What happens after an IDC breast cancer diagnosis?

Chemo isn’t fun but the drugs they give you for nausea? Stellar! The Aloxi is a long acting anti nausea drug and then they give you compazine for afterwards. I took a total it three compazine during my 4 cycles. The lousy days for me (chemo was Wednesdays) was the weekend and Monday. I had the nulasta pod and you HAVE to take Claritin before and after because the body aches are significant if you don’t. It is very scary but it’s wasn’t like the movies made it out to be nor is it the same as our mother’s experiences.

Oh right- I did a double and I’m so glad because there was cancer in the other breast that did NOT show up on MRI-my choice was more based on symmetry but turns out it was a blessing

Lori, Same situation with me: both were removed for symmetry purposes and the supposedly non-CA breast had CA that didn’t show up but did on post surgical biopsy. So glad I had both removed.

Pam, so sorry to hear about your diagnosis, it’s scary at the beginning, hope you met with the surgeon, I had stage 1 triple negative IDC.going through chemotherapy first , finished 6 th one, it wasn’t too bad, still went to work, Let me know if you need to talk.planning on having double mastectomy just to be safe.

I hate this thing we all are going through. I’ve learned so much from my Drs. One thing I learned from my surgeon is that from diagnosis to treatment, there is a time limit for breast cancer for accreditation of the hospitals. I found that pretty fascinating. I have a surgical oncologist who likes to share with me her history with this disease. She mentioned 60 days. I like to keep this bit of knowledge with all my unknowns thought this process. Waiting for me is the most difficult at this point in time. I have two and half weeks before my double mastectomy. I wish it were tomorrow. Best to you, Pam

@Pam C, yes as someone said there is a timeline of 60 days from diagnosis to treatment they must reach. So there’s a lot to be done in a 2 month period. Make sure they go thru all the steps- ultrasound, biopsy, MRI, sentinel node test before surgery. My cancerous nodes did not show up on anything prior to surgery (sentinel test surgery day). After surgery you heal for at least 2 months. Make sure at surgery they send your tissue off to Oncotype testing. Takes almost 3 weeks to return results. Then they will start your treatment after you heal. There’s a lot to keep up with, lots of appts, lots of phone calls from nurses. Good luck!

Are you taking VitD abd k 2, 20,000 units and 200 mcg of selenium every day. You need it, every women with breast csncer should be taking both of these every day. Your oncologist wont tell you to take it but you need it.

Make sure you keep exercising 🙂

I’m also on Vit D per Oncologist and he also recommended keeping very active as I’m doing, as I walk 10+ miles most days, but activities not new to me. I’m told aggressive exercise with aggressive cancers seem to help survival rates and I also saw a recent Health segment on TV that stated the same research especially with triple negative BRCA cancers. When Red Devil chemo began, the medication was adjusted or tweaked, to help my tolerance, as it was the same dosage needs, but a little more spread out.

Start a notebook that you take to all medical appointments. Write the doctor, procedure, medication etc. This all gets confusing really fast. The notebook is a good place to write questions for your next visit too.

The days following a diagnosis can feel overwhelming, and it's completely natural to have many questions about what comes next. Your surgeon will likely discuss treatment options based on your specific situation, imaging results, and staging, which may include surgery timing and approach. Many people in this community have found it helpful to bring a list of questions to their surgical consultation and consider having a trusted person accompany them to help remember the discussion. The timeline for treatment often depends on various factors that your medical team will explain, and they'll work with you to create a plan that addresses your individual needs. This community has many members who have walked similar paths and can offer support and share their experiences as you navigate the upcoming steps.