I'm newly diagnosed and will be starting chemo in early November. I'm wondering what things you would do before you started if you could go back. They can be fun things like go to the movies or necessary things that you didn't think about.

I went to the dentist about 3 months ago and also just got a hair cut, so should be good there. Just trying to think of things that maybe other people who've been through this would suggest to do one last time before you're in the midst of chemo and not feeling great. Or little details you didn't think of at the time.

As a side note, I found this group about 3 weeks ago, and while this is my first post, I have found the info here super helpful and reassuring, so thank you all for being awesome!

I’m a year out from active cancer treatment and decided to get my nursing degree and go into oncology because so many of us need care providers who….. get it?

Anyway I’m thinking about my capstone project and one thing I thought of for a project was improving patient understanding when it comes to mastectomy surgeries. It’s like they give you a date and some bare information and the rest is on you to figure out.

How do you guys feel about a “ what to expect and how to manage “ guide? I see people asking constantly about it and I did too.

Feedback?

I’m 35 and from the UK, and I found a lump inbetween my left breast and armpit In August. I saw the doctor at the end of August and finally got an ultrasound and biopsy on the 14th of October, and by that time more lumps appeared in my lymph nodes. Funny thing is that after the mammogram, they still can’t find a lump in my breasts themselves, but if it’s in my lymph nodes, I’ve read survival rate is around 60 something percent. I’m getting a scan today, just a day after being told my diagnosis, so I’ll find out soon if it’s spread elsewhere in my body.

Thing is that I’ve been deeply depressed for several years now, and while I’m afraid to die, I keep thinking that the only reason I will try to fight the cancer is for my parents sake. And if I have to get a mastectomy, that will be for their sake as well, but doing the most basic of things each day seem pointless. I’m thinking about movies I may not get to see, and the endings of tv shows/comics I might not see either. And I’m thinking about what will happen to my possessions after I die. I feel so pathetic.

Anyone else feel the same right now??

I’ve been taking Exemestane for a year and I’ve gained almost 30 lbs since. I started walking in the park back in April and I usually do 3 to 4 miles, 5 days a week. I’ve been eating light too. But I’m not losing weight. None of my pants fit anymore, so I’m freaking out. My mom thinks maybe I’m doing too much, so I’m thinking about switching to 3 days a week.

What‘s your routine? What helps you keep your weight down on these meds?

I’m 2 months post active treatment and went today for my routine physical. Honestly proud of myself for even doing it since I have been so OVER medical appointments lol. I’ve never felt anxious about my routine bloodwork (or routine anything) before, but now I’m irrationally convinced something terrible will show up. At least I know I’m irrational?

I'm having a double mastectomy in a couple of weeks. I've decided to go flat.

1. How long did it take for you to feel comfortable in your body?

2. What clothing did you find to be the most flattering? I want to be bold & go for something mesh :) I'm also looking for fancy dress recommendations because I'll have a wedding to attend a few months post surgery.

3. Lingerie?

TIA

Hey friends! This sub has helped me a lot, but ngl it also made me go through a lot of anxiety about possible negative things during/after treatment. We rarely hear the positives, so why not share some of the positives that you went through this week if you have them?

First, I’m midway through chemo and this week had a CT scan that showed that the treatment is working, and there’s no metastasis anywhere 🥳
Second, I also got some medicine that allowed me to eat some mini donuts (I was eating very healthy before the diagnosis so the last time I ate something like a donut was probably when I was a child!) and have coffee with no acid reflux!
Third, a package I ordered a month ago arrived with some cute stickers to decorate my journal, so now I have some fun activity to look forward to ✨

Small microdoses of dopamine floating around in a big bucket of crap, but this helps shift the focus from the whole picture even for a while.

So, what are your weekly positives?

Hi. I’ve recently been diagnosed ILC stage 2 ++- in my left breast. There are 2 masses that need to be removed that are pretty close to each other. If I do a lumpectomy, I will lose a whole bottom quadrant of my small B-cup. I’m leaning towards a single mastectomy on that side so I can get everything out and get the cosmetic look I’m after. I’m curious for those who have had a SMX, is it weird to have feeling in one breast and not in the other? Were you able to achieve symmetry with an implant in your healthy side if you went that route? Do you regret not going for the double?

Would love to hear how anyone made these decisions. What pushed you to one treatment over another. The analysis paralysis is overwhelming.

Hi all, 3 years post-active treatment from Stage 1a ++-. I also had thyroid cancer at that same time 🎉. I know the chances of mets from Stage 1 is low but not unheard of. I have been going through a loootttt with my health even post cancer (major surgeries, non related). This past spring, I noticed every so often when I inhaled deeply there was a weird squeaking sound. This has continued. It has not gotten worse but also not gotten better. At this point I have had an endoscopy, a neck X ray, a scope up my nose and down my throat at the ENT’s office, and PFTs. All normal! I want to feel relieved but actually I just feel more freaked out at this point—if it’s none of those things then what the hell is it? I keep asking my providers “You know I had cancer right??” And they kind of shrug it off. My onc also seemed unimpressed. I just don’t know what to do at this point. I am never short of breath but clearly something is going on in there—we’re not supposed to squeak when we breathe. I tend to only get scans when absolutely necessary (I am queen of incidentiloma), and it’s not like anyone is offering. But I feel like they should be??

I guess I am writing in part to vent, in part to see if anyone has experienced anything like this one way or another, and in part to get advice—should I be pushing for imaging at this point?

Thanks for listening. 🖤

I'm 49, recovering well after chemo other than a lot of neuropathy in my legs. Trying to figure out how much time my husband should take off to help me get to the bathroom or get around.

(I'm sure this has been answered but after a few tries I realize I don't know how to phrase the search terms to find old threads.)

Hi all, seeking some guidance regarding dosage of Calcium/Vit D3 whilst on aromatase inhibitors. I was simply told by my oncologist to take it with no dosage recommendations. I was taking twice daily 600mg calcium carbonate plus 12.5mg vitamin d3. My last echo showed new (as yet minor) calcifications which I believe might be due to large rapid dosages. My nephrologist said to take with Vit K to increase absorption by bones. The calcium in these new once daily ostelin pills is 600 mg (hence half what I was taking daily), and Vit D is 25mg (so equivalent).
My question is please what dosage you were recommended by your oncologist?

My cancer centre today for cycle one said their cold cap machines are broken and I had to use just the cap part from the freezer but it sucked.

My hair is important to me. I kept most of it first chemo first BC 9 years ago. Was relying on cold capping again now.

Is there any point trying to get a system working for cycle 2-4 or has the damage been done and I’ll be flat bald in two weeks? 😢😢😢 I’m sorry to be a diva. Just heart heavy about it.

I realize most here are focused on treatment and healing and probably consumed with appointments and procedures, but when you got the news, did you have already have or did you then compile a bucket list of things you wanted to experience or accomplish with the rest of your life, especially if your time turns out to be shorter than you imagined it would be, and how successful have you been in fulfilling those dreams? Mine was to travel, but I'm not having much luck with that so far.

Hi....I am not going through treatment yet so I have no idea why this fatigue is so bad....any advice?

Hey everyone, I'm hoping to hear from women who have gone through a double mastectomy, specifically if you were young when you had it.
Quick background: I'm 29, triple positive (ER+/PR+/HER2+), Stage 3c grade 3 breast cancer. Strong family history of breast cancer and other cancers on both my mother and father’s side. I did do genetic testing, no BRCA. I just finished chemo and my pre-surgical MRI came back really well. I signed the paperwork for a bilateral mastectomy. Surgery is about a month out.
I'm not necessarily having regrets but this is my first surgery in my entire life, was a healthy 29 year old, no health issues, naturally this is hard. would love honest input from people who have been where I'm at. No judgment, I'm just trying to make sure I'm making the right call. If you went bilateral:
Do you feel confident in the decision now, looking back?
How are you doing mentally with it? Did you grieve it, work through it, feel at peace eventually?
How do you feel about the surveillance side, knowing there are no more mammograms after and it's mostly clinical exams and symptom reporting?
How much sensation did you lose? Did you lose it everywhere, or just in some areas?
Did you go flap (DIEP, etc.) or implants? Was reconstruction worth it for you?
Anything you'd want to tell someone in my position right now?

Anyone lose their shit when someone says to you, "you'll be fine!"

Every time I talk to someone about my cancer (diagnosed 30 Sept, still waiting for a treatment plan), they say to me, it is early stage, treatable, you'll be fine!

I want to give myself an award for smiling and saying nothing because I want to shout, "I'm not fine! I look fine but I have cancer! I have appointments and scans and surgery and radiation and endocrine therapy to look forward to! I am not fine!"

Phew, glad I let it out here 😆.

After years of having to advocate for myself with chronic illnesses (endometriosis, POTS, heds, MCAS). I find myself in the advocacy boat now with breast cancer. I was diagnosed last week and am still in the "don't know everything about my cancer" stage. So far my pathology came back as Grade 1 ER+ PR+ Her2- Invasive Carcinoma with Mucinous Features, plus DCIS in the second tumor that was biopsied. A breast MRI is what kicked off this whole thing for me after discovering a lump and having bloody nipple discharge. I was supposed to have an MRI back in April because I have dense tissue, plus am high risk, but UHC denied it because I wasn't 40 years old. My MRI was scheduled 3 days before my 40th birthday. So instead I had another screening mammogram which came back with no suspicious findings but that I had extremely dense tissue and an MRI was recommended. Duh.

My MRI showed multiple suspicious findings, at least 6 areas of concern, of course all hidden within this dense tissue. When I had my biopsy they took tissue from the tumor closest to my nipple and then one closest to my chest wall, but I have a line of other masses in between. Both came back the same in pathology as Invasive Carcinoma with mucinous features plus DCIS. It is assumed until I have further surgery that everything in that line, which I call my ducks in a row, is cancer. I know that my cancer is slow growing, but because it's been hidden in my dense tissue I don't know how long it's been festering and with multiple masses, I'm concerned about spread. When I looked at my MRI imaging, it very clearly looks like I have an enlarged lymph node in my internal mammary lymph nodes near my sternum/rib cage. My MRI also showed a lot of vascularity/vessels coming from the masses and going towards my lymph nodes.

I guess what I'm wondering when I meet with my surgeon is if I should show her these areas of concern and ask about possible lymph node involvement. I just have this sneaking suspicion that while my cancer is low grade, it's been in my body for awhile and it could have spread. One of my tumors is so close to my chest wall that I worry that one has spread towards my chest wall/lymph nodes. I've been having some weird shortness of breath, tickling, dry cough sensations for the last month or so which has me worried about metastasis. I don't mind sharing the images from my MRI to see if anyone else can see what I'm talking about, but I'm just curious if anyone else had internal mammary lymph node involvement.

I was recently diagnosed with DCIS grade 2++ from a biopsy taken on a small patch of calcifications in my left breast. My surgeon ordered an MRI to check for extent of disease, and that lit up a whole bunch of crap! I'm so upset. It looks like they want 2 more biopsies in that breast which is still healing from the first one (took place 3 weeks ago now, but I still have a hematoma there). My surgeon has yet to call me to discuss my results, looks like I will have to call him. It looks like they found 2 masses and an additional area of "enhancement"? None of which was seen on mammogram!

I was really hoping for a simple lumpectomy, is that even a possibility now? WTF is going on in my left breast??

The report says:

Amount of fibroglandular tissue: Heterogeneous fibroglandular tissue

Background parenchymal enhancement: Mild, symmetric.

Right Breast:

There is no abnormal enhancement concerning for malignancy or other significant abnormality.

Left Breast:

-Nonmass enhancement corresponding to the area which underwent stereotactic biopsy with malignant

results 12:00, middle depth measuring 1.8 x 0.7 cm on axial image 79.

- Nonmass enhancement in the upper inner quadrant at 10-11:00, middle to posterior depth measuring

2.6 x 1.2 cm on axial image 92.

-5 mm enhancing mass in the retroareolar region, anterior depth, 1.5 cm from the nipple on axial

image 108.

-5 mm enhancing mass at 12-1:00, posterior depth, 4.2 cm from the nipple on axial image 93.

Lymph nodes: Normal.

Other findings: None.

Analyzed By CAD.

BI-RADS Category 4 - Suspicious

RECOMMENDATION:

Needle Biopsy of the left breast.

If breast conserving therapy is being considered, recommend MR guided biopsy of the inferior extent

of the medial nonmass enhancement for example image 94 axial and the retroareolar enhancing mass

example image 108 axial to assess the medial and inferior extent of disease. These abnormalities are

unlikely to be visible sonographically.

Has anyone else noticed this crazy double standard with cancer:

You’re expected to publicly share your private medical information with the world. Everyone feels entitled to know you’re a cancer patient or survivor. My family is begging me to tell people outside of the small group i have chosen to tell because they think i should be an advocate for cancer survivors. No other illness survivors are expected to tell everyone their medical information and post reminders to everyone about getting their bodies checked to. It’s absolutely crazy. People with heart disease or autoimmune disorders are not treated like this. Does this frustrate anyone else?

Hi all.

I’m 47, premenopausal, with stage IA IDC.

My stats:
11 mm, grade 1, ER+/PR+, HER2-
Ki-67: 10%
Nodes 0/2, clear margins, no LVI
Oncotype: 23
RSClin: 3% distant recurrence risk, 2% chemo benefit

Had a lumpectomy and will have five partial-breast radiation treatments.

I’ve decided against chemo. My original plan was tamoxifen alone, but my oncologist now recommends Lupron every three months plus anastrozole (due to oncotype).

I’m worried about medically induced menopause and the potential side effects, especially brain fog, weight gain, joint pain, and overall quality of life.

With my relatively low recurrence risk, I’m wondering how much additional benefit the stronger treatment actually provides.

I sent my dr a MyChart message asking for more of an explanation but, anyone with similar stats faced this decision? What did you choose, and how has it been?

Thanks all.

I was diagnosed with stage 2A IDC breast cancer earlier this year. It was ER/PR positive, HER2 negative. It was one lump in the right breast, but both had multiple other cysts, and another weird area on a separate plane and idk, ultimately I decided on a DMX with reconstruction (in 2 phases).

I didn't need any radiation treatments due to my decision for dmx over lumpectomy. But I did 4 infusions of TC chemo 3 weeks apart. Last one was September 1st. About halfway through chemo, the oncologist told me after treatment, I'd start Lupron injections. I also had the option of the q3mo injection or an oopherectomy. When I asked if a full hysterectomy was an option...they got squirrely. No direct yes or no. I didnt push, because I'm still so undecided. We dont want children at all, so thats not a factor for my husband and I. With the Lupron, I'd also have to take either Anastrazole or one of the other AI. Tamoxifen wasnt discussed until recently.

The 4 Natera blood tests I've had have come back negative. My BRCA gene testing was negative. My oncotype scoring was 30. Per pathology and my surgeons, my mastectomy was curative of the original cancer (clear margins, no lymph node involvement).

They want me to be on meds for 5 years minimum. I refused the injections and AI at my most recent appointment. I know there is no quarantee of no side effects, but even just 4 rounds of TC was not fun, I kept having allergic reactions to shit. I dont relish the idea of osteoporosis and being in pain all the time on top of other health issues I already have. Quality of life over quantity. I understand the risk of recurrence. My mental health tanked, I started seeing a psychiatrist due to suicidal ideation and bad panic attacks. That's all been getting better.

It's been about a month and a half since my last chemo infusion and just over 1 week since Phase 2 of reconstruction (I just went with implants). I had an appt with oncology a few days ago where I told her I was not going to do the injection and AI meds.

She wants me to try the Tamoxifen. She says there will be no risk of osteoporosis. No menopause/menopause symptoms. But it does increase my risk of endometrial and uterine cancer, which I dont like at all. Call me vain, but my hair has just started growing back and I also dont like that it can cause hair thinning. I dont like it causes vaginal dryness and libido issues (which I already strugfle with due to high anxiety). When I thought I'd do the OS and AI, I was having daily panic attacks, and not sleeping. When I made the decision to not so those meds, the anxiety got better (plus therapy, and lots of meds to help on that end.).

But now they are insisting I at least try the Tamoxifen, and the anxiety is worsening again. I told her I'd try, and I just got the alert from the pharmacy this morning that the med is ready. But I honestly don't really want to do any of the meds. I'm still so indecisive. I know Im not guaranteed to experience the side effects. I dont know what Im looking for here, maybe its more of a rant. My support network with my husband and siblings and parents has been great, but they ultimately dont really understand.

Most experiences I read are from people 10+ years older than me. I guess I'm moreso looking for people closer to my age and situation and how things were/are for them, and what they decided?

Hi. I am 3 years into diagnosis. I did chemo, radiation. ++-.

Today I discovered a deep lump deep inside skin on top of left rib cage.

I am terrified now.

Anyone had any lump that turned out not bad?

Help please.

I am calling onk tomorrow.

I hear all the time about chemo brain which I know is a real thing, wondering if radiotherapy brain is also common ? I find my ability to deal with stress or pressure is at a very low ebb. I prefer to be with close friends and family as I find it difficult being out of my comfort zone at the moment. Can anyone else relate to this ?