Questions to ask?
Hello ladies, another new one for the board. Was diagnosed on Feb 14th, a Valentines Day I'll never forget. Don't know a huge amount yet about the type of cancer I have but what is I do know is that it's grade 2 ductal cancer, estrogen +, herceptin neg. Going for surgery with sentinel node biopsy. No MRI or CT scan at moment until after surgery if deemed needed. I'm attending Waterford. It's so confusing as so many women on here seem to be having all these tests doing first before surgery but my doc seems to want to get surgery done before doing more tests. I realise that there are so many diff types of 'breast cancer' no one fit solution for all.
Anyway booked in for mastectomy next Wed March 6th. Not suitable candidate for partial as I have a few lumps when removed will result in basically the top half of my breast going so have decided that losing the entire breast may be less traumatic than waking up and finding just a bit of one left (not that I think waking up without my breast will be anything but traumatic)
Meeting my surgeon tomorrow again so I'd like some advise on what questions I should be asking him? I have some questions that I know I def want the answers to but for those of you who are further along this journey than me you may be able to advise me on what I need to know. I'm the type of person who needs to be fully informed. Once I have details I can start to deal with things but don't keep me in the dark. Any and all advise would be really appreciated.
Thx.
Comments
Josephine,
Thx so much for that info about that blood test. It's helpful to know that. I'm one of those people who needs to know as much as possible, I think it's my coping mechanism.
My GP did give me something to help me sleep which I would take but I have a 5 mth old who's still not sleeping thru the night so they're not really an option right now.
Thx again x
Hi there!!
Sorry you've found yourself here, but everybody is a great help and support. I was in exactly the same position as you last sept. I had to have the mastectomy because of another lump under my arm and looking back it was the best decision as I'd be always worrying about a clear margin or recurrence....
Unfortunately my SNB came back positive, so the rollercoaster rattled on a bit for me, but if I were you ask as much as you can about your reconstruction options. I am flat on my mx side and will be untilvat least next January (infection bah!!) but it is important to get all the options about this....
Anyway, all of us here are only too willing to help/ answer questions and give cyber hugs. I'm halfway through chemo and it sucks but everyone here has been brilliant!!!
Be kind to yourself and take the good and the bad..I see others getting to the finish line, and although it seems an impossibility, deep down I know I'll get there too.
Good luck xxxx
Hi Aniq,
Glad you found us here.
Hope your appointment today went well.
Lindylu
Hi Aniq
So sorry you are joining us but this is a great place to ask questions and get some comfort from other people in the same boat. Unfortunately, I seem to be the only other person out here in cyberspace at the moment but I hope I can be of some help.
I was diagnosed last June with the same type of cancer as you. I was all set up for partial and then a 3rd area was found on the day of surgery so the whole thing had to get cancelled and go back the following week for a full mastectomy. I'm just telling you this so you might feel as I do now that it was just as well to have the full mastectomy. In my case if they had gone ahead with the partial, I would have had to come back after for the full one.
It seems they are expecting your sentinel node to be clear as it is being done at the same time as the mastectomy. My friend had very early stage cancer and that's what she had done including an immediate reconstruction. She didn't need any chemo or radiation.
A lot is decided once the sentinel node result is available. You probably can't get definite answers until they know that. If it's clear I think the next thing they do is the oncogene test (blood test) which shows how aggressive the cancer is and decides if you need chemo or not. If the sentinel node is positive, I think chemo is a definite. If it was positive, they would have to follow up by getting all the nodes out and then depending on how many showed up positive, that also determines the course of chemo and if radiation is needed.
I hope this is of some help to you.
Thinking of you and hoping you get a good nights sleep. BTW, I was offered sleeping tablets at the stage you are at now and I didn't take them. I regret that because sleep would have helped me cope better.
Josephine x