Next step in BrCa journey

I spoke with my doctor, and we decided on the next step for this cancer journey. ( I still can't believe I"m saying those words. It wasn't supposed to hapen to me.) I will have a lumpectomy and do a round of Arimidex. We determined my cancer was hormone positive (I could kick myself for taking HRT after my hysto. I'm still angry!) Arimidex will eliminate any estrogen living in my body (I have LOTS of fat cells, LOL!)

Thank you all for letting me hang out here. There is no breast cancer support community that even comes close to the sisterhood of Hyster Sisters.

Laura

Oh, Laura - You're so young. I'm sorry you're having to go through this! I have four friends who had breast cancer and they're all well and happy today - one to ten years recovery time. Cancer is cancer, no matter where it attacks. We're all sisters. Take care as you go through this. Think positive, healing thoughts as I will do for you..

Laura
Don't beat yourself up over taking the estrogen after your hyster. You did what you were advised and thought best at the time. Regrets, yes; beat yourself up, no.

I do pray that the lumpectomy and Arimidex takes care of it for you.

s and take care
Jane

Laura, I took Premarin for 12.5 years after TAH/BSO in March of 1990. Took the last dose the day I got my DCIS diagnosis. After lumpectomy and radiation, I'm halfway through my five years of Tamoxifen. Only mild side effects. I'm doin' fine. You will too.

Mary D.

(((Laura))) your hyst was only 2 years ago... it takes much, much longer for breast cancer to get started and grow to the point where you could detect it. Yes, estrogen can encourage it to grow... but it's likely you had the cancer long before you started using HRT. It just helped it to grow to where you could detect it. That happened to me, too... mine was caught 2 years after my hyst as well. I consider it a blessing that the lumpectomy was enough - ie it wasn't invasive, it'd grown enough as DCIS to be detectable. I'm still on HRT and have had three clear mammograms since my lumpectomy last year.

I tried taking Tamoxifen after the surgery, and failed at it miserably -- the symptoms were so severe I couldn't function. Arimidex would have been the same for me. We're all different... as (((seashell))) said, she was able to do five years of Tamoxifen just fine. My next door neighbor, who had a similar scenario to mine, also made it five years on Tamoxifen. It just wasn't right for me. Instead I take diindolylmethane (DIM), which is a naturally derived aromatase inhibitor (comes from broccoli), and works similarly to Arimidex but for some reason I can tolerate it

I know what you mean about not finding another community as nice as this one for brca support - I couldn't find one I felt comfortable with/in, either. This is a very special place indeed!

s,
-Linda