Need some major encouragement...

I know how I'm wired. I would absolutely need to know either way, no more surprises.

But that's me, not you. So what I say to you is to give yourself whatever you need right this second to be OK with where you are. It's not like you can never do these scans again, right?

If the fear and debilitating anxiety are crippling you today because of the scans, then find a way to be OK with future uncertainty.

Since your post was dated yesterday I’m not sure what you decided about the scans. I completely understand your fear and anxiety. In fact we all do. I was blessed to have the early stage BC that didn’t require scans to be done. I am the poster child for worrying so I would be inhaling Valium chewables to get me through them and the never ending wait that comes after. I don’t wait well either.

Having said that I had a surprise too after the path report came back showing a micromet in my SN. I was devastated; my BS was surprised. Wow that’s comforting. Not.

My BS said it would get me chemo. Not his call. My MO ordered the Oncotype test. My score came back@11 so no chemo. 33 rounds of radiation instead. So you never know.

It’s your decision. There are no right or wrong answers it’s whatever you can handle. Don’t let anyone make you feel guilty about your choice.

BC is an insidious disease replete with pain and anxiety. Maybe take an anti-anxiety med? No crime in that at all. A lot of us have and do.

Keep the faith and keep us posted.

Diane

HI vmb,

I am facing the same now!!! I am also very very scared of the bone scan. I got an appointment which is tomorrow with MO, that will be my first meet with him, someone just cancelled and then I got the spot. It is already very fast here.

I am also thinking to ask him, if the near term treatment is not influenced by the bone scan, I would prefer delay it to sometime in the future.

As for the sentinel lymph nodes, we are clinically negative which means our armpit lymph nodes checkups are negative. I am also confused with this, are sentinel lymph nodes part of the nodes that checked by ultrasound? SLN biopsy is the standard surgery procedure, then with biopsy result, go to next step. For me, I already know it is radiotherapy. Of course, will have chemo.

Please back here to to share what you did today, I also need around one week to be comfortable with any new stuff after appointment.

Hugs!!!

I found a lump in my breast on April 20th, 2019. I had my very first mammogram on May 9th, 2019. From that moment forward it felt like I was caught in rushing flood waters that were sweeping me away. I was called back the very same day and asked to come in for an ultrasound on May 10th. I was told by the radiologist on that day that she was 99.9% sure that I had breast cancer. I had an ultrasound guided biopsy on May 14th. On May 16th I was told that I had invasive lobular carcinoma. Things get blurry after that due to the shear number of appointments but to sum it up I saw an oncologist. She ordered an MRI and put me on monthly Lupron shots and Tamoxifen. The MRI showed a second spot in my breast and one in my arm pit that looked suspicious so I had two more biopsies on those two areas. I REALLY didn't want to do that second set of biopsies. So much so that the ultrasound tech and radiologist put down their equipment and told me I didn't have to do it because I was starting to cry. I knew that those results would effect decisions about my treatment so I reluctantly cooperated. Both of those biopsies came back negative! Since my mom just had breast cancer last year and our genetic testing came back with a mutation on our BRCA2 gene (not the known mutation but one that has not been studied yet) I decided to have a bilateral mastectomy and hysterectomy with oophrectomy. On August 6th I had my bilateral mastectomy surgery and 3 lymph nodes removed. We were sure that they would come back negative but 1 of the 3 came back positive so rather than having my hysterectomy this month I'm doing 4 rounds of chemo. No part of what I've been going through hasn't been scary for me. I've felt overwhelmed since day 1 and I've had days when I just didn't want to get out of bed but I talk with God every morning and every morning he gives me the strength to go to that appointment, go for that treatment, go to work and be there for my family and pets. I honestly look back sometimes and am amazed at how gracefully I've come through this so far. I'm off of the Tamoxifen now but still on the Lupron shots. I have physical therapy twice a week. I still have to have a hysterectomy and will go on Letrozole when my chemo is over or possibly after my hysterectomy. My oncologist has also said I'll have to have infusions for my bones. I see my plastic surgeon on Monday and I know I'll have to have more procedures done to fix issues there as well. Sometimes, I'm afraid I'll wear down as this has been going on for nearly 6 months now and has months or possibly years to continue. I don't know what tomorrow holds but I'm fighting to make sure tomorrow comes for many more years so I can be there for my kids and grand kids. I pray for all of you ladies because I know how difficult this is physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Just know that no matter what choices you make you're not alone. We're all here on these forums because of one thing we have in common and someone is always here sharing experiences and knowledge that helps the rest of us continue on day to day.

I haven't done a bone scan but my mom did. She has infusions twice a year because the Letrozole has put her in first stage osteoporosis. She said it wasn't as bad as it sounded. I'm sure I'll have to have one eventually since my oncologist has already said I'll be on the same infusions. I'm 43 by the way.

Great news!!!

Vmb, yes girl, I’m beaming!!! to all of y’all in this group,,, this makes me alive,happy,useful. A Very special Friday Lady (comes in Every Friday to get hair fixed) yes small town we will still have this, I’m down to one now and can’t even do her hair, because I can’t focus!!! Lol anyway she said sometimes in life all you can do is send positive vibes, pray, so yes I got y’all covered, and we will face this together,

Hi vmb,

Great news!

I also just back from MO, he ordered CT Scan for me, no bone scan. But he said, he won't worry about that, cause I only have 2 percent to be positive, hopefully I am not in that small group.

Amazing news vmb, so relieved for you!