Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
Comments
-
keywestfan, I had my medical overload in June, so I know what you're going through - CT scan for my non-BC issues, mammogram, BS appointment, urologist appointment for nephrectomy follow-up, cardiologist appointment for aneurysm surveillance, a tele-visit with PCP, bloodwork, and dexa bone scan all in a few weeks. I was pooped!
So glad your Mohs results are so good! You too, Quinnie! It's such a scary description beforehand but with such impressive results.
0 -
I found some on Amazon. I bought two “Just My Size” front closing bras. They fit well and they have your sixe
0 -
I sailed through radiation--I had the 16-treatment targeted hypofractionated protocol. No fatigue, burning, itching, peeling--just a little redness that faded to pink, then tan (my nipple is more tan, too). I used aloe vera gel along with calendula cream at night, showered in the morning, and applied Aquaphor while still in the dressing cubicle right after each session. I did get some swelling of the breast seroma, which we treated as if it were lymphedema, which necessitated temporarily going UP a cup size! By 4 years out, there was nothing left of the seroma but a knot of scar tissue. That breast looks nicer than my "healthy" L one, which droops and gets intertrigo if I forget to use an antifungal on its underside.
I also had very few problems on letrozole/Femara. At first I got night sweats (especially from the back of my neck)--but a ceiling fan and clipping my hair up atop my head for sleep solved that. No joint pain. No hot flashes. I did get some hair thinning, but it reversed to where it was the year before breast cancer. My bad cholesterol did go up (and HDLs went down from great to normal), but a statin stopped that. My glucose & a1c began rising, my metabolism slowed, and I put on 15 lbs. over a couple of years. But last year I was put on a low-carb diet and have lost about 70 lbs.! Because of Prolia, my osteopenia stabilized and even improved a little. My menopause was similarly uneventful, and a good 10 yrs. before my breast cancer diagnosis. I see my MO in a couple of weeks, and am considering taking her advice to stay on it after my 5 years are up on New Year's Eve. (She suggests 7 years is the "sweet spot," though most of the anti-recurrence benefit has occurred by the end of the third year).
As to supplements: I take a once-daily multivitamin, good probiotic, biotin (for my hair), Vit. D3 and K2 (not plain K--K2 has anti-tumor activity without thickening the blood). I take iron because I tend to be slightly anemic (due to a probable congenital tiny intestinal AVM) if I don't. (My GI doc insisted, as does my MO). I had been taking vit. C, but dropped it after I had my eye brachytherapy (internal radiaion) plaque insertion & removal (for an unrelated ocular cancer)--as I did during and for 3 months after my breast radiation. You do NOT want to take antioxidants during and for a while after radiation or chemo. The whole point of those treatments is to cause tumor cell damage, and antioxidants prevent cell damage. Just as radiation & chemo can't selectively destroy only the tumor cells and leave the healthy cells alone, neither can antioxidants protect only the healthy cells and leave the tumor cells vulnerable to intentional damage. However, it is fine to eat reasonable amounts of antioxidant fruits & vegetables. In the meantime, between your lumpectomy and the start of your radiation, Vitamin C will definitely help you heal faster. Just stop taking it a few days before you start radiation and stay off it for at least 3 months after.
I don't take Vitamin E because it has shown to have no benefit except when applied topically & massaged into scars. (My DH is a cardiologist and was part of the Framingham II study, which had doctors take Vit. E and fish oil; the study was stopped when cardiovascular results were identical for both the supplements & placebo arms). I don't take CoQ10 because I have no muscle aches from statins, and the body makes CoQ10 anyway. I don't take fish oil or garlic--I eat fish and cook with garlic. I stopped taking calcium when my levels became borderline high; and I take magnesium only when I start getting leg & foot cramps.
0 -
Quinnie,
I,too, sailed through radiation- despite my phobic fear of it- with the same 16 hypofractionated three week protocol that Sandy had. I slathered myself in Aquaphor after each session and at night. There was no problem at all, though I did have a little fatigue, which might have been mostly mental. But, Sandy, what an obsessive I am, so here I go again. I did take Vitamin C during part of radiation and now am worried about it again.I asked the RO, Dr. Bloomer, who was head of department about it, and he gave me a vague answer that there was no harm in a regular dosage, but not to take a mega one. I was confused, because I think now what he meant was a regular dosage was what was in a vitamin pill, but I was taking a separate pill, maybe 500-1000 mgs. which I still do. I did stop halfway through radiation and for a while afterwards,but am afraid now,as always, that i screwed things up and that the radiation didn't work. I took and take biotin- though 2 dermatologists have told me it does nothing for hair-, Vitamin D3 and K2, Magnesium Glycinate, Tart Cherry capsules, Calcium, CoQ10. Have had no trouble on Arimidex, brand name, except a little stiffening, both of fingers and when I stand up, My hair thinned a bit in the beginning but that has stopped.In contrast to Sandy, my good HDL cholesterol has gone through the roof to 108. Total cholesterol rose though too,30 points to 222. Keep hearing about much weight gain on blockers, but, despite lack of restraint, have not yet- 16 months on Arimidex- gained more than 2-3 lbs. Am 5'8, 135 and was told by MO to stay at this weight as excess weight leads to estrogen production. Hope I didn't mess up radiation. Basically,what I want to say, is that my fears of the treatment have been much worse than the tx itself. My anxiety gene always kicks in
0 -
I had freaked out too a few weeks ago and e-mailed my ocular onc; he replied that a "normal" dose of Vitamin C is okay after radiation has been completed, but "don't go overboard." He had me stop all supplements for a couple days before the insertion surgery. I remember taking megadoses--2 or 3 1000-mg pills--to ward off or shorten the course of a cold; after my arm surgeries I took 500mg per day, per my ortho's advice. FWIW, I didn't take it (except in a daily vitamin pill) during or for 3 mos. after my breast radiation.
0 -
I’m also in Omaha and just received my diagnosis on September 22nd. The full pathology report hasn’t come out yet but after having 2 sights biopsied in my right breast, the conclusion was DCIS at both sights-total area of st least 4.6 cm. I have an MRI this Thursday and will be speaking to the surgeon after that
0 -
Welcome, SusiK! Glad you found us, though we hate that you have to be here for this reason.
Besides the great advice and support you'll find here in the discussion boards, we would recommend you to take a look at our Resources for the Newly Diagnosed. Some good info there that can help you understand pathology reports, lear more on treatment options, and manage the stress that so often goes along with a breast cancer diagnosis and the "waiting" periods. Hope this helps!
Please keep us posted on how everything is going, we're thinking of you!
The Mods
0 -
Hello Susiq777,
I'm new here too and just had my lumpectomy last week for DCIS. I hope you are feeling calm at this time. I read your post and it reminded me of the extreme anxiety I was feeling at the point of my "process". All I can tell you is that so far, the mental toll has been much greater than the physical one. I came out of surgery feeling less pain then I did for my mammo biopsy.
I'm now starting phase 2 of worrying non stop, as I have to discuss radiation with my doctor next week.... One day at a time, I guess.
Hang in there!
SolB2020
0 -
For me, radiation was super easy after having had chemo. Probably the biggest concern was lymphedema. Both chemo and radiation made my arm swell, but I received great care from a physical therapist who specializes in breast cancer and lymphedema.
0 -
Yup--get a lymphedema (aka LE) sleeve & gauntlet (LympheDivas.com has a terrific selection of colors & patterns in a variety of sizes and degrees aka "classes" of compression, and a guide on how to measure yourself for sizing. If you have normal-to-long fingers, you might prefer a glove to a gauntlet (my fingers are too short & stubby for their gloves, which should reach only to your cuticles and leave your fingernails & tips free for typing). You need either a gauntlet (fits the palm & thumb) or glove, because wearing a sleeve alone can cause hand swelling. Get them as a preventative even if you don't have LE--you should wear them if the barometric pressure drops suddenly (like on a plane ride >4 hrs, express elevator to the top of a skyscraper, strong storm, or steep ascent driving to high altitudes (>2000'); as well as when gardening to prevent getting scratched by thorns, when exercising (especially repetitive upper body) or doing repetitive arm work like raking or scrubbing, outside in high heat and to protect against sunburn & insect bites. LympheDivas' prices are lower than the medical providers like Jobst, Mediven or Sigvaris; and delivery is swift.
Unfortunately, neither Medicare nor insurance will cover compression wear even if prescribed, though they will cover 2 specialized bras/year and 1 prosthesis per operated breast every 2 years--even for lumpectomy patients. I didn't get enough tissue removed to warrant a prosthesis, and the specialized bras are too plain, small for my breasts, and IMHO insufficiently supportive.
0 -
Medicare provides 3 every six months as well as a ptotbesis. Wearing a B cup, I have found the pocket bras I can get at my area approved provider the most comfortable I have found. Guess size matters.
0 -
I am so stoked! My first mammo since mastectomy in Feb. all is normal!!!!! I am just so relieved. TNBC stage 3 no evidence of disease. many months of chemo, surgery, radiation, involved in clinical drug trial. Hair is coming back. I'm feeling great
0 -
Martaj, congratulations on the good news!
0 -
Martaj, HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HUGS!
0 -
Martaj - Great news on your mammo results!
0 -
Mazel tov, Martaj!!!
0 -
Martaj - Celebrate!
0 -
Susiq777, good luck from a fellow Omahan! My surgeon has agreed to try a lumpectomy (despite the meager size of my breast) and it's scheduled for Oct. 7. I feel calmer now, after the great support on this forum--also Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book was very helpful. Just discussing all the options (also saw a plastic surgeon just for informational purposes) and narrowing things down to what would be possible in my case has also made me feel less crazy. Having a few weeks to digest the unwelcome news and all the related information is also very helpful--someone here said DCIS is NOT an emergency, and you can take a little time to absorb it all. I hope your diagnosis turns out the best possible!
0 -
I'm curious who has had a lumpectomy and then either needed more tissue removed (second lumpectomy) or if you went for mastectomy when a second surgery was needed. I'm currently waiting to hear if the margins are clear from my lumpectomy this past Friday. Surgeon was surprised that the cancer was more lobular than Ductal. Now I'm wondering if the diagnosis is wrong! More stress....ugh. Thanks all! Juli
0 -
Jujumartin - I had a LX on 11/1/17 and within a week knew I had to have a reexcission. I think 20% or so require one due to margins not being clean. It's not as bad as it sounds, they go in thru same incision. But it did take the wind out of my sails!
I'm small breasted and my surgeon let me know when she went back in to take more tissue she wasn't sure she could avoid a MX. I told her I trusted her and if she had to do it, I'd believe she did what was best for me. I woke to the reexcission not MX.
If you need it, you'll get through it. But don't jump to conclusions yet, as you may not need it. Best wishes to you.
0 -
thank you for your reply! Surgeon was honest and told my husband she didn't feel as confident she got it all so I won't be surprised if I have a second surgery. I just need to decide if LX or MX will be best. Especially if it's ILC which can spread more so than IDC (from what I've read.) I most likely will get a second opinion before any decisions. Great that you are 3 years out.
0 -
hi everyone,
I had my lumpectomy 9/18 and all is healing fine. But the past week or so I have become more aware that the tissue around the top if the nipple and leading along to the armpit is kinda odd.... feels like the veins or something ropey all around. Is this typical?i had my 1 check up a few days after surgery and not scheduled to go back for 4 months.
0 -
hi everyone,
I had my lumpectomy 9/18 and all is healing fine. But the past week or so I have become more aware that the tissue around the top if the nipple and leading along to the armpit is kinda odd.... feels like the veins or something ropey all around. Is this typical?i had my 1 check up a few days after surgery and not scheduled to go back for 4 months.
0 -
How much tissue did you have removed? Your sig file shows only 2 nodes taken out, so cording & lymphedema seem unlikely. Nearly a month out, there might be scarring already forming. "Cording" (aka axillary web syndrome) usually affects the arm, starting at the axilla (armpit) and running down the inside of the arm. It's not universally agreed what those "ropes" or "cords" are, but the likeliest (and most common) explanation is clogged lymph channels. (And there are channels from the breast going out to the armpit--was the tissue removed from the outer side of the breast)? But it's unusual for it to happen with so few nodes removed, and usually not before radiation. FWIW, after targeted radiation, my nipple & areola felt sort of leathery and numb for a few years (back to normal now). But you haven't had radiation yet.
0 -
hi chisandy- there was 3.9cm of cancer removed plus margins. Yes I have nothing down my arm... it’s like it runs from nipple area to my armpit.
0 -
Clear margins!!! The lumpectomy went well, the breast still looks much like the other one (which had a benign lump removed from it 18 years ago, so I guess they are both slightly battered--but, as my mother used to say, nothing you'd notice on a galloping horse
), and the surgeon said that although he had thought a mastectomy would be the best option for me (small breast, scattered ominous calcifications), I turned out to be right to try the lumpectomy! (He did a good job, too.) Thanks for the supportive advice I got here! What a nervous week, though. Further treatment to be discussed at next appointment.0 -
Isabel1865 FANTASTIC NEWS!!!! Now you can breathe a bit easier. It's possible your breast may change shape as it heals and if you have radiation. But I would guess you aren't going to notice the difference. I don't see much difference in mine and I'm an A. Speedy healing!!
HUGS!
0 -
Isabel1865, Congratulations
0 -
Yaay! 🎉
0
