Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
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Susi, I had a HUGE hematoma after surgery (LMX left). It took some months to go down, but it did go down. Size of a lemon, then plum and now a broken walnut. My boob was so swollen and bruised for months. Rads didn’t really affect the hematoma (just the skin - like a roast turkey). One year out and I still have scar tissue that I can feel and do massage, but my beast looks OK from the outside - fuller even. I am going for reconstruction. The surgeon is going to take fat from my tummy/thighs and fill the non-treated boo so they will be about the same size. He’s also going to fill the gap left by surgery. Not complaining about that option.
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PontiacPeggy....interesting about the PT. I still have issues with my arm after 5 years and just assumed I'd have to live with it. How did you go about getting the PT recommendation and was it exercises you do yourself? Might be worth looking into. Thanks.
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Nash, I was really surprised to because my MO had never suggested it. But I was sort of complaining to my fantastic PCP an NP about how my muscles felt "re-organized", down my side, shoulder and arm and she suggested it. I went to a PT who specializes in BC patients! I'm like you and thought this would be my "normal" forever. It isn't!!! I had 6 sessions and she did give me exercises to do at home (though I'm not real good at doing them). The best was the day she massaged everything. I am totally astonished at the difference it made. Can you tell that I love my NP and am soooo darned glad I found her??? Hope you can get PT too!
HUGS!
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Nash, My old neurologist got me signed up for 20 sessions of PT for BC and my back. The PT was OK while doing it, but once the PT was all said and done, I wasn't so good with the homework. The messages were the best of all treatments, IMO. I did that PT right after finishing my rads (chemo, lumpectomy, rads, femara).
Now that I think of it, my surgery side had more aches after the radiation treatments.
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Hi ladies. I had a lumpectomy with sentinal node removal on 3/4. They removed 3 sentinel nodes and one "extra" that came along for the ride. The incision goes around my nipple and then a line that extends from the outer side of that towards my armpit. But no incision actually in my armpit. I have developed a decent sized lump under my arm that is quite annoying. Feels like I have a ball under my arm if I try to let my arm rest at my side. It is also slightly discolored...a bluish purple. Would this be a hematoma? And is there anything I can do about it? If I have to live with this for months it is going to be extremely limiting and irritating! The surgery itself was a breeze. No pain or swelling or problems at all with the actual surgical site. The skin all around my armpit also feels irritated and inflamed but it looks perfectly normal. Very odd. Any ideas of what that could be caused by?
Thanks for any helpful suggestions anyone can offer!
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pjb61 - I only had 1 sentinel node removed & my armpit/node incision area felt like a severe case of razor burn, but outwardly looked perfectly normal. Believe this is nerve related & due to the surgical efforts in/around that area. I did not experience discoloration/hematoma you mention. Hope some others will jump in here with more info/experiences. If you have a small pillow, putting that in your armpit area to "cushion" can help. I also taped gauze to the underarm part of the "recovery bra" I wore to cushion. Gentle hugs & healing thoughts.
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Thank you, CeliaC. Yes! That's exactly what it feels like! I am happy to hear I'm not alone. Do you remember how long that lasted? It would be encouraging to know that it goes away at some point!
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As far as I recollect, armpit area was tender for quite awhile (& even now, occasionally feel it when doing certain exercises), but the "razor burn" feeling subsided in less than a month. FYI - BS recommended OTC steroid cream for "irritation" relief & this worked for me.
You may also feel what many of us call "zingers" (sharp, shooting, "zaps") as your nerves continue to heal & these can continue for awhile. Where the tumor was removed healed really well & no issues, but that blasted node incision was another story.
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CeliaC, thank you! That's helpful and also good to know there is an end in sight...at least for the worst of it! I have an otc steroid cream. I will give that a try. Thanks again!
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I still had some residual redness a couple of months after radiation (didn't hurt), so my derm prescribed a 2% hydrocortisone cream to use every other day till the redness was gone.
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pjb - Oops - meant to say OTC cortisone cream!
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Coming back on here to pay it forward, so appreciative for those who were here for me when I needed guidance and support during my bc journey, and I was reminded of that when today I was private messaged by someone who somehow found my old post(s). I've been where many of you are: annual routine mammogram revealed questionable micro-calcifications, no family history, hematoma after biopsy, surgeon trying to steer me to mastectomy, genetic testing for BRCA1 and 2 (thankfully negative), more stress when sent for MRI biopsy of other breast (thankfully nothing), etc. And not seeing too many survivors return to these boards.
I will be 55 years old on Monday. Ten years ago, I spent part of my 45th birthday on a radiation table getting zapped. I am a private person and suffered in silence but turned to these boards to help get me through this. So Happy 10 years to me, and wishing you all light at the end of this very scary tunnel and that you come back to provide comfort to others. Please pm me if I can be of help, many did the same for me a decade ago.
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CTMOM1234, Thank you for sharing your journey 10 years later! And Happy Birthday!
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CTMOM1234 - Thanks for sharing! And congratulations on 10 years!
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CTMOM1234, Happy "Anniver-survival-ry!"
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CTMOM1234 - Nice to hear good news!
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I still have my port and usually have it accessed every 6 weeks. I’m 71, otherwise healthy and not totally panicked by corona virus but mindful. My next appointment is next week. If they cancel it how long is it safe to go between cleaning it? I’ve never had a problem with my port
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I have the same question. They cancelled my port flush appointment on March 24 and rescheduled it for April 9. At the time I wondered if they really thought things would be better by then. I think things will be worse. I have an appointment with the oncologist on May 24. Can I wait that long (four months) since my last port flush? And will things have improved enough that they won't cancel that appointment as well
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Hi all - relative newbie although I am through my surgeries (fingers crossed.) I had a lumpectomy for with reduction for DCIS on February 13. Pathology report showed a micro-invasion so a re-excision and sentinel node biopsy (three nodes were removed) were performed two weeks later on February 27. All came back clear and clean and negative for additional cancer - thankfully! I had developed seromas from the first surgery which began leaking the weekend after the second, and a big spot on my incision has not closed. It's being treated and I'm in constant contact with my doctor. My question is what is the window to begin radiation post surgery - and does that window begin with the first or the second surgery. I see my radiologist again on April 7 and he is planning to do mapping that day - he's assuming it will all be healed (I saw him last week so he knows what he's up against.) But I'm getting more and more worried it won't heal and I'll be outside the window for radiation.
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Yeah you'll have to be healed up before radiation starts, at least that was my RO's take on it. She knew i had a big family reunion planned two months after surgery so she was great about checking me and getting me in the second I was healed enough to do it.
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Hi there, Flutegirl. I had lumpectomy on 12/21/16 & started rads on 2/20/17.
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Flutegirl--my radiation oncologist said that you can actually have radiation up to a full year after surgery--they like to do it sooner, but she said there is no appreciable difference in outcomes for anytime within that first year.
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I had my lumpectomy on Sep. 23, and my seroma burst on Oct. 16, the day after my RO consult, CT scan & mapping. It was sutured and the stitches were removed on Halloween. Started radiation on Nov. 2.
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I had my port flush yesterday and was anxious. Outside the cancer center two tables with nurses were set up. One took my temperature and the other asked relevant travel etc. questions. They had two bins of pens, clean and dirty, to sign questionnaire before entering. It all felt very safe and I am relieved to have had it done.
My lumpectomy and 12 axillary nodes was done February 19, 2019 and 23 radiation treatments. I still feel it when I stretch my arm and when I hold it to my side it feels a little swollen. No other problems.
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CTCA has announced that it will permit cancer patients whose regular hospitals or clinics have been overrun with COVID-19 to receive their treatments there--apparently temporarily suspending its "no Medicare/Medicaid/inadequate insurance, nothing more advanced than Stage II" policy. Bob's medical partner, who had her lumpectomy last week, might be able to drive from her home in Oak Lawn to CTCA's new center in the Loop (instead of having to go 65 miles north to Zion/Waukegan) to do her radiation treatments, instead of at Advocate Christ.
Just had a knock on the door (I'm expecting an Amazon delivery)--through the peephole I saw a guy with a lanyard & clipboard at the far edge of the porch. I asked him--through the closed glass storm door--what this was about, and he replied he was "an authorized representative of Safe Streets, affiliated with ADT Security..." ("WTF? Are you frickin' kidding me?" was what I thought but left unsaid). I replied "not interested" and closed & locked the inner door. Now, I realize delivery-person is an essential job in an essential injury. But door-to-door salesman???!!!
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I have my lumpectomy this upcoming Monday. I have no idea what to expect and am rather scared.
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Hi cm2020,
My lumpectomy was six months ago today. Other than still wearing a bra to sleep in (I did not before) and some slight irritation at the sentinel node incision site, I can hardly tell it ever happened. Of course, my lifestyle and diet have changed in many ways.
Thinking of you and sending positive energy for you and your medical team.
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I can only speak of my lumpectomy 11 days ago, just two weeks after the exisional biopsy. I was afraid but after I was relieved to have it done and had relatively little pain. The surgeon hid my scar fairly well. A Norco at night, the first 5 nights, helped with some pain and sleep, other than that just Advil or AdvilPM at night and only a couple times a day. I think some use less than that, some more, use what you need and don’t be afraid to ask for some prescription painkillers if you need them. I’m sorry you have to go through this at this time. I am glad to have had it done right away. My sister-in-law is an oncology nurse at a large hospital and she said several times she was so thankful I could have it done right away. Her hospital had stopped doing early cancer surgery.
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cm2020 I am just a bit ahead of you. I’ll make this a favorite topic so you can ask me any questions about my journey and I can see how you’re doing.
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Hi cm2020, it's different for everyone, but I can report an easy lumpectomy experience. I found the whole day pretty fascinating, actually. Pain was nothing a couple of Tylenol wouldn't fix—if the darned stuff worked for me. Icing did the job the first time, then I gave in and took half a pain pill after re-excision (tape on the dressing pulling on skin, ow).
Sentinel node incision was more trouble than the lumpectomy as most will agree, but no big deal. I'm young-ish (54), and had no trouble with range of motion after taking it easy for a week.
Glad you can get your surgery done now, and wishing you the best!
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