Just told today....

edwsmom, I'm also so sorry to hear this! I know that you can have lymph node involvement in breast cancer without a discernible mass (at least by mammogram) as they can be SO tiny but also on the move.

Are you scheduled for an MRI? Per my doctor, MRI is highly accurate in finding lesions in the breast that a mammogram cannot detect.

May I ask what characteristics your lymph nodes had that were worrying? Some of my left lymph nodes are rounded with suspected loss of hilum (but no swelling) and I KNOW those are malignant indicators but breast surgeon number one didn't think much of it.

Positive nodes in breast area do no mean metastic. It takes further scans/tests to DX metastatic. Metastatic means spread to other areas (lungs/bones/liver/etc.) - have you had any scans to check? One positive node does not equate to metatastic. (I had 19 pos. nodes 6 yes ago - not metastic.

What type of BC did he say it was - different TX plans and prognosis.

Get a pad and write every questions you have and take it to the appt. Put your cell on 'record' so you can review exactly what the Dr said later rather than trying to remember or go off notes.

"Put your cell on 'record' so you can review exactly what the Dr said later rather than trying to remember or go off notes."

What a great idea! I'm going to do this at my next appointment, thanks.

Hi edwsmom! First of all…this is the worst time. Even being sick with chemo was better than the cold numbness I felt right after getting my diagnosis. Life just skidded to a halt…exactly! After you meet with the breast surgeon or MO, and have your plan, you will feel so much better.

Yep, I also had a clear mammogram in September and complete physical in December. I was just given a totally clean bill of health by my GP at the end of December…by the first week of Jan, I had my dx. Mammograms would not have detected my cancer with my dense breast tissue. (Would've been nice for them to tell me this…)

On Friday the breast surgeon will probably go over the pathology of your biopsy and what it means for your treatment. And possibly order more tests. Perhaps you could ask for an anti-anxiety Rx if you need it.

These boards have been a life saver every step of the way!! I did so much reading (on here) before my initial appointment; I knew what the BS should be telling me down to the chemo drugs I might be getting. I'd suggest keeping your research to these boards—not Google.

Hugs!! --Lorie

Welcome edwsmom to the BCO community. What a rollercoaster you are on. Important will be to determine where the cancer is actually located. "An MRI can distinguish a breast cancer from normal breast gland tissue better than other techniques." --> found on this page, along with other information regarding MRIs (http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types...). We are all here for you, and sending you gentle hugs

Welcome edswmom- I'm so sorry you had the need to find us here, but you have come to the right place. There will be information, correct information, caring, and a safe place to vent during each step of your way. I am so sorry. It is very hard to keep yourself together, and I know you want to protect your child.

I agree with the others. Stay off Dr. Google. Check out this site's Understanding Your Diagnosis, and How To Read Your Pathology Report. In fact, as soon as you are able, obtain for your own file a copy of your path report. Call the place where the biopsy was done and ask to speak to medical records. Pick it up ASAP. It is your information and you should know it backwards and forwards. If you spend your time in this way, focused on what's in front of you now, you can put a very good list of questions together, and make your time with your doctors much higher quality. Make yourself smart, not scared.

I said almost the exact same words the day I heard. My whole world changed in 5 minutes. This site has educated me, comforted me, and found me friends that made the waiting a little easier. And it will get better with a treatment plan in place. Mammograms are not 100% in seeing bc. MRIs are much better. You are on the right track. Learn about tumor's "grade" , different from stage, and hormone receptor status, HER status. Start a thread on how much to tell young children and when. You are not alone. Don't worry about "the stage" of your bc right now. Your doctors will need more information. Read about (here, on bco) and ask if an Oncotype dx test is appropriate in your situation. I hope I'm not overloading you. But you can direct your concerns in a way that will keep your case moving forward, and establish from the beginning that you intend to be a partner in your treatment. It will empower you.

Sending you a bottomless bucket of hugs.

Katy

I just found out today myself that I have IDC. Very scary. My appointment with the specialist isn't until the 25th. I'll be a wreck until then. All I did today was sit around and feel sorry for myself. My husband and son have been very kind and loving, I haven't had so many hugs from either of them in one day as I did today. I feel very loved but still scared.

Welcome to the club that no one wants to be a part of. We all have been where you are at, feeling what you feel. It is normal to want to understand exactly what you are dealing with, and what you need to do to get rid of whatever you are facing. Cut it out, cut off my breasts, so long as I can beat this and never deal with this again.

So this is why people will say this is the worst part--the not knowing. And, it takes some time to figure out what is going on, which is needed to understand what treatments are needed. The best things you can do at this point is to educate yourself--not on Dr. Google; the articles on bco are fantastic and will teach you about breast cancer, how diagnosis works, what to expect with surgery, treatment, and so on. That way, as your dr. talks to you, you will be familiar with terms, etc. It is a lot to absorb, but you will get there. And you are not alone--there is a lot of support here.

It doesn't feel it right now, but trust me when I say you will not feel as scared or devastated. It sucks to have to deal with, but you can do this.

Edwsmom....You're still learning about your cancer. You have so many questions and so few answers. You need to make decisions and plans, but don't have enough information. As the information funnels in, you can make your decisions then. It a marathon, not a sprint.

I was diagnosed in May 2015. I am single and the only breadwinner and like you, need to keep working to maintain insurance. BTW...I also have CareFirst. They have been very good so far. I got tagged for an "out-of-network" lab charge. I'm appealing that right now to try and get the cost discounted. But otherwise, they've been very good.

If you live where you will be treated, you may not have to take much time from work. I only took 2 days for the lumpectomy. But I got an extra day due to a holiday weekend. Other than a few doctor appts, that is all the time I've had to take off. I have a sedentary job. I look at computer screens all day in an operations center. My manager is allowing me to flex my work hours. I can shift my hours around a little bit, i.e., next week I will be leaving work one hour early for my radiation treatments. They're pretty cool about it as long as the time-sensitive work gets done.

I start radiation on Monday and plan on working through it. I did not have to do chemo. So I'm very thankful for that.

Before I was actually diagnosed and all the testing was being done, I was in total denial. I knew all the results would come back negative. Then when I got the diagnosis, I too fell apart. I have very supportive friends that were there for me. Once I accepted the fact that I had cancer, I chose to be out there with it. Some people keep it very low key and private. I was/am the opposite. I have bumper stickers on my car, I told all my facebook friends and told my coworkers. I've become an advocate. No questions off the table. Everything. But everyone handles it differently. In their own way.

Once I decided to "own it" and tell my extended family of friends, I wrote a "Rules of Navigation" for my friends. I even gave it to my boss and coworkers. I have one co-worker (cancer survivor) that read it and said I had "nailed it". It helps friends, family and co-workers navigate through this ordeal with you. I'll post it if you wish, but I don't want to press you. You have to go at your own pace. But my Rules did me feel better and it helped my friends understand how to deal with me.

It sucks right now. And it's OK to get mad and angry. You deserve it. But, I promise, it WILL get better.

we had I think two women in the March chemo group who got Perjeta after surgery. So maybe the protocol has changed.

I'm getting adjuvant Perjeta because I requested it from my MO. I'm going to be his first adjuvant Perjeta patient! Had we known how large my tumor was, as well as how affected my lymph nodes were, I would have had neoadjuvant therapy prior to my BMX. Anyway, adjuvant Perjeta is an option.

edwsmom, hi from one triple positive to another! Come join us on the triple positive thread. I'm so sorry about your diagnosis.

I had a PET/CT to rule out distant mets even though I was early stage. Not all ins will pay, but mine did. I don't think all MOs order them as a standard protocol, but the insurance issue may deter them. It's the gold standard for ruling out lesions in bone, liver, and lungs. It's really two tests that get run as one, and together they give way more info than either one on its own. The CT is good at picking up lesions, and the PET is good at picking up abnormal, or comparatively rapid activity of sugar uptake in an area. So the two together might mean something, where a result from just one could lead to a false positive, which you don't need.

Anyway, this is a very rough layman's explanation. If I have made a mistake, perhaps someone can expand or correct. Mine was clear, and that gave me some comfort. Also, if in the future I present with symptoms, they will always have this record to compare with.

I have been thinking of you. I think you are doing an AMAZING job informing yourself and holding together. This waiting is just the worst. Keep in touch here and if you need to vent, let it rip. We all understand. All of us.

Please make sure to ask them what not to eat beforehand. For obvious reasons, sugar should be avoided. They didn't mention this to me, and I did eat some stupid thing like a bear claw. Then I found out I shouldn't have and imagined my scan lighting up the room. It was ok, but good to ask what the beforehand food restrictions are at the place you are getting your scan