Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
Comments
-
Inkster, welcome. Won't it be nice to have it over with? You'll do just fine. And support is what we do best. And I know how much it meant to me last summer when I was starting my journey and now that I'm through my Lx and Rx and on Arimidex. These are great ladies. Feel free to chime in and ask any questions you may have. Just stay positive!
HUGS!
0 -
Yay for SailorBev!
I am set to return to work Monday! My boss keeps telling me how muchi am missed! (It can't be because I have 10 peoe working for me is it?). I love my team, here they are supporting me the day before my surgery! I am second on the left in the pink sweater with brown hair and glasses, laughing! Their support is such a blessing...
0 -
Oops, Midgiemoon, missing the photo
0 -
So , I had my lumpectomy on May 29th. The only thing that surgeon told my mom was that everything went well. While on the operating table he finally agreed to feel the lump I had in my left armpit. He said that ultrasound had showed normal appearance so he wasn't concerned before. So he ordered an ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration of the dominant node in my left axilla. What is the dominant node? Is that the same thing as sentinel node? I'm scheduled to have it this coming Tuesday, the 9th of June. I have been very tired from the lumpectomy. I won't get the pathology results and the biopsy results back until the 23rd of June. The surgeon said he's going to be taking out one lump with a handful of tissue and send it for testing. He said there's another lump close to the one he's taking out so he will try to take out the second. He never told my mom on the phone how many he took out. I took off the bandage from my breast yesterday and left the steristrips on. I noticed he cut four places around the areola. Is that normal for a lumpectomy for just one lump at the 10 o'clock position? There's four incisions - one on the left, two on the top of the aerola and one on the right side. Is this normal for a lumpectomy? I thought he would just do one incision.
I did a core needle biopsy of lump in my left breast. Results showed a papilloma and surgeon said if the biggest lump is benign the others are also benign (not sure how true that is). Surgeon and report said lump needed to be excised. Has there been cases where a biopsy showing benign results come back to be malignant once the lump and surrounding tissue has been excised and sent for testing?
Thanks for listening. Feedback would be awesome and well appreciated! Hoping for b9 results
0 -
Saugagirl, I don't know if that's usual or not. So did the surgeon take out more than one lump? I got confused in your narrative. Maybe I'm just being blonde (I do NOT have senior moments!). I had my SLNB done at the same time with my lumpy. One incision for each. I think dominant and sentinel lymph nodes are not necessarily the same. The sentinel lymph node is the one closest to your cancer where, if the cancer has spread, it would first go. Dominant seems to mean something else.
Not surprising that you're tired. You've had major surgery even if it was outpatient. Plus all the emotions you are having to deal with are fatiguing. Just rest a lot but not all the time
Don't overdo!It would help if you would make sure your profile is public so we can know what your diagnosis was, your treatments so far, etc.
I'm sure other ladies will chime in with other possibilities and be better able to answer your questions than I have.
HUGS!!!
0 -
Hi Pontiapeggy,
Oh I didn't realize that I didn't make my profile public. Sorry for the confusion. I have about three lumps in my left breast. Surgeon said he was going to take out one lump for sure and if he could, he would try to take out a second one that is close to the lump he is taking out. After surgery, he never told myself or mom how many lumps he took out. Both lumps are around the 10 o'clock position. So I'm not sure why he did four incisions, around the top and left and right sides of aerola
0 -
saugagirl can you call your surgeons office in the am to ask? I had the same concern over how many lymph nodes I had taken out and I drove myself crazy until I called the doctor.
0 -
Thanks for making your profile public (it took me awhile to figure that one out, too) - just keep adding information as you collect it, including your initial diagnosis.
You would think that he took out the second lump with all those incisions. Tresjoli is right. Call his office and ask what was done. You should be able to get a lot of that information now. I had my path report in 2 days; the Oncotype test took longer because I asked to have it done (it takes 2 weeks). You have a right to know what has been done and will be done. Most of us find that we have to be assertive with some of our oncologists to get the information we need. I've been very lucky that my BS, MO and RO couldn't wait to tell me what was done, what was what, and what will be done. But I know that isn't always the case. Write down your list of questions for your phone call - too easy to forget something you really wanted to know. I hope you can get your path report from the lumpectomy sooner than the 23rd. That's far too agonizingly long. Hang in there!
HUGS!!!
0 -
Good idea tresjoli! Pontiacpeggy-i live in Ontario, Canada - so waiting for results and tests take a while as our medical is covered by the province. So we have to wait for appointments, results, etc. But I'm sure if I go to my family doctor's office he may have results in a week. (((HUGS))) to you too.
0 -
Saugagirl, I saw that you live in one of my favorite cities! Do call your surgeon. Even if he doesn't have the path report he can tell you what he actually did (at least, I'd think so - LOL!
HUGS!
0 -
we will be rooting for you Monday inkster!
0 -
Good luck on Monday inkster...keep us posted
0 -
Here's the missing photo! What a team!0 -
Hi Ladies...
Just wanted to post an update to my inquiry about reduction surgery to re balance the girls after lumpectomy and rads. I met with the surgeon yesterday and discussed options, signed all the paperwork and now I just wait for the call as to when it's scheduled. He will be doing a reduction on both breasts which will remove an "area of interest " in my non cancer boob, while taking care of the cosmetic imbalance. After almost five years there is at least a cup size and quite a measured difference in the two girls, which he will fix but warned "remember they are sisters but not twins." lol
0 -
MidgieMoon, love your picture - you're so pretty!
Marjie, good luck with the reduction!
0 -
SailorBev,
My surgery was 2 weeks ago today. Just yesterday I thought "wow, I am feeling a lot better," so for me, it was 13 days! I thought I should be feeling better sooner, but you really can't rush these things!
Keep walking and exercising, I am going to spin class tomorrow!
Hugs,
~Midgie
0 -
i am three weeks out too and feeling normal and resuming activity. My breast looks perfect. I'm very happy surgically.
0 -
Just wanted to say a quick hi to all my lumpy friends. I've been a bit distracted lately. I became engaged in April and have busy planning the wedding and honeymoon. It is a great way not to think about the cancer. I did have my ovaries and tubes removed 2 weeks ago. The next step for me is to change from tamoxifen to an AI. I see my MO the end of this month and at that time she will schedule my 6 month mammogram. I'm a bit nervous about it. I'm hoping it comes out clean. I keep hoping that next year I won't meet my out of pocket max....LOL
0 -
Congrats Jean on your upcoming wedding! Great way to stay distracted
0 -
Jeanelle--congratulations on your good news. Good luck with the mammogram.
Saugagirl--we are surgery sisters, I had mine on the 29th, also. I had a lot of fatigue, too,but feel better now that I am going out for brief walks. I agree with the advice to call your surgeon to find out just what he removed. Waiting so long for biopsy results is so hard!
Midgie--I love the photo! You look so happy and pretty. Good luck going back to work. Glad to know you are feeling so much better.
Inkster--good luck on Monday. It was a relief for me to get the surgery behind me.
0 -
PontiacPeggy, PatRN10, Nash54, and sailorbev - thank you!
I did get the radioactive seed placed today. I've been joking on Facebook that I'm going to spend the weekend as (dun dun dun dah!) RADIOACTIVE WOMAN! And while I don't have a cape, I do have a cool hat that says Fight Like a Girl and a friend sent me a t-shirt proclaiming Cancer Warrior Bada$$. Of course, she hasn't seen me since high school and it's a little, um, obscene on my 46-year-old body. Think I'll wear it on Monday anyway (but will bring something I don't have to pull over my head for the way home).
Hope your Friday(s) have been peaceful!
0 -
Hi everyone! I had my lumpectomy on Wednesday and I am feeling much better than I expected! It really helped reading everyone's experiences for me. I am really tired still and pretty sore, but I was thinking it was going to be much worse. It was hard at the hospital because things ended up getting delayed by several hours, but the nurses were awesome.I have no bandages or dressing at all, I couldn't believe that they didn't use any. Also I was glued back together, that kinda freaked me out a little. The incision under my arm is much larger than I expected. I can't remember how many lymph nodes were removed. Husband was really exhausted and can't remember either, but he said it wasn't that many. Guess I will find out at my follow up appointment on the 11th. Just wanted to share my experience with you all. I'm just happy it's over and that it really wasn't as scary as I thought. Sending warm hugs and thoughts to all and thank you for helping me understand it better.
0 -
rest easy boblajo! Glad it is behind you now!!!!
0 -
boblajo I felt the same way and that my incisions freaked me out and looked so big. Three weeks out they look so much better. I'm sure you'll be feeling better when they settle down. Don't shower for 48 hours.
I just had another mammogram just three weeks out. Wasn't sad bad. And proved they got every last microcalcification out of there!
0 -
Boblajo, So glad you're feeling good. Good nurses certainly make the difference. Do take it easy now!
Tresjoli2, Glad they got all those microcalcs too. But a mammo 3 weeks out sounds challenging. You must have had a good tech!
HUGS!!!
0 -
hi Boblajoe,
Glad you re doing well! My experience was similar, so be careful not to overdo! Ifound that Days 5-9 post op were the hardest because the numbness under my arm started going away, and the swelling there really bothered me! If you have a little pillow to tuck under your arm, that helps a bunch!
Rest up, let people take care of you!
~Midgie
0 -
Boblajo....so glad that's behind you and your experience was good. Enjoy the weekend!!!
0 -
Boblajo--so glad the surgery wasn't as bad as expected. I am just a week post op and find the incisions are looking really good. My husband takes a photo every day so I can see since it is hard for me to get a look. I am amazed by how they are coming along.
Tresjoli-great news on the mammogram and glad it wasn't bad. The sound of it scares me a little, though.
MidgieMoon-- thanks for mentioning the change in sensation under your arm. I am finding the same thing and have used an ice pack several times a day until today. It just felt better when I did. I don't feel anything at all when I am relaxing and a slight achiness with occasional sharpertwinges when I am moving around. I am assuming that is all normal and I am finding it is already getting better.
0 -
SailorBev, I didn't start to regain feeling under my arm until about 2 months ago - yup, 9 months post-Lx. Nothing at all. Now when I shave I have sensations. Still not quite as "sharp" as under my other arm but definitely feeling. My BS said however I am at a year is the feeling I'll have. I was lucky and had no zingers either there or at my Lx site. I had them bad with kidney surgery 24 years ago so I was anticipating the same - glad I was wrong.Heal well everyone!
HUGS!
0 -
Hi there,
Well I've been out a week and a half post-op from my lumpectomy. For a couple days now I've been getting shooting sharp /stinging pain right under the incision (in the aerola ) and also upper back pain (left side -same side as lumpectomy). Is this normal to be feeling this afterwards or do you think I might be getting an infection? There's no redness or swelling or any pus by the incision. The lump and tissue removed is being tested for cancer. Has anyone felt this after a lumpectomy?
0
