HELP. I am so scared.

I can relate to your anxiety! I had to get dental work when I was first diagnosed with BC. I was a wreck, trying to not let my mind race ahead but it just wouldn’t stop. The nurse at the endodontist’s office knew about my BC and saw how frightened I was. She sat next to me and told me that the dentist’s mother had had BC three times. And was doing really well. That helped me to relax a bit. So glad she shared that story with me!

I did end up seeing a psychiatrist at my cancer centre and she prescribed an anti-anxiety drug called Escitalopram. I was so hesitant about taking anything on a daily basis but I’m so glad I did. This drug has given me my life back. And my psychiatrist “broke up” with me last month, saying that I’ve come so far that she felt I was on my way and no longer required her services. I can tell you that I know I wouldn’t have come this far without meds and talk therapy. My anxiety was paralyzing and, for the most part, it’s gone these days. Wishing you the best

What have all the doctors said about it?

That stuff doesn't matter, it's just lab testing procedures. The diagnosis is the important part and you'll get that soon enough. It's probably just going to be DCIS again. There's no need to analyze the lab report if it's just going to stress you out. I don't even look at mine until after my doctor goes over the results with me.

kkubsky,

I know you are scared but there are some realities we all need to deal with. First, DCIS is not tested for HER2. Second, there quite likely are cancer cells floating around all of our bodies. Medical science has not reached the point where every cell can be found and eliminated. Breast cancer cells, which can move through the bloodstream as well as lymph nodes, can take up residence, unseen and undetected, until something triggers their growth, orthey may remain dormant. There is simply no way to kill off every cell. That being said, if you have pure DCIS the odds are heavily in your favor. I am not trying to upset you further but knowledge and reality can actually be powerful and give you emotional strength

Focus on what you know now, period. As in life, there is no guarantee with respect to bc but again, the odds are in your favor. Don't fritter away your time and happiness over things that likely will never happen. I say this as a stage IV member. I have experienced your worst fear… ten years ago and I'm still here. Whether bc kills me in ten days or I get another 10 years, I am going to live as best as I can. Counseling, meds, whatever it takes to help you put things in perspective and enjoy your life. Again, no guarantees but it sounds as if your situation is quite favorable. Take care.

PS: re: micro invasion. Of course you didn’t want this to happen but this puts your risk of mets at a very small 1%. Try to maintain perspective 😊

This thread has been slightly triggering for me. I remember being two weeks out of a double mastectomy and attending a Breast Cancer support group. (I had surgery first and then chemo). At that point I knew I was stage 3a, I had 6 positive lymph nodes and I also knew that I was HR negative and Her2 positive. I was completely depressed and distressed and joined the group to bring hope back into my life. The woman sitting beside me could not stop crying. She went on and on about how she’s been handed this death sentence and said she couldn’t cope at all. She was anxious and depressed and paralyzed by fear. Someone asked her what stage she was diagnosed at, and she said “0”. I’m a pacifist but in that moment, I felt like punching her. I would have given anything to be Stage 0. Or Stage 1. Or even Stage 2 for that matter. I not diminishing or dismissing her fears. I totally get it. But sometimes you need to read the room. And FYI, I never went back to that group

Honestly, who cares if its a microinvasion? It'll be so small they could probably biopsy that thing out.

Look, its not helping you or others to use this site/FB as your anxiety dumping ground as your current coping mechanism. If you really cant deal with a piddly half ass barely cancer, then find a doctor who WILL prescribe Ativan or whatever you need, or pony up the money to get a decent cancer-focused therapist.

Most everyone else manages to take the bull by the horns and do what needs to be done to manage both physical and mental symptoms to live their best life while dealing with this, regardless of stage. Its not fair for you to blast your worries on here when you have repeatedly been told your news is NOT getting worse, you have the BEST possible prognosis, and to go get some HELP. The centers you are at are top notch and surely SOMEONE in one of them will be able point you in the right direction.

Sometimes I wish early stagers could walk a month in my shoes, or any others in late stage and be thankful to whatever entity they call on in their daily lives for having an easy, simple, tiny, garden variety BC.

I dont normally put people on blast like this but what you need cannot be solved by continually reviewing and combing biopsy reports and asking for Ativan on this forum. What will make you better is to get out and live life and ask/demand for what you need there.

Tb90 - wonderfully said. Thank you for your post.

Since you are no longer "just diagnosed" and you have a specific diagnosis and treatment plan, it would be a good idea (for everyone) to let this conversation end, and for you to post future questions in the DCIS forum and/or the forums specific to your upcoming treatments.

No one wants to be here. Even those with advanced BC have anxiety. I have my Ativan at the ready. But your thread title in this forum will draw people with MBC in.

Here is the DCIS forum:

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/68