Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
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slimslug I did not get any fat grafting and had a sizeable chunk taken out at 2:00 (towards armpit area) and I only have a slight ripple there. My scar is in the dark part of my areola, a half moon, and hardly noticeable. The sentinel node scar is much more visible. Some surgeons cut across the breast tissue and some cut a crescent at the side of the areola and go in that way to remove the lump. So your scar afterwards will depend on how your surgery is done.
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Slimslug, BCO policy prohibits posting pictures of our breasts online. But they can be sent by private message. I’ve never photographed mine, and I’m not inclined to post any naked pix of me even by e-mail because “the internet is forever” and we never know what might fall into the wrong virtual hands.
But for the fact that there’s a faint scar on the side and my R breast is smaller and perkier (and prettier) than the L (and it was slightly smaller than the L even before cancer), you really can’t tell I had a lumpectomy.
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Try the images on the below site, maybe they can help.
http://www.melbournebreastcancersurgery.com.au/inc...
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yes a scar and not much else is realistic: it's what i have one month after my lumpectomy, and it looks great. my only problem is a hard mass of scar tissue under the incision. has anyone else had that? does it go away on its own?
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Stephanie, I also have a large, hard mass of scar tissue between my incision and my nipple (my incision is in the 6 o'clock position.
MJ
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Slimslug, I'll send you pictures of my lx the day after and 6 months on.
HUGS!
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Ok lovely Lumpy Ladies- a few days ago during the night (inside my house!) I got to bites on the breast I had surgery on. They are right at the top of were your bra band would be. They felt sore not painful on Tuesday morning when I found them. They have only itched a litthe last night. Today I'm dizzy, have a fever 101 and my heart has been a little wacky today. The bug (or spider who knows!) bites are not hot swelling is about the same as normal. I also have had a headache. I volunteered in a church nursery yesterday and there was 11 kids under 4 so who knows of one of the had something. I'm just confused! I never run a fever so this is way out of sorts for me!
Thanks!
Just put my pj's on and the surgery breast looks like it has a slight sunburn. I haven't been in the sun in 3 days. Surgery was Feb 7th is it possible to have a problem now???? I have had ZERO problems with the surgery site or the SNB (one incision ) I do have a slight case of lymphedema
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Stephanie, I won't say the hard tissue goes completely away, but it does soften up over time.
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Varga, call your RO or surgeon—but first go to Urgent Care or even an ER if you don’t have an Urgent Care center nearby. Those could be tick or even recluse spider bites and it sounds like they’re either infected with whatever the critters may have been carrying, or if a spider its venom may be kicking in. This isn’t anything you want to let slide, especially if you have even mild LE, because cellulitis is a distinct possibility with a compromised lymphatic system (and your fever, dizziness and the redness of the breast are very concerning).
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Ditto to what Sandy said. I had a friend with similar symptoms and she nearly died thinking she had the flu. It was a wolf spider bite and they just had to pump her full of benedryl and fluids. Go right away if you haven't already!
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I just saw my BS and she said my mastitis is now a chronic infection and edema in my breast, so have a rx for more antibiotics if it gets bad again... and pt talked about getting a compression sleeve.. sooo.. lymphodema, infections... and the mammo is scheduled next month...I'm ending the year as bad as I started it... I'm thankful it's not worse, but I sure wish it was better...
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So sorry to hear your mastitis is chronic, Judy. If you are not “well-endowed” you might want to start looking at compression bras, tanks & tees (they don’t come in plus-sizes). My LE PT says she even recommends Spanx camisoles for those who can fit into them. I wear a sleeve and gauntlet for gardening (there are thorns in places you’d never imagine, and nasty stuff living in soil), flights 4 hrs or longer, rapid ascents to high elevations, and in the gym—I weight-and-resistance train 2-3x/wk and do cardio every other day. Once you have been measured, go to Lymphedivas and Compressionsale.com for special deals on interesting colors & patterns. I don’t wear mine for more than an hour every few days, I rotate patterns, and wash and dry them after every 3 hrs. of wear, so they last longer than the 6 months they suggest for those who wear compression all day every day.
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I haven't been on the site to post in a while. I do get notifications and read new posts on my phone but don't know how to post that way (and I don't do well with only my thumbs on a phone)! I've had quite the experience since my radiation. My surgical scar was a half moon in the areola and 3 weeks after surgery was healing nicely . 2 days into my brachytherapy with Savi radiation, I had severe pain. The next day I had some leaking from surgical incision- I got through radiation and they took out the savi. The next week I had a huge amount of leaking from the incision, and the incision was white and looked awful. I actually couldn't even see that half moon anymore. Apparently the radiation damaged the incision from the inside out. I was put on antibiotics and then a second round of antibiotics (in addition to the ones I had when the Savi was put in- thank goodness I did not get a yeast infection). Bottom line I went back to surgeon yesterday and she said the "white" was my breast fat and I need a wound care specialist. Now I'm on a protocol 2x a day that they gave me and I'm praying this thing closes up. I keep reminding myself that there are women who are dealing with much more than I am and that even though I have this complication -I am lucky.
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Brightness and slimslug - welcome. Some great ladies here with lots of wisdom and encouragement. It has been 2 months since my LX and things have healed very well. I only have one incision about 1 or 2 o'clock under my right armpit. My surgeon was able to get tissue and do SNB with same incision due to location of tumor. It is ant 2 inches long. I have a biozorb prosthesis so there is no sunken in area so far. Everything was looking very nice, but now I am doing radiatiom so things are pinking up and swelling some. Each outcome depends on location I am guessing. Best wishes to you both.
Stephaniebc - I do have a lump under my incsion. My LEOT, thinks it is either the biozorb prosthesis or seroma.
Barbmak - that does not sound fun, so sorry
Vargadoll- plz keep us posted
Prayers and hugs all around.
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Barbmak, that sounds awful. Now I know why my RO doesn’t offer brachytherapy.
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Thanks for the welcome ladies. I'm sorry to hear of those having problems, but thankful for the wisdom here.
Chisandy, does weight and resistancetraining help with lymphodema or do you do it for other, more typical reasons?
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Sandy, Thanks for the suggestions... I will definitely check it out.
Barbak, sorry you are having so much trouble... I've had it easy compared to so many others and pray you get the help you need...
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hi ladies, just reporting in day after my lumpectomy and SNB (and excisional biopsy on the other breast) --- I survived! Long day after previous sleepless night, but I made it.... I was able to sleep on a bunch of nicely arranged pillows with some awesome ice packs, and am sitting in a great recliner with ice today.... and just on Tylenol though I'm achey. Anyway, now my week of waiting for results begins so cross your fingers for me
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Waiting is the worst! Sounds like you're doing well. Thinking good thoughts for a b9 biopsy on the one and clear margins and negative nodes on the other.
MJ
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Brightness and slimslug - welcome.
Sarah, glad you're doing good after surgery. I agree, waiting is the worst.
Judy, Barbmak, Vargadoll, sorry you're having trouble. Prayers and hugs to you all.
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Stephanie - I had lump/hardness under the two incisions to remove lesions. I did not notice it with my BN incision (although still don't have complete feeling under that arm as of yet) I'm not sure if it makes a difference with breast size but I did have hardness in both incisions. But mostly from the incision at 1 o'clock position (other incision was 9 o'clock) Neither have any hardness now. I can't say this is factual or not but I took the advise from PT when I had a surgical scar on my ankle a few years back. He recommended deep massage to break down the scar tissue/collagen. So I made a point of massaging my incisions. I generally put some lotion on after my bath and made it part of my prep before bed. Can't say if I did in fact do something to eliminate the hardness. It could have been something that would have happened anyway.
JAnn49 - So sorry that the infection is chronic now. No doubt it challenges the mind to move on, when the infection just wants to linger. I so hope your new antibiotic knocks out the infection and you will end the year much better than you started. Hang in there.
Barbmak - So sorry to hear of your complication with healing. I'm curious, did you start brachytherapy after a few weeks? I had mammosite inserted two days after surgery (they inserted a temporary balloon during actual lumpectomy). So radiation treatment started less than a week from the LX. I had quit a bit of drainage from the insertion site after surgery. But it eased up as time passed. I will admit my hubby and I found it strange to have such an open incision throughout the process. It was rather strange to see up inside. A few days into rad. treatment, I'm gonna guess from movement we saw some fat tissue also. Also surprised upon removal of the device they did not stitch up the incision. They said they wanted drainage. So the incision is not as pretty but it is on the crease beneath my breast and so not so visible. I am pleased with the benefits that brachytherapy offered and feel blessed I was a candidate to do so.
Sarah - Glad to hear you sound well from your lx and incisional. The recliner was my friend for 3 weeks and I ice packs were in constant rotation. And can't forget my little pillow to keep my arm somewhat away from my body on the SN incision side. You've got it girl. Prayers for good results. Pamper yourself you deserve it.
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When I was going through LE PT in early 2016, my therapist told me that resistance and weight work, as long as it started light and increased very gradually, was essential to normalizing lymph circulation and helping prevent or break up cording. But I joined a gym and started personal training because I wanted to put the brakes on my weight gain, improve my balance, endurance & flexibility and strengthen my core to prevent throwing out my lower back again like I did before last Christmas.
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Thanks everyone... I talked to the nurse yesterday and i will have the mammo at the end of August and also an ultrasound... another month of waiting...
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Garden, my surgery was on June 7th, Savi inserted June 20th and radiation started June 26 and ended June 30. ( I was originally told at surgeon's office that it would start on June 23, but RO said he wanted 5 days in a row not interrupted by a weekend.) I was also surprised that when device came out the opening was not really closed....just some loose steri strips. That did heal although it doesn't look great...but I'm not wearing any bikinis anytime soon... I saw RO yesterday and he said it couldn't have been the actual radiation that caused incision to open, but could have been the device pushing out on it. He said 4 weeks out from the end of radiation is really when the radiation is doing its job....and the next two week could be complicated by "sunburn". He sounded as if he never saw this before...but who knows. I'm just hoping it heals soon b/c adhesive on the bandage that I have to change 2 x a day is doing a job on my breast.
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Sarah R good to hear that your recovery is going well so far (except for the lack of some sleep). The week will hopefully go by fast!
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I am also waiting for the results from my lx and like Sarah, this is stressful! But like everything in this ordeal, it is soon (relatively speaking) nothing but a memory!
I originally thought my lx would be a simple (again relatively speaking) surgery but the MRI & US picked up other suspicious areas so my simple lx was much larger. I was in the OR for almost 2 hours. But today I feel okay. I alternate between resting and light chores like laundry and weeding/deadheading and lightly cleaning the bathroom.
I sneak peeks at my wound. I am very bruised and my boob reminds me of a baseball with stitching! I took extra strength Tylenol around noon & soon am going to stick a bag of frozen peas in my bra!
I try to turn off the brain but it is hard. I am looking forward to meeting with my BS on Wednesday. Besides the report I want to know more about being ER/PR negative, if now flat (once were inverted) nipples are a concern and that test to see about cancer recurrences. I can't remember what it is called
I am grateful for this site. It gives me something to do that feels more productive than solitaire and Netflix binge watching! Sarah--Best wishes to you .clean margins & a B9 biopsy it is! Babmak & JAnn49; I am so sorry that you are suffering. My hope is that it soon passes. The only way I get through anything that is rough is by telling myself it will soon be just a memory (like that class from hell a couple of years ago!) Time goes quickly except when you are in the midst of it. Hugs to all!
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If you have no IDC, ER-/PR- is no big deal with DCIS, and chemo is never given for it. And you are also off the hook for hormonal treatment too.
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Hello to all the new ladies. We're glad you found us. This is a wonderful group. We're all in this together, either beginnig our journey or managing the aftermath.
I just want to report that as of today I AM OFFICIALLY RETIRED. DH & I are camping in the mountains, with sunny skies and cool breezes. Heavenly.
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YAY Poodles! Congratulations on the retirement. Enjoy, you deserve it!
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Many thanks to all who replied to me and to all those who are sharing their insights and experience! I had a repeat MRI and MRI-guided biopy on THursday, fortunately the doctor evaluated only ONE site as needing biopsy, rather than the four sites the original screening center said. But I needed a double dose of Xanax to get through the MRI, so only surfacing mentally this evening
. Your comments and references to pictures were very helpful. I definitely think the massage is useful, I have lots of other scars that have proven that to me.Varga, have you gotten treatment? How are you doing?
I'll get the biopsy results from this second site tomorrow, but I'm not too concerned. It did not have much vascularity, so the likelihood is that it won't be a problem. Here's hoping! I don't think it is near enough to the site we know is cancer for them both to come out in a lumpectomy.
Has anyone done cryotherapy? It seems to be used a lot in some other countries, and in the US for other cancers.
So glad to have found this list,
Slimslug
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