BRCA Testing

Hi all,

So I had had a third relative get diagnosed with breast cancer very recently. My paternal grandma (#1), her sister (#2), and #2’s daughter (my second cousin?) (#3). My aunt passed 12 years ago after it metastasized and my grandma was given only given a few years left after it metastasized last fall.

After my cousin was diagnosed, my sister and I decided that we wanted to be tested for the BRCA mutations, since 3/4 of the women on my paternal grandma’s side has gotten it (I have no biological aunts or female 1st cousins on my dad’s side of the family). My OB referred me to a high-risk cancer clinic, & I have some questions for those who also decided to get tested:

1. If you were interested in getting tested for the gene mutation but were denied, what reason did they give?

2. While you were in this limbo period of waiting, were you preparing yourself for the worst, convincing yourself you didn’t have it, or just didn’t think about it at all?

4. What did you do after you tested negative?

5. What were your next steps after testing positive? Do you regret deciding to/not to get a bilateral mastectomy?

I’ve been going down the rabbit hole lately and would really just like people’s honest experiences with it, but I can’t find any videos/posts about these things. My mom has been very supportive of my sister & myself, but I think she is struggling with advise because she does not have the same risk that we do because it is a paternal one.

Any info would be greatly appreciated 💖💖