Emotional abt BRCA testing

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Helenhsm
Helenhsm Member Posts: 177
edited June 2014 in High Risk for Breast Cancer
Emotional abt BRCA testing
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  • Helenhsm
    Helenhsm Member Posts: 177
    edited December 2007

    Hi fellow high risk women. My sister got the BRCA testing done a few years ago, and was BRCA2 +. This got my butt going to get my mammograms. I had my first mammo a year ago in the spring, then this last May they found a spot. I had DCIS, surgery in July and finished Rads on 11/5/07.

    Today I went to the Genetics counselor and am having the blood test done. I cried on my way home - I'm just so scared it will be positive. I don't want to have my ovaries removed - but I most likely will if I am +.

    I want to stick my head in the sand, but good thing I have people around me who help me to pull it out. Gosh if I had my head in the sand, I may have not been so fortunate to have my BC caught at such an early stage. So I need to pull it together and go THROUGH. Sigh.

    I am blessed to have a very supportive (and sometimes insistant) husband and lots of friends and family that have helped me through. Don't know why I am so emotional about this, it just feels scary.

    My other friends on the October Radiation thread are concerned about reoccurance. That doesn't worry me at all. But somehow this testing DOES. Whew.  Thanks for listening.

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  • nash
    nash Member Posts: 2,600
    edited December 2007

    You know, I didn't realize how stressed I was about my BRCA testing until it came back negative. Boy, was I happy not to have to commit to an oophrectomy. So I can relate to how you feel--it really is a big deal.

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  • veggievet
    veggievet Member Posts: 72
    edited December 2007

    Hi Helen,

    If you haven't already, you might want to also post on FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (http://www.facingourrisk.org) message boards which are devoted to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer and people dealing with the issue of BRCA testing.

    I'm an 11-year survivor with a BRCA 2 mutation.  I remember how emotional I felt when I received my results.  Please feel free to e-mail me at:

    sueanddan@att.net

    if you'd like to chat or connect with others dealing with the emotional aspects of testing.

    Remember you are not alone!

    Warm regards,

    Sue 

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  • Helenhsm
    Helenhsm Member Posts: 177
    edited December 2007

    Thanks for the link. I joined. I'm feeling better today after lots of prayer. But it still is scary.

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  • annie06
    annie06 Member Posts: 156
    edited December 2007

    Hi Helen

    Thanks for sharing. I think any of us who have had counseling/testing fully understand! What helped me was knowing that by going through the testing I could be proactive in prevention. No more 'guessing'. I tried to keep the mindset that if I was positive, the knowledge would allow me to have the ooph, rather than 'wonder' about the whole ovarian risk. Yes my risk would go up if I was positive...but by having the ooph it would go WAY back down!!! I kept telling myself that I needed to know this, and yes, it is scary. Right before I got my results was the hardest day for me...in this whole journey I have not felt this overwhelmed emotionally. A lot rested on my results and I knew it....and it would affect my whole family as well. Through prayer and reading of His Word I gained strength back and was ready to face my results. My results were negative. It is an emotional rollercoaster, faith will get you through!

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  • Helenhsm
    Helenhsm Member Posts: 177
    edited December 2007

    Annie, thank you so much for your encouraging words. Yes, faith is what is getting me through. A couple things came to mind - one was Joyce Meyer says 'there is no such thing as a padded cross' and the words to a song 'oh the wonderous cross bids me come and die and find that I may truly live.' I am dying to my flesh (sin nature) that just wants so be in denial or comfortable and choosing to live in the peace and joy that Jesus has for me. Amen!  It is a strong possibility that I am BRCA positive - I don't know if my faith is strong enough to ask God to change my genes, if I DO have it. I'm so happy for you that your test was negative. 

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