Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
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vargadoll, I had 3 wire locs and lumpectomies followed by reduction/lift. Surgery was yesterday afternoon. They left 1 drain in on each side and pulled them out this morning. I went home today on just Tylenol. Don't need codeine, but have it just in case. Pain is not much and very doable.
I drove today bc not on codeine. Was told not to pick up anything over 5lbs for a few weeks. Jogging and Pilates and big exercise need to wait 4 weeks, but walking encouraged. Ok to shower in 2 days. No hot tub though. Will followup with ps in 1-2 weeks and with bs for path results in 1 week.
By far the worst was the anxiety leading up surgery. Such relief to be done and I'm amazed at how comfortable I am. Don't hesitate in taking Ativan or Valium beforehand. The anxiety isn't worth it!! Good luck!!
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Varagdoll....I had very little down time. Just rested over the weekend. No drains for me or reconstruction. The fact that you are very active is a big plus. Best of luck to you. Just remember to keep ice on the area and stay tightly bandaged as long as you can stand it...I did for 2 days....keeps any swelling down. And take something for the anxiety if you're having any. And just be kind to yourself and take as much time as YOU need. BC is exhausting.
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thank you ladies! I know I will be fine I always bounce back stronger than before what every the hell knock me down. I just need to be able to move 116 pounds pretty quick after surgery. I truly want 4 days down that's its!
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I just ran across this quote and found it relevant to anyone facing the challenges of treatment. #youvegotthis #kickcancersbutt
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Vargadoll, I'm 52 and very active. I do Zumba too, 3-4 times aweek. I had to have 2 surgeries (second to get clean margins) and SNB (3 nodes). Lx on right breast at 9 o'clock - about an inch incision. SNB about an inch scar inside of armpit near lx. Surgery on Wednesday, slight discomfort took Tylenol and ice. Back to work on Monday. Back to Zumba that Saturday. Had bandages on so sports bra didn't rub incisions. Did squats when everyone jumping. My Zumba class was very supportive of me and it made me feel normal and gave me lot of positive vibes. My BS told me I could start introducing weights at 2nd week, but I waited until about 3rd or 4th week. Can't remember how long it took me to get back to 100% at class. But when I started doing jumping I just crossed my arms over my boobs to keep them from bouncing and just kept dancing
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Sue, love the quote!
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VargaDoll, Welcome! I wouldn't count on lifting that much weight for a month. I wasn't allowed to lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk for 3 weeks. And since you are having a recon too that may delay things. Remember, even though it may be outpatient surgery, this is MAJOR surgery. And your body needs for you to rest so it can heal. Don't rush things. This is important. You want to heal right with no issues. Please do take the time to fill out your profile and make it PUBLIC (each and every item) via Settings. Also tell us where you are and make it public - we're likely nearby. Keep asking your questions.
HUGS!
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Sue, love that quote! It's perfect. We ARE the storm!!
HUGS!
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Thanks so much! This has been a shock to me! No family history, healthy life style, no smoking EVER of anything. I'm a healthy girl and sounds like you are to! Hope you are feeling better than your old self
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I must agree with the advice to be very careful and wary about lifting weight anytime within a month or so after surgery. Two reasons:
1. you could pop a suture, and it will take FOREVER to heal if that happens. Trust me, I know of what i speak: this happened to me when I couldn't resist picking up my 30 or so pound grandson about three weeks post surgery...(contrary to doc's orders).One of the concerns with taking so long to heal was that chemo was called for, for me, but bs wouldn't clear me to start chemo until totally healed (risk of infection). Same would have been true for rads if I hadn't needed chemo.
2. consult with a lymphedema therapist before lifting weight, and the best way to get started if weight lifting is something you do regularly. Read up on lymphedema if you haven't already done so, and ask your surgeon about it. Heavy lifting can increase the risk, and once you get it, you have it for life: it can be managed, but doesn't go away.
Hugs!
Octogirl
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Thanks octogirl! I lift 116 lbs several times a day. I will read up on the lymph edema.
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Vargadoll, sounds like you are pretty fit. I was and am a Crossfitter and noticed the following.
I take it from the do 6+ 5 days a week, you are a runner- you may have to purchase a really great sports bra for the runs as it is going to hurt a bit. But for me the biggest issue was the snb because they surgeons do cut through the muscle to get to the lymph nodes. Sounds like yours being close to the chest wall may also impact your pectoral muscles as well. Give yourself the chance to heal, and work back up to the weights.
I wonder, from your comments, are you competing shortly after your surgery?
I still get swelling on the surgery side and soreness a few days after certain work outs, have difficulty doing full plank pushups and my pull ups suck.
I wish you a swift and sure recovery!
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Vargadoll, my tumor was only a tad bit bigger than yours, located at “10:00" on my R breast and not very deep, so I had two incisions—one for the lx, one for the SNB. No drains. Same-day surgery—radioactive seed implant (no wire) and sentinel node radioactive injection (no blue dye) in the morning, surgery about 90 min. later, eating a bagel & schmear in the post-op roomette by 3pm, discharged by 4 (on foot, no wheelchair) and home by 4:30. Except for one bolus of Fentanyl in my IV when I first “came to" in the recovery room, nothing stronger than Tylenol ES (and in the hospital they gave me regular strength). They didn't even write me a prescription!
Was told I'd be too tired to climb stairs to the bedroom. So I slept on the daybed downstairs and wore button-up PJs, but woke up fine and had full arm ROM, so I went upstairs and was easily able to pull stuff on & off over my head. My sis flew in from VA to take care of me for a couple of days, since I'd been told I would have “profound fatigue" (nope) but instead, we just hung out together—except she did the driving & lifting. I had what was called “scoline syndrome" the following couple of days—they give succinylcholine to relax your muscles, but just before they relax they momentarily tense so strongly that you get a delayed reaction like you went to the gym and used the 100lb. weights on the Nautilus first time out.
I too was under a “nothing heavier than a gallon of milk" lifting restriction for a couple of weeks. I'm a musician and had a gig 90 mi. away in Rockford 2-1/2 wks post-op—so my son carried my instruments out to the car (and my husband brought them back into the house upon my return) and my singing partner & the venue operator brought them inside when I arrived. All I had to do was tune them up, plug in, and perform. (For two blessed hours I forgot all about having cancer).
Unfortunately, a week after that (the day after my first RO appt, when the RO removed the Steri-Strips that still remained), my SNB incision popped open, and the seroma that had formed in there (like an internal blister) gushed all over the place. Went back to the hospital's Breast Center and my surgeon's partner squooshed out the remaining fluid and sutured me up. I asked how it could have happened, and he said the weight of my oversize boob pulled the incision open. I asked if I should have had a reduction, and he diplomatically replied “well, you weren't my patient." (Guess the fact that I told my surgeon at our first appt. I wanted to be done with active treatment in time for a Mediterranean cruise we'd booked—my husband had nearly died from a botched colonoscopy a few months earlier and we had our hearts set on it—so I guess my surgeon hadn't broached the subject). The surgeon's partner also said that I'd have gotten a seroma even had I a drain—I just form blisters really easily, inside & out.
I'm almost a year & a half out, and no problems. Mild stage 0 lymphedema (4 nodes out, all negative), but my LE doc just told me last month I no longer have it and to take reasonable precautions: wear compression only for long flights (>3 hrs), rapid ascents to high altitude and repetitive upper body exercise. (No lifting >15 lbs. with that arm). You, being a fit athlete, are probably not obese so you are at lower risk. But do get your arm & hand measured and buy a sleeve & gauntlet just in case. You never know when you’ll need it: I took 3 trips to Europe in the year since my surgery!
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Molliefish & ChiSandy, thank you ladies so much! I am very fit for 51 and very curvy. I could lose a few pounds but I carry my weight well. I were a high impact sports bra now when I am working on my fitness and a sports time tank. I can't stand my girls bouncing all over the place. I'm a 36 DD . I don't think my boobs are that big it's my frame is small. If my boobs were on a bigger frame they would be a 36C.
I work in the health care field and need to lift clients. It's not a total lift most of the time but on occasion it can be. I love my job and the thought of being aways from it more than a few days is stressing me out.
You warriors are being a huge help! If you think 116 pound toddler that needs a little help getting up and down ...thats my life. A toddler who needs a hand to balance while they walk.
I'm in for surgery in a few weeks and I've only told close friends
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Vargadoll: partly "welcome to the group", but more what I hope are words of comfort. Everyone's experience is different, and yes--brace yourself for the possibilities at the unpleasant end of the spectrum. That said, they may not come to pass!
I didn't get drains, but did feel like I was recovering from awful pneumonia for a couple of weeks after the surgeries. My surgeons this time around were more generous with the weight restrictions--I don't remember any of the doctors treating me for breast cancer warning me about raising my arms over my head, for example.
But more importantly (I think!), I had to take a moment to think "Hold on, what did the surgeons and oncologists say?" a year and a half or thereabouts after I finished treatment. You will come through this, and we all hope that it will gradually fade away (mostly) into the past.
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Well, we made it through the "storm." The storm part was mostly a sleet-snow event. When I went to bed there was 1/4" of ice on my porch, covered with 1/4" snow. This morning my patio and everything on it is covered with a 1-1/2" rock-hard layer of mixed ice and snow. Ugh. The worst. The whole backyard is covered with ice--I can barely break through when I walk in it. My poor doggie's feet are freezing and i have no booties for him. The driveway is a solid sheet of ice.I live on a hill and it is completly covered in ice. wndchill is 23. No frickin' way am I going anywhere today.
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ladies, thank you for the words of encouragement! I made it just fine and home yesterday. Didn't realize I'd be peeing smurf blue so that was a little shock. Much of the pain is where they cut lymph nodes but it's not so bad. I had a wonderful experience at the breast center, everyone was very kind and comforting. Hope everyone is well and again thank you for the prayers!
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Poodles, ice is the worst! My doggie won't wear booties. Good luck staying upright! And definitely don't go anywhere. We may have a bit of freezing rain Sunday night/Monday morning. I live on a high prairie with a very steep hill to get to civilization. If there's ice I sure won't be going to my doctor's appointment at 8AM Monday!
FightinGirl, that lymph node incision is the most annoying thing about an Lx. It keeps on bothering for even up to a year or more. Those nerves go haywire. And, for me, everything seemed to rub it wrong - tops, bras. After about 13 months, I finally regained nearly all feeling there. Just know it will be around for awhile.
HUGS!
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Vargadoll, DON'T DO IT! Lifting is the worst thing you can do. During the surgery, your pectoral fascia is cut and stitched. Lifting even 20 pounds can do a lot of damage in that area. The better your muscle tone, the more damage you will do!! You will need an assistant for the lifting if you are going to continue working during the following months. Consider yourself temporarily disabled - your employer may provide assistance to you since you can still do most of your job duties. I was told by my physical therapist to wait 6 weeks for the fascia to heal. Then I started back gradually, first just going through the motions with no weights, then 5 lb, 10 lb, etc. I was back to my normal weight lifting within 4 months. We have several cats that stay in a "cat condo" when they are inside at night. It has three levels, and the biggest cat (18 lbs) lives in a top level condo. We trained him to go up a ramp so that I didn't have to lift him after surgery. It was good exercise for him, too
P.S. Vargadoll, I am the same bra size as you, and if I had a do-over I would have asked for a reduction during surgery, then had the other one reduced to match later. I got thru radiation fine, but the relatively big amount of breast tissue I have is causing it to still be swollen with edema 9 months after rads ended. I didn't tell anyone at work about my cancer either, but I had a desk job. Now I'm happily retired.
Fightingirl, I'm thinking positive thoughts for your pathology outcome!
Everyone else, hello from muddy Central California, where the rain is much needed but the mud I could do without. Our mud is as slick as ice in spots.
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Hi Vargadoll welcome 👍 I had my lumpy in November with sentinal node removal. I too love my job and still working at 66. I wanted to return after a few days and return to crossfit as well. But found it impossible because of the node removal which was bothering me than the breast surgery. So, i followed the Dr's advise and stayed out fo two weeks. It was worth it. Going thru rads now and picking up where I left off. I have told only immediate family and my bosses who have graciously let me work flex hours for 6weeks YES
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fighting...prayers for a great recovery.
Peggy...I have Spokane family. My niece was here last week and the pictures she showed were full of snow in December around her home.
Vargadoll....Welcome! I didn't have a drain but have healed so well. The lymph noid incision is the most uncomfortable ...I am not in tip top shape and since having chemo just walking into ride my bike tires me..so take it slow and careful. This whole adventure has been mind blowing. ..you have come to the right place.
Annoyingboob...glad your doing well ...keeping you in prayer!
Moondust...looks like a rainy day for us here in the Central Valley. Lucky no mud near me ...so far!
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I should not need chemo and it's still "ify" about radiation. This stupid cancer was caught so early. I could have had surgery Jan 2nd and I just found out December 23rd. I needed time to get myself together and come up with a plan. I'm self employed so it makes it difficult to find backup. You ladies are really helping me see what the next few days,weeks,months and even beyond will bring to my husband and I. We still haven't told our daughter she is 7 months pregnant and this is opps baby #5. They have a toddler who will be 22 months when the new edition arrives. This will be the first birth I will not be there for and it hurts. I just keep telling myself I will be here to watch her grow up.
Thanks ladies back to reading and planning!
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Moondust,
I think we have similar diagnosis except I am progesterone -. My mammaprint F f was 20%
I am curious why you did radiation first. Also curious how your chemo went. I am 66 nd I initially thought I was only needing radiation.
They told me I couldn't do chemo after radiation.
Positive
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caligirl,
How many treatments did you have of chemo. I don't think I am in great shape either.
I know I should be exercising but I just seem immobilized.
I just can't get a grip on it all
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Positive2, my tumor was also ER+/PR- HER2- and I had to have chemo, as well. My MO considers PR- to be a more aggressive and ominous tumor. I have read that PR- tumors often act more like Triple Negative. At any rate, my MO strongly recommended chemo, to be started almost immediately after I healed from the lumpectomy.
I think they like to start chemo within 90 days; I don't know if it somehow works better or what, but that's what she recommended. So I had 4 rounds of TC. It wasn't fun, but it also wasn't awful. The first week was okay, until the steroids wore off. Then it was rough for about another week. But in week 3 I actually felt pretty good, with almost normal energy. Then on day 21, I had chemo again and the process started over.
I did end up having to have a BMX because we found out that I had 2 gene mutations which cause BC and other cancers.I have strong family history of breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, and other cancers. I didn't want to look forward to years and years of surveillance, scares, and biopsies so the breasts had to come off, as well as the uterus and ovaries. I would have needed rads after chemo, except I agreed to have the BMX. The MO felt that the BMX would be sufficient prevention for me.
As hard as it all was--and my BMX recovery was very hard-- I have no regrets.
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CaliGirl, Snow in Spokane is going nowhere anytime soon. And we are adding to it this weekend. So thrilled. All I can say is that, unlike SE Michigan, we get days of sunshine here which helps immensely. Let me know if you decide to come visit Spokane and we can get together!
HUGS!
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Caligirl.. You'd like Spokane, and Peggy, we get some beautiful days even though they are cold.. something about clear skies and fresh snow...
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Ugh. Update on my mother...she is still in kidney failure, with minimal improvement. I think this is probably now chronic kidney failure, which is manageable but not reversible. She is very anemic, so she'll probably be getting blood tomorrow, if not tonight. Two of my sisters have been there the last 3 days and they report that Mother is more and more confused. This morning I talked with my mother. She managed to hold it together for the first 5-6 minutes, but then it was like a light switched off for about 2-3 seconds. When she "came back on" she was talking about someone I had never heard of using made up words. I could tell that she was holding a conversation, but it was just words strung together and she seemed not to notice. Then she "went off" for 2-3 seconds, "came on" and started asking me questions about our snow event. Huh? And that happened 4 times. She couldn't remember whether she had eaten breakfast. Didn't know what hospital she is in. At times she doesn't recognize my sisters. Other times, she does.
Needless to say, I am very concerned. She was NOT like this after Christmas. This confusion started after she sustained a fall in her bathroom at 3am. . My sister says that her level of confusion has gotten worse in the last 2 days (she's been there since Jan 1.) I think she may have suffered a stroke, either prior to her fall or since she has been in the hospital.
But more ominously, my sisters picked up her mail today. OMG. She is months behind on her rent--she owes $5900. Her credit card is over $10,000. There were some other post-due notices, as well. This is much more serious than any of us realized. I think we are going to have to go for guardianship. Certainly at this time Mother is incapable of giving consent, managing money, shopping or cooking, caring for her pets or caring for herself. Unfortunately, Mother call pull herself together for 3-5min while the doctors are in the room, so they think we are exaggerating. However, the PA has seen Mother in all her glory and was pretty horrified at how much she has gone down. They're called in home health, which IMO is idiocy. She can't even remember at 9am whether she ate breakfast! How's she going to manage if they're only seeing her a couple times a week?? I've advised my sisters to NOT accept any discharge to home and to use specific language when they talk with the social worker: "I cannot keep my mother SAFE in her home."
Oh, man. I had hoped that this situation would improve, like it has the last two times, but it seems to be dragging on. I'm going to go down there this week. I have a colonoscopy scheduled for Mon Jan 16, so I may need to go down there Mon afternoon. I spoke to one sister who said, Oh, no, we're okay. The other sister said, Absolutely, we need you. Please, please come! I feel like I need to lay eyes on Mother for my own peace of mind, as well as to support my sisters.
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Poodles, for heaven's sake don't let them send your mother home. Her finances are scary. That's a lot of money to owe. A helluva lot. She definitely won't be safe at home. Tell your sisters to tape your mother - a long enough period of time to show what her state of mind is. I hope you can get there and back in time for your colonoscopy. You do need to see mom. And your sisters need your practical advice and approach to your mom. Sending you lots of love and support. I'm sorry that you need it.
HUGS!
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Positive2....I had 4 treatments ...at one point I thought I was going to have 2 more. I got so upset because I was miserable. It was doable but I was ready to move on to surgery.
Poodles...I am so sorry to hear about your mom getting worse. Prayers
I sure hope to get to Spokane to meet both of you ladies.
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