Breast Caner

I have another question . . . I have been having a great deal of fatigue - could that be associated with the breast cancer that was just diagnosed?  Are there any symptoms out side of the breast that one could experience before being diagnosed?

Thank you.

[japdip]

Breast Cancer is usually found by Mammogram or by a lump that is felt either by the pt. or the Physician. There aren't really any other symptoms that one would notice before being diagnosed.

[Sammie4258]

yes fatigue is a factor especially if you have fibromyalgia or chronic  fatigue syndrome.

I do have to say that I do in fact know of people who were fatigued before diagnosis including myself. .  It is not that uncommon.  They say you don't feel any pain.  I can debunk that theory too. And my tumor wasn't even that big.
so yes, you can feel fatigue and pain before diagnosis.  
Please feel free to ask all your questions.  
tami

[Sammie4258]

Correction:  Not everyone experiences fatigue before diagnosis but yes it does in fact happen.  I know people that experienced just that.  That was what encouraged them to go to the doctor.  

But hang in there.  Do you have family who can help out with the children?  You are going to be so tired and may not be able to work.  It just depends on your treatment and how they approach it.  Just try to be prepared.  
xoxoxoxoxox

[Sammie4258]

Ten years ago, I had this greenish black discharge from my right nipple.  The doctor said it was a plugged milk duct.  No other symptoms.  Ten years later, I am diagnosed with Invasice Ductal Carcinoma  Stage IIIA.  The thing with cancer is that the only thing predictable about it is that it is unpredectable.  so anyways, just move forward with determination, faith, hope, and courage.  God Bless you and your little family. We are here for you.  
tami

[nycsass]

Morning,
I just had to tell you that since my lumpectomy in July,  I've had  a huge increase in energy. I have Fibromyalgia, Subacute Cutaneous Lupus, Diabetes and nonserologic RA. I attributed my awful  lack of energy these last two years to those  dxes. I now attribute my decreased energy to  breast cancer; It did  lower my energy levels because since surgery I feel as I did in 05-6.

[GayleD]

I had been experiencing chronic fatigue for months before my diagnosis of DCIS.  I had my thyroid checked last fall--all clear there.  My FORMER primary care doctor told me it was probably just stress or premenopause.  I accepted that for too long before finding a new PCP who ordered a whole battery of blood tests.  

Found out I was SEVERELY Vitamin D deficient--levels were nearly totally depleted.  Here's the kicker--not only is Vit. D deficiency associated with chronic fatigue (and a whole host of other problems I was having), it's also associated with vulnerability to cancer, breast cancer being one of the main ones.  

I urge you to have your levels checked.  My new PCP says she likes to get patient levels up to 55 or 60 ("normal" is between 32 and 100) if there's any cancer diagnosis.  

I started on megadoses of Vit. D the first week in July and within about 3 weeks started to feel my energy level return.  I'm sleeping better and feeling better overall--ironically I got the cancer diagnosis at a time when I was starting to feel better than I had in months!  It takes months for your system to regulate and for levels to normalize, so I figure things will only keep getting better.

My lumpectomy surgery is scheduled for 9/12/08 and if my surgeon gets good clear margins, I'm NOT having radiation and am not taking Tamoxifen, even though my cells are ER+ and PR+.