CALLING ALL STAGE I SISTERS
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jp - yes, that's what my breast surgeon (and consult with a PS) told me. If you decide on a simple mastectomy, reconstruction can be done in the future if you change your mind.
meece - yes, I'm glad he insisted on an US. But, they told me even at 1cm that it had probably been growing for several years. And, I had yearly mammos religiously which never picked up anything. Since mine also had 10% DCIS, somewhere during that time it changed from DCIS to IDC. So now I tell every woman I know to ask about MRIs - not just mammos. Even if insurance wouldn't cover it, I would gladly have paid for it myself if I had only known that mammos can miss a lot of cancers.
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jp3 -
From personal experience, I like the simpler approach. I can say that the simple mastectomy was really simple. I was back to normal very quickly. Even under the best case, with no complications, reconstruction takes time, effort and some pain. I felt that rather than rush into it, I would see how I felt after the mastectomy, then if I really wanted it could go back for reconstruction and because I really wanted it, not mind as much if I suffered the hassles and possible complications. I had my first mastectomy 10 years ago after a couple of bouts of DCIS and never felt like I wanted reconstruction. With my more recent experience and mastectomy on other side, I thought about it some and while I can't say for sure that I'll never do it, so far I'm fine the way things are. Under any circumstance it's a very personal decision, but so long as you're comfortable with what you decide for yourself you should be fine either way.
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jp3 - your 'swamp' description is so accurate - it's ok to wallow in it for a while now and then, it gives you time to think. Great you managed to drag yourself out and did something proactive - that is the best way to pull yourself out of the swamp - small steps day after day. Thinking of you as you try to find your way through this hard decision.0
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jp I hope u are able to make the decision that is right for you. i had only a partial mast and have felt very unhappy being lop sided as i call it, one breast is extremerly smaller after txt than the other one. Some women have no prob living with it i happen to not be one of them, though i wish i were having implants rather than a reduction. cant though because of rads. ( my print on my computer just jumped and got big and I can't shrink it sorry it looks like I'm yelling). Good luck to all of you in your decision making process.
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Mimi, i don't understand why you can't have implants.
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jp3 I think we are kinda of at the same bump in the road. I had a "botched" ec biopsy (all the dr. who see it tell me this isn't even done anymore) in Oct. it left unclear margins and they have to go back in. I'm at a new bs having to travel 5 hrs. for good treatment. Anyway I have not decided what kind of surgery I want and have my surgery date Dec 9. On Wed. I met with onco and he also told me I probably wouldn't need chemo because my oncodx was 21, however they still need to stage my lymph nodes and take out the rest of the tumor. I'm excited about the possibility of not going through chemo, however I'm not thrilled about rads either or reconstruction (other health concerns). So on Wed. I went to look at prosthetic bra to see if no reconstruction would work for me, I'm still undecided, I will probably have the final staging with a second lumpectomy and decided after that. The bs was good with that. If anyone else has a similar experience, love to hear from you. jp3 hang in there, I'll keep up with what you end up doing. I know the feelings, would love to bury my head in the sand but just can't do that.hug to allsuz30
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Best wishes to both of you making this tough decision. May you gain the wisdom to make the best choice for each of you.
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Onestep - HUGS for today. Thinking about you.
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Just a word about reconstruction, and these words are out of the mouth of my BS. I could choose lumpectomy with radiation and TE's inserted at the time of surgery, or MX with TE insertion and no radiation. I was led to believe that I could do reconstruction later if I didn't want to do it at the time of surgery. I chose BMX with TE insertion (to try to do all I could to make sure this damn cancer wasn't ever going to come back).
Now, half way thru the expansion process, I haven't found it too cumbersome. I am focused on getting my implants around Valentine's Day and healing from the exchange. Then I will decide about nipple reconstruction, but I am leaning in that direction. I haven't had any problems thus far. (We all know that could change any time.) But unless something does change, I will move forward with my life and my reconstruction, taking it one step at a time.
Best wishes to all my sisters struggling with this issue . You are in my prayers.
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mimi I don't understand why you can't have an implant. I have had two lumpectomies on my left breast and it is now smaller than my right. I asked about having an implant put in at a later date if I decided to. My rad onc has assured me that it will be fine if I decide to do it, but that I need to wait a year for my tissue to heal. I am still unsure if I want to have it done and I have just started rads. I may feel differently in a year.
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I had the implant on my rad side. It was never an issue. I would have preferred a reduction for the other side, but I went with what the PS suggested.
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Meece, thanks nice to know it was successful
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Only difference besides still having a divot is that the rads side doesn't jiggle like the other, therefore not going braless for me.
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raeinzz, that's what happened to me. i decided on a bmx..it was weird, apparently, when i was 13; i came up with a "questionable " mammo..that way for yrs. when i called my siter, we're like 10 yrs apart, and told her i decide to have the dmasect..she said, of course, you've said that since you were 13.. i don't remeber, but it felt good to know my "gut" has been feeling that way for a long time. they also found real problems with the "good" breast, when they removed it. its a big decision, with lots more phycological ramifications, but for me, it increased my odds, so it was worth it. im with you however you decide,, jp..
thanks, onestep. im done chemo a yr... i didn't KNOW her 2 nue was auto chemo. i just followed their recommendations, after my 1st oncologist "fired" me. i knew this onco would do whatever was right, she hasn't let me down, at all!!
got a question.. in the original header, i think it read stage 2 as well as stage 1. don't want to misrepresent myself.. i was iib...is it ok w/ you guys that im here?
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jp-- so sorry to hear about your margins still not being clean. My breasts were very small. Lumpectomy was not in the cards. But I had already decided to do a BMX. In hind sight I'm glad I did. My DCIS was all through my breast at 10cm!!! Huge! They had no idea it was that large. They also found it in my "good" boob! Very minute. But it was there.
Such a tough decision and a very personal one. I'll be praying for wisdom and peace for you as you decide what to do. It's not easy. But I don't regret my choice. Plus, I'm very happy with my new foobs!
onestep-- hope your day was good and a success. Hang in there. Praying.
boatergrl-- hang in there. It seems the protocol for young BC victims is to throw everything at it. Praying for wisdom for you, too.
Sending {{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}} to all you wonderful, fighting ladies!
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3jaysmom - of COURSE it's ok to be here!!!
We're all in this together.0 -
Great to hear everyones thoughts on recon. After left mastect in August... I'm planning to see plastic surgeon and reconstruct in Jan sometime...For a short while, I did consider not having recon, then thought not? I agree its a personal decision...
Right now I'm still in the swamp. Not motivated to do anything rightnow...rest of my fam are so psyched that its Friday and I just think OMG! ANOTHER DAY> Tried to be normal the other day and walked around Marshalls... foudn myself watching other women shop ...in their so called normality and ran back to the car feeling that I didn't deserve to be loooking at all the nice things How stupid is that? So decided to drag myself downstairs and DO SOMETHING> I hate cancer!
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outsidethebox - my heart goes out to you - the swamp is an awful place to live. You are right, every day just keeping up with the world seems SO hard and exhausting when you just want to sit in a quiet place and do nothing, talk to no-one and just think. 3-12 months post dx were the worst for me and that's right where you are. What you are feeling is 'normal' - accept and experience the emotions rather than try to 'be normal' and eventually the whirlwind of thoughts in your mind will thin out and slow down and you will find you can start to live life one day at a time quite happily and then it will be weeks and months. The 'in the swamp' feeling has never quite gone for me especially when I am stressed - sometimes I feel I am up to my ankles in it again but I know I can get out of it now and usually manage to in a week or so. And keep 'talking' to us - just writing our feelings down helps heaps I reckon.0
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Thanks so much rainnz for your kind words of support and encouragement...wise! My last chemo is next Wed, so I do have something to be grateful for...I absolutely want to sit in a quiet place and do nothing, but I know in my sensible mind that I will feel better inthe future... and thats the operative word eh? Future...hopefully we will have one. Thank goodness for this discussion board . deep breath...PHEW! I'm going to vacuum now.
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Outsidethebox-Last chemo next Wednesday-that's great news!!
Deborye-I love the octopus, or as my young greatnephew says..."okkapus".
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3jaysmom.....Of course you are welcomed here.
onestep...Are you home yet?
Hugs to all my Sisters who are making decisions or going through treatments
♥
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Meece and Sherry, I was told by my plastic surgeon that doing any kind of surgery (a lift, or an implant) on the rads breast would open up the field to possible repeated infections and that the implant would have the possibility of incapsulating ( I think that's the word he used?) anyway it's where the implant gets really hard and firm and is painful. He said it can happen without rads but it is more apt to happen to someone that has an implant on the radiated breast. So he has refused to cut on that breast at all. He is one of the top in his field in the country. His name is Dr. Beckenstein. (you can google him). He has very high success rates. I seriously considered getting another opinion and trying to get implants but decided that I was content to be smaller busted in the end. I have a lot and I do mean a lot of scar tissue after radiation in my right breast. I did after all have 28 txts and 11 boosts, so 39 txts in all. My breasts went from D/DD down to a full B/small C that is big time shrinkage from rads. Up until the last 2 months my breast just kept getting harder and harder, the plastic surgeon actually thought I was going to have to go ahead and have a mast. Thank God it is now softening up. It just goes to show you how differently everyone reacts to radiation.
For those of you about to go through treatment please realize this is just my experience. It has not been all bad. My rads onco was just overly aggressive in treating my stage 1 bc and he is a little over the top which is why I feel I had so much shrinkage. He and my breast surgeon and med onco have laughingly said everything was killed in my breast and they were right.
Good luck to all of you still in the decision making process. I will keep you informed on my journey. Hugs to all
Renee
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3jaysmom ~ You stay right where you are! I look forward to your posts, don't you even think of going elsewhere!
outsidethebox ~ Welcome, if I have not already said that. Rae ♥ is such a supportive sister, I could not say what she has said any better. I'm in & out of the 'swamp' from time to time myself. I have a 4-month Onc check-up this coming Mon. & am on edge, again, as usual. I hold my head high, walk in, get blood-work results, relax a bit, get examined, talk & share emotions, then walk out & cry in my Trailblazer hoping no one sees. Every time. Every time.... You are almost finished with chemo, that is so great! Wonderful! You did it, you are moving ahead. {{hugs}}
How are you, onestep?
Strength & Hope to all,
♥
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Thanks Val - I'm just walking along beside all my BC sistas ready to carry one up if she falters as I know I will be carried if I falter. That's what friends are for. I second 'Strength and Hope to all' !!!!0
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yeah, i very much know about the "in the swamp feeling " i always try to remain positive, truth is, ive changed, and i don't do so well in life anymore.. i was a kick ass and take names kinda gal all the time. now, not so much. i tend to hide out, not feel like i belong so mch, and have to really work at socializing.
i think the cancer journey, likes cuts holes out of our souls.. no, no cuts, but stabs holes. they slowly seem to mend themselves, and then WE get to choose when, and what we do on a daily basis with it.
I can still ka& TAKE NAMES, " but you really gotta get me torked to have me expand the effort., i wonder, does the extreme fatigue ever go away? i know, outta the box, you will improve. i have. i think we all do. like Rainzz said, you're in the thick of it...we can't let depression get in there, tho, or we're really sunk... hang in there, and keep talking to us about how you feel. 'cause we all do, or have before.. 3jays
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Hi sisters, I just have time to read up on all of the posts and want to let you know I completed my first day of chemo. I am doing good and am going to write later in detail because I want to share, but also respond to some of the posts I just read. You all are the best. Thank you for all the support and caring. I have to take my little one to her basketball game. It will be good. Talk soon.
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jp...Give yourself some time to digest the news and as I know, I got educated and made a sound deciison based on what I felt was BEST for me. I did the most aggressive decision and that was my choice!!Having the right Dr and team was everything and trusted them without one bit of reservation!!!!THAT iwas so impt!!! I did a bil/mx wirth immediate recon and what a journey!!! Chemo followed. My BRCA test, family history and overall anixety of it returning is what fueled me to do ALL that i did!!! What is in your heart will help in knowing exaclty what to do!!!
You ALL rock here and what Princess Warriors we are!!!!
Hugs,
Donna
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onestep...One DOWN!!! YEAH!!!!It is a one day at a time journey and you will see doable!!!Any questions on chemo and its affect, more than happy to help you..pm me if you need to.What is your protocol? DRINK WATER!!!!Try to walk or do some kind of movement daily, it makes all the difference.
Yes 3jays... a journey it is!!!I know I have some healing that still needs to occur and yet, life goes on and know I came a long way!!!Being grateful to be alive is something I will never let go of and being there for others in this jounrey!!!
Be well and those in tx..keep goin, it will be over soon enough !!!
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Mimi, rads also shrank and firmed up my breast. The only issue my PS tried to avoid was messing too much with the actual skin tissue that was radiated. Since I had a partial mx, My headlight didn't point forward anymore, and it took some work for the PS to change that without too much invasion on the rad area.
As for encapsulation, the actual implant doesn't harden, but the scar tissue can form around the implant and contract making a hard implant. Called Capsular Contracture.
I waited 5 years before I did mine, so maybe the success so far is because my tissue had enough time make sure the vascular structure was still working well.
I would suggest one or two more opinions. Yes your PS may be one of th ebest in the country, but he may be set in his parameters and you need someone who will think broader.
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