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Stage II IDC Breast Cancer with BRCA2 Positive

Posted by nybhealth @nybhealth, 2 days ago

Hello:
I have been diagnosed with Stage II IDC in my right breast with two tumors and am BRC2 positive. I am estrogen and progesterone positive (not even sure what that means.) Meeting with doctors/surgeons in the next two weeks. I am post menopause, 59, and been advised to have my ovaries, tubes, uterus, and a double mastectomy at the same time.

What questions should I be asking?
Has anyone had both done at the same time?
What is recovery time?
What other advice do you have?

Thank you for any wisdom!

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Zebra | @californiazebra | 2 days ago

Hi @nybhealth
The estrogen progesterone positive means female hormones are fuel for your breast cancer so you want to minimize that. Even though you’re post menopause you still have some hormones left.

The reason for the ovaries out is because BRCA2 is high risk for ovarian cancer. I was recently told that it doesn’t make you higher risk for uterine cancer but if you get uterine cancer it tends to be more aggressive with BRCA2.

I have the BRCA2 mutation and had a double mastectomy, ovaries and tubes out at the same time. I was 54, pre-menopause. I asked for uterine out too but 12 years ago they didn’t take the uterus for BRCA2. Darn. Now they do.

I was still working so having the surgeries together meant one leave of absence, one hospital bill, one recovery time. For that reason it was very practical. It does make recovery a little more challenging with surgeries top and bottom but I’d probably do them together again just to get through it all faster. The surgery was 4 hours - 3 for mastectomy and 1 for ovaries/tubes. Two different surgeons one after the other. I was off work for 6 weeks. I had issues you won’t likely have. Have you had any previous surgeries like c-section to know how your body reacts? Were you a fast healer and did pain meds handle any pain?

Hopefully they are doing the hysterectomy laparoscopically. I had an anesthesia pump in my chest for 3 days to block any pain from the mastectomy. I recommend requesting that. Do your post op stretches for mastectomy every day as it can cause range of motion issues quickly. I did physical therapy for 2-3 months afterwards to loosen all that up.

Please let me know if you have any other questions. Praying all goes well for you. ❤️

REPLY
1 reply
nybhealth | @nybhealth | 1 day ago
In reply to @californiazebra "Hi @nybhealth The estrogen progesterone positive means female hormones are fuel for your breast cancer so..." + (show)
@californiazebra

Hi @nybhealth
The estrogen progesterone positive means female hormones are fuel for your breast cancer so you want to minimize that. Even though you’re post menopause you still have some hormones left.

The reason for the ovaries out is because BRCA2 is high risk for ovarian cancer. I was recently told that it doesn’t make you higher risk for uterine cancer but if you get uterine cancer it tends to be more aggressive with BRCA2.

I have the BRCA2 mutation and had a double mastectomy, ovaries and tubes out at the same time. I was 54, pre-menopause. I asked for uterine out too but 12 years ago they didn’t take the uterus for BRCA2. Darn. Now they do.

I was still working so having the surgeries together meant one leave of absence, one hospital bill, one recovery time. For that reason it was very practical. It does make recovery a little more challenging with surgeries top and bottom but I’d probably do them together again just to get through it all faster. The surgery was 4 hours - 3 for mastectomy and 1 for ovaries/tubes. Two different surgeons one after the other. I was off work for 6 weeks. I had issues you won’t likely have. Have you had any previous surgeries like c-section to know how your body reacts? Were you a fast healer and did pain meds handle any pain?

Hopefully they are doing the hysterectomy laparoscopically. I had an anesthesia pump in my chest for 3 days to block any pain from the mastectomy. I recommend requesting that. Do your post op stretches for mastectomy every day as it can cause range of motion issues quickly. I did physical therapy for 2-3 months afterwards to loosen all that up.

Please let me know if you have any other questions. Praying all goes well for you. ❤️

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THANK YOU!

I hope you are doing well. I hope you are healing and living an extremely full life!!

I am still working as well and would like to minimize my leave of absence as well. No, 20 years ago when I was in "pre-mature ovarian failure" they refused to remove my ovaries, tubes, and uterus because I was "too young." So, they are all still there.

I have had knee surgeries and do okay.

I appreciate the feedback. I will pray for you as well. Thank you for responding.

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