes.

Hi

I also had a 2.5 lump which they thought would be 1.2 before the lumpectomy-- remember, stage 2 is considered early stage-- I did a lumpectomy, then had the oncotype test which came back in the gray area- so had 4 rounds of chemo and radiation and 5 years of hormonal therapy. My surgeon had me do an mri of both breasts before surgery to make sure we were not missing anything-- all clear...

So, that was almost 7 years ago-I don't worry about it returning-I feel like I did everything I could with the information I had at the time. It was a very discrete lump so easy to remove and the cosmetic results are great. I had no node involvement.

Many here suggest lumpectomy first, then see how you feel. My advice is go with whatever decision is going to let you sleep at night. That is how I made the chemo decision. I never considered mastectomy because it was never offered. I don't think about it too much any more....

Somewhere on the boards is an analysis by Beesie about lumpectomy vs. mastectomy--it is worth a read as you try to make a decision.

good luck

Hello Can't believe,

I too had a 2.2cm lump (also had a smaller one on the left side) I decided to go with a NSBMX with immediate recon (I am on 41 and for me flat and free would not have worked psychologically - as much as I wish I could say it would). That proceedure is what made the most sense to me - but I was given a choice of lumpectomy or mastectomy. I would not advocate it to anyone as it is such a personal decision BUT I am one month out and have healed really well, it was no where near as painful as I thought and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt it was the right course for me. My breasts were also very dense and the fear of missing something was just too overwhelming for me.

I did not have radiation (it was not recommened) and I was lucky enough to score low on an onco type so now I 'only' have to take Tamoxifen. I am confident in the decisions I made but like us all, I don't have a crystal ball, but I do have faith in my surgeon and the oncologist.

I can see why this would be so very distressing to you but you are not your mum, and as hard as it is to seperate yourself from your mum's experience and your experience with your mum, try to. Almost 30 years has passed:  pathology is far more accurate now and medicine is always changing. As those before me said, "avocate for yourself," make sure everyone understands the reasons behind your fear - your concerns ARE valid.

Just as an FYI, I read somewhere - wish I could remember where, it was a medical article but I have read so many they blurr -  that 2+cm is the one of the most common sizes of diagnosed lumps, especially amongst those who find lumps via self exams. I think there are lots of us out there. Take a moment, breathe easy (easier said than done, I know) and re-group.

I hope the light shines through for you and you find some sense of peace to push forward with your decision.