Newly diagnosed and now everything is cancer

Hi, So there was someone name decisionfreak in 2016 who had breast reductions and cancer removal at the same time. I believe it was all paid for by insurance. You can find her posts at January 2016 Surgeries. If you are interested.

hi! i was dx'd in july, with surgery in august. i'm a researcher and planner, and not having all the info was making me batsh*t crazy. i was told that as information comes in, you'll be able to put a plan together and you'll start to feel as though you've got some control again, and that has been borne out.

i was told right off the bat that my cancer was grade 1, so i knew that it had been there awhile, and a few weeks of uncertainty wasn't going to change what was already there. that was what kept me sane. (that- and making a binder of test results, pathology, calendar etc that goes with me to all appts now.)

i did a uni w/o reconstruction. it took me 3 weeks to feel human again, not like beach2beach (she kicks butt!). i have another serious chronic illness, and that played heavily into my recovery. read, read, read. don't dr google if you can help it. THIS site has so much good info. and keep asking questions. we were all newly diagnosed once. we've all been there. blessings.

I was diagnosed this past week with IDC, Stage I (path report didn't specify a or b), Grade 2. I have an appointment with radiation oncologist on Tuesday to discuss options. The surgeon who performed my biopsy told me I have 2 options - lumpectomy with 4-6 weeks of DAILY radiation or mastectomy of right breast. I live 25 miles from the cancer center where the radiation would be performed and would have to drive the 50-mile round trip every day myself because I have no family here. Plus, depending on when the snow starts, I wouldn't be able to drive there anyway. So, even though I haven't made my final decision as to which treatment I will choose, I'm leaning toward mastectomy. An issue I am dealing with is that my breasts are very large and at 63, I don't want reconstruction on the one breast to match my other large pendulous breast and I'm not really interested in having a reduction on top of everything else. And how would I deal with just one large breast on the left and nothing on the right? I think I'd rather have no reconstruction at all if I'm able to have a double mastectomy.Since I've not had the genetic testing done, I don't know if a double mastectomy will even be an option for me.

That is one of my worries about the one-sided mastectomy...feeling so unbalanced especially with having one huge boob left! I already have major back and neck issues (5 surgeries!) so I don't know if the left side of my body will become even more painful and out of whack? Truthfully, the thought of not having to carry these girls pulling on my neck and back is somewhat appealing. Just wish it didn't take breast cancer for me to even have that option.

Hi Kahn-

I was diagnosed May 2017 - opted for double MX - and now in middle of reconstruction. I'm not going to speak for every woman out there and say its normal to have anxiety and go to the dark places in your mind, BUT I have not met one or talked to one that didn't experience these feelings.

I absolutely went through the "everything is cancer" thought, and hell still do --> fall down the cancer hole...this is what I call it. It is scary, and the unknowns of being newly diagnosed can be absolutely overwhelming....

There is a lot of support on this site...

If I can help with any questions about the mx or MY experience with it, please do not hesitate to ask. Sending good vibes from the west coast...

I found a lump on my 40th birthday last November.

It sounds like you are getting moved through the process pretty quickly which is fantastic. Waiting for results is definitely the worst.

Clonazepam helps for anxiety. I just pop one every so often when anxiety seems overwhelming.

mountaingrl, I would recommend that you check into counseling support. Perhaps your center will have a recommendation or maybe one of your providers. It is not unusual, in the stage where you are now in your journey, but many women find it helpful to have someone (other than a friend or family member) to talk with about their fears or transition. They can work with you on anxiety management techniques, or on whatever issues come up. Someone with experience dealing with people going through ca treatment is best, but not a requirement. I saw a therapist who already knew me, so there wasn't an 'introductory' phase, which was also helpful.

Kahnartist,

Glad your MRI was clean. Now you have the beginnings of your plan in place and moving forward. I hope you feel more in control now.

Hang in there! I didn't even have a lump. Mine was all calcification that was seen way back in 2010 and 2012 and 2013... fast forward to 2016 and the only way I knew something wasn't right, was blood coming out of the nipple at this point. Then the biopsy was done, so mine was missed too. Life does get out of control for a bit. You go into auto pilot without thinking... you just go go go to drs appts, blood work etc. But mine was diagnosed July 2016. I am just getting to the end of my treatments. Last Herceptin in December. It's not a fun thing obviously, and I worry about aches and pains too.... but you will get to the end of it all... it does happen. I can now take time to decide on my reconstruction, if I want to or not.

hello sweetie hang in there I was diagnosed while planning my 2nd marriage at 42yrs old had cry then decided to fight with Faith n Hope and lots of Positivity. I am now a 23yr Survivor Praise God.msphil idc stage2 0\3 nodes Lmast chemo before n after got married then 7wks on tamoxifen. God Bless Us All.

I had a lumpectomy and reduction done in January. My insurance covered it. Only issue is that radiation will shrink the breast so when you have reconstruction before treatment, it is difficult to make them the same size. I'm overall happy with the outcome of the reduction.