The people we talked to passed on messages of advice to others, based on their own experience. Everyone is different and what works for one person might not work for someone else. Here are their comments:
- Try not to panic if you are diagnosed with DCIS. It has a good prognosis and is easy to treat. You can still live a full life or a more enriched life afterwards.
- Get as much information as you need before making treatment decisions. There is no need to rush. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Write down any questions you have before seeing doctors in case you forget them during the consultation.
- Look after yourself before and after surgery. The fitter you feel, the better you’ll deal with things.
- Don’t be afraid to accept help and support from other people. Don’t be afraid of telling people you have DCIS because they can be supportive.
- Talk to people about your feelings. Talking to other women who have been through something similar can also help.
- Be kind to yourself. Take time to recover properly and don’t rush back to work.
- Keep positive. Search for the positives and don’t dwell on the negatives.
- Always attend for routine breast screening as any breast problems can then be detected and treated early.