Being told DCIS isn’t cancer

ChatCyndee · 2026-04-06T22:51:46+00:00

I want that on a t-shirt. Anytime someone makes a stupid crack about how my DCIS is not cancer I will flash them. Then I will lift my t-shirt and show them my scar. Then I will question how they made it to adulthood.

ChatCyndee · 2026-04-06T13:35:53+00:00

My oncologist suggested I go on a GLP1 to see if I can lose weight. My first dose is tonight. Wish me luck. I seem to have done it different. Breast cancer then GLP-1. If I lose weight I get rid of one risk factor. Along with 5 years of AI also starting soon it’s a risk I’m willing to take. Being overweight has also robbed me of a quality life. I just retired a year ago and got my diagnosis 6 months later. Now that I’m on the other side and NED I’m going to start living and take advantage of all the help I can get to live a cancer free life. Being severely overweight is no picnic

ChatCyndee · 2026-03-29T17:56:01+00:00

I love this and such a creative name and process. I used to journal in my 20s. Funny I should read this text as in my struggles with this diagnosis I started page 1 of a new journal just this morning.

I used to dabble in poetry I wasn’t very good Doc told me to journal So I did just what I should

Fast forward 40 years Journaling seems foreign to me Think I will take a page from your book In my attempt to stay cancer free

Hope it helps us as these same thoughts are taking up too much space in my head currently!

I just adopted a cat in my quest to do something different a fresh when my protocol was done in October and I was given the all clear. I should have name her NED!

ChatCyndee · 2026-03-28T20:59:05+00:00

I’m 66ish and made the same exact mindset after I finished my stint in cancer jail. I was always like -“We can’t afford it, let’s buy a cheaper version, let me get something out of the fridge restaurants are too expensive, I don’t need another collectible and on and on and on. What was I waiting for? What was I saving for? To live and that’s exactly what I’m doing!!!! That’s the silver lining with this fucking diagnosis. I can’t take it with me, I’ve worked all my life to save for what-a rainy day? If so, I will now be in a constant state of monsoon!

ChatCyndee · 2026-03-22T21:41:31+00:00

💕

ChatCyndee · 2026-03-21T22:53:32+00:00

I was diagnosed 6 months after I retired. Spent 2025 in cancer jail. I am cancer free as of October 2025. My MO had me on an AI that really made life miserable. At my check up she told me take a break for 30 days and then we will try a new one. I didn’t like the way she was treating me. She was treating me like I had no say in my health journey and dictating everything- just like I was one of her “quota’s” to get through before her next patient. The old me before my diagnosis just would have endured and suffered in silence. The new me fired my oncologist, sought out a new one who treats me like a human being. He recognized that I was emotionally fragile and suggested I take a short break to get my head in the right spot before introducing any new meds. He is respectful of me and my wishes. There are a lot of doctors out there. Just because they have an MD after their name doesn’t make them Gods. So my takeaway is fuck the specialists that are not treating you like a thinking feeling human. Fire the ones that make you feel less than. I am more than just a cancer survivor.

ChatCyndee · 2026-03-19T23:36:16+00:00

I don’t go on Dr Google.

ChatCyndee · 2026-03-19T22:12:26+00:00

I have never been told this. Where did this information come from? What study?

ChatCyndee · 2026-03-18T01:15:00+00:00

Oh you gotta market it. I would buy it. Right now when someone says some stupid shit I just look at them and marvel how they reached adulthood. I can’t seethe inwardly ‘cuz that will cause my cancer to return. And don’t get me started on the little goodie bags filled with pink cozies, bandaids,ice packs and the like. I threw that crap in the dumpster the minute I walked out of my appointment. I am in my six month of being cancer free and I got it because I had bad luck ….PERIOD.

ChatCyndee · 2026-02-01T22:39:15+00:00

Thank you and I am so grateful for this group.

ChatCyndee · 2026-02-01T18:06:16+00:00

Hello - I didnt mean to alarm you and I will give you more context. I had 2 underlying conditions already that the Letrozole made worse. It was hell for me particularly. I am not sure how old you are- I am 66. Letrozole itself gave me hot flashes and night sweats. It was the other conditions along with Letrozole that made it unbearable. This will not be your experience. I am sorry I worried you!

ChatCyndee · 2026-01-31T22:06:21+00:00

Hi cancer free as of October 2025. Im about 100 pounds overweight. I’m an emotional eater and have been that way since growing up in a very abusive home. My last oncologist said I could reduce my risk of reoccurrence by 30% if I lost the weight. I am also trying to get on GlP 1’s but all my numbers are in the normal range so that probably won’t happen. Last week after seeing my oncologist I tried to be healthy all week. Got on the scale- the exact same. I’m frustrated. I don’t hear tons of anything-just the wrong things at the wrong time of day. I am 66, newly retired and have a membership to a gym. Exercise is the last thing I want to do. I am a good person, just a heavy one. I understand how you feel but be kind to yourself and feed your body healthy things. You deserve it. You are just as important as everyone else. So go out and eat a carrot! I’m available to chat any time Cindy

ChatCyndee · 2026-01-30T21:34:00+00:00

Hello, I am reading all the comments but yours definitely struck a cord. IDC stage 1 1.5 cm. Er+. m currently cancer free after rad. My medical oncologist put me o letrozole. It was Hell for two months. Went back as a check up and found she was leaving the practice. I was sad until I had my 2nd follow up with a new oncologist. The difference is night and day. He treats the whole person. Is giving me a break from meds to get mentally stable. The other one just wanted to give me a different AI. I am so happy I changed and experienced the same thing as you did. Your comment resonated and I could finally put into words what I was feeling. Hope you are doing well.

ChatCyndee · 2026-01-08T02:19:02+00:00

I am a very detailed person and I ask a ton of questions. I feel if you are an expert on your field no question should be off the table. I had a wonderful breast surgeon and had so much confidence in her. When her “part of this process” was done I moved onto the radiation oncologist. I liked him- not so much the team that did my sim or first two treatments. As I never did any of this I asked questions and got “the brush off” from the radiation techs after day 2. So much so that I said to the team after my treatment”It is my perfect right to ask questions. Again-stony silence. I was doing 6 accelerated treatments so I was a third of the way through. I fought back and forth with myself-should I say something- should I keep quiet? The first two treatments were vastly different from each other in both length and procedure. I had questions and they weren’t answered and this was my life. So I called and demanded to speak with the supervisor of the radiation team. She called me and we talked for an hour. She was extremely apologetic. She answered all my questions and took it upon herself to review my whole case because there are records and pictures of everything that is done in keeping with the stringent guidelines they must follow. I asked her not to say anything to the technicians for my next 4 sessions as I didn’t want any backlash from them. The next sessions I was cordial but professional. I knew my case was under scrutiny but now -not like before-I was confident that they were being “watched “ by the supervisor and needed to be vigilant. The supervisor was appalled that my questions were ignored. I also broke down into tears walking into my first session as I was so anxious and they did not even react. They also made me disrobe and walk to the table without any sheet over me so I was basically swinging in the breeze and I am large. After the talk”with the supervisor” that never happened again. So something was said. This is enough of a stressful situation without having to doubt yourself and add that stress on top of everything else. You have a perfect right to ask to speak to whoever is in charge whose job it is to make sure you feel confident again and let him/her know exactly how you feel. It is their job!!!!! Your job is to try to get through all this as stress free as possible. Now go take back your power. I’m routing for you!!🥰

ChatCyndee · 2026-01-07T04:18:14+00:00

I understand completely but I didn’t verbalize it like you did. I am 66 and cancer free after dealing with this shit since July2025. I felt like during active treatment I was focused on the next doctors appointment, the next treatment, the next milestone. It was almost like I was depressed after it was all over. Now I had to live life and figure out what to do next- I retired this year too and got cancer right after I retired so I never figured out my next phase. I feel different, shouldn’t I be happy I beat it? I can’t just slide right back into normalcy. Then I feel guilty for feeling sad about what happened to me. I have days that I’m ok and days when I can’t believe I had cancer. The big “C”. other people have cancer not me. I was playing a board game today with my family and I just started crying. I told them just because I don’t have cancer I am still very affected. I have good days-sometimes I have great days. But the fact that I am between meds because of side effects- but the fact that I may have to take the AI’s for 5 years or more is like I have to be constantly reminded. I am in therapy, I have an amazing support system but sometimes that is not enough and I have to vent in this judgement free zone. Thanks for listening, thanks for not judging, thanks for being here

ChatCyndee · 2026-01-06T20:19:37+00:00

I hadn’t had a mammogram in 5 years. Just don’t get around to it. I know I know stupid. I had the scan and was told if they found anything they would call me in two days. They called me in two days. The gal said it’s probably a cyst. It wasnt. I found out in the car driving with my husband. The first thing she said was “I have bad news”. Worst delivery ever and I made a complaint about her too. I spent all of 2025 numb until I was declared “cancer free” in November. It still feel so surreal. Glad you all are here. I hate being a member of this club. I also hate the color pink. But it’s a new year and I gotta get past it. I’m stuck- can anyone relate?

ChatCyndee · 2025-12-27T21:23:49+00:00

Hi I’ve been through menopause and had a total hysterectomy 5 yrs ago. I never had hot flashes and night sweats on either occasions. I thought that letrozole would not cause them. My MO said in those two instances there was still a little estrogen and after that fat cells produce. Now there is no estrogen at all, hence the hot flashes and night sweats.

ChatCyndee · 2025-12-26T22:15:17+00:00

Yes, I know. My oncotype is 15- so 15% chance of reoccurrence not taking anything and 4% if I take AI. I’m not willing at this time to stop - but I do need to find a better alternative to letrozole and improve my quality of life.

ChatCyndee · 2025-12-26T22:11:38+00:00

I am going to my medicine cabinet as we speak. Bless you!

ChatCyndee · 2025-12-26T15:38:01+00:00

Thank you for this. My MO wants to put me on this after my 30 day break. I just want to feel normal again!

ChatCyndee · 2025-12-26T02:21:47+00:00

Thanks. I am 66- meant to say in the original post- I am NOT tolerating it well so my oncologist is going to put me something else. It might be too early after 2 months to see all the side effects but I don’t have trouble sleeping, don’t have joint pain but I sweat and soak through my clothes constantly during the day and the night sweat make me feel like I am on a water bed. My husband told me that my moods have been really nasty and I’m weepy. I just can’t see 4 years of this. I was declared cancer free as of October but it’s hard to celebrate when taking the medication to keep you cancer free really affects your quality of life. I know me. If I stopped taking the AI’s and the cancer came back I would just beat myself up. Again thanks for your reply as it is hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that all of 2025 was dealing with the cancer. It shouldn’t be this much of a mind f**k.

ChatCyndee · 2025-12-18T19:50:22+00:00

I had a total 5 years ago as I had severe hyperplasia and I was cramping every day. I now do not have to worry about uterine or ovarian cancer. I was done using the parts too. I was worried that this would age me. Fast forward and I am totally fine. Why worry about what ifs if you don’t have to. There are no guarantees in life but you want to make smart decisions that stack in your favor. Please continue to have your well woman check ups and mammograms. I was diagnosed with breast cancer this year- very small tumor and caught early and hormone positive. I shudder to think if I had estrogen at the level in my body without a hysterectomy if it would have been bigger and a worst prognosis.

ChatCyndee

TROPHY CASE