Super Newbie allergic to dye used in MRI's Help!!

Cindy Ann

I have a question I hope someone else has experienced and can give me some info. I just found out they inject dye with my pre-op MRI.(Also allergic to iodine which is not even in this dye.) Well,I have no luck at all. I am deathly allergic to this dye too. Almost died 10 years ago during a routine MRI for neck problems. I have had dye one more time in Dec 09( they swore they make it different now. LOL) and they gave me steroid/ benadryl prep and the reaction broke right through it. Not good... Without the MRI they can't see if the ca is in other areas of my breast. But the mammogram was really clear as was the sterostatic biopsy. My doc's nurse said there is no other way for the doc to see if it's anywhere else in my breast. Anyone out there heard of a another way besides this test to see the breast clearly?? I am now faced with deciding on lumpectomy (which I had already decided on)and possibly mastectomy?? I will always let my surgeon point out the reasons why and tell me what she feels is best. Just want to know if anyone else has faced this?? I have cancer non invasive in the one duct.My mother had breast ca. Same breast much worse and is a 10 year survivor. Unfortunately lost her mind after treatments. Rare!! No one let that scare you I am scared enough for everyone. She is also 79 years old..

Hugs, Cindy Ann

Skeezie

Hi Cindy Ann,
My dx was done with an open surgical biopsy (which is a lumpectomy) and my dx was invasive ductal car. but one of my margins was not as clear as my surgeon would have liked. So next we did a re-excisional biopsy wit Sentinal Node Biopsy. The results, nodes clean, but margins still not where he would like and they also discovered tiny non-invasive insitu carcemona's. At that point I said take thw whole breast, they could be everywhere. I had a simple single mastecomy and the biopsy report came back no cancer cells found in the breast tissue. I did not have qn MRI, did not want one, wasna't really offered one for that breast. I just wanted it gone.

You mite go ahead and have an open excisional biopsy/lumpectomy and see if the margins are clear and make your decisiosn from there. That mite be the end of it...especially if you have non-invasive ductal carinoma.Talk to your surgeon and onc and get their opinions.

Good luck in your decision, it's always very frustating!

Hugs, Judy :-)

Cindy Ann

Skeezie said:

Hi Cindy Ann,
My dx was done with an open surgical biopsy (which is a lumpectomy) and my dx was invasive ductal car. but one of my margins was not as clear as my surgeon would have liked. So next we did a re-excisional biopsy wit Sentinal Node Biopsy. The results, nodes clean, but margins still not where he would like and they also discovered tiny non-invasive insitu carcemona's. At that point I said take thw whole breast, they could be everywhere. I had a simple single mastecomy and the biopsy report came back no cancer cells found in the breast tissue. I did not have qn MRI, did not want one, wasna't really offered one for that breast. I just wanted it gone.

You mite go ahead and have an open excisional biopsy/lumpectomy and see if the margins are clear and make your decisiosn from there. That mite be the end of it...especially if you have non-invasive ductal carinoma.Talk to your surgeon and onc and get their opinions.

Good luck in your decision, it's always very frustating!

Hugs, Judy :-)

MRI
I have decided to talk to the doctor about what you told me because it is safer then a MRI were I could die literally from the test. Not worth it. Will speak with the doc asap. I remembered after writing this that my Mom did not have MRI. She did what you did and did end up with a single mastectomy. Chemo and radation. She is a 10 year survivor. But unfortunately at almost 80 now has demetia so bad she doesn't know me to tell me what she felt etc.. But I was there for every step and journey so I remember it all. She was so brave and strong. Only cried in front of me once. When we changed her first dressing after her breast was removed. I want to be like her. But am getting so overwhelmed. Today my daughter just had Braca 1 and 2 gentic testing done. Her Gyn told her(he knows me) to have me come in a discuss a total hysterectomy. Have you had to have this done? It is more then I can think of. I just want this gone and over with. He says that the risk is higher with breast cancer of a reoccurence with ovaries etc involved in women who have not gone through menapause. Lucky me. I still have regular peroids..

Thanks for the helpful advice..
Hugs and blessings
Cindy Ann

Skeezie

Cindy Ann said:

MRI
I have decided to talk to the doctor about what you told me because it is safer then a MRI were I could die literally from the test. Not worth it. Will speak with the doc asap. I remembered after writing this that my Mom did not have MRI. She did what you did and did end up with a single mastectomy. Chemo and radation. She is a 10 year survivor. But unfortunately at almost 80 now has demetia so bad she doesn't know me to tell me what she felt etc.. But I was there for every step and journey so I remember it all. She was so brave and strong. Only cried in front of me once. When we changed her first dressing after her breast was removed. I want to be like her. But am getting so overwhelmed. Today my daughter just had Braca 1 and 2 gentic testing done. Her Gyn told her(he knows me) to have me come in a discuss a total hysterectomy. Have you had to have this done? It is more then I can think of. I just want this gone and over with. He says that the risk is higher with breast cancer of a reoccurence with ovaries etc involved in women who have not gone through menapause. Lucky me. I still have regular peroids..

Thanks for the helpful advice..
Hugs and blessings
Cindy Ann

Hi Cindy Ann,
I'm a Triple Neg which means my tumor was not feed by hormones so I don't have to worry about hystercomy or taking either of the 5 years anti-hormone drugs. Because of my tumor type and clean nodes and excellent biopsy I did not have to have rads, only chenmo.

You are at the beginningk of this journey, where I was almost a year ago and it is scary, mind blowing and every other adjuctive I can think of...just take one day at a time and each day you gain knowledge and an understanding of what is happening to you. Don't be afraid or ashamed to cry, we all do. I probably shed some tears everyday right thru it all. It's a great release. Everyone here knows exactly how you feel, we've all been there or are currently in the middle of it...you'll always get love and great advice here.

Keep us posted as to what the surgeon and you have decided to do.

Hugs, Judy :-)