National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.

I was just diagnois with BC on 3-24-08 (one week before my 34th birthday). I was told that I have invasisve ductal carcinoma. Not sure if it is in the lyph nodes or not they haven't checked. I got a second opinion and it seems like since then things have been moving kind of slow. I postponed the surgery because I wanted to have genetic testing done for BCRA1 and 2. If this is positive I will need to have a masectomy and not a lumpectomy which I previously wanted to do. I'd rather have less surgery as possible.

I I guess I'd like to ask you all....waht I am looking forward to? How doesn chemo session work? how may times a week do you need to go? does radiation start to burn your skin after a while ? can you wear a bra? Has anyone unfergone reconstruction using the tummy muscles and fat? If so, how did that work?

I know that it is necessary but I am so afraid I heard that chemo can hurt you more than bc, it makes you tired, sick, and painful. Does chemo make you heal slower? I heard that you cannot recieve it twice, so if you get BC again you cannot have chemo. Are these things true?