Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
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Houston, given that nothing is 100% certain in any of this, you have to trust your radiation oncologist. I trust mine completely. It was very hard to leave him when I moved (as well as my BS and MO). Your RO doesn't want to cause harm and will work very hard to make sure he doesn't. And frankly, I was more worried about getting rid of any stray BC cells than about SEs down the road. I don't know what will happen in 10 or 20 years so chose to concentrate on the near-term future. I learned that I can't see what's down the road when I was caring for DH. I didn't know how long he would live, if he would get worse. I could only deal with today and maybe the next week. It works for me - it may not work for you. But I am very sorry that chemo didn't help as much as hoped
HUGS!
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ShirleyTai, Welcome. We're glad you found us and sorry you had to. I take it you have already discovered we are warm, welcoming, comforting, informative and funny. I suspect that what you are feeling is caused by the nerves being cut. Perhaps they are re-generating or just deciding to annoy you. I'm sure there are other possibilities and the gals will chime in with them. As always, if you are worried, please check with your surgeon.
It also would be extremely helpful to us if you would fill out your profile and make it public. Then we can instantly see what your diagnosis was/is, surgeries, treatments. And we would love to know where you are. We are everywhere!
HUGS!!
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Oh, KD! I'm so sorry to hear that your grade and HER2 changed. That sucks! My HER2 was equivocal at the core biopsy, but thankfully was found to be negative at the LX. However, my PR went from positive to negative, which is a more aggressive type of cancer (acts more like TN than ER+/PR+). That's why I had chemo. I wish you the best.
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Poodles, enjoy your camping trip.
Dara, hope your se don't last long
KD, sorry your pathology changed for worse
IHGJAnn, glad your surgery went well. Ice and do stretching excercises
Shirley, welcome! I still get zingers. Sometimes at lx site other times surrounding area. Also, occasionally armpit & underarm still gets tender & sore from SLN.
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Kd, so very sorry about your pathology changing. It seems that it does happen fairly often. With my pathology, they found additional DCIS that was also rated grade 3. I think it's all hard because we wrap our heads around one dx and then things change. Chemo hasn't been as hard as I expected. I know everyone reacts differently though. There are great threads for chemo also and I really recommend you drop in. I'm in the Aug group, but there is also one for those starting in Sept. We really help each other with an SEs and just overall support. Let us know any way we can help.
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Hang in there ladies. I agree with the others in that once you have a plan, your stress level will go decrease.
Shirley - My entire breast hurt a lot after my lx. I wrapped my breast tightly and wore tight sports bras for several months. Now, if you're breast is hot, you might have a fever in the best and need antibiotics. But, yes I had pain when I didn't wrap it. Good luck.
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FitBit group - I bought another FitBit. Add me in to challenges! Also, new FitBitters, pm me so I can add you!
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I just had my surgery this morning and came home about 11:30am. the surgeon is very good and the incision was pretty small.. I've noticed since surgery the itching i've had has lessened.. i wear a size 42, would have loved a reduction... but actually it doesn't look like too much was taken out. they removed two nodes, i'll find out on the 7th what the results are. my lump was just to the side of my nipple, but i think once it heals, it should be ok. i may have radiation too and didn't think about lung or heart issues.. i'll have to ask them about that.. i have asthma and bronchitis and a hole in my heart... small, but there
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Judy, Radiation almost always follows a lumpectomy. And do mention your issues when you meet with the RO.
Sleep well.
HUGS!
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Hi Sloan. I'll add you to the Fitbit challenge. Send me a PM with your email address and I'll add you to the group I think I know how to do that!
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Judy, maybe you can get your radiation in a prone position, which would minimize heart & lung exposure. And I had tenderness, so I wore a front-closure leisure bra for sleep. I can’t fit into Genie or Coobie, but Leading Lady makes them for about $25 in sizes from 30 A/B/C up to 46F/G/H. I’m a 38 I, so I went with the principle of “sister sizing”--the cup in a 38 I is the same size as the cup in a 36 J or 40 H--and bought a bunch of 42 F/G/H in colors to match my PJs and nightgowns. They didn’t support well enough to give me a good profile, but at least I wasn’t walking around with “Thelma & Louise” drooping to my waist--important when answering the door at home or for room service at hotels. You can find them at HerRoom.com and BareNecessities.com. I also got a few step-in built-in-bra camis in size 20 by Amoena (they double as tankini swim tops) at Second Act, the bc boutique in Lincoln Park where I filled my compression-sleeve-and-gauntlet scrip. Not cheap, but they are great under open shirts (albeit somewhat revealing neckline-wise--wouldn’t wear them beneath a blazer to court or in temple).
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hi Peggy,
Thanks for your reply. I was diagnosed stage 2a IDC in July. Still waiting for my treatment plan from the hospital :
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Thanks, I'll remember that
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I had radiation to left breast and they told me to breath normally through the treatments. I'm guessing mine wasn't that deep in the breast. I think it was only a few cm down and only in ducts.
Hi all, I've had a hard time catching up. This place is so busy now a days!! Hi to all the newbies and hugs to all!!!!
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Hi ladies. Checking in. Took me a couple hours of reading to catch up! Thinking of you all and sending positive thoughts and hugs.
Halfway thru my rads. Going fine. Nipple pain has subsided some with lots of Aquafor applied after treatments. Some scabby spots on inner breast that don't hurt. Just rough to touch. Also several new moles showing up on breast lol! Little tired but catching naps when possible.
IHGJ- I'm having rads in my left breast - my doc said there sometimes is a bit of scarring in the top of the lung from rads. But the machine is set up so that the rays go at a sideways angle into the breast, never straight down from above so as to minimize heart and lung exposure.
Everyone enjoy the holiday weekend. Try to do something you enjoy for a short escape from this bc!0 -
Beebazboob, glad you're doing pretty good with your rads. Isn't it nice to hit that halfway mark? You enjoy your holiday, too!
HUGS!
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Poodles - wishing you and your DH a most relaxing weekend! Nothing like a little nature to lift your spirits
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Just introducing myself (and wondering how to post a picture?)
I just found this board despite obsessive web surfing during the "waiting" stage between diagnosis and my lx.
I'm 9 days past surgery and feeling very good (would say that by day 3 I was pretty much pain free.)
My question: I haven't looked at my breast. I've covered it with a cloth while showering, and slipped back into a sports bra immediately after without looking in the mirror. I'm not sure how to face my naked torso for the first time, despite the fact that with the sports bra on, I look exactly like I did presurgery. My surgeon told my family she was "very proud" of her work. My husband is very supportive.
Anyone have advice for dealing with the first time?
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Just look. It’s much more “normal” looking than you imagine.
As for a pic, there is a menu bar atop the Reply message window. 6th icon from the right is a little “landscape” picture, which is the “insert image” button. Place your cursor where in the message you’d like to see the image, then click. Then move the cursor up to that button & click. It will open a box that gives you the option of either dragging an image file into its borders, or click a center button saying "choose file.” Clicking that will bring up your computer’s list of desktop, photos, music, docs, etc. Click on the folder where your photo is located, and highlight the photo in the window that opens. Then click the blue “choose” button at the bottom rt. of the folder window (or hit Enter/Return). It’ll take about 30 sec., but the photo will then appear in the Reply message window. (These instructions are for a Mac, but a PC should probably be similar--haven’t tried it on a mobile device or a PC).
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Summerbum, yesterday I took off my bandages, took the first shower, and looked at my breast. It looked very similar to how it looked before. My surgeon used oncoplatic techniqes and basically worked under the nipple area and moved breast tissue around. Don't be afraid. Do you know what surgical method your surgeon used?
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Summerbum, Welcome! Yes, just look. You likely won't look weird or awful. You may be bruised. And remember, it's still your body, that hasn't changed. If you meant how to post YOUR picture, that is in your profile (which we hope you will fill out and make public so we can be reminded of all your particulars). We also would love to know where you are! As you can see we are EVERYWHERE
HUGS!
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BTW, I can post a picture of my poor girl after surgery if you like. My incision was on the underside of my breast. Let me know.
HUGS!
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Peggy- you are def a "giver"...offering to post your breast pic....
BTW- have you had any more "dates"? Hoping you find a guy or two who shows some of your same interests so you have companions...then...if more than that...well, hey- a bonus!
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Beebazboob, Thanks for the information.. i hadn't even thought about the effects before, now I can mention it to my dr when i go in for my followup on the 7th
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Hi Summerbum, I guess i have an insatiable curiosity, i checked mine out after I got home from surgery.. aside from a couple of bandages, it didn't look too different. i came back with a heck of a cough, but i have bronchitis, so otherwise just tired and taking it easy for now
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Summerbum, my breast looked BETTER after my lx. My surgeon took a lot of tissue but she's an excellent surgeon. Don't be afraid.
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Ann, You are not the only one that came home with a sore throat and cough. I ended up taking a zpack as a prophylactic to prevent a bronchitis. Were you on a vent? I was like, cough, cough cough. And my sinus cavities were dry as a bone.
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HH, I'll gladly post anything if I can make one of our lumpy gals more comfortable. Last I looked we're all girls and know what boobs look like.
I have had a couple more dates with guy #2. Definitely in the "friend" pleasant companion category. I think he'd like to escalate it but I don't want to. I have a couple more that I may go out with in the next couple weeks - we'll see how that falls out. The heart doesn't pitter patter. But it is awfully nice to just be with a man, even with fraternal feelings.
Again, I have to thank everyone here for all your support. You have encouraged me to take that first step into the world of dating and it isn't nearly as scary as I thought. But I must say I've had several contacts with people who appear to be scammers or charlatans. I report them. But they are pretty obvious.
HUGS!!
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Summerbum - I didn't look for a while at the lx site because it was covered with surgical bandages and it made me think of cancer ti look at it. Now that the site has healed, I can't even see the incision site. Then, I didn't want to do breast self exams because I didn't want to feel the tumor bed. Again, it just made me think of cancer. Now, I'm fine doing it. So, I want you to know that everyone is different, and your feelings are perfectly normal. Give yourself time.
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Peggy - I'm so glad you are living life! I can't believe there are scammers out there though! What do they say or do? What are they after? Money, sex, freeloader, all of the above? Geesh. I mean, I know they are out there but I just thought it was rare to meet them. Ugh.
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