Cynthia's Breast Cancer Story: "I got YEARLY Mammograms | The Patient Story

Подписаться 112 тыс.

Просмотров 21 тыс.

50% 1

Sign up now for exclusive access with the latest medical updates, inspiring patient stories and personalized advice: www.thepatientstory.com/newsl...
Cynthia J. had normal mammograms for 13 years without any signs or symptoms of cancer and was unaware she had a walnut sized tumor in her breast. In 2018, she got a letter that said there was something suspicious in her breast and underwent an ultrasound and biopsy. She was then diagnosed with stage 2B invasive ductal carcinoma breast cancer.
Her doctors told her the tumor may have been growing for 5 years, but was missed in previous mammograms because she had dense breasts.
Out of feeling alone and uneducated about her diagnosis, Cynthia began Learn Look Locate, a growing global community for those with breast cancer that champions cancer education and support.
In this conversation, she discusses the shock and uncertainty she felt when getting the diagnosis and the emotional toll it took on her. She describes the physical pain and challenges of recovery, including nerve pain, skin allergies, and stiffness and emphasizes the importance of reaching out for support.
Full story & transcript → www.thepatientstory.com/patie...
Join Our Community:
Website : www.thepatientstory.com/
Facebook: @ThePatientStory
Instagram: @ThePatientStory
Twitter: @patient_story
______________________________
Content in this video:
00:00 Introduction
00:47 I had no symptoms
01:25 Learning I had a walnut sized tumor
02:42 Getting an ultrasound & biopsy
04:19 Getting the diagnosis
05:29 Undergoing a double mastectomy
08:18 Radiation side effects
09:25 Survivorship
11:52 Starting Learn Look Locate
13:50 Words of advice
_______________________________
#thepatientstory #cancer #cancerstories #breastcancer #bcsm #breastcancerawareness #breastcancersurvivor #breastcancerresearch #mammogram #earlydetectionsaveslives #breastcancertreatment

Опубликовано:

13 июл 2024

Ссылка:

Скачать:

Готовим ссылку...

Добавить в:

Мой плейлист

Посмотреть позже

Комментарии : 98

@WestCoastGeoLover 10 месяцев назад

I am a bilateral mastectomy cancer survivor x 10 years: ACT chemo, radiation, tamoxifen x 6 years for 2A lobular carcinoma, low grade. My post op was uneventful. The drains were annoying. I never shed a year. Children die every day, people lose their noses due to skin cancer, soldiers lose limbs....I lost 2 boobs. I feel lucky to be alive. I cannot control when the breast cancer fear pops into my head, but I can control how I manage the thought when it happens. I live each day to the fullest. I have friends 6 feet under who were diagnosed after I was with other types of cancer. I am lucky to be here still.

@maryannebarry9123 Год назад

Thank you so much for stating all of this important information. I was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer at the age of 41 (3.8 cm tumor) and again at 51 (8 mm tumor). I had chemo both times, double mastectomy and bi-lateral tram surgery. No family history and was an active, healthy person. I try to talk to woman and provide the information you just provided (density, no family history, what my tumor felt like as I found the 1st one). Thank you so much for starting the website. I, too, have survivors guilt and want to make women aware of the importance of pushing harder if you have dense breasts for more invasive testing. Woman need to know this…. Well, I could go on and on but I will continue to educate as best I can in my little world. Hugs and bravo to you 🎉❤

@cynthiajordan619 Год назад

thank you for your kind words, just trying to share and change the way the world embraces the disease -we need more education

@darlenesutton7248 Год назад

I had to fight my PCP for ultrasound at the same time with my mammogram. I retired and use VA healthcare for my mammograms. I begged my doctor to order an ultrasound with my mammogram. I have dense breast tissue. My last doctor which is not VA doctor always order both ultrasound and mammogram same time. I switched my pcp with VA. The new pcp got real nasty with me when I ask for ultrasound but finally gave me order. I will have Medicare primary soon. I get to pick any doctor and no referral. I applaud how my doctors didn't want me to have an ultrasound mammogram can't see all nodules or tumors due to dense breast tissue. I even got letters from VA stating they strongly recommend ultrasound at the same time with mammogram.

@Ceerads 7 месяцев назад

It’s outrageous that you had to fight for ultrasounds. I’m glad you finally got them.

@mpclark11 6 месяцев назад

I also had to fight to get a breast ultrasound. My GYN wanted to order one, but referred me to a breast surgeon first. Surgeon ordered a diagnostic mammogram and my GYN added the ultrasound to the order. Radiologist refused to perform the ultrasound because “he didn’t know what to target”. I said what about the lump in my armpit that was not even in the mammogram. Two weeks later, had the ultrasound to confirm lump was cellulitis and associated lymph nodes. I have lost all confidence in mammograms, ultrasounds, and radiologists.

@mcz4251 Год назад

More education needs to be done regarding dense breast tissue and the likelihood of missing breast cancer with a mammogram. I have a benign Phyllodes tumor that needs to be removed because it can become cancerous. I found it during a self breast exam. They couldn’t see it on the mammogram even after they biopsied it under ultrasound and added a radiological marker. They found another area via an MRI that needs to be biopsied. Nothing has been seen on any of my mammograms. Thank you for sharing your story.

@meahdahlgren6537 3 месяца назад

Right

@davdav3945 Год назад

Thank you so much for sharing your Story, my tumor was the same size, positive sentinel as well. No radiation, but more lymph nodes taken out. On Tamoxifen now, with a lymph oedema, afraid of bone mets but glad to be still here. My diagnosis was in March. Your story gives me hope. Warm wishes from Germany❤️👍🏽☮️

@cynthiajordan3259 Год назад

Thank you so much for sharing too and connecting with me

@deanawells4395 Год назад

I too have breast cancer. I am a health care professional and I knew in that I had breast cancer from symptoms but I was in denial. I always had dense breast and several breast lumps removed through the years. I have zero family history of breast cancer before me and my sister where diagnosed within months of each other. I would have never went to get my mammogram until my sister was diagnosed first.

@cynthiajordan619 Год назад

thank you so much for sharing, wow -so you were in denial....it is such a hard process to digest all around-I hope you are doing okay now:) thank you for watching and sharing.

@deanawells4395 Год назад

@@cynthiajordan619 the river of denial is long and wide for everyone who swims in it. I have 5 years of estrogen chemo pills total with 2 more years to go until I can stop. I won the cancer lottery diagnosis with no BRACA gene, no Her2…nothing. My oncologist says environmental factors is where my breast cancer is from. I say having dense breast is the issue in general and density in breast needs to be watched very carefully and mammograms much earlier in age with no skipping a year for any mammograms.

@rebeccakarlsson1395 Год назад

Thank you Cynthia for being so involved in educating people about breast cancer detection. I wish that I had had someone like you back 5 years ago when it would have made a big difference in my own case. Best of health to you, and THANKS for the hug! Sending you one right back❤

@cynthiajordan619 Год назад

Thank you so much for your kind words Rebecca:)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! means so much to me. Yes, we all needed this when going through such a tough time-I hope you are doing okay:)

@KymPossible83 Год назад

Thank you for sharing your story and also continuing to educate! I had heard the phrase “phantom nerve pain”, but never has it been explained as well as your words. Sending you a big virtual hug and positive healing energy!

@hippiegirl5167 Год назад

I would thank God for his mercy upon my life 🙏

@susanehlava3808 Год назад

As a former hairdresser and a breast cancer survivor l often wondered whether the toxic chemicals in hair dye could trigger cancer. I can no longer tolerate hair dye, perfumes, chemical cleaners etc.

@jet4415 Год назад

I never go to salons with nail techs. The smell is horrible.

@cynthiajordan619 Год назад

I have read that many of you can develop allergies too! I hope you are doing well-hugs to you-

@caryngoldsmith6782 4 месяца назад

What you said at the end about being educated for yourself resonated strongly with me. I am a 17 year stage 3c ovarian cancer survivor. It does impact your forever, physically and emotionally, but I felt like I came out stronger for it. Last month, after a routine mammogram, I was found to have a very early stage breast cancer, unrelated to my OC. I had surgery last week. I now have decisions to make about other treatments and I will take great care in knowing if radiation is really for me or not. (Anti-estrogen drugs are out given the impact of prior chemo and radiation.) I don’t feel sorry for myself…life is about dealing with what’s put in front of us. The only advice I’d give to others is to make the best decisions you can at the time, based on what you know, and then never second guess yourself afterwards. “What ifs” can make one nuts. Let’s continue to live life to the fullest!

@allisons1245 Год назад

Same thing happened to me. Stage 2b, two tumors and 1 lymph node. I'd had cancer misdiagnosed as "density" for a minimum of five years. Currently watching a lesion on my spine. Bottom line, all gynecologists should teach women how to feel for lumps. Mine wasn't actually a lump, it was a ridge. I would have bet it wasn't cancer. No history of breast cancer in my family. (which I know now means nothing) I trusted radiologists who read my mammograms. They made a bad call. It's been three years.

@sensimania Год назад

Sorry to learn this 😔. Are you feeling any symptoms from the spine legion?

@allisons1245 Год назад

@@sensimania Thanks, back pain and sciatica, but my bones are desiccated, so it's impossible to tell whether it is that or the lesion. At this point, they're monitoring it, because it's in the sacrum, and even a biopsy can cause incontinence and worst case, loss of ability to walk. It results in scans for a while every 4 months to see if there is any growth in the area....then, I have no idea.

@cynthiajordan3259 Год назад

Thank you for sharing, I totally understand

@bdcorgimom 11 месяцев назад

I have always read that you should also check for changes in the shape of your breast along with checking for lumps. Looking in the mirror and bending over can help to check for something that doesn’t look quite right.

@CourageUnderFire87 3 месяца назад

Radiologist are mostly lazy and do even bother I feel in reading tests they just go based off of previous test and repeat the same verbiage

@tarat26 Год назад

Thank you for sharing and keeping it real. I thought I could feel something under my breast and was told by my GP over the phone... Wait till your mammogram when you're 50. I'm nearly 49. It got so solid so when I when I heard the words it left me in disbelief. My tumour was 8cm and in my lobes. They originally thought it was 6cm and contained. It never showed up on the MRI but they stood there looking at it and saying "we can feel it". I had one removed a week ago. I asked for both to be removed removed as I'm certain it will end up in the other given time. She said it was unethical to remove a healthy breast. I didn't know anything about breast cancer before. I was having night drenches, tightness across my chest and when I got covid it took me a long long time to bounce back after that. Thanks for sharing and making others aware. Huge hug xx

@cynthiajordan619 Год назад

HI Tara, thank you so very much for sharing-I am so sorry, I totally understand, I couldn't believe it after they told me it was there and I kept feeling it:( how are you doing now?

@tarat26 Год назад

@@cynthiajordan619 I'm doing a lot better thank you. I still have a lot of pain from where the port is under my skin near my ribs. It's an expander implant so tgry can inject saline into the port to enlarge or deflate it for radiotherapy etc. I'm finally starting to feel myself after surgery and having the drain removed. Have an apt with the consultant tomorrow morning to find out whether it's chemo or radiation next. Thanks for asking. I hope you're doing well xx

@sheriek2777 Год назад

I’m a 2x time breast cancer overcomer, having had both ER+ and Triple Negative Breast Cancer. I’ve read literally thousands of breast cancer posts and studies since first being diagnosed in 2006. This is the most depressing, negative post I’ve ever read. 😢

@Sasbie65 5 месяцев назад

I'm sorry this post depressed you! I don't find it depressing, and I have depression. She kept it real, urged education, and discussed the positives. I hope you're ok.

@lizzijansen6527 Год назад

I could not move my arm up all the way after surgery. I went to a massage therapist and it help tremendously. I only had to go three times and was back to normal.

@cynthiajordan619 Год назад

wow, so glad you are doing well-thank you so much for sharing.

@teresa8363 9 месяцев назад

I was high risk , I even did yearly MRI. I eventually had DMX , final pathology showed more Pre -cancer lesions which did not show up on my yearly mammo, ultrasound and MRI did not show up. Final diagnosis was stage 1 but I worked hard by being diligent in my yearly screening .

@deborahbizzell1989 Год назад

I was told my mammogram was normal 12/19 & a couple of months later I was diagnosed with a serious case of breast cancer.

@pastthefog6514 3 месяца назад

What were your symptoms

@stchannel2476 Год назад

Thank you for sharing your experience ❤I am a 2 time breast cancer survivor.

@hopehall-sanchez1913 Год назад

Thank you for your story. I too have dense breast. My cancer was invasive ductal carcinoma, stage 2A, grade 1. There was cancer in 2 lymph nodes but I chose not to do radiation and I didn’t need chemotherapy. I still can’t get back to feeling normal. 💖

@gailsfoodandstuff Год назад

i opted out of rads too, and opted out of tamoxifin as there was no proven reason to do radiation and i learned that tamox does NOTHING but harm those (including my mom) who took it. im over 5 years out and clean. i learned, on my own (dr never told me) how vit d3 and zinc is a HUGE cancer fighter (and colds, flu, covid, etc). so, i take it daily.

@dianemiller6440 Год назад

Just curious, why did you decide not to have radiation?

@Michelle-wk4ek Год назад

@@dianemiller6440’m curious too., mine was the same and stage 2b had a lumpectomy and some radiation.this was last June, got my first mammogram coming up.

@nghislandlove 2 месяца назад

How long ago was this ? And how large was the tumor ?

@fininhernandez8264 Год назад

Cynthia, you are awesome! Thank you so much for saying it as it is. May words of encouragement help many women.

@cynthiajordan3259 Год назад

Thank you so very much, you really made my day

@shantibel Год назад

This is such a forthright, informative discussion. Hope you are doing well.

@melissaannboone3639 5 месяцев назад

Thank you!! So much for sharing!!

@goldiefreeman8693 8 месяцев назад

Thank you so much for sharing your story ❤

@nickiekovaleski2734 27 дней назад

Thank You for sharing your Story

@jodythi1 Год назад

I’ve been going every 6 months, they see masses and cysts I always have mammograms and ultrasounds so many times and they just keep putting me off. I have extremely dense breasts but they won’t give me a MRI or biopsy. I feel like they’re dismissing me.

@tiadavenport5465 11 месяцев назад

My mom had clear scans for years. At 70 she was diagnosed with stage 3b. She lived for five years. Her treatments were horrible.

@deborahbizzell1989 6 месяцев назад

Sounds so much like my story.Had a diagnosis at 67 as stage 3b,after having a clear mammogram 3 months prior with dense breast.

@meahdahlgren6537 3 месяца назад

Tiadavenport5465 I'm sorry about your mom

@rhondahelfrich2563 Месяц назад

Praying for you thank you for sharing ❤

@ghostlyMostly1 Год назад

I was diagnosed in 2020 at the age of 37 with Stage 1a breast cancer, which was caught by chance, and had a lumpectomy. I had 2 years of clean mammograms every six months, even though the docs knew I had dense breast with scar tissues and you are most likely to have a rwcurrence in the first 2 years after removal. At 2 years they said " Youre good, you only need 1 mammogram a year" and I said "No, I want scans twice a year" so they suggested an MRI in 6 months. Well...What d'ya know? My MRI 6 months after a CLEAN mammogram caught a tumor that mammo didnt "show". Really the human who read the mammogram couldnt see the tumor due to dense breasts and scar tissues. I shouldve been having MRIs in thw 2 years between the lumpectomy and the recurrence, but didnt k ow to ask for that.

@rebeccakarlsson1395 Год назад

This is awful Sarah. I’m shocked that you weren’t monitored closer at that critical stage. Let this be a lesson for all of us. I almost get the feeling that doctors are becoming more and more cavalier with early stage breast cancer. They need to take these cases MUCH more seriously! Wishing you complete recovery this time. May you NEVER have to deal with cancer again! You’ve been through quite enough already.

@rosemarybaskakow7738 Год назад

We have to be our own advocate and fight for our rights. The healthcare system is broken and when you know your body trust your intuition it will never fail you ‼️‼️‼️

@ghostlyMostly1 Год назад

@@rebeccakarlsson1395 Youre absolutely right, I hate to say it but they dont seem to take it seriously at an early stage. I was lucky enough to catch this 2nd tumor when it was also still small, but I had to ask for extra scans to make sure it hadnt spread, the doctor didnt suggest it, and when I mentioned they didnt scan my brain, just the torso and bones, the onocologist said "We only do that if youre having severe headaches". I went to emergency room due to some head numbness , and even they said "With a history of cancer we'd better do a brain MRI to be safe". Thankfully my brain was fine, but still! My nurse practioner ( who is, for whatever reason, more cautious than the oncologists) is in charge of most of the follow up after surgery, thankfully, and she is pretty good about allowing me scans if I ask... but I feel like I shouldnt have to ask - the doctors should suggest it.

@teresa8363 9 месяцев назад

I had yearly MRI after I was diagnosed with ADH and LCIS and two lumpectomies . Fast forward to 10 years , I was diagnosed with stage 0 DCIS. I opted for DMX. Final pathology was stage 1. After double mastectomy , that’s when more Pre-cancer lesions were found and had microinvasion . Despite all the scans , the new Pre-cancer lesions did not show up, only after the surgery . 🥵

@Ceerads 7 месяцев назад

Hugging you back! This video gave me new info (re mastectomies). I’ve never heard anyone talk about how it feels right after surgery, and beyond. I was dx with stage I triple-positive BC (1.7cm) in 1999. Had lumpectomy, chemo (A/C), and radiation. I’m lucky so far that I’ve been okay. I have dense breasts. Negative mammograms until I found my lump. Btw, my lump wasn’t hard - it was solid and rubbery. Turned out to be part DCIS, lobular, and IDC (maybe the lobular made it not hard). I too am very bothered that so many young women are being dx with BC. I’ll check out your site. Thank you so much for what you’re doing.

@stacyjones2605 4 месяца назад

Thank you!!

@carolinemole4667 9 месяцев назад

I had a mammogram which said i had dense breasts at 36FF. I had a breast reduction. Then my sister got breast cancer 2x and so far she is ok. Covid-19 stopped me regularly having mammograms and i know im overdue. Im 61

@juliemarie7018 3 месяца назад

My mother in law had a normal mammogram. A month later she was suddenly very sick. Her liver started failing and they found a cancerous mass in her pelvis. She passed away a week after the CT scan findings. Her death certificate says cause of death was Metastatic Breast Cancer. We were shocked, confused and lost. How does this happen? Or why😞

@ThePatientStory Год назад

We’d love to hear from you: how did you discover your diagnosis? Leave us a comment below 👇 Want to share your story 👉 www.thepatientstory.com/share-your-story/?RU-vid&

@rosemarybaskakow7738 Год назад

Exactly I had a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound also which has been there since 2019. I am going to be vigilant. I fought my gynecologist on this bc I knew I had dense breasts 💀💀💀

@cynthiajordan619 Год назад

Good for you!!!! I love hearing this-so glad you are so empowered and know this!!! Love it!

@debbiegiangrandi4672 6 месяцев назад

So true I am same as you!

@johnnylawrence7232 Год назад

shame on the Health system

@cynthiajordan619 Год назад

I agree:)

@Sasbie65 5 месяцев назад

Hug you back 🤗!

@Sandra-zg8pf 11 месяцев назад

How do you even get more screening besides mammo & ultrasound?! I have heavy density & family history 🤷🏻‍♀️

@debbiejenkins4039 11 месяцев назад

MRIs

@Sandra-zg8pf 11 месяцев назад

@@debbiejenkins4039 they don’t give me that if mammo & ultrasound didn’t show anything suspicious

@liencali3018 8 месяцев назад

I THINK PREVENTION IS THE KEY. DO NOT EAT PROCESSED FOOD.

@andreabontempo643 5 месяцев назад

Thermography is more accurate

@christiearnold2781 5 месяцев назад

I am seen at a naval hospital. Every year I get a letter saying clear but bc I have dense breast tissue I need to come back next year. Now suddenly I have to go back for diagnostic mammogram for small breast change in right breast. I see the statistics...not to worry. But it's still concerning. Not going in til next week. Trying not to be anxious.

@dandelions2414 Месяц назад

how did it go?

@christiearnold2781 Месяц назад

@dandelions2414 oh gosh. I forgot I even posted a comment here. I guess it's a reminder of how nervous I was. It ended up fine. The radiologist said the new calcifications didn't look worrisome but that I should expect these diagnostic mammograms every year. But I was relieved. Thank you for asking. 🙂

@barbkamesko3329 Год назад

I have dense breast as well. I go on mammogram and ultrasound each year.

@cynthiajordan619 Год назад

so glad you know more than many of us! advocate for you!!!!

@barbkamesko3329 Год назад

@@cynthiajordan619 I went to several gynecologist in my life and they all said to me i have dense breast. They all recommend me mammogram and ultrasound together. All my doctors appointments are for free and i have luck we have good health care system. My medical insurance is 34€(euros) per months.

@cynthiajordan619 Год назад

sooo good! Glad you know to go:) thanks for sharing.

@mpclark11 Год назад

How were you able to discover the hypoplasia in your other breast, to have the bilateral mastectomy?

@Ceerads 7 месяцев назад

She said she decided to have a bilateral mastectomy. Her surgeon was hesitant to remove the non-cancerous breast, but did so. Once the pathology info came in (after the bilateral mastectomy), it showed that the non-cancerous breast had hyperplasia (not hypoplasia).

@anneherman6745 Год назад

❤️🍓

@b25mech Год назад

I’m curious, didn’t your OB/GYN give you a breast exam?

@teresa8363 9 месяцев назад

Even then , yeah it can help but some tumors are microscopic and can’t be felt . That’s the sad part. Some tumors don’t show up in scans , like me . Mine showed more Pre -cancer lesions like alh, ADH, LCIS after my double mastectomy of which I was diagnosed with DCIS with microinvasion . The microinvasion was found after my double mastectomy . I even had MRI before my mastectomy.

@Sasbie65 5 месяцев назад

Thank you, Cynthia, for "keeping it real". I also have dense breasts and have had to ask for an ultrasound in addition to the screening mammogram. I didn't ask for it last year. I will this year thanks to your video. 🫶🏽💫