Hello Magpiemaggie,

I can imagine the meeting with the consultant left you with a lot to think about and you are having to make some difficult decisions now. I hope you will meet other ladies here who have been in a similar situation and that they will be along soon to share their experiences with you.

We have some detailed information on DCIS treatment on our website which you can access here. You might also be interested in reading this page on breast reconstruction and I hope that all this information will help you make a decision on what is best for you.

Feel free also to ring our nurses on this free number (if you live in the UK) 0808 800 4040 - their line is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. With the Easter break, they will be back on Tuesday so don't hesitate to pick up the phone if you want to talk things through with them.

I hope that someone who has faced similar choices before will be along to talk to you and share their personal stories.

Best wishes,

Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

Hi Magpiemaggie

I'm sorry you have joined these ranks. It sounds like the DCIS is in both your breasts from your post.

I think the very steep learning curve I've had on this trip is that everyone's treatment will be tailored to the stage and size of their lesions.

If you don't want implants straight away I'm pretty sure you can decline them. You might want to get mire info from your surgeon ad to the amount of shape change you would be left with if you chose this route. 

The positive thing is that they believe yours is not invasive by the sounds of things so it's been found early. Take one step at a time and speak to your breast care team if you want to explore not having the implants. Has your surgery been scheduled?

Hi 

I was diagnosed with DCIS in one breast last November.

It felt for me that I had too many choices at first

option 1:sparing as much skin as possible for immediate reconstruction with pump up saline implant

option 2 full mastectomy(go flat permanantly)

option 3 to decide if wanted reconstruction later but would need a skin graft (another major op)

Option 4. Wide local excision (affected area only removed followed by radiotherapy)

Felt like my brain was fried with this plus the "*** this is serous" but after two meetings with breast care nurses, a second biopsy(to determine size of area) three appointments with the consultant things became clearer. With help from the team at Doncaster Jasmine Suite and a select female group of friends and family I had opted for the first (I'm 55 and never realised I was so proud and protective of my non ptotics))and fortunately nodes clear so no other treatment required.

Ask whatfurther treatment you would expect if only having "lump" removed? Would this be a factor in making your decision?

Your age and breast size is probably a factor in his reduction/reconstruction strategy but ultimately your choice

Remember.....No question is a daft question. Each person is different in diagnosis, how you deal with it, what appearance can you handle. 

I was offered viewing of photographs of other patients before and after which reassured me of the end "look" 

As I'm a E/F cup and my area 68mm I lost quite a bit of skin and nipple but still enough left for a reasonable boob. I've now finished my "pump it up sessions" It will always be a little smaller than than the other and I can live with that. Was offered a reduction in the other to balance if quite different 

As I said we're all different in our reaction. Call your breast care nurse take advantage of them in the time you've been given to decide.

Apologies for the length of this reply!!

Thanks for the responses, I was unclear about the pathology of my DCIS as I was told they did not grade them. However my GP has managed to get the report and it’s classed as high grade, on both breasts. The areas are a size of a golf ball with each lesion 2-3mm. I have another appointment with the surgeon in 2 weeks time to discuss further. Still not sure whether to opt for lumpectomy + rad or full double mastectomy.

You seem to be very happy with your decision and I’m hoping to get to that stage too. I’m afraid I don,t have the same support you have and I’m a carer so have a few relying on me. I don’t think I could be out of action for long hence why a lumpectomy is appealing to me, rad centre is only a couple of miles from home so no problem getting to it. My fears, I guess, is the possibility of it coming back after treatment. I have not had that conversation yet with the surgeon as he was more concerned how my breasts will look rather than the diagnosis itself. My GP is quite optimistic in that I have no family history with cancer, I am  peri menopausal, I’ve had children etc. 

I think it will get easier once my decision is made as right now I feel I’m on a roller coaster.

how long did it take you to recover?

This whole thing is very draining, I spoke to a neighbour who told me she had mastecomy 20 years ago and had no problems since. I am waiting to speak to my mum’s cousin who has had breast cancer twice. I found the breast nurse unhelpful, talking about possible invasive cancer once the surgeon had removed tissue, nipples turning black and falling off etc. I have found very little positivity in this process. I feel anxious all the time and even being physically sick every morning due to nerves. My greatest worry of course is it reaccuring regardless of what surgical option I choose. How do people cope with those kind of thoughts?

Oh no magpie Maggie. I'm so sorry that you are struggling with the situation...and apparently the lack of an empathic response from you team...sometimes there are things you are ready to hear and sometimes there are things you just don't need to hear!

I have invasive breast cancer stage 1 so next step on from yours. The reason I'm telling you this is that DCIS and stage 1 have excellent prognosis. I have my surgery this Friday and if my margins and nodes are clear I will have 15 sessions of radiotherapy and then 5 years hormone therapy. I think your panic and anxiety at the moment is completely understandable. It's all new, all scary and all a bit of a rollercoaster you can't get off. It will settle and there are some fantastic ladies on here who have had bc and completed treatments several years ago, in recent months or like me about to start. Take one day at a time and breath. And like topcat said...if you aren't getting the support you need from your team ask to change. X