Just diagnosed with Breast Cancer...Going Crazy...lol

Hard thing to hear
So sorry to read of your diagnosis. I was just a little older than you when I was diagnosed - and frankly it is just too young. It really is a lot to take in all at once. Here are my thoughts - more practical than anything. Hope this is useful to you.

There are a few things you may want to consider doing Monday. First, be sure that your surgeon is an oncological surgeon who specializes in breast cancer and has removed a lot of sentinal nodes. You want that procedure to minimize the number of lymph nodes removed. That reduces lymphedema risk and you need those nodes.

The next thing to ask about is getting a breast MRI if you haven't already had one. It really helps your surgeon visualize the area of your cancer to ensure clear margins (and helps avoid a second lumpectomy 2 weeks later). The MRI can also catch cancer in the other breast or other areas of that breast. I also had two adjacent clusters of microcalcs in the left breast, one DCIS and the other IDC. Turned out for me that they were just one large cancer all IDC - and it showed on the MRI. Most likely you've had that cancer for quite a long time, so a delay of a week or two won't effect your outcome. But not having clear margins can effect your outcome.

Another thing to ask about is genetic testing for BRCA 1 & 2 mutations - only because of your age. If there is any history of ovarian cancer in your family it would be good to know to decide which surgery(ies) to have. Your surgeon should be able to refer you to a genetics councelor to find out if it makes sense to be tested (it may not). It is expensive and usually not covered by insurance.

Finally, you may want to ask your surgeon about getting an oncotype dx test ordered with a piece of the tumor (after the lumpectomy) to help with your decision about chemo. Your pathology should give some idea about the grade of your cancer, which also gives an idea if chemo is necessary. This test is expensive and new-ish, so checking with your insurer may also be a good idea. It takes a few weeks to get the results, and your oncologist should be open to the discussion of not taking chemo if that test has a low score. The waiting is really the worst part of the process (the lumpectomy shouldn't be too bad). So if the sooner they order tests, the sooner you get the results back.

You shouldn't need an oncologist until after the pathology report comes back from the lumpectomy. But you may need to have find one sooner to get the Oncotype test ordered if your surgeon declines (the results are about chemo, not surgery).

One last thing is to ask to have your vitamin D levels checked. There is some evidence low levels of vitamin d are associated with breast cancer. Good to get on a good suppliment if you are low.

Best of luck to you - and please come back to ask any questions that may come up.

sunny_girl said:

Hard thing to hear
So sorry to read of your diagnosis. I was just a little older than you when I was diagnosed - and frankly it is just too young. It really is a lot to take in all at once. Here are my thoughts - more practical than anything. Hope this is useful to you.

There are a few things you may want to consider doing Monday. First, be sure that your surgeon is an oncological surgeon who specializes in breast cancer and has removed a lot of sentinal nodes. You want that procedure to minimize the number of lymph nodes removed. That reduces lymphedema risk and you need those nodes.

The next thing to ask about is getting a breast MRI if you haven't already had one. It really helps your surgeon visualize the area of your cancer to ensure clear margins (and helps avoid a second lumpectomy 2 weeks later). The MRI can also catch cancer in the other breast or other areas of that breast. I also had two adjacent clusters of microcalcs in the left breast, one DCIS and the other IDC. Turned out for me that they were just one large cancer all IDC - and it showed on the MRI. Most likely you've had that cancer for quite a long time, so a delay of a week or two won't effect your outcome. But not having clear margins can effect your outcome.

Another thing to ask about is genetic testing for BRCA 1 & 2 mutations - only because of your age. If there is any history of ovarian cancer in your family it would be good to know to decide which surgery(ies) to have. Your surgeon should be able to refer you to a genetics councelor to find out if it makes sense to be tested (it may not). It is expensive and usually not covered by insurance.

Finally, you may want to ask your surgeon about getting an oncotype dx test ordered with a piece of the tumor (after the lumpectomy) to help with your decision about chemo. Your pathology should give some idea about the grade of your cancer, which also gives an idea if chemo is necessary. This test is expensive and new-ish, so checking with your insurer may also be a good idea. It takes a few weeks to get the results, and your oncologist should be open to the discussion of not taking chemo if that test has a low score. The waiting is really the worst part of the process (the lumpectomy shouldn't be too bad). So if the sooner they order tests, the sooner you get the results back.

You shouldn't need an oncologist until after the pathology report comes back from the lumpectomy. But you may need to have find one sooner to get the Oncotype test ordered if your surgeon declines (the results are about chemo, not surgery).

One last thing is to ask to have your vitamin D levels checked. There is some evidence low levels of vitamin d are associated with breast cancer. Good to get on a good suppliment if you are low.

Best of luck to you - and please come back to ask any questions that may come up.

Sunny Girl
Awesome informantion and will certainly be a tremendouse help to me when I meet my University of Chicago breast surgeon this Tuesday. Just dx'd w/DCIS - comedo type - less than 5% volume. They are arranging MRI for hopefully same day.

Thanks again for your wealth of information - this is what makes everyone here an AMAZING group!

faith_trust_and_a_little_bit_of_chemotherapy said:

Dear so hard...
You have had a lot to take in...all the blood in your body rushes to your head, at least it did for me, when the doctor said the "C" word. You do know that you have caring professionals that kept nudging you to the next step. Biopsy, mammogram, and now surgery...I won't lie, chemotherapy can be rough and I will soon find out about radiation. The doctors, nurses, and even technicians that have cared for me thus far have not treated me as a chart or some set of numbers. I have thanked each one as I have journeyed this road.

When I was diagnosed my mind went immediately to the worse case scenario, I couldn't sleep as my mind raced with all I needed to do...I couldn't even just sit and relax...in hindsight I think that's pretty normal.

Try to be gracious with yourself and go ahead and indulge in some heart felt sorrow. As I am finding out there is more of us out there than I was aware of 6 months ago. You'll see a warm smile in the market from a woman or man that knows how hard your day is.

Your journey is starting, as one friend reminded me...breathe. Too, remember...there is life after cancer.

Yes, this is very hard and it's
just as scary whether you're 37 or 67. You're job now is to educate yourself on bc. Google is great, my fav is Mayo Clinic websites because they are precise and give all info on what needs to be done and how it is done. You need to have this info before you speak with your surgeon so you know what he/she is saying etc. Yes, you really do need a surgeon who is a breast surgeon.

As to the Oncotype testing that is only for hormone fed cancers, if you are a triple neg. you will not need the test, so you will get your staging and type of cancer after you're biopsy/lumpectomy. I am triple neg and it's not the end of the world as so many think it is. It's all about education.

It's pretty hard to be gentle with yourself right now because you are terrified and you're mind is just racing and your thoughts can't help but be negative. I took Ativan (anti-aniexty) from the day I found the lump til after treatment was completed. Twice daily, sometimes three depending on my level of "scared". It kept me grounded so I could think in the day and sleep at nite.

If you have to have chemo (and we don't know that yet) we will all tell you it's doable. It's a word that terrorizes everyone at first so you are having normal feelings. Just take one step at a time, educate yourself and come here for info, advice and understanding.

Please let us know how your lumpectomy goes...

Hugs, Judy :-)

Sorry
Sorry for your reason for being here but you will learn a lot of valuable information from people who have experienced it. I have found that no question is stupid and everyone will try to give you the facts and comfort you.

I'm so sorry to meet you under these circumstances,
however, I am right there with you. I know how you feel - the disbelief and shock, the waiting. I had a lumpectomy due to calcifications. Keep posting, let us know how you are.

Sue

We're all here for you
To share stories, faith, information, support, understanding, funny stories, love, hope and care.

Blessings and peace to you...

Sylvia

Glad you found us. There is
Glad you found us. There is so much knowledge and support here. I truly understand and still ask myself did this really happen to me, am I really getting cancer treatment, and the list goes on.

Yes I'm here because I had a stage 2 breast cancer diagnosis and I was so lucky it was found when it was found because as small as it was , it was moving very rapidly.

My doctors and nurses couldn't have been kinder. Anyone in the medical profession who knew what I was going thru treated me with such compassion. I never knew how compassionate and understanding those medical people could be. It was a year on June 17 that I had my biopsy. What followed was 2 surgeries, a terrible infection at the surgical site, months of anitbiotics, 8 rounds of chemo and 6 1/2 weeks of rads. I finished treatment on June 15 and am here to tell you that this walk can be grueling at times, but we get thru it and we are not alone. We are strong warriors and true survivors. The support I received on these boards coupled with all the prayers carried me when I couldn't walk or pray. This is a wonderful place to visit when we have the not so wonderful diagnosis. This is no walk in the park, but we can, we will, and we do whatever it takes to beat the beast.