Newly diagnosed DCIS

Hi  you sound a bit like how I was when i found out.  I missed my first mammogram but had one when I was 51 and was told that I had calcifications and then  they also found DCIS and a tumour.  I was petrified too and couldn't eat I thought I'd been given a death sentence but that isn't the case.  Breast cancer is very treatable these days with high success rates especially if caught early and it seems like your's has been if it's at the DCIS stage which means it's at the earliest stage.  It does need to be treated but it's not life threatening at this stage.

A cancer diagnosis is stressful but once you are given your treatment plan you will feel better and you will get through this.

There are lots of wonderful and supportive people on here who have been through this journey or are are currently going through it who will help you.

Keep posting on here and reaching out for help and support as often as you need to.

My tip if you can't eat is to make smoothies and have those, also toast washed down with a cup of tea or with the smoothie.  In the early days when I was super stressed it was the only way I could swallow anything.

You will get through this.

Can’t believe I was where you are just a few weeks ago - albeit with a slightly different diagnosis. It’s really tough, and scary and the waiting is just the worst. But having a diagnosis means you’re in the system now and they will help you. Also you are not alone. Breast cancer is horribly common and DCIS especially is really treatable. I bet you’ll be astounded how many women around you have already gone through it. We’re here for you.

Hi Jedbear so sorry you’ve had this diagnosis, it’s completely normal to feel petrified because you can’t believe this is happening, but you do start to feel a little better after you have a treatment plan because at the moment it’s all unknown. A lot of ladies on here will tell you to try and take one step at a time and that is very good advise. Breast cancer is very treatable these days and treatment is quite personalised to each individual but there are a lot of ladies on here who have been diagnosed with DCIS and I’m sure they will be along soon to give their support.  

I was called back after my second mammogram in June, everyone was saying you’ll be fine they call back 10% its probably nothing, only 1 in 4 are diagnosed with cancer. I was diagnosed with 21mm lobular cancer, it is one hell of a shock.

Sending hugs

Diane xx

Thankyou so much. I feel like I’m running on empty. This year has been so hard already- my husband almost died from sepsis in may and had a flesh eating bacteria leading to 7 weeks in hospital, plastic surgery and having to have a colostomy. I kept working throughout as it gave me a distraction. I work in mental health which is stressful but I love it. Thankfully he’s recovered well and is on the waiting list to have his colostomy reversed. Our youngest daughter had Covid and ended up in hospital with swollen fingers and toes, breathing issues and a rash. She’s fully recovered now.. I know it’s positive that I’ve been diagnosed early but cant stop crying, I can’t face work tomorrow, cant do people right now. Hubby keeps saying I will be fine and worrying won’t help.it’s more than that - this has triggered panic attacks that I haven’t  had for years, my whole body shakes.

I’m hoping things will feel better after seeing the surgeon on Thursday.

Hi it’s natural to feel the way you are, I felt the same way when I lost my dad suddenly 2 years ago when I was diagnosed, I suppose it’s like your grieving and no amount of anyone saying you’ll be fine will make you believe it because you were blissfully unaware of what was happening with your body. We naturally worry about the unknown, all I can say is it does calm down a bit, with quite a lot of meltdowns on the way, as with all things medical things can change on the way. But try and do something for you, although I know it’s very hard to concentrate on anything at the moment. There is a lady on here who was diagnosed with DCIS I think it was 5 years ago and she is still all clear so there are very positive outcomes.

All of us have been where you are now, I was in June when I was diagnosed and everyone will tell you it does get easier even though you can see that at the minute because you’re still in shock. Reading peoples posts on here and reading the replies helped me because I felt like there were people who understand how I felt and some of the ladies on here have also got blogs of their treatment which are also very positive.

Please let us know how it goes on Thursday, we’re all here for you.

Diane xx

I work in mental health too, but decided I couldn’t do cancer at the same time as supporting vulnerable people so I’m on long term sickness leave. I feel guilty sometimes but mostly I feel I’m modelling good self care behaviour- the sort of things we’re always trying to drum into our clients. Mental health is a particularly difficult environment if you are not feeling mentally ok in yourself - it’s not like you can just turn up for work and go through the motions. You are at risk of burnout if you push yourself too hard, you know that. Is there anyway you can take sickleave?

Not sure. I can self certificate this week and may go to the go Monday. I’m already on anti depressants. As you say I can’t support vulnerable people if I can’t keep my own emotions in check. It’s a prison too so very challenging and not the best place if I need to just have a few moments to myself

Wow you have been through a lot, I admire how you’ve got through it all. Life can be so cruel and unfair sometimes.  You have won all your other battles and overcome so much and I really believe you will overcome this too.

getting a cancer diagnosis however early it’s caught isn’t easy and like you I did’nt want to be around other people, I only wanted to talk to people on this site who were going through what I was going through because I felt that only they could truly understand.

From all the posts I”ve read on here it does seem like everyone does start to feel better once they know what their treatment plan is because they know what they are dealing with and what the plan to treat it is.  The waiting for tests and results and to get started with treatment is by far the hardest part of this journey.

Make a list of all the questions you want to ask your surgeon because if you are anything like a lot of us you will forget a lot of them.  You’ll probably get bombarded with information so take pen and paper to take notes.

Was it GP who signed you off and how sympathetic we’re they? Just think from work’s perspective if they know I have been signed off for a certain period then it will make shift planning etc easier and they will hopefully be able to cover my caseload although the way things are that’s unlikely 

Hello Jedbear

Just read your thread and I am so sorry to be meeting you here, as it means that you have now joined the club that we would rather not have had to join. I think all of us have felt as you feel now, when we were waiting for all our results to be finalised and our treatment plans to be put in place.

I think it is all the more of a shock when for  you when you are obviously used to being the strong and steady one who provides the support to others, both in your home life and at work. 

For all of us, even when in the best of health, shouldering the burdens of others and finding solutions for them can be too much at times. For you, at the moment, you have no down-time from the all the worry. It does not show weakness to admit that for now you just have too much to bear. 

I used to work in health and I know that there was an unspoken, unwritten type of stigma among management and HR for folk who self-certified their own illness. Remember that your GP is there to give you support during this time of diagnosis and coping with what is as yet an unknown path. Quite likely he/she will not know yet about your diagnosis. It might be an idea to get in touch and have a discussion about what is going on for you at the moment, on the multiple fronts, and to ask to be signed-off work for a while until you have come to terms with what is happening to you.

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act an employee's first duty is to protect their own health. I think maybe it is a time to be putting yourself first for a change.

Sending a big hug to you today.

All the best

WallyDug