Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
Comments
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Tracejohn, I'm not sure this sounds like it's connected to the lumpectomy. It's tough to have nausea and vomiting when your mom's recovering from surgery. Normally if you do too much, you might get aches and pains and fatigue. Could it be the painkillers if she takes them, some can cause nausea or you have to take them with food?
If not, this could be a bug she's picked up somewhere, but if you're worried you maybe need to talk to someone from the medical team, did she get a phone number for follow up care?
But hopefully this will pass quickly, I hope she's better soon.
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Thanks PontiacPeggy for the info on the numbness. I can't even tell if the actual incision area is numb yet, this is the back of my arm, all the way down to my elbow. It feels like I've been frozen at the dentist and it hasn't worn off yet. I hope that doesn't last a year, but I am only noticing it so far when I touch it.
Feeling pretty good today, not too uncomfortable. Glad I had the 3 day weekend (Canadian Thanksgiving) before needing to decide if I could go to work. I think I'll be good to go tomorrow.
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Grazy I missed your post when I posted above. Yes, that's what my arm feels like. I guess I'll just have to see how it goes. It isn't really bad, it's just not "right".
Looks like you had a lovely weekend. At least the weather was good! I'm feeling better each day. Now back to the waiting pattern until I can get all my info!
Tracejohn, my lumpectomy was on Friday, and I haven't had any nausea at all. I'm with the others, I don't think your mom's reacting to the surgery but to something else. I hope she's feeling better. Throwing up right now would be the pits!!
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Tracejohn - I'm in agreement that a call to your mom's surgeon or physician would be wise. The anesthetic used during surgery can certainly cause sluggish bm's for a few days, but I would say vomiting is not normal - I certainly felt better as the days went on, not worse - it may be a reaction to the prescription painkillers if she's been taking them since returning home, but the surgeon's office should be made aware.
Leslie - being 'laid up' yesterday, I'm sure you were happy to sit back and cheer on the Blue Jays! Being "half-American" (what I jokingly call our family because, even though we're Canadian, we are also legal residents of the US), I was switching back and forth between the debate and the game, but the game won out toward the end, of course!
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Grazy what a lovely picture with you and your daughter. You look great! Just reading up on the notes and wondering if the numbness is from the lymph node removal or the lumpectomy? Or both? We were also flipping back and forth between the debate and the Jays and eventually just watched the game. Great game!
Leslie glad your surgery went well and hope your recovery is quick. Did you have some lymph nodes removed?
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Jill, great to see you, and great to see how much hair you have grown! Mine is starting to grow, although my long eyebrow hairs are still falling out (as new short ones grow). I can't tell what's going on with my eyelashes.
Dara, congrats on already being done with chemo!! Didn't I tell you it would go fast? I'm sure it must feel WONDERFUL to be done! For my "done with chemo" treat I bought myself a Nespresso machine.
Leslie, I got feeling back under my arm about 7 months after surgery.
Grazy, you look great!! It looks like you too have managed to keep your weight steady through the cancer ordeal. I gained three pounds on the road trip but have lost at least one so far.
Tracejohn, I agree with the other comments. It is better to call. And be insistent if they just pooh-pooh the symptoms.
I am almost recovered from my road trip. Long periods of driving is harder on my knee than hiking. And I admit to doing a bit of stress eating during the drive home. Four huge cookies and a scone, then pie and ice cream after dinner one night. Oink. But I'm back on track now.
Hugs to everyone and a special hug for Molly!
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Stacey, the numbness in the armpit and arm is from the sentinel node dissection. I think, generally speaking, it can last up to a year. My numbness in the first month even wrapped around to the lower part of my shoulder blade.
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Lovestofly --- Happy Thanksgiving to you too!! Awesome picture and really digging the new do. Can't wait to get there myself.
Sunrise --- I didn't have to have a second surgery, but it is a fairly common even. Wait to see what your BS has to say.
Lovely Canadian Thanksgiving to all you ladies.
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StaceyTO Yes I did have some removed, but I don't know how many. My mom sat in the wrong area and didn't see the doctor after the operation.
That was a great game yesterday!!! I am an umpire, so baseball is my favourite sport! I will admit that I didn't stay up to see the end of the game though. I was pooped. Training myself to go to bed when my body says so rather than pushing it.
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For those of you that have been through radiation, do you have any tips? I am on shorter protocol like Sandy, and I can say that I am more tired and have stomach upset. Anything that involves changes to my biochemical structure, changes the way my Zoloft works, which changes the way that I feel. I am not tired from going to radiation because it is a short distance from my house, I valet park my car, walk right into the dressing area and wait. That is the easy part. I feel very tired afterward and head home for a nap. Anyone else on depression meds notice a change? I have been on them since my daughter was born and depression/panic attacks run in my family. I tell myself I just have to get through each day and I will be done Nov. 2nd. I grocery shopped today and had a mild hot flash - never had before. Advice??
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Tracejohn - After my first lumpectomy, I threw up from the pain meds. It was the first time I had had surgery and the first time I had strong pain medication. It was insult to injury for sure. We called the surgeon and they had me take some thing to stop the vomiting. Worked a charm. I've had surgery since then and I always warn them in advance that I will get sick from pain meds. This may not be your mother's problem at all. I hope it is though, since it is a known problem, easily solved. Many people have trouble with pain meds. So, I would also say call the surgeon.
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Elizabeth, I just drove down Hwy 6 and passed a sign for Freelton! I just noticed on your post that that's where you live - I guess thought you were closer to Hamilton because I think you mentioned way back that you're being treated there - Freelton didn't ring a bell and then I passed the sign just now. We're very close to each other, 25 minutes.
Michelle, I had the same radiation protocol as you 16 treatments + 5 boosts, but I didn't have any fatigue (or nausea) during treatment at all, but fatigue did hit me a few days after my final boost and lasted for a couple of weeks, so I'm sorry that I can't offer any helpful tips. It's interesting how everyone reacts differently to meds or treatments. I hope it's just a weird adjustment period for you and that you feel well soon.
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Michelle_in_cornland - This summer I had the short course of radiation, with boosts. I was completely exhausted by it. The staff explained it to me this way: the radiation kills the cancer cells. Bye bye you mad things! The healthy cells are not killed, but they are damaged, and the body gets right to work repairing them. That repair work is what is making us feel so wilted. (That may not be exactly right, but that's how I understood it.) After radiation ended I was even more tired. So . . . your experience of fatigue sounds pretty normal to me. It might not be about your depression meds.
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I'm not to the radiation part yet...what do you mean radiation with boosts? What's the boosts? Extra sessions after you are done, or heavier ones in between?
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Grazy --- That is so cool... We should get together and have a coffee at Timmie's. Where I live that is the closest and best Centre in the area and less than a 30 minute drive from my house...
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Leslie, boosts are targeted to the area where the cancer was and seem to be more concentrated. The rest of the radiation encompasses most of the breast. I didn't notice any difference between the two. Perhaps with the "short course" Michelle and others have had you might, but mine was 33 including the 5 boosts.
HUGS!
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Grazy and Elizabeth, I should send you the Timmie's gift card I have. There aren't any in Spokane (or Washington I think). I didn't use it on my move here from Michigan so it is just sitting idle. PM your address and I'll send it off to you.
HUGS!
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My short protocol was only 16 hypofractionated targeted treatments—no extra “boosts” because basically each session was a boost. All I can say is to be good to yourself during treatments—rest, eat and drink adequately—and don’t let up on weekends or for at least a week afterwards. Tough advice for multitaskers, I know—there are days I forget to eat lunch or drink water. Be nice to (and “listen to”) your skin; use whatever soothes and protects it (make sure you’ve washed it off before each session), and don’t wear what’s not comfortable. If it’s not figure-flattering or fashionable? Well, what others think of the way you look is irrelevant. Comfort needs to take a back seat to fashion until you’ve healed sufficiently. Reward yourself with the little pleasures you can afford (but not the way I did, with a visit to Hoosier Mama Pies after each session—unless you’re underweight). See that movie you’ve been hearing about. Attend a concert or play if you have the energy. Buy a piece of clothing or accessory that doesn’t irritate your radiated area. Get a mani-pedi or your hair done (or if you had hair loss or nail damage from chemo, a good facial). Buy or download some books or music you know you’ll enjoy. Take a “time-out” to do some puzzles, photography, needlework or coloring, watch trashy TV, or take a nap at a time of day that you’d normally never allow yourself to take.
Michelle, I too have been on antidepressants for decades—first in the two years post-partum when I had serious PPD, then beginning 10 yrs. later when I first learned Prozac was being used for weight loss (the only antidepressant that really worked dramatically for that was Redux, which was yanked off the market for causing heart valve hypertrophy while I was in in-patient rehab recovering from major surgery to rebuild my leg that had been shattered when a car hit me as I was properly crossing a street). I got put back on Prozac, but my family shrink found Wellbutrin (bupropion) worked better against cravings (not surprising, since it’s sold as Zyban for smoking cessation). Are you on anti-hormonals yet? If you are, that might be what caused your hot flash; if not, well, welcome to menopause. Talk to your MO and shrink (have them coordinate) to find an antidepressant that works well on your moods and doesn’t interfere with your anti-hormonal. Wellbutrin is contraindicated for tamoxifen, but okay for AIs; if on tamoxifen, you might be able to take venlafaxine (Effexor) or desvenlafaxine (Desfax), which is also prescribed as Pristiq specifically for hot flashes. Prozac and Paxil, OTOH, are "CYP2D6 inhibitors,” which means they interfere with the enzymatic pathway by which Tamoxifen works. There’s a BCO article explaining that women who took Paxil in particular were nearly twice as likely (91%) to die of their breast cancers than those who took other antidepressants that aren’t CYP2D6 inhibitors:
Women who took the other antidepressants did not see any greater increase in likelihood of bc death than patients who didn’t take antidepressants.
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Elizabeth, I'd love to meet with you for a coffee! PM me and we'll make a date. I volunteer three days a week and drive up to Lake Simcoe to visit my mom once a week, but I make sure I save one day to socialize with friends
Leslie, the 16 (or however many you're having) treatments will be whole breast, and the boosts (if you're having them) will be at the end and targeted to just the tumor bed. My techs added a special 'cone' to the machine and brought it right down to my breast - the radiation was delivered to a small rectangular area on my breast measuring about 6 x 10 cm.; the boosts are very quick. I think I've read that some women had to have another simulation for boosts, but I didn't.
(edited) Here's a link from the Canadian Cancer Society that might be helpful since we receive(d) treatment in Canada:
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Grazy, I actually had to zoom my trackpad to enlarge the photo to see who was you and who was your daughter! And Jill, if I saw you on the street for the first time, I wouldn't think “cancer patient." I'd think “fashion-forward, lookin' good."
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Well, Sandy, thank you! That's a nice compliment, but - trust me - I'm the one with the jowls.
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Oh! I thought all of the radiation was targeted just on the area. Learn something new every day!
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Peggy, hahaa, that is so nice - I will PM my address and Elizabeth and I will use it!!
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thank you!!
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You Canadian gals are rockin'!
HUGS!
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Sandy, My fsh and lh are post menopausal. Estrogen is inconclusive, but I have had regular cycles. My MO thinks radiation may put me over the edge or we will do something to induce menopause. I can take Zoloft with the Ai's. I see my MO on Nov 30th. I am thinking of asking if I can start the new drug regimen after Christmas. I want to fully recover from radiation and enjoy my birthday/holidays. I just don't know if that is too much to hope for.
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Michelle_in_cornland - What are fsh and ih?
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FSH, follicular stimulating hormone, plays a role in the menstrual cycle and releasing of eggs. LH lutenizing hormone triggers ovulations.
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Michelle if you want to start after Christmas then do that. I started tamoxifen as soon as I could, but my doctor said it was up to me. As for ovarian suppression, I started two months later than I could've, because I wanted to enjoy my summer! Turns out I could've anyway (I'm having no serious issues), but I hadn't known that at the time and I didn't want to worry about it!
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Dara, so glad about last chemo!!!
Thanks Peggy, I've been doing so much better on medication now and getting out more to enjoy life. We've had two cold fronts now, 80 degrees to us in Louisiana is heavenly!!!! I come home from work and make myself spend time outside until dark. It helps keep the ugly depression at bay. Enjoying the rose blooms, red and yellow spider lily band smelling the ginger blooms!!!! Spending lots of time with my mom. I stayed with her two weeks ago and cried my heart out and she just held me and loved on me like when I was a kid, I feel like I have experienced a healing of the mind since then and after much praying. It feels so great to be on the upside of the depression now!
I LOVE when everyone posts pictures!!! I couldn't catch up to every post, hi to all of the newbies!!!!
Grazy, you are absolutely SKINNY and you and your daughter are mirrors of each other. You look great!!!
So glad that so many of you can get together! Too bad none of yal are this far south lol!!
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