Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
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Tabermom, velvetPoppy and Blooming, as Trish and Judy have said, "teams" can be different based on the center you are using. At City of Hope, my team also started with a navigator who met me at the front door and walked me through all the first couple of meeting to get going with all the paperwork, answer questions, and follow up a day after my first BS appointment. My BS was the lead who ordered all my genetic testing, planned the surgery, etc. Post lx, she recommended my MO who manages checkups and medications. I met with my BS 3 times post surgery and she will see me at the 1 yr mark and ordered my 3D mamma and ultrasound at the year mark. The BS also ordered my Oncotype test (I had IDC)
My MO took over after surgery to determine the path, even though I'd been told just lx and rads. Based on my onco, he and the tumor board (grp of drs that review path results) he requested a second genomic test, Prosigna. When results came back, chemo was highly recommended to avoid recurrence. Once chemo was complete, the RO took over and managed 36 rad treatments. I will still see my RO once more at 5 mos post rad.
The MO is the primary dr once treatment is complete and you will continue to see him/her yearly. MOs order yearly tests and monitor your meds if required for 5-10 years. I know it seems crazy at first with so many appointments and people involved. It really does settle down once treatment is complete.
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My experience has been different. When I was in Michigan, my BS handled all follow-up testing like mammos and DexaScans. My MO just wrote my anastrozole prescription. My RO just checked me out. Now that I'm in Spokane, I have only a MO and he is handling everything. I really don't have need for a BS nor an RO.
HUGS!
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Thank you for your input on your teams. It's apparent that just as our cancers are individual, so too are (or will be) our teams. I'll find out more tomorrow when I have my follow-up visit with my surgeon. I thought my scheduling was complicated before!!
MJ
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Ladies, I have a dilemma. I have been focused on getting my reconstruction under way, but I'm wondering if I ought to have my knee replacement instead. My left knee is killing me. Both knees are bone-on-bone, but the right knee doesn't trouble me too much. Several nights a week my knee wakes me briefly. I'm taking a prescription NSAID and it helps--without it I can hardly move. When I stand up it takes about 10-15 seconds to extend my leg enough to bear weight on it. I have already had one bad fall due to the knee giving out.
I think the hitch is the recovery. Recovery from DIEP is usually 4-6 weeks, sometimes as little as 3 weeks. There are lifting restrictions for about 6 weeks, but not too awfully much pain I'm told. Recovery from knee replacement is about 8 weeks and it's really painful for about 4 weeks. There is a lot of PT. Don't know about activity restrictions.
So, I'm just not sure what to do. Especially in light of my job right now. My mother has stabilized, although she is still very weak and barely eating or drinking. God only knows how much longer she will hold out. My grandmother held out for months with colon cancer, until she was down to 76-lbs. Yikes!
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Poodles, nothing is ever easy for you, is it? I tend towards getting the knee done since it is what is bothering you most. This is affecting your QOL and will likely be worth it after you recover (I'm sure it won't seem that way during PT etc). I am glad your mother is stable and you have the opportunity to look after yourself. I don't know what else to tell you on the job front. I just know you have to take care of YOU!! Good luck however you decide.
HUGS!
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Thanks, Peggy. I had a dream last night that I was at my orthopedist's office and we mutually decided to do the knee replacement. I remember feeling positive about it. The funny thing is, I have an appt with him tomorrow to discuss shots. I actually am feeling more inclined to the knee replacement, I think. I''m going to take my DH with me. He says if I'm going to do it, he'd suggest doing both at the same time (I will have to go to rehab anyway, because I have a lot of steps from the driveway into the house, plus all my bathrooms are upstairs.) Not sure if I really want to do that. I guess I'll discuss it with the ortho tomorrow.
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Poodles, I don't know about doing both at the same time. I have no experience to say one way or another. I can see why it would SEEM to make sense to do both but I'm not sure that you really want to. Maybe you want to have one knee that you can still use while the other one heals. Let us know what the dr. says and his reasoning. It has to be rough having so many steps
BTW, that's an interesting dream!! Your subconscious was at work 
Good luck whatever you decide!!! HUGS!
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I don't know anyone who has had the knees done at the same time, but I plan to research it online. It does seem as though it would be easier to do one at a time. But I also know it hurts like hell. My mother had hers done in 2014 and she swore she would NEVER have the other one done, no matter what.
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I drove for the first time tonight since my surgery. Put a small folded fleece blanket under the seat belt. I could have driven before tonight but Nurse Ratched - aka my DH - wouldn't let me. He's very overprotective! But so supportive. It's off to the surgeon tomorrow for my follow-up visit. Hoping for clear margins and negative nodes!
MJ
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Tappermom, praying for clear margins and negative nodes.
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Poodles, I've had 3 hip replacements and one full knee replacement. I had always heard how painful the knee was, but I honestly thought it was pretty easy. I didn't have a lot of pain, and unlike the hips, it's so much easier to stand, lift my leg into bed, etc. I had one of the knee rotator machines at home and, while some drs no longer order that machine anymore, I found it a god-send. it really got my flexibility back quickly. The first two weeks kinda suck, but if you have someone to help, it's really not bad. I used a walker the first two weeks then a cane for another two weeks. The biggest restriction I had was no driving. I got release for that after 6 weeks. My orthopedist tried arthroscopic surgery to begin with, but it did absolutely nothing and 3 months later had the FKR. Let me know if you have any questions I can answer.
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Dara, I had knee arthroscopy in 2014. It did absolutely nothing for me. A total waste of time , energy, and money. I do have one question : What about stairs? I have stairs everywhere. All my beds and baths are upstairs. There are 9-10 steps to get into my house. Think I'll need to go to rehab for a week, until I can climb stairs?
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Good news, ladies! Clear margins, negative nodes! The BS said that I am surgically cured! His staff will be referring me to an MO and RO; I'll have radiation and go on treatment for my positive hormone receptors. Once the lymph node surgical site stops hurting like a bear, I'll feel like myself again!
MJ
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MJ, that's terrific news! Now you can breathe!!! Hate to tell you but that lymph node site is apt to annoy you for sometime. It should quit actually hurting soon.
HUGS!
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~Tappermom~
Hurray! Isn't it wonderful to get news like that. The weight of the world is suddenly lifted. My mantra: Cancer is NOT a death sentence. I'm going to be okay. I am so glad for you.
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LAW193, I just had my surgery in March and the surgeon told me that life expectancy in women over 70 is not improved by having radiation. I turned 69 the day of surgery, so I'm really on the borderline. So she told me it was my choice.
Lots of people have weighed in on the subject, and the MO also said it was my choice. The thing that convinced me to do it, though, is that the RO said that the recurrence rate without radiation is 10% but with it is 1%. And that if it recurred, I most likely would need a mastectomy and chemo. And I REALLY don't want to do that.
10% is NOT a high risk but it's still appreciable, so each person has to make her own decision, but for me, chemo is too scary to contemplate, so I decided to do the radiation. I'd do chemo if I had to, but would REALLY rather not. And when I told the MO of my decision, she was very supportive and seemed relieved that I'd made that choice. So there's my 2c!
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Congatulations, MJ!! Great news.
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I'm with you, natsera. I don't even have my referrals to the RO and MO yet but was disturbed when I read that radiation is not recommended for women 70 and older (can't remember where I read that). And my surgeon told me he is referring me for radiation therapy. I may be 70 but I have a lot of living yet to do. My grandson is about to turn 1 - I intend to be at his high school graduation and see him get launched in life. And to accomplish that, I'll do whatever it takes. So if anyone tries to talk me out of radiation, they'll have a fight on their hands! Best of luck to you. Let us know when you get started on this leg of the nasty adventure.
MJ
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hi everybody! I had my surgery last week and the sentinel biopsy, today i just find out that my near the incision of the biopsy just above the axila is swelling is it normal? My cousin told me to put ice in that area? What do you think?
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Vivian, yes ice ice ice is very helpful. Swelling could be a seroma. It is fluid that fills in the empty space. Keep an eye on it for any redness or pain.
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Thanks Molly i will.
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Tapper - Great news! Definitely wait to start rads until your node incision is more healed. I think they like you to start 4 - 6 wks after surgery, but I began rads 8 wks after to make sure incision was less bothersome.
natsera - Doing whatever to avoid further, more drastic surgery & chemo is a great decision. Wishing you well on the next step in your BC journey.
Gentle hugs and healing thoughts to all.
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Tappermom, YAY, so glad for clear margins and negative nodes! Such a relief! I started rads about 4 weeks after surgery.
Natsera, I think you made a good decision. Rads are doable, I didn't have hardly any se. I wanted to do whatever I could to lessen my chance of reoccurrence.
Vivian, ice was my best friend after both my surgeries.
Hugs to all!
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Tappermom-excellent news!!! I have 6 grandchildren and totally agree with you! They are my reason to kick BC to the curb! The oldest is 11 and the youngest is 1 month old. I planned on being here for their graduations to#
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Thanks Natsera. I'm 34 and my dcis was high grade and being young and hormone negative usually means more aggressive cancer too - I just got really lucky with how early I caught it. So I don't need any chemo or targeted therapy but they convinced me radiation is pretty necessary after the lumpectomy. Oh well, I thought I would ask. I'm just worried about my heart and lungs. And the seroma - if it doesn't absorb before radiation do they have to drain it?
Vivian - ice is the best. I amstill using ice over two weeks later (although I have a seroma and had a very painful mammogram two days ago)
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MJ, that's great news! Now you can breathe a few more sighs of relief.
Vivian, it's not all that unusual to get some swelling at the site of your SNB. You may sure enough have a small pool of fluid in there (seroma). Let your surgeon know about it. If it's small, he may just watch it and see if it will reabsorb. If it's large and painful he may have to drain it in the office (it's not a painful procedure, btw.) In the meantime ice , ice, baby!
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MJ....congrats!
Vivian...I have a seroma near my incision so my BS is just watching it...as long as it doesn't get bigger not to worry ...she would rather not drain it and risk infection....me too!
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Hello all, I finally decided to have a single nipple-sparing mastectomy after I met with a wonderful breast surgeon yesterday. The surgery is scheduled for May 10. I'm very happy about this decision and can't wait for the surgery!
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Stephi, so glad you have a plan your happy with. Hope you have a blessed & relaxing weekend. Hugs!
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March 2015 - Wide local excision 1.6cm grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma with precancerous margins
June 2015 - Wide local excision, breast reduction and sentinel lymph node - nil affected. Stage 1. 1.5 months post surgery noticed hard nodule in deep in Surgical Area. This has been reported and professionals say it could be stitch, fat necrosis, oily cyst which once radio effects settled could be removed with vacuum aspiration ultrasound guidance - minimal invasion and no scar.
Aug 2015 - 4 sessions EC Adjuvant chemotherapy
November 2015 - x25 sessions of Radiotherapy
Presently on Tamoxifen
Have had to clear mammograms (most recent 3 weeks ago) at the Royal Marsden.
This week I have had examination back home after having had clear mammogram at the Marsden 3 weeks ago. Surgeon back home seems to think nodule which has been present shortly after surgery is bigger; I have not noticed increase. He suggests removal and gives me 3 months to consider. He wants it out to put to one side uncertainties that I have and uncertainty of any professional that examine some me for the first time. Also because of high grade. He offered excision under local and I agreed to have it done next Friday. When I got home i had a good thinking session. Was I making a rush decision out panic? Should i be logical and consider that mammo 3 weeks ago did not show any cancer and that nodule has been present and checked by professional checked by professionals and consider removal by vacuum Aspirations?
HAS any one experienced hard nodules deep in breast post breast surgery
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