Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
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Sailorbev
I had my surgery on a Friday. By Mon. morning my breast was HUGE and purple. Went in to see the surgeon, he said he had never seen a hematoma that large. Had surgery on Tues morning, and he removed 1100 ccs of fluid/blood. Sure felt better after that., Took some time to return to normal color. that was 3-1/2 years ago. other than having to have a seroma aspirated twice in the first few months, doing great now. Just had a normal followup visit with MO this past week. All is good. Go back in Nov. to MO and RO for routine checkup.
Good luck with your recovery!!!!!
Vickie
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Love the picture! We have super wineries in Maryland if there are any folks out this way!
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MidgieMoon, I think that the winery has been perfect for us. Good wine and good food. And a very peaceful setting. It's also pretty central for us. I'd love to visit but I'm blowing my vacation budget for the next 100 years visiting my kids this summer
HUGS!
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Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts on LX vs MX. Hmmm... Yes, I do think I considered the recent celebs who were getting BMXs... Although... I sometimes suspect that they get BMXs because that way they can better match their breasts and have plastic surgeons lined up early??? I actually thought about doing BMX because it might be a better result cosmetically... BUT I'm glad to have had an LX because all that surgery is not something I'd want to do!
I do have Grade 3... so pretty aggressive. They didn't find that until the Path. Biopsy only thought it was Grade 2... But I think my treatment would have been the same (pretty aggressive treatment, with chemo and rads whether I had an MX or LX). Anyway, I don't think it played a role in whether I got an MX or LX suggestion from the BS and MO.
And I figured I could leave the MX as something that could be done down the road if margins were bad or whatever... I'm still not sure I made the best decision in the long term (since you really don't know!), but the BS and MO thought LX would work. And I'm happy to have my breast still with me, feeling a little worse for wear, but otherwise pretty "normal" (swelling and bruising and incisions aside!). I had a friend who had an MX and she said the reconstructed breast was hard to get used to because it felt so different... and they had a hard time matching it to her natural breast... So that alarmed me a bit. Made me feel that an LX would really be preferable, if it was as good medically...
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PontiacPeggy, thank you for telling me that about your hematomas. I had asked about that on another board and no one responded. I had never heard of anyone having so much bleeding so I thought I was doing something wrong. Your photo looks great!
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MidgieMoon, where in Maryland are you? I am in Cambridge, on the Eastern shore.
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Vicki, thank you for letting me know about your experience. I am sorry you had to go through it but it helps to know I am not alone! Glad you are doing well now. I am looking forward to putting this behind me.
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SailorBev, I never had any fluid removed from my hematomas. Of course, keep an eye on them and if they hurt, talk to your BS, but eventually mine went away and I assume yours will too.
HUGS!!
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Sailorbev,
I am in Westminster in beautiful Carroll County! Will be heading to Chincoteague next week for assay to recharge my batteries!
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Hi everyone. Great picture Peggy et al! You girls look beautiful :0)
Still swollen at my SNB site. Calling BS office in AM to hopefully see him Tuesday. At times feels like I have a baseball under my arm! I suspect a seroma. Did some reading and the 10 day onset seems to coincide. Not sure if treatment will be recommended at this time but I would think rads on top of that can't be good. Tissue is not rock hard but firm kind of like mild breast engorgement. Will let you know outcome.
Pat
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PatRN, Ugh. That damned SNB is annoying enough without being swollen. Hope you can get in to see your BS ASAP. Seroma seems to be an obvious thought. Fingers crossed that it is easily handled.
Thank you on behalf of all of girls from Saturday. We did have fun. I'm so lucky I found these great women (and all of you here). Made my journey a whole lot more manageable and less stressful.
HUGS!!
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Peggy..... Love, love, love those beautiful smiles!!! Thanks for sharing.
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Patrn10,
I am in the boat with you! My post op appointment is Tuesday and my SNB site is quite hard and painful. I had 4 nodes removed, as well. I'll report back once I find out what's going on. I have also been experiencing hot flashes and sweats like never before. I was running a low fever, but on Friday, the NP didn't seem to concerned about it...
Good luck!
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Thanks, Nash! We had lots of laughs to bring on those smiles!
HUGS!!
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Midgie, Hope you feel better. Please do post how you make out on your visit.
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Midgie, and anyone else concerned about seroma. I searched in the surgical threads and this one was very informative. I had no idea they were this common.
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Just got off with the MA from BS office. Just said to apply warm compresses and let the body do its thing to absorb the fluid. May take several weeks. About tennis ball size when I wake up in AM and it has pooled in one area. They said to call if it becomes bigger but they very rarely drain them due to infection risk, I see the BS anyway at end of this month . Kind of uncomfortable but I guess I can deal. Compared to what the ladies with chemo go through, I figure I have no reason to complain.
pat
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I'm rather surprised that they won't drain it. I have no first-hand knowledge but it would seem better to have it gone. Obviously the surgeon knows best. Hope that it goes away quickly, Pat!
HUGS!!!
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I guess the risk of infection is too great as the seroma is a sealed sterile cavity. Then there is a portal for outside bacteria etc. I have first apt with my RO tomorrow and I'm sure if he has any concerns about it interfering or causing an problems with rads he will be on the phone to the BS asap.
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Pat, that makes sense. Hadn't thought about it that way.
I do think there might be a possibility of it delaying your rads. When I had mine, they wanted me healed so it was about 6 weeks post Lx. Of course, as we know, each dr and center does things differently!
HUGS!
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My surgeon let mine heal naturally and it did. Kind of a pain to be a sloshing water bottle for awhile though.
You may also get some drainage from the sentinel node site. Mine opened up a tiny bit about three months after and this fluid came out, then it healed up with no issue.
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I had my seroma drained twice. Once in the dr's office and once at the hospital where the radiologist did it with ultrasound guidance. I have forgotten how big it was at either time, but it was pretty big. Tried the heat/ice stuff but it didn't help.
Vickie
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Hi,
I just got my pathology back and all 4 nodes were clean,and the tumor was also excised with clean margin! I am so happy! My post op appointment is tomorrow, and I am sure I will learn more about the radiation plan by the time I'm done.
Thanks for all of the support!
~Midgie
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Midgie that's wonderful news!!!! Congrats on a great path report.
Day 3 of RADS here...so far so good. When I leave my tech says "see you tomorrow, same bat time, same bat place." It does kind of look like a bat cave in that room. LOL Swelling was not as bad on day 2, so we'll see tonight after a weekend off if it swells up again.
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Great news Midgie. Hang in there Barbara.
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Midgie, That is fantastic news.
Pat, My PS didn't want to drain the pooling blood/seroma either. It took months for it to reabsorb, but it did heal quite nicely. Be careful with the heating pad because your skin may be a bit numb (even if you haven't noticed it) and you don't want to burn or overheat the area. In my case, the bruising became more visible as it healed.
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PatRN10,
I had a Seroma about the size of my hand and I was able to still do rads. In fact, my Seroma was from my re-excision on 9/11/13 and it is still not totally resolved. It is down to about the size of a walnut now. I asked why it is taking so long and my bs said because of scar tissue.
Jo
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Thanks everyone! Your experiences are so helpful.
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Midgie....great news!!!
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YIPPEE Midgie!
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