Confused and slightly shocked!

Wow that was a read and quite a journey.   I suppose it's irrelevant as they feel mastectomy is best option.  So DCIS is early cancer that hasn't broke out &  it's classified as low, intermediate or high grade.  High being most likely to change into invasive.  I had surgery for originally 10mm of intermediate grade but upgraded to high and 11mm after surgery.  I had radiotherapy (15 sessions).  This was the standard treatment in 2015 when I was diagnosed.    I do know that not all DCIS shows on mammograms, Not sure if it's age related as you gets breast tissue denser.  

Hood luck for Friday xxx

Hi ESR

As Grogg says DCIS doesn’t always show on scans - I had an invasive lump and they found my DCIS during the first op - if you click on my name you will see my diagnosis etc. Have they mentioned reconstruction to you ? I needed chemo and so I had that before my mastectomy and that gave me time to think about what I wanted , otherwise it is all such a whirl. I am guessing with Covid it is a case of taking your op ASAP , as we don’t know how hospitals will be impacted during the next few months, but do have a think about what you want too.

Good luck with the op, I recovered really well from all mine , but do take care of yourself.

Jo x

Thank you too Jo for your reply. I had been joking initially when first told about the mastectomy that the silver lining was I would get rid of my tummy by getting a reconstruction. Then when downgraded an advised of change to lumpectomy etc, I was saying I’d need to try exercising to get rid of my tummy. At my last meeting when told it was to be a mastectomy I was saying just as well the exercises (not) didn’t work only to be told that due to Covid and the fact that I am over 60 (young 63!) I wouldn’t be able to get reconstructive surgery at the same time. Like you said I too now think this isn’t such a bad thing as I don’t need to make a decision straight away. It gives me time to get use to being flat which hopefully will help me make a decision regarding surgery further along the way.

I recovered exceptionally well from my previous surgery, in fact to be perfectly honest, I felt a bit of a fraud as it didn’t put me up nor down (I think this is due to my wonderful consultant/surgeon) compared to how some people going through this journey felt. Anyway ever hopeful I’ll be the same this time.

I hope you are continuing to keep well.

Take care, Eleanor 

oh can I just say: it's so lovely to hear that your consultant/surgeon was wonderful. Mine was also great but I just think that's the part that they get so little credit for. Being reassuring and informative and making us feel ok. I really value that in humans, never mind in medics, so I loved hearing that in your message - thank you.

I have to say radge that I can’t praise her enough. She always has time for me, never makes me feel she’s in a rush. She tells me how it is but in a very caring way.