phew....lots to read and respond to here...I know I will leave something out...
kelly-

good to see you...
Hollyann....sorry we have to welcome you....do keep us posted!!
Susan-still thinking of you...
PigletsPal...thanks for the info...
laurabelle....

hope you get to the bottom the abnormal pap ASAP!
Laurajean...I have been thinking and pondering since I read your initial post asking for thoughts....so here goes....read until you're bored with my babbling

You and I have the same diagnosis (DCIS) I do believe. On pages 4 through 20 or so on this thread, is my journey through biopsy, diagnosis and re-excision, then later through the radiation and hormonal therapy. And there is a lot of thought and advice from some of the other ladies here when I was thinking through the hormonal therapy decision as well.
Anyway, as far as radiation...I don't think I ever considered NOT doing it. Although I got good clear margins on the first re-excision, my area of DCIS was quite large...more than 4 cm. So even with the definitive clear margins all around, I had to think long and hard about mast vs. rad. I decided on the radiation. I figured it was less invasive ...and since the ultimate survival outcomes are very similar with mast vs lump w/rad, that would be my path at this point. (I was someone who always thought that I would say "take it off" in that situation, but when faced with it, I went the other way. I can say "take it off" if it recurs I suppose

) Anyway, as I said, in my situation I was considering NOT doing rads since my area of DCIS was relatively large. I wanted the "insurance policy" it offers. I had 5 weeks (25 treatments) and it was a lot "easier" than I thoguht it would be. Other than fatigue which set in arounf the 3rd week and is now improving about 6 weeks after finishing, and some relatively minor skin irritation for the final week and two weeks afterwards, I really don't think it was bad. I'm fortunate that my treatment center is about 15 minutes from home and work. My surgeon and I are both pleased with the cosmetic outcome. I still have a little color change in the skin which continues to fade. As far as texture/sensation, I honestly do not notice a difference. There is a size difference, but that is not noticeable when I am clothed.
As far as the hormonal therapy...I had a much more difficult personal decision process in that regard, and some of that is documented on th is thread too. I am just not one to want to "take drugs"...especially since after a total hysterectomy in 2001 at age 44, I went along with strong encouragement from my OB/GYN providers to take an estrogen replacement (1 mg estradiol/day) despite a maternal aunt and first cousin with BrCa history and personal history of fibrocystic condition. Then all of a sudden I haev an ER+ diagnosis and am off the estradiol cold turkey, and getting strong recommendations to take drugs to block or reduce the estradiol in my body. Very ironic!! I do not like drugs (I think I said that before

) and was/am VERY afraid of the potential side effects. Although I do not have a uterus, the blood clot risk increase on Tamoxifen scares me as there is a stronger history of heart disease, stroke and hypertension in my family than of BrCa. And I did NOT want to deal with weight gain, I'd already gained a bit entering my 40's and then on the estradiol I was retaining fluid. What I opted to do, after more long hard thought and consideration, was enter a clinical trial. I started my therapy about 5 weeks ago. I do not know if I am on Tamoxifen, or Arimidex. You have to be post-menopausal to take Arimidex. And, Arimidex is not yet FDA approved for DCIS cases except as part of the trial. Tamoxifen blocks the estrogen receptors in the breast cells. Arimidex prevents the adrenal glands from making any estrogen (if you are pre-menopausal your ovaries make estrogen, , the adrenals make some in post-menopausal women). Anyway....I decided that I would start the meds as part of the the trial, and I can stop anytime. I will not know which I am on until the trial is complete and results released (or if I suffer a life-hreatening medical issue I can be "unblinded") Even if I stop I will be "followed"/monitored by the onc's office continually. I just figured....if I don't know which I am on, I won't have any "predisposition" to common side effects

...and they both cut recurrence risk and new cancer development risk, so...I'll be a guinea pig if it works for me! I do worry about long-term side effects, of both drugs, but my convoluted reasoning is that if I can tolerate any short-term nuisance effects and self-assess over the next few years, take advatage of the monitoring under the trial, keeping an eye on the research that comes out continually...then the balance may be tipped toward the benefit outweighing the risk.
And as of week 5, I have not gained any weight...I had some nausea from about day 3 through day 7 of taking the pills, have occasional headaches helped with ibuprofen, some muscle and joint stiffness/soreness, and a little bit of , ahem, dryness/itchiness...but I really am not sure if any/all of this is the meds or other contributing factors (like getting old

)
OK...so...probably way TMI for you LJ, and the others, but I thought I'd throw it all out there. I do remember beign VERY frustrated that the docs were not going to say: "THIS is what you should do" and anxious that I would make a "wrong" decision along the way. Someone here said to me at one point, something to the effect of "we just have to make the decisions, with the info we have, with our hearts and our heads, at any given time, and then act on it and move on". For me, it was...have the radiation, and then decide on the medication. Also I am being very conscious and proactive about regular exercise, healthy diet, and prayer/meditation/stress reduction.
I do wish you all the very best....trust in yourself! And feel free to PM if you want!!