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When does energy return after BMX flat closure?
I am 7 weeks post surgery. Seeing the Lymphedema Clinic PTevery two weeks as I have light cording but otherwise the incisions healed and I have full mobility. I started letrozole (AI) 3 weeks ago. A bit sweaty but no other visible effects. Limited life though as I have very inconsistent energy - I was the energizer bunny…
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Pathology report
Hi everyone, I had my lumpectomies April 12th, I’m doing and feeling great. I just got the pathology report yesterday and it looked good. They have updated it today with something I’m not familiar with, sort of scaring me again. I would appreciate any enlightening to this information. The radial sclerosing lesion in the…
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Breast Swelling After Lumpectomy
I had my surgery on Feb 22 and have been doing fairly well. Went to my follow up appt and the surgeon was happy with how I was doing. Yesterday my breast was sore and looked a bit swollen. Today the swelling has increased. The incision is center near the nipple and I also had lymph nodes removed. Underarm is not hurting or…
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Redness in breast after mastectomy
I had a mastectomy in early March on my left side. Immediate reconstruction with expander. Everything was good and healing well for four weeks, then I started having redness around the nipple on the left breast. It's not hot/warm to the touch. The whole area is numb, so I don't know how it feels from the inside. I don't…
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Recurrence after mastectomy
I am scheduled for a mastectomy in March. It is nipple and skin sparing mastectomy on left side with reconstruction. I just went for second opinion and that surgeon said that if I go for lumpectomy- chemo-radiation than my chance of recurring is 5-7% and if I go for this type of mastectomy followed by chemo then my chances…
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Other breast: To keep or toss?
I was diagnosed with DCIS a few months ago. I had lumpectomy with bilateral reduction, then needed to have a mastectomy instead since not all of the DICS was removed. In the end I had 3 separate sites, two of them high-grade, although none had yet progressed to invasive BC. I didn't want to deal with reconstruction, so the…
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Pre-Surgery Dye Injection
Hey everyone I thought I would share my radioisotope dye injection right before my MX. I had read and heard painful stories so I was a little concerned. As it turned out it was very easy. One little injection (Sub-q) in the upper outer quadrant. Apparently they are using a different dye now that is much easier on patients.…
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Surgical clips
Hi everyone, I had a bilateral mastectomy implant transfer in October and about 2 months ago felt a tiny lump just jnder the skin. My Oncologist sent me for a mammogram and US and it showed that it was 2 surgical clips. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm wondering what should be done, cam the clips rupture the implant?…
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Shoulder Pain - scapular winging after SLN biopsy
I had a sentinel lymph node biopsy on December 2 and everything went very well, no spread, and the incision has healed nicely. Initial swelling under my armpit and that is going down as well. However, the past week I've developed extreme pain in my right shoulder blade and arm, same side. It is almost unbearable, hard to…
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Trying to make sense of surgical pathology changes
Hi, I'm hoping the wise folks on this site can help me with some questions. I had a lumpectomy on 1/4 and just got my pathology report back yesterday. The good news is that the one sentinel node they found and took out was negative. Also margins were clear (but she did have to take a lot more out than she thought, had a…
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Waiting for Right Breast Mastectomy
I discovered the lump on my Right breast Nov 09, have my Biopsy done Jan 17 and was diagnosed last Feb 03, 2022 and still waiting for my Mastectomy scheduled on March 28. The reason for the delay is the coordination of the available schedule between the Onco & Plastic Surgeon. I am just concern for the long wait...
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Looking like a long "before" surgery. Merde
I'm feeling like a yoyo. On Monday I thought I'd be referred to an NCI center for evaluation and surgery. Yesterday afternoon, I heard back that UAB is 2 months backlogged on DIEP procedures and that with the DVT in my arm that happened from the breast MRI needle stick, I am not a candidate at this time. I'm on Xarelto for…
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Change of Plans after Genetic testing
Hi All, My surgeon called today and confirmed that I am a mutant. I have the RAD51c mutation. She is recommending my lumpectomy on 03/18 should be traded for BMX. She also said that I should have a Hysterectomy once the BC is dealt with. I understand the increased risk and all. My head is just spinning. I had gotten myself…
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Simple Mastectomy and proud of it!
Glad I made the decision & proud of it. I have zero tolerance for pain, so anyone as scared as I was can relax. I never had kids because I'm squeamish, so I hope I can give hope to others here. But where's my surgeon? Spent night in hospital but... No hospital visit. No phone call. No "atta girl". Nothing. Is that normal?…
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Pain post lumpectomy
Hi all! Hopefully it’s ok to post this here as I do not have cancer….I had a lumpectomy a couple weeks ago for a suspected Phyllodes tumor that thankfully ended up being just a fast growing firboadenoma. Because it was suspected to be a phyllodes tumor and was already decent sized, she took wide margins. I have a large…
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Tissue Expander Exchange Surgery - What do I need to know?
I have been so eager to have my tissue expanders removed. They are uncomfortable and painful. In short, I hate them. But now that the exchange surgery is right around the corner (January 28) I’m wondering what to expect. I feel ill prepared for this surgery and I’m worried that it may catch me off guard. I have a few…
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DCIS ER/PR+, 1 week till BM and the future looks bright!
After I discovered my growth, I spent a lot of time on breastcancer.org. I appreciate the knowledge and especially the emotional support. Got a plan, pivoted to another plan, and have waited six weeks doing comfort-planning. Here is my story in case it is helpful to anyone. Of course, every journey is unique. Pivoted from…
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Outpatient masectomy becoming the norm in Covid times?
Had 1 of 2 surgery consults and learned my great local hospital is doing "elective" surgeries outpatient only (with max 24 hours observation from entry to exit). With no support person allowed in facility, wondering how drain training even happens. Just sharing my trepidation. Also another unrelated learning, I should have…
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Bloated tummy after DIEP
Has anyone experienced extreme bloated tummy after DIEP surgery. It's 8 weeks since my surgery and my tummy is still numb and bloated. I can't fit into any slacks pre surgery and it is like a watermelon. This morning it seemed to go down for a couple of hours and then it's back up. I am active, walk, do housework, etc. PS…
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February 2022 Surgeries
As of today I am officially scheduled for 3rd of February, having left mastectomy and lymph node removal of the same side. I had neoadjuvant chemo (TCHP) and hoping to have no cancer cells left but ultrasound shows some left overs, if they are active I will go on with Kadcyla. Anyone else scheduled for February? I will try…
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Diary of a bilateral mastectomy
Hello, this diary could be called many things, as I started with a lumpectomy, and two years later had a bilateral mastectomy....I hope by sharing all the things I learned along the way, it will help another who may be embarking on a similar journey..... January 2005 - I found a lump in my left breast. I was about to turn…
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So surgery…. Ernie, meanie, minie, mo.
I am absolutely floored by the number of decisions that this diagnosis creates. Lumpectomy, mastectomy, double mastectomy and the reconstruction options can make a girl dizzy. I have IDC stage 1 ( currently). Tumor is grade 3 and has been called aggressive. Genetic testing has been sent off. Does anyone have any advice for…
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Surgery after path complete response
Has anyone with lymph node involvement reached pCR following neo-adjuvant chemo? If so, how does the surgeon decide how many lymph nodes to take? I know that I have one involved but until the surgery, I don't know how many others are/were infected. I know they'll want to remove the known node. Say I have three that are…
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Exercise Shortly After Surgery Improves Arm & Shoulder Mobility
Exercise Shortly After Breast Cancer Surgery Improves Arm and Shoulder Mobility November 17, 2021 Women at high risk of arm and shoulder problems who started a physical therapist–led exercise program about a week after breast cancer surgery with no reconstruction had better upper arm mobility than women who received…
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Weird numbness after lumpectomy
I had a right side mastectomy in 2020 but my cancer came back like a movie villian everyone thought was dead and got a tumor on the same side with an affect lymph node. I did chemo and had a lumpectomy and 9 lymph nodes removed. I had numbness from the mastectomy but with the new surgery I have numbness just above my right…
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Anyone scheduled for Jan yet?
My cancelled April 2021 surgery is now supposed to happen in Jan just after the holidays. Anyone else scheduled soon? I've seen the Breast surgeon and PS again recently. Meeting with anesthesiologist (i have problems metabolizing certain classes) and radiologist next week. Then my MO clearance. My GP surgical clearance is…
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Other Abnormal Tissue found after Mastectomy
I had a single mastectomy a week ago and am still waiting for pathology results next week I had a 18ml tumour IDC identified at mammogram and ultrasound and we know positive lymph node involvement from a needle biopsy so waiting to understand the extent of this after ALDN. However surgeon said he also discovered some other…
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Surgery in a few weeks, three questions
Hey all, I'm heading in on Feb 11, and I have three questions today. 1. Those of you who had a nerve block, how long did it actually last? I'll be getting Exparel, and the info on it says up to 72 hours. No painkiller ever lasts as long for me as the bottles say it should, and I'm wondering if this might follow that…
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Lumpectomy vs. Mastectomy with ATM gene variant?
Hello everyone. I have my last chemo appointment on Friday (so worried it's coming to an end) and met with the breast surgeon today. She said that I'm still a good candidate for lumpectomy, even though she discussed a mastectomy as well. She also told me that I had a modest response to chemo (Taxol every week plus…
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Re-excision under only local? Scheduled tomorrow.
Hello, Long story short I contracted Covid. The hospital has cancelled my oncoplastic lumpectomy (which I’m devastated about but can’t even processes what a mess my breast will be now). They told me they are doing to do a re-excision while I am awake using local anesthesia now bc they won’t intubated me for four weeks post…