New diagnosis my head is spinning!

BCTC sorry to hear the nipples aren't an option if you do the mastectomy. Is the DCIS too close to the nipple to save or is this merely a cosmetic issue (the nipple placement with the impant would be incorrect). I sometimes wonder if nipples aren't sacrificed in order to make a certain style of look available. Perhaps have a more in depth discussion with your PS, it is worth a try for them to help you understand if you have any options. I know they do wonderful tattoo nipples, but I am sure that isn't the point.

Welcome BCTC even though needing this site is not where you want to be.... As you've likely found already this site is full of information and support. It will help you as well. The beginning of all of this is one of the tough times for sure. Hopefully you can gather additional info on options and will soon have a concrete plan. All of that does help though you can only be where you are right now..... I hope you have some good supports at home as well - family and friends....

@BCTC1111 I feel you. I always thought nursing my babies would prevent BC, sigh. I just found out BC in left breast + positive lymph node. Radiologist saw 2 in lymphs but biopsied one. Every morning I wake up & hope it's just a nightmare. Waiting for all the details & surgery consult. Going to meet with 2 hospitals & decide where to go. Both radiologists told me “it looked bad" when I asked & unfortunately they were proven right. 80% of biopsies are supposed to be benign!!!! US guided Biopsy to the breast was tolerable, but the lymph one was so painful!!! He could only get 1 sample due to the pain. Not sure if I have to do skin biopsy, have orange peel hard skin on same lower breast. Praying for lumpectomy & radiation & no chemo. Husband is so freaked out. So scared to tell my kids!Thanks to everyone here! This community is a life saver.

I am so sorry! I also have 4 kids and breastfed a total of 8 years! I had a lumpectomy and lost the nipple. It's been really bothering me but my oncoplastic surgeon says nipple reconstruction is doable when I get my left side reduced to match the right. Pictures are really encouraging and 3D nipple tattoos are looking pretty cool. It is really hard to wrap your head around a new diagnosis. Cancer sucks.

BCTC1111f sorry you are going through this. Having a bc dx is no doubt a shock. Having been recently and unexpectedly diagnosed I am learning how common & unpredictable a breast cancer dx is; I wasn't supposed to get it having no family history, etc.

I see you as fortunate it is early stage DCIS and not invasive IDC, which means you may not have to undergo chemo. There are various ways nipples can be put on, either by reconstruction or 3-D tattooing which look pretty good. From what I have seen reconstruction can even be an improvement on the original design. What is most important is the perspective that your life is being saved. It is hard for women to grasp that outlook because bc tugs at the very heart of our feminine appearance and identity.

BCTS1111,

A tough diagnosis and situation to say the least. My diagnosis of BC was in 2017. I chose to take on my treatments and reconstruction as a journey. It was all going to take time and I was willing to take the time and I'm not an especially patient person. My journey is just now coming to it's final stages; double mastectomy with skin sparing but no nipple sparing, expanders with several fills, DIEP reconstruction, fat grafting with liposuction, nipple reconstruction, and nipple tattoos. I believe the journey although long has gone well because I worked closely with my oncologist, my general surgeon (for the double mastectomy), my plastic surgeon, a reconstruction support group, and most recently a tattoo artist that specializes in nipple tattoos. To be clear the long journey has also involved lots of LIVING.

To answer one of your questions about feeling deformed, I wish I could actually show you but at 68 I look better now than I did when I started my journey. Yes, I do have some scars but they are fading both on my breasts (I know that technically they are not breasts but rather "breast mounds" but too me they look like some mighty fine breasts) and my abdomen (which is pretty flat and tight) but since my nipple tattoos just a week ago they scars are even less noticeable. I wish this is not a journey I had to take but I'm pretty happy with the outcome.

I too have been just diagnosed and my head is spinning. Just met with surgeon this week and have apts next week for CT scan/bone scan, chemo doc, radiation doc, genetics counselor and having a port placed. Right now, I'm just getting thru each day knowing that I have people that love me and support me. I have 3 great boys 12,15 and 17 that I plan on being here to see all the great things they will do in life. Many thoughts running in my mind. Right now I know I cant make decisions yet until more tests are done and results are in but I'm freaking out that my BC might have spread past Lymph nodes. Can I go flat, should I have implants ??? I just dont know.