Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
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sweetmamaj will be thinking of you today. I hope it is a celebration of his life that makes you laugh and cry at the same time. Because I think it is those kinds of memories that help us go on
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SweetMamaJ, I'll definitely be in your pocket today - not dancing but wrapping my arms around you. Let the tears flow and remember all the wonderful times you had with your Dad and how lucky you were to have him for so long!
HUGS!
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Molly, wish I could meet you in person, too. I'm sure you've said where you are in CA (Carlsbad?) Maybe when I visit #1 son in San Diego next we can get together! Have a SoCal BCO meet up maybe!
HUGS!
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If you all have a SoCal meetup I am going to declare the part of the Central Valley where I live Southern CV (although technically I am in Northern California, but near enough to the middle), and I will come also! We should do it!
Octogirl
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Sweetmamaj....thinking of you today. Life is so full of trials...the beautiful thing is that we continue on in the face of them and find joy once again in the ordinary...like bra discussions. (((Hugs)))
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Octogirl, I probably won't be visiting SoCal until June (assuming the $$ workout for me). You gals in SoCal should be meeting up long before then!
Nash, the bra discussion HAS been fascinating.
HUGS!!
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Hi everyone!
My surgery was Tuesday, August 25 and it went very well.
I was given a 10-day prescription of the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin. I have a horrible headache since last night. I read about the side effects and they are horrible, scary and in many cases, irreversible.
Before I call my doctor to request a different medication, I wanted to ask you what antibiotics, if any, you took after your lumpectomy. Were there side effects?
Thank you!
Evie
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Evie, I took Cipro 22 years ago and had a really bad reaction to it. I have trouble with almost all antibiotics. I did not take any antibiotics after surgery. But I did have a suspected infection after about 2 weeks and I took doxycycline (the only antibiotic I have found I can take). No side effects from it. Glad your surgery went well! Take it easy and heel well!
HUGS!!!
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radgirl,
Cipro does have scary side effects but I have taken it many times with no problem. It just depends on you. My doctor does not prescribe antibiotics after surgery so I did not have anything. If you are not comfortable with cipro then call and ask for something less scary.
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Radgirl, Molly is right. I'm not usual in my reaction to antibiotics. So don't let my experience scare you off. Most people have no trouble with Cipro. If it seems to be causing you problems, definitely ask for something else or perhaps to just take nothing.
HUGS!
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I also reacted to Levaquin, which is in the same fluoroquinolone family as Cipro. Tendon pain, feet were terrible for a long time. I asked for Keflex which I tolerate pretty well. Another antibiotic is Augmentin, but it makes me throw up.
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I didn't take anything either, although I vaguely remember something about a dose in my IV during surgery (?). In any case, I don't have an issue with most antibiotics but I certainly never took anything orally after the surgery, or since.
Octogirl
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SweetMamaJ - you are in my thoughts and prayers today. May wonderful memories flood your mind and fill you with peace.
RadGirl - I didn't have a prescription afterwards, but there was a bunch of talk before the anesthesiologist gave me my "margarita" (his words, not mine...I didn't find it as enjoyable) because I have allergies to penicillin and sulfa, they had to give me something else. So clearly, they put an antibiotic in my cocktail. Funny - I hadn't thought of that until now, but that also explains my upset stomach for the last week. I never do well on antibiotics, and am therefore not looking forward to bracci (I understand you are on antibiotics the entire time), but I'll do what I have to get through this and get to the other side.
SoCal ladies - well, I'm in Phoenix, not in SoCal, but I will be in Carlsbad the 2nd full week of October! Anybody want to meet and say hi!?!?!
Question for all of you - as you know, I saw the BS yesterday. He removed the last of the steri strips, and did an ultrasound (and then had to redo it because the machine blinked out). Today, I feel as though there is a very heavy ball in my breast - not a palpable one, just it "feels" really heavy and it aches towards the top. I've taken some Tylenol, but I notice a very serious increase in sensitivity of the incisions (no biggie, I expected that) but this "heavy" feeling is odd. It feels like I went without a bra for several days and was doing a lot of bouncing. But my other girl doesn't hurt, so it clearly isn't that. Any ideas? Is this normal? I am not warm to the touch, no redness or swelling, so I'm sure I'm fine, but still.
Also - meeting with the Oncologist tomorrow afternoon (they had to fit me in - otherwise 3-4 week wait) and the Radiologist on Monday.
I wanna get this show on the road!!!0 -
BJ, that seems unusual to me - that heavy feeling. Perhaps it's nothing but ask your MO tomorrow. He'll be poking and prodding and perhaps can tell what's happening, if anything. Glad you are getting things going. Waiting is a bummer.
BTW, I'd have been really PO'd if I'd gotten antibiotics in my IV. I told every living soul I was in contact with (maybe some dead ones too) that day and my BS "No antibiotics". No one, except me, seems to like doxycycline (or tetracycline which they don't make since it was so cheap) but it works for me everytime. Luckily I rarely need antibiotics - 5 or 6 times in the past 40 years and one for for a bite from my cat (sweet kitty!) and 3 times for h.pylori infections - all treated with one of the 2 cyclines (except the Cipro which "no one is allergic to").
HUGS!
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Okay, so I talked to my mom about the "heavy" feeling - she thinks my bras are not supportive enough. She wants me to wear some older jogging bras I have that are a bit small and kind of tight and try that for a day or two. Also, I haven't been sleeping with a bra, but with a cami with a shelf bra (albeit, not much support) because I feel strangled and can't sleep when I wear a bra to bed. But I guess I'm going back to trying to sleep with a bra. Even though the construction of these bras is pretty heavy duty, the actual cups are very, very soft and flimsy, and she thinks it's not enough support. She even suggested I get some of my old ratty underwires (the ones I wear for yard work, etc), remove the wires, and try those out. She may very well be right. I'll try it.
As for the antibiotics... I develop allergies easily to antibiotics - always have. Penicillin, Sulfa, Tetracyclines, and anything related to those. I can count on one hand the number of times I've had antibiotics in my entire life. But in the last 20 years, I've only had them for one sinus infection when I was pregnant, and about a month or two ago when I developed a UTI out of the freaking blue. Unfortunately, even when I don't have a full on allergic reaction like I get with penicillin or sulfa (very high fever, hives all over, including in my throat and nasal cavities), my stomach goes on a full-on battle with ANY antibiotic...and that explains why my insides have felt like crap the last week. Also, it takes me about two weeks to get them fully out of my body. In the meantime, I'm losing weight. Which isn't bad, but it's not the best way to do it either.
For any of you ladies who have done the bracci (am I spelling that right???) - was it really uncomfortable with the tube thing inserted? Do they bind you up after each procedure? Also, like I said above, I heard you were on antibiotics the entire time - is that your experience?
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BJ, you mom could be right. Can't hurt to try. But if your breast seems to feel tender, call the BS right away in case there is an infection or something else going on. Good luck!
HUGS!
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bj, not to worry you but that is how mine felt until I became really swollen from the seroma. It wasn't too big of a deal but very uncomfortable. I was unable to wear any bras because my breast was tender.
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BJ, that feeling of heaviness and increased pain in my breast is exactly how my recent troubles started (I posted my story on pg. 245.) As it turned out, I had a sizable hematoma (collection of blood) just behind the scar. When the BS looked at it with ultrasound, even SHE didn't anticipate how big it was. So, I guess my advice to you would be to keep an eye on it. If you're having increasing pain tomorrow and that heaviness, you probably should call your BS before the weekend.
As for the antibiotic controversy--I did not go home on antibiotics, nor has my BS chosen to put me on an antibiotic after expressing all that blood from my wound. She may have ordered an IV antibiotic prior to surgery--that's a very common practice--but I don't remember much about that, thankfully. I have a lot of drug allergies, so I have to be pretty careful. But if they stick to the ones I know are okay, I don't have a problem.
I'm hoping that I can get some sleep tonight. After boasting that I was sleeping better, I didn't sleep well at all last night. Despite taking Percocet, I just had pain all night long. I woke up just miserable this morning. My DH decided to take my out for breakfast at Whole Foods, where I had probably the worst bagel in my lifetime. Bleah! When we got home, I lay down on the couch and fell asleep for almost 3 hours. I mean, dead to the world! I think it was because I got into a really good, supportive position on the couch. I'm going to try sleeping in the recliner tonight and see if that helps. What's the worst that can happen? I can't sleep and I have to get up and go to my bed?
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sweetmammaj - been thinking of you all day! Know we're all here for you
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Hi everyone!
Thank you for your input.
After waking up with a splitting headache, I went online and read the side effects of Cipro. I got pretty scared and decided I didn't want to take chances with cipro
Your feedback helped immensely -- I called my doctor's office and requested Keflex. My heart is much calmer now.
Thank you again -- I cannot tell you how much it means to me that this particular forum is here!!
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BJ...I had the Savi device for my internal rads. Most of the time it was not that uncomfortable. One time though, the RO instead of the nurse taped the device back in place while I was lying down and it was so uncomfortable for that day. Felt like it was poking out of my chest. Mine was located at about 5 o'clock so I could tuck in under my bra. I don't remember being on antibiotics...but I don't have any trouble taking them. They inserted my device 3 days before they began rads. So dressing had to be changed...I'm a whimp so my husband did it. It was just gauze pads around the opening and some ointment. Once rads were started a nurse would clean and bandage it for me. The insertion and removal were very uneventful for me. They gave me a Valium when the inserted it and nothing when it was removed. I do have a divot where it was inserted. You have to go twice a day for 5 days and then your done!!
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radgal I hope everything comes out okay!
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I was given no antibiotics after my lumpectomy.
Scrolling through all your posts, page after page, I am not seeing anyone opting for . . . no further, typical treatment. Having read all I can find (lots of it), many studies done by reputable treatment centers, etc., the statistics for radiation just don't add up for me. I have also read about Tamoxifen and Arimidex, both adjuvant therapies and those numbers do not pan out for me, either. Instead, I am planning to go in the direction of cannabinoids - or at least speak to an integrative medicine doctor about this.
Yesterday, I met with a reconstructive doctor. During my upcoming (not as yet scheduled) re-excision, the plan is to clean up my margins in a very healthy way, then insert an adorable little saline implant - haha. The original tumor was not so wide, but deep. Adding to that, the planned re-excision, I would be left with sort of a dimple-looking concave appearance in the former tumor area. We discussed a number of options and settled on the little saline implant.
Every one of us is different and each needs to weigh all the ingredients that go into planning our treatment. This is what works for me and I feel so much relief - arriving at and accepting my final approach to all of this.
So many wonderful stories here, so many difficult ones and many in between (like fitting bras) - a nice community, offering friendship, hope and information.
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Are you talking cannabinoids for prevention of recurrence? Or for countering the side effects of the more traditional therapies? I guess it's all about the odds. I could choose to do nothing beyond lumpectomy. I have an 80% (m/l) chance of no recurrence. But since I'm the type of person that can't even win a raffle with 80% odds, I chose to take the extra steps. Besides, I can't afford to gain any more weight than I already have. lol
I also look at the histories of the women posting on this site. Look at the incredibly high number of women that had lumpectomies 5+ years ago with no follow up treatment. Lo and behold, here they are again.
I guess there's nothing wrong with practicing both methods at the same time (other than the weight gain). I maybe would do that, but even if it's legal, my job would never allow it.
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Keys-Plez, like you I have done everything recommended by my oncologists. I don't want the breast cancer to come back! I did 33 rads. Could there be side effects? Of course, but I think the odds are very small. The odds of breast cancer cells lurking in my body were higher. I am taking generic Arimidex for the same reason. I do NOT WANT BREAST CANCER again. If chemo had been necessary, I'd have done that, too.
That being said, what treatments we have is a personal decision. What is right for me may not be right for you. Whatever you decide BGardenia3, don't second guess yourself. I hope it works well for you.
HUGS!!
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BGardenia: I'll support you wholeheartedly in the choice you make for yourself! No, really. There's no one right choice, there's only the choice we can live with.
In my case, I might live another forty years and more. Oncology can only give me 10-year odds. So I chose the aggressive route, for DCIS.
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Tresjoli2 - yes, I'm doing Herceptin only. Glad I found an MO to go this route. It is doubtful that there is anything brewing beyond that lymph node, but if so, it's HER2 and I want to hit it with something. When we first discussed it, I asked about Herceptin only & mentioned that it is known to work better with chemo. MO said "no, it's only been studied with chemo." Even the ATTEMPT clinical trial is herceptin with two different kinds of chemo. Chemo is too much for my case.
The current research limitations make sense - Most people have larger tumors and would be getting chemo anyway. I wonder if the future of BC treatment will go toward targeted meds only. Why undermine the body's natural immune response if drugs could just go after the cancer? But we are not there yet. Just like the surgical advancements that we've benefitted from (LX instead of radical MX with all the axillary nodes taken), I'm hopeful our younger sisters will have more effective meds with fewer side effects.
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Barbara, whatever you decide we are here for you. For me, I'm terrified of there being cells out there lurking since so much of my breast was involved plus two nodes one of which was a 1.7 cm tumor. So I will cooperate with whatever treatment MO throws at me.
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Hi, Radgirl. I, too, am in recovery for alcoholism--32 years' sobriety on Sept. 11. I have had a few surgeries since my recovery began and have taken pain med's both narcotic and non-narcotic and had no issues. I never used/abused pills or drugs in the past and no reason to believe I would with this upcoming surgery. Now anxiety is another issue!! I wish I had asked my surgeon for something to help, but have only a few more days to go (surgery is 9-2). I hope you did well with your surgery and let's take it One Day At A Time.
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RA1950, Congratulations on your 32 years of sobriety! That's fantastic. Maybe you could call your BS and get an Rx for your anxiety. Good luck!
HUGS!!
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