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Diagnosed yesterday, small calcifications in my left breast.
Breast Cancer | Last Active: Jul 27 6:47pm | Replies (31)Comment receiving replies
I just got my diagnosis yesterday (DCIS, R breast); awaiting a call to schedule the breast surgeon consultation; during the diagnosis call I got a lot of overwhelming info but I think I’m clear on next steps. Since I’m young, 53 and in good health, praying this will be a somewhat routine process - surgery and radiation 🤞; I know we are all different but being optimistic is the best approach in my opinion. My question is, are there specific questions I should ask the surgeon during the consultation?
Replies to "I just got my diagnosis yesterday (DCIS, R breast); awaiting a call to schedule the breast..."
I am 53 too and just had bilateral mastectomy with no reconstruction done from same diagnosis in the left boob. I choose this option so I didn’t have to do radiation or medication. It also had the best recurrence rate for me. I didn’t want to do the wait and see if we would catch it this early in my right one or if it came back and possible side effects from radiation or meds. It is so much information to take in, I recorded all my visits so I could come home and replay them for answers. The do have a genetic test they can do to give you your risk factor to do lumpectomy with or without radiation. Mine was high risk so it helped in my decision too. Praying for you, you are not alone!
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I was diagnosed with DCIS left breast two months ago. I had a lumpectomy in late January, opted out of radiation and am taking Tamoxifen, with no negative side effects. I would encourage you to bring a note taker with you to the surgeon appointment because you will be given a lot of information about your biopsy and it’s helpful to have extra ears in the room with you. If the area of DCIS is small and isolated, a lumpectomy will probably be recommended. You will be presented with options and there are no right or wrong answers. Your big decision at this point is lumpectomy or mastectomy. After your surgery, your surgeon will present the pathology findings to you and your big decisions then will be radiation or not, and hormone therapy or not.
Stay positive and walk through this one day at a time. You must do what feels right for your own physical and mental well-being. Please report back after your appointment. Stay optimistic!