Just recently diagnosed. Could use a friend.

Star, sorry that you have joined us. It is very scary this is the hardest time it will get better as time goes on.

Star111, I'm so sorry for your long wait for answers. There are a lot of friends here, people who can help you understand what's going on with your treatment and recovery and offer encouragement along the way. There are a variety of comments threads, called "topics," that focus on various parts of the process. They're posted under "forums," such as the Just Diagnosed one you've used. Also note the left margin "All Topics" gives a listing that is sort of a big table of contents. The search function lets you look for keywords, and the list of abbreviations can be found on the blue button at the bottom on the left margin. Hopefully a moderator will stop by, too, since this is your first post.

Hi Starr, I'm sorry you've been through so much! Hopefully the pathology report comes back quickly and with good results.

Hi there. I agree with Meow13 that the beginning is the worst part of the journey. I also agree that if you think you need it, do not hesitate to ask for something to help with the anxiety temporarily. Thanks foe sharing that BC can hurt! I do think that there is a false way if thinking that if it hurts its not BC. Sorry it took you so long to get diagnosed. IMO MRIs are not done enough on women with dense breasts. Mammograms and ultrasounds are many times negative when MRIs are not. Please let us know if you have any questions. We are all here for you.

Blue -we truly feel your pain about a BC DX. Whether expected or not it’s still a shock and hard to process at first.

I was not surprised by my DX but only because I had never been called back in to have another mammogram. The nurse said onebreast was larger than the other. I knew then it wasn’t going to end well and it didn’t. I had IDC, Stage 1b, Grade 1.

The good news is I’ll be 8 years out this August God willing.

You are truly in the worst part of the process. The shock and fear of the DX is enough to knock you for a loop but there are meds to help you with the anxiety and don’t be afraid to take them. A lot of us have.

It will get better once your treatments are scheduled. Fortunately it’s DCIS and not invasive. Make sure you go to a medical team you feel comfortable with.

We will help you all we can. We have all been there in various stages and treatments. This forum was and stil is a godsend for me and it will be your extra lifeline too.

Keep the faith and keep us posted. You can do this. We are all proof of that.

Diane

Star, I am so sorry you are going through this.  I am in the lurker stage, worried but not diagnosed, and I wanted to thank you for the information you provided in your post.  I too had nothing show on my mammo or  ultrasound, but have pain, thickening (doctor felt a lump) and blood discharge.  I was waiting to get a call back from the BS office, and they were not returning my phone calls despite having already received the referral and having all imaging available.  After reading about your story and the fact your lump did in fact hurt I had the courage to walk into the office and state I was done waiting for a phone call and wanted to schedule my appointment right then.  It took a couple minutes but the front desk went to the back and then came out stating I was being scheduled for this Friday morning per the doctors approval.  If I had not read what you had to say I would still be waiting for a phone call.  So thank you for thinking of the rest of us who are just in the worried stage while you are in the middle of recovering, it truly means a lot.  I'll be following and hoping for you to get good Path reports. 

Again thank you very much,

Carissa

Hi Blue 456: I am sorry that we are meeting under these circumstances. It's really shocking to start the process. I know that I was caught off guard by it all. I had dense breasts that were hard to mammogram - just look like a tiny snow globe. I was diagnosed at 49 and it didn't run in the family. As Star stated so well, sometimes things roll out more slowly than we want them to. If you can, ask the radiologist who is the best surgeon. When other doctors have seen my scar, they say, "Wow! She was a really careful surgeon and this scar is beautiful." Also the level of radiation that they gave me five months later smoothed out the scar. I don't know if that happens with DCIS - level radiation treatment, but you could ask.

One thing I did, sort of as a coping thing, was to get some adult coloring design pages. I would color a little bit, think of a question, and then write down the question to ask or look up later. Somehow it seemed to help.

Star111: So sorry you had to find us, but also a good thing you did. Yes, my second breast cancer also hurt..went right up to my armpit although the cancer was 8mm and hadn't spread to lymph nodes. You just need one nerve for it to press against. because ultrasound found "nothing" you probably have very early breast cancer so hang in there, as it is very treatable and suvivorable. (((HUGS)))) Your emotions are 110% normal.

Hello Blue -

My DX was the result of a routine Mammo as well and your feelings are normal for sure. You are in uncharted territory and it's frightening and overwhelming. I of course, don't know your situation, but my journey after DX was made a whole lot easier through the Breast Cancer Center that is associated with my local hospital. They made recommendations for surgeon, RO, MO and took care of making all my initial appointments. At the time it felt like a roller coaster that I wanted to get off, but was very grateful for their assistance, once I had a chance to digest it all. Ask your PCP or check your area for a Breast Cancer Center. They are the 'subject matter experts' and can offer you information and comfort. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Everyone will want to help you.

Kate

Hi Star111

I just wanted to say that I was diagnosed a few weeks ago having gone to the doctors with random stabbing breast pain. She examined me and felt nothing. Even though she was sure it was just hormonal she did take me seriously and sent me for a mammogram (which here in the UK isn't routine until 50 - I'm 41) even though I had no lump or skin changes. I was first examined by a breast nurse who again couldn't find anything. But she agreed that a mammogram would be a good idea and sure enough, they found a lump, deep in the breast where it couldn't be felt. The cancer had spread to a few of my lymph nodes too although they're not swollen at all. The GP, the surgeon and the oncologist all tell me that the pain has nothing to do with the tumour but I can't see how that can be true given that the pain was in the exact same place.

This is definitely the worst bit. The waiting and the unknown. Once you have a plan of attack, you'll feel much better. Sending you big hugs (and a nice cup of tea!) from across the pond!

xx

Hi InVirginia2 and Star111,

I too was diagnosed this past Friday from my biopsy; IDC, ~7mm, intermediate grade, and it has micropappillary features (which is apparently rare and very aggressive in the literature). My world shattered this week as my husband and young boys took me away this past weekend to get my mind off of it. Now that I am back I find myself in such a dark place, overwhelmed, terrified, and beyond sad. I find my mind racing to the places it shouldn't go but it is so hard to redirect it.

My surgeon here in Ottawa was wonderful, personable, friendly, and confident. I tend to be suspicious so am wondering if that is all a front as I want to believe him but am scared to. He was not overly worried about the micropapillary piece as he said there is very little difference in overall survival between having those and someone with IDC at the same stage and grade; however, it does have a higher chance of loco-regional recurrence. All this to say, we did have a good laugh when I kept having to place his fingers in the right spot to find it. He cannot believe I actually found the lump myself.

I too have dense breasts so am heading for a breast MRI tonight after my hockey game. This waiting game is terrible. I shake when I go to bed, when I wake up, and periodically throughout the day. I try to work but am having a really hard time concentrating. This is so very scary and overwhelming. Coming from a control freak, not having control over what happens at the molecular level in my body scares me.

I should also mention that I am 45, exercise, and eat well (although I will be eating a heck of a lot better now). The shock of this to my system has also been hard; I am experiencing GI issues and have lost a lot of my appetite to the anxiety.

Thought I would send my good thoughts to everyone here and hope you will also welcome me.

Thanks.

Sportymom