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Need support and thoughts
I had a physical today. I have both good and bad news. I will start w/ the good first. I have lost a total of 28 lbs. I went from being 155 pre-pregnacy...gained a total of 13 lbs. (putting me @ 168) and now I'm down to 140!!! Whoo Hoo... so proud of myself for being so disciplined and making better eating choices. It's definitely a life style change and not a diet.
For the bad news..... I had a mammogram back in March of 2011 and it was inconclusive...I had another done a month later and it was considered "stable" but they wanted me to do a recheck in 6 months. I became pregnant 1 month before I was due for the repeat mammo ..my OB ordered an ultrasound in feb since they can't do a mammo while prego and they couldn't see i nodules? but an ultrasound doesn't detect cancer..their recommenda
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by ravenwolf837 on -
I'm sorry to hear that. I think the choice is up to you in the end. Whatever you do be strong. I hope everything goes well for you. Thought and prayers for you and your family. And remember, it is ok to forumla feed if you can't breastfeed.
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Permalink Reply by Carrie F on -
TY..I know it's ok to formula feed but my heart is so set on BFing for the first 12 months. I was able to BF w/ my first until 3-6 months and supplemented then dried up...2nd I did it until 9 months and supplemented in between and dried up. This time I had planned EBF and no formula....it's so hard when it's out of my control..I had an easy time excepting that I had to stop BFing when I dried up because I had no choice. My baby has never had a bottle or even a paci...he won't take a paci and I haven't tried a bottle because I don't pump. Basically...I'm his bottle and paci.
Thank you for your kind word,support and prayers :o)
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Permalink Reply by ravenwolf837 on
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If you just really want your LO to have breasrmilk there are breastmilk banks you can look into. Don't really know a lot about them but you can look it up on the internet if you want. Good luck and hope everything works out for you.
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Permalink Reply by jnava on
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Im so sorry to hear what you are going though. I've been breastfeeding for almost a year as well and Im not sure how long after I will be breastfeeding its a bittersweet ending. Have you thought about maybe getting a 2nd opinion? You can always breastfeed for atleast the first 6 months which is the most vital... Consider this...How many mamos have you had before? What were the results? Im 30 so I havent had a mamo yet...did you ask her why she recommends a third test if your 2nd test came as stable? Is there another test that can be performed to hold off until you are ready? Im sure its a tough choice but ultimately you may have to choose to stop nursing because it might compromise your health more than you would want to. I know nursing is healthest for you new LO but dont want to risk your life for breastfeeding. I would def get that 2nd even a 3rd opinion to see what they say. Hopefully they will encourage you to keep nursing. Keep in mind you wont be any less of a mom if you cant. Dash will love and bond with you in many other ways. Keep strong!!
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Permalink Reply by Carrie F on
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Thank you so much! I kinda have had a few opinions..one being the radiologist, my OB and my reg. Dr. I have come to the conclusion to ask for a meeting w/ a radiologist and my Dr. There has got to be some other alternative.. I have had only 2 mamo's. The first one was inconclusive..that's why they sent me for another a month later...that declared "stable".....w/ that being said..they wanted me back 6 months later for a recheck..and a month before that date...I became pregnant. They basically want me to have one every 6 months until they can clear me and only have to do it yearly.
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Permalink Reply by Bethany Ann, Star Mom on -
That is a very difficult decision. Have you discussed other options with your Dr? Such as other tests to run to see if there is cause for more concern, or perhaps an MRI to see inside? Make sure you exhaust every option with your Dr. before making that decision.
That being said...I come from a cancer family. My grandmother had breast cancer and had her right breast removed. My mother had an overwhelming amount of tumors on her ovaries and so had a hysterectomy. Ten years after that she died of GI Primary cancer (Basically a cancer that stretched from her esophagus to her stomach to her bowels). My Aunt had melanoma. I myself have a few cysts on my ovaries, and have had abnormal paps (though normal re-paps). So to me, the threat of cancer is very real and very possible. You have to think about the best interest of your children, and that goes beyond breastmilk. I'll throw out a scary question...because it is a question you are inevitably faced with. What if you continue to breastfeed for a year, giving your son the best possible nourishment...then wait 6 months to have the Mammogram...and they find something? So something that could be there right this moment, will have a year and a half (give or take) to fester and grow into something much more serious and challenging. On the flip side, you could stop now, wait the 6 months and test, and find out what's going on. If there is cancer there, hopefully it has been caught in plenty of time. If there is no cancer there, it will be devastating knowing you "quit for nothing" but also a weight off your shoulders knowing for sure that you are fine and healthy.
A healthy, happy Mom means healthy, happy children. I'm not trying to push you in either direction, because that is a decision to ultimately be made between yourself and your family, and your Dr. But don't ignore your body's signs and warnings. I wish you the very best, Carrie, and I will pray for great results with whatever you decide!
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Permalink Reply by Carrie F on
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I'm going to ask about the MRI..you and a few others have mentioned this to me..my Dr. never mentioned it...so I want to see if that's an option.
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Permalink Reply by Shannon, Star Mom on
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This is a very tough situation and hard decision to make, but I do agree about getting the 2nd opinion. Just to give you a very real scenario for why the Dr. might be pushing the mammogram. My stepmom (50) did her regular yearly mammogram, and the following year (just 1 year after a 'normal' result) they found a spot in her breast... it could have been a number of things, including cancer. A biopsy revealed it was 'possibly' cancer, and It was immediately removed, but after removal it was found to definitely be the early stages of cancer... thankfully it was caught in time before it spread. It can take a very short amount of time for cancer to spread depending on what kind of cancer it is and how rapid it's growing. Not to say you have cancer, several people get sent to mammograms and find absolutely nothing, but it's a precautionary measure b/c of how rapidly cancer can grow and how huge time is a factor in successful treatment options. Whenever I feel confused about a tough decision to make, I definitely get input from others (like you are doing) and I do a lot of my own research... it helps to make a sound decision. Good luck in whatever decision you make, I know it's tough...
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Permalink Reply by Carrie F on
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That's the thing,...I haven't had a mamo in 18 months and had an ultrasound in feb. because I was prego and that's all they could do..they were not able to find any nodules....so that gives me relief....but my Dr. did say that the ultrasound can not detect cancer. You think if I had it..I would be gone by now. I'm so confused. My gut says I'm fine and I don't need to worry and to just keep on BFing....but I question myself and wonder if I'm just being ignorant.
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Idk, I still think a 2nd opinion is a good idea. I just had an ultrasound for my thyroid a few weeks ago, they were able to tell me it was enlarged and they found nodules, but they were benign. So, I am a little confused why the ultrasound isn't somewhat sufficient for detecting possible signs of cancer in the breast too. I know it's 2 different things (thyroid vs. breast) and surely the mammogram is much more efficient for this type of exam, but again I think a 2nd opinion may at least offer some other alternatives and a different view point. Also, don't think if something was wrong you would be gone by now... something can fester for even 20 years and hit you like a ton of bricks, it isn't so visible on the outside when something is going on internally, so don't go by those signs. Not to scare you, but def. don't go by that in whatever decision you make. I was wondering, when you say the test was inconclusive or stable... did they actually find 'something' (like a mass) and their findings for it were inconclusive or stable, or the test all around was inconclusive or stable?
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Permalink Reply by Carrie F on
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Because I have dense lumpy breast..I guess it looks suspicious or inconclusive.. All I know is what they have told me. The second came back (and they did tons or ex rays) "stable" and wanted me seen 6 moths later to make sure they remained "stable". They have not found any nodules...so I'm assuming that's good. I'm going to request a meeting w/ my Dr. and an radiologist to go over all my options. There has to be something else other then just stopping w/ out excersizing other options.
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Oh I see... so it's not necessarily that they've found anything, it's just the consistency and feeling of your breast is different than the norm... Well, I would do some research literally on "dense/lumpy breasts"... see if this is somewhat common, cause for concern, how many routine mammos to put you 'in the clear', etc. Here is a good start-
http://www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/issues/201...
Again, good luck and just do your research to make a sound decision. I wish you the best :)
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