Hi there. When I read your post I thought I was reading about me! I have also been diagnosed after a routine screening and thought there must be some mistake. I am in total shock. I have had biopsies and tomorrow I am having a contract enhanced spectral mammogram. I also do not want to worry family and really don’t know what to think myself. Everyone says waiting is the hardest part. Good luck. You are certainly not alone.

Hi Wiganfc,

Thank you for replying. 

 I had something similar, I had an MRI with contrast it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

Yesterday I went for a ultra sound and they took a biopsy of something found on that,  My journey seems to get longer and longer as hoping for a surgery date originally for a lumpectomy now being told that could change because they have found further cancerous cells.

I understand that the doctors are unable to confirm anything until all the information is together but the waiting is so worrying.

I hope tomorrow goes well for you

Let us know

Thankyou. I feel we are kindred spirits so will keep in touch. What hospital trust are you with. I live in Leicester. It’s such a shock isn’t it when you feel you are healthy. Hope all goes well for you. 

Hi Cherry,

I am glad to hear that you had an ultrasound yesterday. Did they say when you might get the result of this? Here's hoping that if this cancer in the other breast, that you have caught it early too.

Please let us know how you get on.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Wiganfc,

A very warm welcome to our forum.

I am sorry that you have been diagnosed with this too and I hope that your MRI tomorrow goes well. You might find it helpful to ask when you are likely to get the results when you attend. This is always an anxious time and it is helpful to have a rough guide as to when to expect your results.

Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Wiganfc, 

How did your mammogram go? When will you get results? Do you know what is next for you? They found cancer in my other breast, they called it a DCIS which apparently means cancer cells in situ. This means it isn't invasive like my other breast. 

I should get my results on the 17th when I see the doctor at the hospital, I'm in Kent. I'm then hoping for surgery  .

Keep me posted

Hi there. It was a weird sensation. Metallic taste. Hot flush and then feeling like I was sitting on a heated car seat. Will get results in 2 weeks. They x-rayed both breasts. I asked to look at the x-rays but they wouldn’t let me unless I had been trained to know what I was looking for! Please do keep me posted. You are ahead of me so you can be my role model!! I used to stay with my aunt and uncle in summer holidays. They lived in Nonington so I have fond memories of trips to Folkstone, Deal, Canterbury etc. Take care.

Hi 

Well done it's so horrible going for these scans and tests not knowing what happens. 

Keep in touch 

Hi Wiganfc,

I am glad that it all went well today You have another anxious 2 weeks, but, irrespective of the outcome, you'll feel better once you know.

Please let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Wiganfc

Have you had your results yet from your MRI yet?

I went back for my results last Friday 17th and for me it wasn't good news. I have 2 DCIS in left breast, in case you don't know this is a stage 0 cancer which means it is a cancer but is not yet invasive, and also an undetermined cell. The surgeon is talking about a mastectomy on my right breast. I have to make a decision on my left breast, the choice is to have the cells removed by vacuum and tested, if cancer then mastectomy on left or to just do both? Then if I should go for a restructure, silicone implant or stay flat and use prostheses within a bra. Such a hard decision.

I truly hope that you are OK and it's just a lumpectomy for you. 

Take care

Hi Jolamine, 

I went back and read your original post and see that you had a double mastectomy. I'm not sure if you can see my reply to Wiganfc but this is now an option for me. Could you please tell me how you felt at the time? Did you have a restructure, silone breasts or stay flat and use prostheses?

I am currently struggling to decide and wondered if you would mind sharing. 

Thank you

Hi Jolamine, 

I went back and read your original post and see that you had a double mastectomy. I'm not sure if you can see my reply to Wiganfc but this is now an option for me. Could you please tell me how you felt at the time? Did you have a restructure, silone breasts or stay flat and use prostheses?

I am currently struggling to decide and wondered if you would mind sharing. 

Thank you

Hi Cherry,

I am sorry to hear that you have DCIS in your left breast. Again, looking for the positives, you have caught this early too. Having previously had a lumpectomy and discovered another cancer in the same breast within less than a year and also having lost my mum to secondary breast cancer, then six months after my lumpectomy, discovering another lump in my other breast, I felt that I had little choice. My cancer was pure mucinous breast cancer, stage 1. When I was first diagnosed, my consultant advised me that if I had to have cancer, this was the best type to have, as it was slow growing and unlikely to return. Having had 2 bouts of cancer and 1 of pre-cancer in less than a year, I was no longer convinced by what he said. I naturally didn't want a double mastectomy, but I did most definitely want to live, so I agreed.

I was surprised that I found the mastectomies easier to cope with than the lumpectomy post-op. I must confess that I felt that I had done all that I could possibly do to get rid of the cancers, which to be honest, I never felt after my lumpectomy. I had taken Tamoxifen for the first year after my lumpectomy, but changed to Letrozole for 6½ years after that. It is now 16 years since I was first diagnosed and I still lead a busy and fulfilling life, so I have no cause to regret my decision. It was definitely the right decision for me, but we are all different and this has to be your decision. No two cancers are the same and no two people who have it feel the same about it. I had an in-depth conversation with my consultant and discussed the possible outcomes. I had drawn up a list of questions before I saw him to discuss this and asked him what his advice would be if he was talking to his wife.  I was happy that I was making the right decision once we'd had this conversation.

Unfortunately, I was not a suitable candidate for reconstruction as a result of previous non-cancer related surgery. I have remained flat ever since. I wear an assortment of prostheses for different activities and manage fairly well on the whole. I do miss my cleavage and have to close most 'v' neck dresses and tops up a bit further to hide some of the scarring from my lumpectomy. I find the silicone prostheses too heavy for everyday wear, although I do still wear them when I am dressed up. I have found some foam breast forms which come in 4 different sizes in M & S and although these don't give such a good shape, they are considerably lighter and more comfortable to wear. I wear these inside a pocketed post-mastectomy bra, which keeps them in place. They tend to pop up or even out from an ordinary bra. In the past 2 years, I have found myself going completely flat a lot of the time, which is even more comfortable.

The big question I asked myself was how I would feel if I didn't have a mastectomy, then found another lump and had to undergo surgery for a third time - I thought that I would have found this hard as I would have regretted not going 'the whole way' at the time. I decided that if I had the mastectomies and had re-growth, I could cope with that, because I would have known that I did all that I could to prevent this.

Sorry for the long and disjointed diatribe, but hope this helps. The best of luck in your decision and I hope that it turns out to be the right one for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine. Such an inspirational post. I am awaiting my further biopsy results and  treatment plan but have been thinking about breast reconstruction. Your post was so helpful to me.