BRCA

NorcalJ

Just when I was ready to do the naked happy dance and eat chocolate, found out I was positive for the BRCA gene defect.

I will be having a hysterectomy in a couple of months because the risk of ovarian Ca is higher and they usually take out the ovaries and fallopian tubes, but I want it all out---haven't used them in years LOL. I'd already planned to have have a bilat. Mastectomy and reconstruction (had a mastectomy last year, chemo and rads). That's the other thing they recommend anyway.

Has anyone gone thru the laparoscopic hysterectomy for this or any reason? How'd it go? How long before you could drive, and go back to your regular activities. Also, do you think it'd help healing if I exercise more now, and strengthen those muscles?

Thanks to you all in advance,
Jan

ohilly

BRCA
I am BRCA 1 - I had a preventive mastectomy on the non-cancerous breast, and fortunately, I had already had a hysterectomy years before because of fibroids. My hysterectomy was really not that bad: I was back at work in one week. If you have any other questions or want to talk about BRCA, please let me know. I also have a cousin who is BRCA, and she got a higher stage of bc than I did (I was stage I) at a younger age, but she is fine 25 years later.

Ohilly

mmontero38

Jan my husband's niece had
Jan my husband's niece had the laproscopic hysterectomy done and she was driving within 1 week. She actually drove herself to her follow up appointment with the doctor. As for exercising, it never hurts, not only will you strengthen muscles but you will help your heart and lower your cholesterol. Keep us posted, Hugs, Lili

NorcalJ

mmontero38 said:

Jan my husband's niece had
Jan my husband's niece had the laproscopic hysterectomy done and she was driving within 1 week. She actually drove herself to her follow up appointment with the doctor. As for exercising, it never hurts, not only will you strengthen muscles but you will help your heart and lower your cholesterol. Keep us posted, Hugs, Lili

BRCA
Hey, once again, thanks for the info. All sounds very positive. Especially love to hear how fast the healing is, and to hear the good things about someone having it 25 years ago!

I've been driving myself to everything, mostly, except the first few appointments, and then chemo. It was so boring for my husband, but he is always so supportive---even when I would sleep thru the infusions! Boy! am I ever glad to have that junk done!

I had my follow up MRI today and will have the mammo tomorrow (it's done at a different site). NO news quickly, will apparently be good news. If it's all O.K., the Dr. will call in about a week, if they spot something, they call in a couple of days. Here's one time I want to hear nothing for awhile!!!

rjjj

lapraoscopic hysterectomy
Hi Jan. I had a laprascopic hysterectomy 14 years ago. I was still very young to have to do it but, they found precancerous cells and believed cervical cancer would arise. At first they tried to burn it off..OMG..Never again! I told them to take it all! I already had 3 beautiful children and that was enough. I never regretted it. NO MORE VISITOR!!!

Depending upon your job you should be able to go back within a couple weeks. I took a month off as I am a CNA and lifting is required somewhat with my job. No complications everything went smoothly EXCEPT my hormones were up and down and trying to find the right hormone replacement was frustrating. My emotions were out of control.

The thing i want you and everyone to know is that i had been on hormones for the last fourteen years!! why didn't they warn me or why wasn't i researching???? hind sight is 20-20
When i found the lump in Nov. 08 the DR. told me to throw out my hormone pills. They were like fertilizer for Breast cancer. No other Dr. had ever warned me. I feel continuing use of the hormones contributed greatly to my breast cancer. Now i hear that its ok for the first couple years and after that it is detrimental. If only i'd known. I'm sure your DR. will be more on the ball than mine back then, but just wanted to warn you and others out there.
I'm wishing you all the luck in the world, and keep us posted on how your doing.
God Bless,
Jackie

NorcalJ

rjjj said:

lapraoscopic hysterectomy
Hi Jan. I had a laprascopic hysterectomy 14 years ago. I was still very young to have to do it but, they found precancerous cells and believed cervical cancer would arise. At first they tried to burn it off..OMG..Never again! I told them to take it all! I already had 3 beautiful children and that was enough. I never regretted it. NO MORE VISITOR!!!

Depending upon your job you should be able to go back within a couple weeks. I took a month off as I am a CNA and lifting is required somewhat with my job. No complications everything went smoothly EXCEPT my hormones were up and down and trying to find the right hormone replacement was frustrating. My emotions were out of control.

The thing i want you and everyone to know is that i had been on hormones for the last fourteen years!! why didn't they warn me or why wasn't i researching???? hind sight is 20-20
When i found the lump in Nov. 08 the DR. told me to throw out my hormone pills. They were like fertilizer for Breast cancer. No other Dr. had ever warned me. I feel continuing use of the hormones contributed greatly to my breast cancer. Now i hear that its ok for the first couple years and after that it is detrimental. If only i'd known. I'm sure your DR. will be more on the ball than mine back then, but just wanted to warn you and others out there.
I'm wishing you all the luck in the world, and keep us posted on how your doing.
God Bless,
Jackie

Thanks
Thanks Jackie,

I'm having the Hysterectomy because of the positive BRCA test. This was done after the BC, Mastectomy, chemo and rads. I think I should have done it before and maybe I would have opted for a bilat. at that point, but????

I too was on HRT for "many" years, and stopped when I was diagnosed. Since the tumors were estrogen pos., I certainly don't want any more! But I'm on Armidex now and the hot flashes (power surges LOL), are not as often---but not thanks to Arimidex which can exacerbate all that. At least the BRCA test explains why I had BC. I too thought it was the HRT, but they only (probably) contributed a little.

Am looking forward to completing this "journey" and getting back to gardening, and all the rest of the fun stuff.

Thanks again for the first hand knowledge.
Jan

mmontero38

NorcalJ said:

Thanks
Thanks Jackie,

I'm having the Hysterectomy because of the positive BRCA test. This was done after the BC, Mastectomy, chemo and rads. I think I should have done it before and maybe I would have opted for a bilat. at that point, but????

I too was on HRT for "many" years, and stopped when I was diagnosed. Since the tumors were estrogen pos., I certainly don't want any more! But I'm on Armidex now and the hot flashes (power surges LOL), are not as often---but not thanks to Arimidex which can exacerbate all that. At least the BRCA test explains why I had BC. I too thought it was the HRT, but they only (probably) contributed a little.

Am looking forward to completing this "journey" and getting back to gardening, and all the rest of the fun stuff.

Thanks again for the first hand knowledge.
Jan

Jan: When are you scheduled
Jan: When are you scheduled to go in for the hysterectomy? Hugs, Lili

celinelvr

BRCA test
I'm new here. I have just been diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at age 51. I have read that African American and younger women and those with BRCA get it most frequently. Does that mean I may be BRCA positive? Should I get tested??

mmontero38

celinelvr said:

BRCA test
I'm new here. I have just been diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at age 51. I have read that African American and younger women and those with BRCA get it most frequently. Does that mean I may be BRCA positive? Should I get tested??

Hi and welcome to the club
Hi and welcome to the club no one wants to join. I'm glad you found us as you will meet a great group of survivors and caregivers who will give you their advice and experience that this journey has taken us through. I was diagnosed at 48 with invasive ductal carcinoma in June 2007. Went through a mastectomy, 8 rounds of chemo and am now finishing my reconstruction. My surgeon had me tested for BRCA and I tested negative. Not that it prevented me from getting breast cancer anyway. I was the lucky first to be diagnosed. NO history what so ever of cancer. So, I think that the testing will help in whether you then decide to go for a hysterectomy as you have a larger chance of ovarian cancer if you test positive or if you have a bilateral. Keep us posted, Hugs, Lili