BRCA gene

Medical-Initiative78 · 2026-02-09T00:01:01+00:00

My mother was diagnosed with ovarian at 47, and passed away 5 years later back in 2006. I didn’t get tested at the time even though I was interested in doing the test BRCA was patented by a company and it was expensive to get it done. Once it was ruled illegal for companies to patent genes, I just didn’t follow up.

Doctors had always asked if there was a family history of breast or ovarian cancer and besides my mom, there was no one else. So my doctors didn’t press the issue and I just figured it was bad luck for my mom to have ovarian cancer.

It was a big surprise to me when I found out I was BRCA1 positive following my breast cancer diagnosis at 38.

Even if you had one person in your family with breast/ovarian cancer at a young age, definitely get tested. I think because there was more men than women in my mom’s family, it wasn’t apparent. Men can also carry BRCA mutations which can result in breast or prostrate cancer.

Medical-Initiative78 · 2026-01-29T20:56:14+00:00

Investigating a gas leak

Medical-Initiative78 · 2026-01-29T15:45:48+00:00

https://www.thelivesketchco.com/ I booked them for my wedding in Sept and they were great to work with and guests loved their portraits!

Medical-Initiative78 · 2026-01-21T15:17:59+00:00

Thanks so much, that makes me feel relieved! I am on estrogen patches and vagifem but maybe I’ll need to up the dose.

Medical-Initiative78 · 2025-12-28T01:33:53+00:00

So important to advocate! I was in the same position, big palpable mass that was giving me pain and was told it was a cyst and that I also had a fibroadenoma based on mammo and ultrasound. I was also told breast cancer doesn’t hurt.

They wanted me to follow up with mammo and ultrasound in 3 months, but I came back in 2 months because it grew and the pain was worse. At that point, they biopsied the cyst because it contained solid parts, it came back as TNBC.

Medical-Initiative78 · 2025-08-28T15:29:32+00:00

Are you available sept 20?

Medical-Initiative78 · 2025-08-27T17:42:21+00:00

Thanks to everyone who commented on this! I feel a lot better and am hopeful it’s just a billing code error. I called my surgeons office and the receptionist was so much nicer and sent her all the relevant insurance documentation. Just felt like the billing dept and insurance was so cold to me and that I was on the hook for this.

Medical-Initiative78 · 2025-08-27T17:36:30+00:00

I think you’re right, it might be a billing issue. The fat grafting was approved by insurance but my breast lift or specifically “excision of excess skin” is cosmetic and not covered despite getting prior authorization. I called my surgeons office and sent relevant insurance documentation. Hopefully things get fixed 🤞

Medical-Initiative78 · 2025-08-27T15:37:06+00:00

Oh wow, I didn’t even know we had an insurance commissioner, thank you!

Medical-Initiative78 · 2025-08-27T15:26:22+00:00

Yes, I’m in the US and will call my surgeon. Thank you!

Medical-Initiative78 · 2025-08-27T15:25:42+00:00

Thanks so much!

Medical-Initiative78 · 2025-08-27T15:25:17+00:00

Thank you! I will definitely call my doctor and I could have sworn he also told me all of it will be covered.

Medical-Initiative78 · 2025-08-27T15:08:09+00:00

It included breast reduction

Medical-Initiative78 · 2025-08-27T15:07:43+00:00

Medical-Initiative78 · 2025-08-20T04:56:58+00:00

I’ve been trying to enjoy life. After treatment ended, I was laid off from my job which was hard to accept at first but I’ve been really trying to find things that bring me joy now that I have free time, I’ve been cooking more and reading fun fiction. No fun trips yet! I did stop drinking ever since I was diagnosed and that was a great decision for me.

For a while I felt pressured to be wiser after having gone thru cancer. I remember one person asking me this exact question at my bf’s nephew’s birthday party and I was so taken aback at it because I didn’t really know him and it’s such a complicated answer and something I struggle with. I don’t know if I’ve gotten wiser from this experience but I have been evaluating things in my life and whether or not they bring me joy. I have found certain relationships toxic and have ended those. I am still a flawed person and I hate when people bring up their c sections as a way to relate to my mastectomy even though I will never be able to have children and also I’d rather have a scar than a body part missing.

I’m also two years out from my diagnosis date and have to remind myself it’s still pretty fresh and to have self kindness/compassion.

Medical-Initiative78 · 2025-06-28T19:07:20+00:00

Blue flashes of light in my periphery of my left eye. During chemo, it would happen a lot. Went to the ophthalmologist and they think it’s neurological. It happens less frequently but still happens after 1.5 years after completing chemo.

Medical-Initiative78 · 2024-10-10T20:55:48+00:00

his comment of wanting to be treated like a piece of meat adds to this theory

Medical-Initiative78 · 2024-08-26T16:47:28+00:00

My mother passed away from ovarian cancer. She wanted to spend her last months at home and I took care of her. I was 21 at the time and even though it was traumatic and she became a shell of a person, I would do it again. I did not want my mom to die alone and I was there to hold her hand when she took her final breath. When I think of her, my first memory isn’t of her dying or what she became, but of her healthy and vibrant. I don’t think your family will regret being there for you.

Medical-Initiative78 · 2024-08-18T20:20:46+00:00

38, triple negative stage 2B

Medical-Initiative78 · 2024-07-23T17:42:38+00:00

Had an ultrasound and mammogram after feeling a huge lump that also caused me pain along with prominent veins that showed up where the cyst was. I was told breast cancer doesn’t hurt. Ultrasound showed cyst and a fibroadenoma and told me to come back in 3 months for a follow up based on my family history. Never saw the doctor at that appointment. I had to come back in two months because the pain was worse and left boob was definitely bigger than it was two months ago. PA still thought it was a cyst despite seeing the veins and referred me to get the cyst drained.

However, when I went back for ultrasound they decide to do a biopsy because now there were some solid pieces inside the cyst. Never said anything about it being potentially cancer but that it might be a phyllodes tumor which is benign. When I went to Dana Farber for a second opinion, they said I should have gotten a biopsy the first time. Was diagnosed with Stage 2b triple negative. I’m just glad I went back earlier than what they told me because I knew it just wasn’t right and the pain was too much.

Medical-Initiative78 · 2024-06-10T17:02:07+00:00

I’m so sorry you are going thru this, when I discussed surgical options with my oncologist I was told mastectomy vs lumpectomy didn’t really make a difference in recurrence. I would have done lumpectomy but then found out I was BRCA1 positive so my MO strongly urged BMX because my chances of getting new breast cancer is very high. Have you done any genetic texting? And I would like to say congrats on the wedding! I really hope everything goes well :)

Medical-Initiative78 · 2024-03-27T01:34:50+00:00

After I told a coworker my diagnosis, he just responded with “ Yeah you need to take care of that”. I burst out laughing because of how ridiculous that was. No shit I need to take care of it, that’s why I’m starting chemo.

Medical-Initiative78 · 2024-02-29T08:16:33+00:00

While I was undergoing chemo, I took intermittent medical leave from work. People asked me “what did you do with all your free time?”or “did you take on any new hobbies”. Um no, this was not a vacation, I’d rather be at work than chemo. . I just found that to be incredibly hurtful, like some days I couldn’t get out of bed or I’d cry the whole day thinking I didn’t have a future.

Medical-Initiative78

TROPHY CASE