Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
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kay, that is great news about no tamoxifen. I know you are relieved by that.
I get to go meet with my BS tomorrow regarding my seroma. I'm hoping he will have a solution other than opening me back up again.
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kayfry....good news on the tamoxifen!
shelley....glad your re-excison is behind you and sorry for the flare up. I'd think with a 15 no chemo....but I guess that just one piece of the puzzle.
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Oh, jeanelle, I hope so too. Fingers crossed!
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Nash54, thanks!
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Thanks, Trudi, I'm happy to join you in the "no tamoxifen club" now that I'm a "legitimate member
I plan to do as much of all of those things as I can. The book chapters MUST get done, but I will see that the horse, dogs, and long walks happen, too. I'm so much less worried about rads, thanks to all the positive words from you ladies who've been there. Also, did I mention I'm not sorry to avoid the $120 copay for a medical oncology appointment I never did think I needed? Yeah, as the bills mount up, that's no small thing.0 -
Peggy, yes nodes were clear
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Great news, Shelley!! Fingers crossed! HUGS!
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Glad to hear that, shelley!
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Hi everyone, I've been taking a break from thinking about cancer for a few days, ha ha. If you believe that, I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you:). I did read through the January chemo thread. I cried a few times, smiled quite a bit, and told myself I can do this, I know I can. Seems like next Wednesday can't come soon enough. Happy to hear that everyone is doing well and that jenelle, everything is moving in the right direction for you. We had another beautiful snow day last Monday, we got about 15 inchs, it's all still lovely. Maybe more this weekend. I was wondering how long your arm feels sensitive? It will be 2 weeks tomorrow, and wasn't sure how much longer
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Bikerbabe....I'm 4 months out and my arm is finally starting to feel mostly normal again. Still tender in the incision sites for LX and SNB.
Shelley....great on the clear nodes!!!!
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Bikerbabe, glad you are doing well. I'm 5 months out from surgery and there are still areas of my underarm that are numb and tingly at times. I strongly recommend physical therapy. It really helped me with my arm.
Shelley, great to hear about the nodes!
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Hello ladies,
I'm having a lumpectomy and sentinel nod biopsy a week from today, Feb 12. I'm coming here to see all your tips and suggestions for the procedure, so I have some research to do!
My doc's nurse says I shouldn't have a drain so I'm hopeful I won't....Hoping I can return to work in a few days.
Need suggestions on a bra for after surgery. The tumor is high, say around 1 or 2 o'clock position if you put a clock face on your breast...haha. I saw something about Natori? Will look into further.
Many thanks to all of you brave women who post your experience here for the rest of us.
Allison
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Bikerbabe, I can't be any help on the arm sensitivity, but it's good to know you're doing well. If you have to do chemo, I hope and believe you'll get through it just fine, the same as you've handled everything else already. Will be thinking about you.
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allicat, welcome! You've come to a great place here, with lots of compassion and wisdom that is freely shared. I had a lumpectomy without SNB a little over 3 weeks ago, and the anticipation was far worse than the actual event. I recovered quickly, and now I have a little break before I start rads.
I'm not sure if the SNB makes a difference with regard to bra choices, but I found that the most comfortable bra after surgery was the Coobie "comfort bra," which I learned about here. The Genie bra is very similar and even cheaper, and I also have a couple of those. You can find them online; I think I read that the Genie is also available maybe in Walmart? These are very stretchy, no underwire or hooks, and you can either pull them on over your head, which is what I do, or if your arm after surgery says no to arms over the head, I believe other ladies step into them and just pull them up. Coobie also has a couple of other styles, all comfortable and stretchy, in many colors. These bras have removable lightweight pads that you can use or not. I found that besides adding a little needed oomph to my shape, the pad actually felt protective over my healing incision for the first couple of weeks, especially. I wore them at night for probably 2 weeks, and found that to help with sleeping comfort, too.
I think most of us are able to return to work after lumpectomy within a couple of days to maybe a week at most? I'm sure it varies, but it really shouldn't be long, depending on what your work entails.
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Good morning, ladies, hope everyone's feeling well. I may be a bit less talkative here for the next few weeks, just wanted to say that I'll still be checking and reading regularly and hoping everyone, wherever you are, gets good news and finds everything to be far more do-able than it seemed at first.
I have a lot of work to try to get done this month, before I start the 5-day-a-week commute to rads that will be most of March for me. In addition to a book deadline coming fast on the heels of finishing that 4-week-treatment in which the driving to and from will take a lot more time than the actual treatments, this month I have my rads simulation and an overdue gyn annual (hoping for no more unpleasant surprises there!), as well as a PS consult I set up strictly for information purposes, in case I do decide down the line that I want to try to improve the appearance of my upper regions. I'm sure that wouldn't happen, if at all, until up to a year after rads, but I'm the kind of person who just wants to know what the options are
I'm talking minimalistic fat-grafting, pretty sure I won't go for any full-on reconstruction with implants or flaps, but I just want to get an opinion on what could be done to help my deflated left side if it doesn't settle into something I don't mind looking at. I'm still catching up on non-BC-related medical appointments like dermatology (history of lots of skin cancers, so it's not optional for me). And I hope to take a break, like Bikerbabe, from thinking about BC all the time I have a horse to ride and dogs to walk and a family and a career and wow, this cancer gig can get to be a full-time job!I'm sure I'll be back for more advice and reassurance once I get going with rads, though. I hate to be so needy, but it's really kind of a scary journey for everyone, and I'm no exception. I've already learned so much here.
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My wife aged 40 recently went through a lumpectomy and she is going thru post surgery phase and care, as is having 2 Carcinoma tumors in her right breast at grade 3. Her 2 lymph nodes from under arm were also checked during the course of surgery, results of which becomes negative.
Now, she is facing a problem having a bit swelling in the arm and can stretch it straight upside but with some difficulty and pain. Any suggestions on type of physical therapy in order to have normalcy for the arm.
She will be having a chemotherapy sessions in due course of time.
With regards,
Sajjad
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allicat - I had lx and snb 10/31/14. Not knowing where the actual incisions would be ahead, it was hard to know what type of bra. I bought several sports bras, one with a front zipper. Left the tags on and took them with me. My snb incision was below the "shave line" so needed a bra that wasn't high up under the arm. One sports bra worked, the other didn't. I've read several discussions on bra preferences in this thread. Good luck!
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Allison, I had my surgery (same as you) on a Thursday, and felt good to return to work on Monday. I sit at a desk, so it was fairly easy. I did keep my days to about 6 hours, for the first week, just to be sure, and most afternoons I took a nap when I got home. I listened to the advice of the others on this thread
. I found any sports bra that closes in the front was comfortable. Am still wearing them at night, I tried going without a bra the other night, and found I wasn't quite ready. But my arm had full range from the beginning, so after the first week or so, I went back to my regular bras for the day, and my sports bra for the night.
The whole procedure was rather uneventful, and calming, as you get that cancer out. My lump was 2.8 centimeters, and in about same location as yours. The only thing now is the numbness, tingling in the underarm, doesn't hurt, but is annoying. Sounds like that hangs around for awhile
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Sajj, definitely have your wife find a physical therapist who knows lymphadema. It will help her immensely. So glad her nodes were clear. Sorry to hear she has to have chemo but she'll do fine, especially since you're such a supportive husband. Let us know if we can help out.
Kay, we'll miss you here but understand your time problems!
That underarm numbness seems to linger forever. My BS said it could take up to 2 years for the nerves to heal. If they haven't after 2 years, then what you have is what you're keeping. I also had full range of motion right away.
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sajj1970....If your wife is having swelling you should definitely get that checked out. If it's lymphedema you want to catch it early.
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Dear sajj, Welcome to the BCO community. We are sorry to hear about your wife's situation but you came to a great community for resources and support. You are receiving some input from our members about Lymphedema and so we are directing you to more information about such. A physical therapist who specializes in lymphedema treatment may be a good resource for you if in fact that is what is causing the swelling. Here is a link to more information about Lymphedema. Let us know how you make out and what you learn. The Mods
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Allison, my tumor was 3 cm and in about the same place as yours. I think they officially said it was at 2:00. My incision is actually right above the nipple area. The incision for the SNB is worse than the breast one for most people. I know it was for me. I bought a bunch of sports bras that I wore after surgery. During radiation, they were too much and I switched to Genie bras (that the wonderful Peggy recommended). Good luck on your surgery.
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Jeanelle, you're too kind. I had read nearly all of this forum before my lumpy and the Genie bra was highly recommended. I got mine at RiteAid. I'd guess they are at most drugstores. And online. QVC also sells them.
That SNB is in such a vulnerable spot. There's no way to easily protect it and EVERYTHING seems to rub it. With the poor girl, you can generally keep things from rubbing the incision.
Allison, you'll do just fine. If they offer you a valium before your surgery, snap it up! I never take that stuff but I figured being mellow was a good thing. And it was. I took one pain pill in recovery. Then regular Tylenol at night "just because." Otherwise I was fine. I iced my SNB. I was quite surprised at how comfortable I was. Good luck! HUGS!!
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allicat....definitely remember to ICE...it keeps the swelling down.
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Thank you for starting Lumpectomy Lounge! I was happy to see this as most women I went through radiation and at my BC support groups have had mastectomy. I do have something going on that I'd like to see if anyone else has had similar issues. My surgery was in August and I finished rads the beginning of December of 2014. I started feeling a large knot just below my incision site about the size of an almond. It turns out it was a seroma, and I was told three times by two different doctors that it would dissolve on it's own. Well it ended up surfacing and re-opened my incision. The culture came back negative so no staph or strep concerns, but it has slowed my healing process and is now looking like a much larger scar that is deeper in appearance. There is also a rash around my entire incision scar. Has anyone had a similar experience? I just want to move beyond the healin after 6 months. Thanks!
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Sajjad, Welcome to this forum. I wish your wife well as she recovers. She should definitely notify her doctor about her swollen arm. Lymphedema is a very serious issue. You could discuss exercises with her doctor, too. Here is a link to some post breast surgery exercises from the American Cancer Society website. I found them helpful. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/moreinformation/exercises-after-breast-surgery
Sopravvissuta, That sounds awful. Could the rash be an infection? I didn't have a seroma, but I'm sure someone who did will reply soon.
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Hi everyone, could anyone help with my query please ? Do any of you ladies ever get pain in the other breast. Sometimes it takes my breath away. I had my last check up only weeks ago and all fine lumps wise. Mammogram not due until September and just a bit scared.😢
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Suppravvissuta, I had surgery beginning of September and finished radiation first week of December. I had a large lump under my incision, red all around my nipple, and my nipple was having some drainage. I ended up with a mammogram and ultrasound which showed it was nothing but a 4 cm seroma that had found a tract to my nipple so it is periodically draining from there. They also cultured the liquid removed and it came back clean. I saw the surgeon yesterday. He was totally unconcerned about the seroma and told me that sometimes they take months and months to resolve and that it isn't uncommon for them to find a wait to drain through the nipple. He was more concerned about how red my nipple area was and how my skin is still a bit swollen from radiation. Anyways, I ended up with having to take a wait and see approach. The red around my nipple isn't a rash though..
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Scouser47-I have not, but would definately discuss with the doctor if it is that painful.
We need to always take care of ourselves and point out anything abnormal.
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Allocated-I had SNB and lumpectomy in December, I wore the ace wrap home and then for 24 hours. After that sports bra for two days and then regular bra. My lumpectomy incision was above my nipple about an inch. I slept pretty much off and one the first three days-don't do well with anesthesia (didn't take any painkillers or aspirin afterwards.
Best wishes on your procedure, you will do fine. Hugs and prayers!
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