It's not over yet... genetics results

Sorry, it doesn't allow me to edit my post but I just want to rectify my words to avoid confusion.  In the bit where I said the dr reccomended removing everything because research shows that ovarian cancer often originates from the base of the ovaries in the uterus"....I meant to say in the base of the "Falopian" tubes inside the uterus. 

Sorry for this late reply, I' have been away.  I noticed in my response I said that my oncologyst gynaecologyst said that research showed ovarian cancer can originate in the base of the ovaries inside the uterus...I meant to say 'fallopian tubes' in the base of the uterus!  Sorry for that.  But the message stays the same.  He reccommended removing everything inlcuding uterus because the cancer has a tendancy to start in the uterus at the base of the falopian tubes.  Hope I haven't confused you too much.  Let me know how your appointment goes.

Thank-you SO much for that information. So far, the Peter Mac Inst said all I should need would be a partial hysterectomy (and double mastectomy) but after reading your information I am now going to take that to my surgeon when I meet with him next Wednesday and discuss the full hysterectomy. If I am going to do this I want to make sure I am doing it right.

I am 44 and I guess I am lucky I have completed my little family so I no longer need my ovaries. I am not too sure what to expect with the menopausal symptoms. I have been getting hot flushes with chemo but I am guessing it gets much worse.

My BC was a triple negative so not hormone related. I am not sure what that means for hormone replacement therapy but I have heard some negative things about it anyway so if there are other options I want to investigate them.

After this diagnosis I am now, of course, worried for my two little girls and what the future holds for them. But hopefully by the time they are in their twenties, science will have come up with some more answers.

Thank-you for the offer to chat more on this. I may take you up on that.

x-Sherril

I am so sorry you find yourself on this path.  I have been down the exact same one.  I thought my journey had ended when my active treatment stopped but the goal post got moved.

I am 40yo and my remaining breast was removed after my BRCA2 diagnosis.  I had a total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (the removal of the uterus, cervix, fallopian tubes and ovaries).  My oncologyst gynaecologyst reccomended removing everything because he said that research had found that whith only removing ovaries a lot of ovarian cancer originates from the base of the ovaries in the uterus.  So to only remove ovaries leaves you with a risk of ovarian cancer showing up in your uterus or cervix.  Hence I opted for the whole lot to come out.

Because my cancer was ER/PR positive I am not allowed hormone replacement therapy so for the past 7 months my biggest challenge has been menoupaus and the battle with hotflushes which drove me nuts.  I became very anxious and sleep deprived.  The Dr ended up swapping my anti-depressant to a brand that has proven to lower hot flushes in menoupausal women.  It is called Efexor.  It did help a bit but they were still pretty full on.  It is only after about 2 months that I know feel like it is gradually getting better but not sure if it is because of the cooler months?  I also do PT twice a week which I think is helping.

I believe knowledge is power, so knowing your status and doing something about it is a good thing.  I will encourage my children to get tested too.  Happy for you to PM me if you wanted to talk more. 

Huggles

Rene

Yep, that was the plan. A year 12 class awaits me too.

Hopefully work will be supportive, as they should be! This is out of your control! I'm not exactly sure, but I've been told around 4 weeks to be somewhat feeling ok. But obviously everyone is different and there can be complications. Were you planning on going straight back to full time work?

I had my mastectomy and inserted tissue expanders almost fully inflated and they used a dermal sling. Pain settled at around 5.5 weeks (but I had sentinal biopsy also...which caused nerve pain ). They could have added in more expansion after a few weeks and done the changeover if I wasn't  doing chemo. My surgeon wanted to wait until after chemo. I found it very uncomfortable surgery...but I also had a skin reduction due to my original size.

Yep, I should have just had the mastectomy to begin with too, what with my strong family history. My ovaries definitely need to go too though.  Not as upset about that - lost some friends to ovarian cancer and I'm done having my family. Boobs I'm a little more upset about but better than the alternative I guess.

x-S

Thanks. Not sure how work is going to take the news after I just confirmed my return for term 3. Do you know what the recovery time would be for a mastectomy and reconstruction?

Thanks Christine.

x-S