Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
Comments
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I was hoping with just 3 taken I wouldn;t have too much problem, but seems like that may not be the case.
PuppyFingers crossed this will not be in your future , but do check the LE thread and also risk reduction. I had 2 clean nodes and ' know' quite a few women who had only one. Unfortunately , that's all it takes. Visit www.stepup-speakout.org if you want add'l info.
Ask your DR about your OCCOTYPE scrore regarding tx.
Best of luck to you!
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Puppymamma..thank yo for sharing your story with us. Sorry to hear that recovery is difficult. I am two months post surgery and my breast feels pretty much normal. I have some slight stabbing feeling at both incision sights as the area is still healing internally. I had some water built up in my breast that hurt for awhile but it was absorbed back into my body. If it has not I was going to try massages with an BS OT massage therapist. Y rift breast which the lump was removed.was originally slightly bigger than the left and now.it is slightly smaller. My understanding is radiation may shrink.it a bit also. I personally am not a breast lover so.it does not bother me however do not want to.draw.attention to myself so I will.get an insert if needed.
I was also.diagnosed at age 43. At first my MO was cautiously optimistic that my Mammoprint would come back.staying low chance of reoccurence however it c it was high. Mammaprint states either low or high. I immediately agreed to chemo and started asap. While waiting for.the test results I had seeked a second opinion because my her2 results were inconclusive. Another site retested the her2 and the mammaprint tests for it also. Wheen my mammaprint was received my 2nd opinion also.received it. He recommended the same chemo.cocktail as my original MO. However 2nd opinion says 4 rounds and primary 6 rounds. I stayed with the primary MO and will decide after 4 if I will receive The additional 2. Ultimately 8 I am the boss of my treatment. I would recommend a second opinion if you are hesitant. Just know they at throw more options at you that you have to make decisions about. Knowledge can be difficult but it is good. Better to have it before the decision is made than after. Some women have one opinion, some two, some three ..... do what makes.you comfortable. I was surprised how easy it was to to get a second opinion opinionated how all doctors were good about it. I go for.My second round of chemo.this morning.
I will receive 6.5 weeks of radiation then hormone therapy for 5-10 years.
Sometimes the most difficult part of getting through BC treatment is all the info and decisions. Take a deep.breath,reflect and decide what is best for you. Unfortunately this desease is not black and white but more advances are.being made.to.help.US all.kick this in the butt!!!
RuMuLU how is.the hormone therapy treating you? I am pre menopause but my MO said he could push me through Menopause with a shot
so I need to do research on the drug options.
My BS or OT never mentioned a compression sleeve to me but I read about every where. Maybe because I had only one node removed? Any opinions?
My husband is 13 years older than me. We have only been married 5 years. When I married him I.promised him I would love him and take care of him when he was "old" and I plan on doing just that. And let me tell you his family has some long life lines.0 -
My BS or IT never mentioned a compression sleeve to me but I read about every where. Maybe because I had only one node removed? Any opinions?
Hi there elk!
Compression sleeves , like mine ( see www.lymphedivas.com I am in BLK top and peacock sleeve) are normally only used after a DX of LE and after treatment from a LE therapist.
Having said that, all women who have had node removal and are planning on FLYING , should ask their DR about a sleeve with hand protection for the flight.0 -
puppymama, my oncotype was 21 which is just into the concerned area. I had clear margins but micromets in one of three nodes and type 3 agressive cancer. My onc said it was my call on the chemo but I decided to go with it. I had 4 rounds of taxotere/cytoxin. It was tough. Had taste issues primarily. I do not regret it now that I am 5 months past it. If you do decide, consider the Penguin Cold Caps to prevent hair loss. I used them and kept probably 75 % of my long thick hair. There is a discussion board here that you can get more info. I also had 33 radiation treatments which for me were a walk in the park. I used Aloe Force gel with my oncs approval and had minimal pinking. Good luck!
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Hi Lumpies!
LaurieParr - we're in your pocket (((squeeze))). May today's appointment give you clear direction on how to proceed and confidence that your care is in His hands...blessings
Elkatho - best wishes for your 2nd round of chemo this morning brave warrior! The choices we must make:( but the power and control that comes from being able to make choices:). HT is going ok...day 4 of AI. Made choice to do 2.5-3 yrs AI first than will switch to tamoxifen. Concern with stroke risk since strokes on both sides of family. I'm dedicated to pounding my bones so gym, weightlifting, dancing, walking. This site under research has article on timing and switching HT tx.
My hubby is 12 yrs older too. I retired young to play with him...not be fighting cancer with him...now we're both cancer survivors and my goal is to live well to at least 100! That means he'll be 112! Yikers:)))
Compression sleeve talk may come after rads or if you plan on flying or traveling to much higher ground! Just ask.
Puppy mama - breathe! In time you and your team will have all the pieces to help you determine the best course of tx to kick c! Focus on today:) you will be fine brave warrior!
Sending calm confident thoughts for speedy healing and strong bodies, minds, ad souls.
(((Hugs)))
Cindy0 -
PuppyMama, it looks like you and I have similar stats. I was 45 when diagnosed and pre-menopausal. My Onco score was 24 which was directly in the middle of the middle. I opted to take chemo because I wanted to give myself the best chances of zero recurrence. 4 rounds of cytoxan/taxotere between July and September followed by 36 rounds of radiotherapy and I made it. Chemo wasn't a picnic, but it's definitely doable. The chemo nurses are angels when it comes to taking care of you. The biggest side effect I suffered from was lost taste buds. I had zero nausea thanks to the preventative meds they give now and it's been 9 months today since my last treatment and my hair is as long now as it was the day I started (about 3 inches). I had seriously thin hair and now it's beautiful. I didn't get a lot of chemo curl, but I have enough that my hair is now wavy and full. I'm never cutting it again LOL
As we all do, you must make the decision you feel most comfortable with. Is it worth it to go thru 3 months of feeling crummy to have more peace of mind? For me it was. Do I still worry about recurrence? Sure, we all do. Would I do it again if I had to. You bet.
Laurie, I hope you get more good news from your BS today that no excision is necessary. I think my BS told me I had a spot of 'close' margins. SHE likes to see a full centimeter and the 'close' part was .5 centimeter. I wanted her to be very agressive when taking that sucker out because I had plenty to spare
Speaking of which... Have any of you consulted with a PS to have the non BC side reduced to match? I lucked out with my surgeron's skill and have this cute perky boob on one side that's at least a full cup smaller than "droopy". I like it!! (Hubby can suck an egg if he thinks I'm going for addition to "perky"!)0 -
Purple....Thanks for all the links....very helpful. I apologize for all my typos. I have to figure out how to turn off the "spell check" on my kindle. I am such a slow typists on the kindle already and then to go back and try to fix stuffing (see I sware I had typos and it changed to stuffing)
...irritating:)
Have a great day.0 -
Purple--thanks for the links I will def check them out.
Elkatho-- Don't worry I am a terrible typist, not too good at spelling to begin with,lol. Thanks for your advice I will be thinking of you going thru chemo, keep us all informed as to how it is going since I will probably be joining you soon.
Chell45- glad things have gone well for you, I love to eat it's one of my very favorite things, not looking forward to loosing tastebuds although it may be good for my waistline. Does the taste eventually come back? As far as the girls go, yes I also like the smaller one better, may consider getting the other to match but don't even want to think about that right now.
I am not really concerned about my hair, I know that is temporary, I am a bit OCD I have already ordered 2 wigs and about 10 hats,
my friends just smile and shake their heads,lol Everone thanks for all the advice, I appreciate it. I am just impatient and want to know everything NOW, lol. I have done a ton of research the problem is I do so much research so fast that then I forget or get confused and forget were I read what. I was just diagnosed on May 16 and have already had surgery so its been moving quickly, although it seems slow. I know I need to relax take a deep breath and slow down. It's hard.
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They did come back PuppyMama. The sweet took the longest (4 weeks maybe?) and I've been making up for it ever since
I don't blame you for wanting everything done NOW. You'll be armed with a lot of info when you meet with your Dr again and will be able to have a good discussion with her/him. I never did get a wig. I wore hats the whole time. It was great during the summer! And I could be ready to get out the door in 15-20 minutes in the morning. No hair to do. Those were the days... Don't get me wrong, I NEVER want to go thru them again! lol
How far into your treatments are you elkatho? Hope you are handling them well and not too many terrible SE's for you. Rest and hydrate.0 -
Have to start Monday with the lymphedema therapist .Three days a week ,with bandages.She knows her stuff.Measured both my arms.Going on 4 weeks,since surgery for a partial mastectomy.One lymph node had cancer,and 14 removed.Start chemo ,the last of this month,something called TAC...and radiation,will be next..This has been a journey...i read these posts,and see we are all going thru the same thing,and we are never alone.Thanks for being here!!!!!!!!
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Hi friends,
Love to all of you posting recently. Hope and prayers to all of you going through your own battles. You are all in my heart every day.
My follow up was today. My "angel" doctor walked in, took a deep breath and said, "Well hon....we need to do surgery again." So, my reexcision will be tomorrow morning. I took a deep breath and said, "Thank you." I felt comfortable with this decision and I'm so glad that he didn't even give me the option of not. As I had said before, this first surgery kind of knocked me on my butt (I wasn't expecting that) and my scar is still fresh, but I am grateful that we are doing it right away. He assured me that the weird ring affect under my armpit was just bruising. Yay. Also, NO invasive cancer was found. Yay! So, I will have a week setback, but I am still on track to be well enought to fly to Omaha in two weeks to watch my son pitch. I wouldn't miss that for the world.
When the doctor left, my husband started to cry and said, "You knew it. I'm so sorry you have to do this again." Love him.
Well, that is it for now girls. See you on the other side (again).
Love and hugs,
XOXOXOXO
Laurie
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(((Laurie))) - in your pocket surrounding you and family with prayers!
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Laurie..sending peaceful thoughts. Glad you are able to have it done so soon. Stay confident. Sending a little hug to your hubby also...mine would react the same way. It is so difficult for them also.
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Laurie,
I am sending prayers up for you.
Vickie
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Laurie - sorry you have to do this again. I know what you mean about being glad your doc didn't give you a choice. Makes life so much easier: AND, you know that your feeling of relief means you would have eventually picked that option anyway.
As for your hubby's reaction... I hate to say I told you so... but on this occasion I am so glad I was right! I just KNEW that it was concern for you, not for himself, having to go through this all again. I am soooo glad your surgery is immediate! No time to worry!
Lots of love coming your way! I will be praying for you tomomorrow!
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Vicks1960 - I too am having internal radiation. Will have catheter inserted on Monday and will finish up on the 17th. When I saw the size of savi catheter, I have to say I was overwhelmed. I am so anxious about this but have read other posts that said it was not too bad. I am ever so grateful to be only having rads for 5 days but my onc has been very adamant about no activity to reduce risk of displacing cath. I have lots of worries.
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Really, it isn't too bad. Once the balloon is inserted, they leave the cathaters exposed but tape them down so they aren't in the way. The rad rods are inserted thru those. Each treatment took only about 30 minutes from the time I was in the dressing room and returning to it. I am glad that I was a good candidate for this type of treatment.
GOOD LUCK... I will include you on my prayer list. Keep us posted on how you are doing.
Vickie
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Laurie- I am also jumping in your pocket with hugs, good thoughts and prayers for you and your family!!
I got results from MRI today that 3.3 cm tumor has shrunk to 1.2 cm and node is shrinking too.yaaay. Taxol is finally kicking in, had treatment 8 today- 4 more to go. Now I feel even better about getting lumpectomy/rads.
Michelle
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You are all so brave! I know we've all had a rough time of it, but those of you going through chemo and strong enough to remain positive and supportive! You are truly inspiring!
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Michelle - Great News! Yippee! Chemo is shrinking the #%##€ out of the tumor and node...yes:).
In your pocket...yeah only 4 more than lx! Hang in there brave warrior.
(((Hugs)))
Cindy0 -
Dear friends,
Thank you for your hugs and support. I am doing okay, however the pain is WAY worse than last weeks surgery. Not complaining, just fact. The anethesia really bothered me this time (prob cause it was back to back) and I was so restless when I got home that I couldn't sit, stand, or lie down. All I could do was pace. It was awful. Hubby suggested a slow walk outside. We did that (ice packs and PJ's hahaha) and it helped SO much. Plus I drank a ton of water to flush my system. My incision isn't very pretty anymore. It is more jaggedy and indented, but as long as the cancer is gone, I don't care.
Michelle-HURRAY!! I am SO happy for you! I will continue praying!
sba--My thoughts and prayers are with you. You are so very brave to have to endure this.
Vicki, Elk, RmLulu, Steph---thank you my friends! XOXOXOXO to all of you!
Thank you all for being here. I appreciate ALL of you!
XOXOXO
Laurie
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Laurie...hope you are resting well. Surgery is now behind you. love that you took walk in you PJs:):) wishes for a speedy recovery.
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LaurieParr - Hope you are feeling much improved and healing quickly! Sending calm confident thoughts for clear margins and comfort:) After time you may be able to use Mederma to fade and ease the sight of your incisions. But the benefit of rads is that it sort of cooks them nice and small and they look much improved.
Keeping you in my prayers mighty warrior!
(((Blessings)))
Cindy
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Oh Laurie, I've been off with my own surgery and didn't see you had to go back for more surgery, I am sorry I missed that so sending hugs for quick healing and little discomfort.
I have to wait until the 23rd to find out my final pathology, which seems like a long wait, but I'm getting use to it. I hope you keep your spirits up and try not to worry about the incisions, I'm sure they will heal fine. I do feel somewhat guilty saying that as I just took off my "big" bandage as instructed and had a little cry at seeing my new breast. Honestly it really looks great, it's just an emotional experience, so I do understand. Lots of happy thoughts your way-we both made it through surgery and for that I am grateful!0 -
(((slv58))) - yes, that first look is so hard...
its the confirmation that our lives have been shaken and challegened. But we rise and stand strong. Each day it gets a bit easier to look at...i took pics along the journey and have them with a chubby 1yr old pic of me with rolls of baby love handles and think yeah thats how we started out ha! I love life...its an adventure and Im living the E ticket!
Sending happy thoughts for a speedy and comfortable recovery brave warrior!
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I had my LX a year ago may and internal rads. Stopped AI after 7mos due to severe SEs. No real complications. My breast looks great, swelling has gone down. But one question i want to pose is this: I was very vigilant on my self exams. Now my breast just does not feel anything like it did. I wouldnt have any idea if it changed or if there was a lump - it just feels like a giant lump is in the middle. Do you all feel the same? I asked my onc about it, and my gyn - but no one had any comments about it. Would love to hear your comments
sbab - while I wasnt out playing sports during rads week - I did wake up a couple times sleeping on my stomach - and it never dislodged or even moved! Dont worry. It was a breeze for me - id choose it again if i had to do it all over0 -
Shayne:
It might be lymphedema. It could be an infection due to fluid. I would get it checked asap. I don't take the AI's either. My ondx was 10.
**What's the difference between an oncodx and a mammaprint??
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Cindy- hugs back my friend and thank you. You always say such comforting things.
SLV58-thank you so much and I am praying for your pathology to be clear. I'm so sorry you have to wait so long. My heart goes out to all of you and what you are going through.
XOXOXO
Laurie0 -
The oncotype and mammaprint are essentially the same, just different tests depending on where you are and which test is available to your doctor.
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Got bloodwork today and have my post treatment CT scan on Wednesday. If all looks good I will get my port out in July! YEAH!!!!! I had it put in in November when I started chemo and ready for it to go.
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