August 2011 Surgery Group
Comments
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Lumpectomy and SNB 8/26/2011
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Joan 811, I think we have similar situations. I had lumpectomy and SNB on 8/26. I had arrived at the hospital at 7:30 for a 12:30 surgery that wasn't really happening until 1:30. I agree, waiting was a drag, especially with a headache. I had to ask for Tylenol, but it was still raging during wire guide placement and mammo, and through dye injection (ouch, ouch, ouch!) and pictures of tht. Finally I got some drugs from the nurse anesthetist! I was amazed at how well I felt on day 1 at home. 8 days later I have more fluid in the "empty" space than last week. My bruises are smaller and fading. My incisions are sensitive, though. I had no need for pain meds after the second night home. I'm warm and a bit swollen, but not feverish. Luckily, no problems with arms, and the surgeon took out 12 nodes. The best thing? All nodes were negative for cancer. Good luck with your pathology report!
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NancyJill,
Any results yet? Looks like you have node results... Do you have an onco appointment yet?
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I am 11 days out and feeling pretty good. Some swelling on each side of my body which irritates me when I try to put my arms down by my side. The 4 tubes are gone HOOORAH! Just took a great shower finally which always makes me feel better. Wish I could have gotten recon already but now know that I do have to get radiation as well as chemo because of lymph involvement.
blondelawyer--you are in inspiration to us all with your strength to deal with what you have on your plate. We are all here for you and fighting with you.
Went out shopping for a bit yesterday with my BFF and bought some headcovers I found for when the hair falls out...cried at the checkout while she rung them up as reality sometimes strikes when you least expect it. Onc appt Tuesday to find out what I gotta do to fight this aweful disease
Maggie
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Mags ~ Glad you are feeling good. A shower can work wonders sometimes!
Everyone, have a nice holiday weekend!
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Joan811, got my pathology results on 8/31. All nodes negative. 1 cm IDC, 3.5 cm of DCIS. Margins clear around tumor (1 cm), "close" 1.8 mm around DCIS. Surgeon thinks they are clear enough. Will meet oncologist on Friday. I am expecting radiation. Also looking forward to corroboration that 1.8 mm is enough of a margin with DCIS, along with radiation. When do you get your results?
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Blebecca7.. I had my bmx 8/9 also..how did everything go.
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I had lumpectomy on 8/4 with needle localization. The wait time was way too long. 7:30 am to surgery at 12:30. Waiting is the worst thing. Pathology report did not have clear margins so re-excision was required on 8/19. Margins were cleared by at least 1 mm on all by one side this time. I still have pain and but the fluid sounds are gone (I could hear fluid sloshing around for the first week). I can tell the breasts aren't the same weight but I really don't notice much difference in size when I put on a bra. I am not disappointed in the look (DCIS is in the upper left quad).
BS ordered MRI but I couldn't do it. Overall BS has removed over 5 cm of tissue so maybe that we need to move to MX but I do want to know more about other breast which had some spots that were being watched over the last 3 years. I will be on the list for surgery in Sept - either another re-excision or a MX.
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I thought I was going to be cleared by my BS tomorrow to start Rads next week but I have again picked up fluid on both sidesof my chest. it has been a week since she last drained them and they looked great-but maybe I was avoiding looking at them. Noticed the incisions sagging in the shower this morning-never a good sign.
I am hoping it isn;t enough to have to be drained but it covers the whole area which means the skin is definitely not getting stuck to the chest muscles. I go for my CT/Sim tomorrow after I see her and he wanted to start TX the following Mon. I am sure she is going to want to delay that by several weeks.
Darn it!!! I swore I was going to have A BC-FREE holiday weekend but it made me so mad I hadto post. So sorry of stinking smalldelays that seem to stretch this whole thing out that much further!!
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Mags- I just wanted to encourage you as someone who already had chemo that the 2 hardest times for me with the hair loss were BEFORE I didn't have any! The first was when I got my wig (I was sobbing so I can relate to your story!) and the 2nd was the day we were going to buzz my head. Once we sat down to do it, I felt much better. I had my 4 year old and 2 year old help and they had a blast! It turned it into more of a party and less of a sad thing. My kids LOVED petting my head!! It took a little while to get used to going out in scarves because I felt like people were feeling sorry for me but then I realized that was just my insecurity. Once I forgot about the scarves, so did the people around me! I decided I had been through so much, I wasn't going to apologize for the way I looked! Hopefully this will help you a little through this tough time.... As I said, it gets much better from here!
Lily- So sorry to hear about the fluid. I still have some too, so it looks like I'll be in this darn compression bra for awhile. They had to push back my TE exapnsion date too because of it and now it looks like it will interfere with rads. My b-day was last week and all I wanted was a BC free day for that too, so of course I was woken up with a call from my Onc (who has NEVER called me at home before!) to tell me I have decreased heart function due to the Herceptin. GRRRR not the way I wanted to start the day! But I realized I was still the one who had say over whether it would take over my day... Hoping your weekend is going better!!
Everyone- I had my BMX on the 15th and had had very little pain for quite awhile. Now suddenly my right (non-cancer) side is feeling pins and needles or sometimes stabbing pain when I bend down or roll over. I am thinking (and hoping) it is due to nerve regeneration. Just hoping I didn't mess something up because I did pick up my 27 pound daughter once. Anyone else experiencing this?
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abatelik: I had my BMX on the 16th and have had an increase in pain, similar to what you describe, but on both sides. I think (and hope) that it is just the nerves waking up.
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My left side which had the 18 nodes removed feels like it is burning when anything touches it. It runs down the back side of my arm from pit to almost elbow. Clothes rub it so much I have just been going topless at home. I too think it must be nerve regeneration as there is no redness or swelling in that arm or in the fingers. The incision across the chest is just tight and the only real "pain" is where they took the tubes out--which are also healing well.
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cbecchetti: I am so sorry you have to have either another re-excision or MX or BMX. I thought my 6 cm excision was a lot--you are right there with me. I haven't shrunken yet to how my size will be--still swollen with fluid from lumpectomy. I am lucky my doctor got to within 1.8 mm on the closest side to my DCIS, 1 cm on closest side to my IDC tumor. Why couldn't you do the MRI? It will provide more information about the other side that may help with your surgical decisions.
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The nerves wake up?! WHAT?! What next?! GEEZ LOUISE! Tomorrow will be 2 weeks since my BMX with TEs. I'm mostly alright except getting up from lying down is still SUCH a chore! The other constant pain is pretty dull with the random shooting pin like pain every now and again. I told my hubby that I was tired of the pain today. I guess it's going to be a while though, eh? Man, it just feels like it will never end.
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I find that some days I have almost no pain and other days I have quite a bit. I'm 3 weeks out (but no TEs).
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I am 3 weeks out with TEs and my pain seems to have increased a bit, with occassional stabbing pains. I am hoping to get my first fill on Wednesday and am hoping that doesn't cause too much more pain. The most pInful spot for me right now seems to be at the top of the breast near the armpits, but also in the center of my chest at the bottom edge of my breasts.
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I still have one of my drains in and was down to 30 ccs (what I need to be before they will take it out) for 1 day and now it is back up to like 50-65 ccs. I have an appointment with my BS for a "wound check" on Wednesday and I figured I'd get my drain out, but at this rate it isn't going to happen. Tomorrow will be 3 weeks, so that seems like a long time! Anyone else have a drain in for that that long or longer?
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Hi everyone. Was very distracted last few day with TS Lee. (a good thing I guess) Anyway see the onc tomorrow. Pet scan in next couple of weeks also. Its now almost week four and I am feeling normal again (well mostly).
blondlawyer Had my drains 17 days and had about 34-38cc total still daily from each but he pulled them fearing infection. I did fine my body absorbed the fluid just fine. The fluid was very light orangish (that may make a difference) if its still very bloody they may not want to pull them!
Mags20487 I have the same problem 18 nodes removed no feeling under my arm down to the tricep area nor on that side of my chest and get that burning pain often. My dr said it may never go away. Note to self: get used to it.
So IF and a big if I agree to chemo wig shopping to come. I have to work I fly every week to my clients all over the country and am in a corporate position so suits and need to have a wig I guess. I do not want people to know if you know what I mean. At least it will be winter as I heard the wigs are hot.
I think my kids are sick of me 23 and 19 and am glad Im driving again. I hate depending on them so much but my mom is 73 and actually Im worried she is getting confused and very forgetful lately. Geez more problems.
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The PS told me those stabbing shooting pains are nerve regeneration. Boy, does that hurt! The BMX has activated my RSD/CRPS, a pain syndrome, in my left arm and neck, where I have severe spinal stenosis and degeneration. I go for pain blocks later this month. FUN! I am on serious pain meds and was told to take them round the clock, even waking myself up to take them (which I can't do). Some days are better than others.
I almost passed out twice yesterday, my first day out. My DH had to work so I took our 6 year old out to the farmers market, for school supplies, clothes, to drop off this stuff at school, then almost passed out in his school. He goes to a small private school and some of his teachers are also our friends, so I got yelled at good, then another friend/teacher sent me home to sleep and said she would bring DS home "later". This woman has 300 and I have one, and I felt like a loser since I couldn't care for one. She just told me when you have so many it is actually easier, because they entertain each other.
But, this just showed me I'm not as strong as I thought I was. We stayed home today, I made chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, and was exhausted the rest of the day. This time I didn't try to drive anywhere. My DH yelled at me for bein irresponsible, but I just wanted my baby to have a nice day before school starts!
Hope everyone is feeling much less of those stabbing pains soon!0 -
Hi Eema:
Sorry your having so much pain! Do you need further ca tx or was the surgery it? Oh and every Mom would have done the same for their children so dont feel bad!!! I am dragging myself to Baton Rouge tis weekend to watch my som play college football. Its what we do!!!
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Blondelawyer - Yes, I had BMX and have had 4 drains in for 24 days now. Sheesh. I am also having that nerve regeneration thing going on since about 2 weeks post op. Weird because it's more achy and tender than it was immediately after surgery. It was pretty darm numb there for a while. I do not like going out in public with the drains but would rather have drains than lymphedema so I am trying to be patient.
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Dixiebell, I need a ooperectomy/hysterectomy (scheduled for Oct 26), and hopefully that is it. I have a little sore throat, so of course, I think I have thyroid cancer. I'm going to the dermatologist because I have a mole my PCP said i should have checked out, and since I had stage 1 melanoma @ 17, I'm always sure I'll have a recurrence. But besides that, no additional tx. I was given the choice of rads + lumpectomy + tamoxifen or mastectomy, so I said, what the heck, just take them both!
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Well ladies I see I am not alone in having PAIN. Wed is one week post surgery and I only have 2 drains. Would rather have had 4 so I don;t have to go thru this GAIN BUT oh well guess my plSTIC SURGEON had to golf last week or so on. han. I have been doing light housework and so on. Just not lifting or sweeping , just what I can to stay active some. My DH hpas been doing hardest chores. My drainage was down up until this morning now back to 30cc each side 2 times I did them today. I was told I could take a quick bath just not to immerge drains. So in morning been after doing drains laying them on outside of tub on a towel and washing up. Was told to use dove soap only or ivory. Been kneeling outside of tub first washing hair. Takes an hour but feels better. lol. Guess I was expecting drains out to fast listening to your posts since only not a week out. Does anyone know if overdoing it causes more drainage they did not explain this. Okay gonna try get some rest still on couch with the wedge and two other pillow friends. ha. Will say a prayer for you all to heal. If my typing is messed up sorry.
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lorenar - I was told no housework or any real "activity" until drains out. I walked around the house and that was it. I am sure many dr. will have many opinions.
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Hi Ladies,
I am two weeks post BMX today and still have two drains that fill to 70-80 each 24 hours. They don't seem to be slowing at all. My right one now leaks after it has been stripped. Makes going out with these lovely grenades even more fun. I don't even have an appt with my PS - he said "call when they are under 25". Tomorrow I see the MO so at least I will have a new set of worries to research.
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susanwmcg I would call FIRST THING IN THE MORNING and tell them its leaking and how much drainage you still have. I had my drain 17 days so its not the timeframe that bothers me. What does the drainage look like in color? Also you may want to see if you notice any odor. (sign of infection). This is the things my dr told me to watch for. 80cc seems way to much after 2 weeks!
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Thanks for the heads up on the nerve regeneration sensations! Don't know if it will be better than the weird sensitive but numb feeling that's there now, but at least I will be prepared thanks to you all!
Blonde lawyer- I believe that your surgery was quite a bit more extensive than most of ours and that would account for more drainage. Give your body, mind, and soul time to heal .... You have been through more in your young 33 years than anyone needs in a lifetime. You are strong. Good luck on your test results. Will be thinking of only good news for you!0 -
I'm so sorry you all still have drains! Those were so miserable. I think my PS pulled mine prematurely because of infection. I do still have some fluid accumulation. I see the BS tomorrow and I have a long list of questions for him. Some might be too silly to ask.
I'm losing a lot of hair and no I'm not having chemo. I think it's from all the anesthesia? I've had 3 surgeries in the last month. Anyone else experiencing that? Pain is much better now and I'm starting to get some range of motion back. I am having a hard time sleeping. I should probably go see my PCP but I haven't seen her in forever and really don't want to add in another appointment.
I'm also waiting on the pathology report from my oophorectomy. Results should be in tomorrow.
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tlaquepaque YEAH I know an answer. My daughter is a hairstylist and yes I lost so much hair after surgery it is perfectly normal after anesthesia and may continue for a month or more.
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Thanks dixiebell. I will call. It is yellow-orange in color with no odor. But has been the same amount since day one.
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