Invasive Ductal Carcinoma

People who ate healthy, active, never smoked, get cancer. People who did everything “wrong” get cancer. You are closing the barn door after the horse got out. She is female, so more disposed for cancer.

Everything in moderation. There may come a time when NOTHING sounds good to eat.

I agree with the previous comments. Eating a clean, healthy diet is of course a good idea. But feeling comfortable, happy, and at ease is important, too, if only because the treatment process is full of discomfort, and you need to get comfort where you can. If the diet constraints get in the way of her happiness, it's time to back off. Also, protein is going to be very important, so whatever food plan is followed, make sure there is plenty of protein.

My best to you both.

The waiting is absolutely the worst.

Here's some info I wish I knew when I first got my diagnosis and was terrified and waiting:

• cancer discovered through routine screening (like your wife's mammogram and my doctor's manual exam) is very likely to be early stage and even very early stage.
• early stage cancer means it's still in the breast and can't kill you. Cancer can kill you when it escapes the breasts.
  • You can't be sure it hasn't escaped the breast and is still just too tiny to do any harm, and that's why even for early stage cancer we need systemic treatments like sometimes chemo or endocrine therapy. But there's a good chance it hasn't left
• early stage means that odds are strong in your favor for dying of something other than breast cancer hopefully after a full life
• mastectomy is not necessarily more protective than lumpectomy + radiation. Cancer doesn't mean automatically losing your breasts - you need to find out what applies in your particular case
• in most cases you meet the surgical oncologist first and they will give you a mini education on breast cancer and their guesses about your cancer and treatment, BUT
  • you don't really know the details of your diagnosis for a very long time. It trickles in. First the biopsy results, then the hormone status, then the pathology results, then the oncotype, etc etc. This can be mental torture for some of us.
    • There is a lot of mental health support out there. It's not weak to use it, as soon as now. Now is always the best time, and the waiting at the beginning is torture. A primary care doc or gyn should be willing to write a script for something for the anxiety. Do what you need to do to get through this time
  • the surgical oncologist is not in charge of or an expert in the post surgery treatment. You'll be making those decisions with the medical oncologist. That's a really important relationship because it should be the most long term one.

There's more I guess, but I think for further down the path. I would emphasize: *Do what you need to do to get through this time*

If that's a strict diet, so be it. If it's cookies and ice cream, so be it. If it's exercising like mad, fine. If it's binging on tv, fine. If it involves prescription medication, great. If there's yoga, terrific.

In most cases, a cancer diagnosis is not a medical emergency, but it can definitely be a mental health crisis. Take care of your mental health, that is the most good you can do for yourself right now.

I wouldn’t go supplementing iron right now without a doctor’s direction. It is inflammatory and maybe even unnecessary. Some gold ole black strap molasses, or other natural sources, should help until you have more info from her doctors.

I’m sorry y’all are going through this, but think it’s wonderful you are trying to help your wife through the shock. I hope you both find some good information on this forum to help you understand treatment decisions.

The black strap molasses is good as a beverage, one tablespoon in a cup of very hot water. It's the easiest way to use it if you're not used to the taste.