Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!
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thank you so much for your help.
I will check out their website right now.
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Thank you so much.
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I've found that the best bra fitters I've encountered don't even use a tape measure: they ask what size bra you're wearing, look at it, and observe how it does (or doesn't) fit. They look at cleavage, the center gore, where the "peak" of the cups lie in profile, whether the back rides up, "spillover" and its evil opposite "gaping," etc.--and then bring out styles & sizes they know will look & fit better. Each time I've gone to Rigby & Peller or Bras Galore, they've absolutely nailed it. (I had no idea you could buy a G or H cup that wasn't maternity, and even at my heaviest I was never more than a 38 or 40 band).
The worst fit I ever had was before my lumpectomy, at (the now defunct) Schwartz' Lingerie & Swimwear in Skokie. The fitters were a pair of very senior sisters with tape measures around their necks and pencils behind their ears, who declared that fancy European bras were too small in the band and too big in the cup. I got sent home in a 42DDD Elila jacquard wireless "minimizer" that squashed the girls and felt like an Iron Maiden (and the lace edges itched like crazy), and a 42DDD Wacoal "Awareness" bra with five hooks in back that made the girls sag even worse (with the dreaded uniboob because the center gore pooched out like a balcony). I only hope they fit the women in the shelter where I donated them.
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I have gone down in bra sizes which is fine with me but it is amazing the different measurements and cup sizes. It seems like there has to be a better way. Years ago I had a really nice sports bra that I liked that really gave me a lot of support but until we can use dressing rooms again I guess I’m going to wait for a while.
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While that site has the same name, this is the one I was referring to:
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It’s very interesting how they measure for a bra that fits. I’m going to follow their instructions and come up with a size.
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It helped me a lot, esp w/ the recommendations for my size and shape. Sure beats buying a bunch of bras and then returning them in frustration.
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Quick update from my earlier posts. The surgeon called me this afternoon and told me everything was benign. Yay!!
After I finished exhaling, he started naming a couple of the things they did find; the first thing he mentioned was necrotic fatty breast tissue. The area he went into isn't near the other two places he's already removed things from the same breast. I can't wait until I can get a copy of my path report at my follow-up with him on Wednesday. After I get that, I will completely update my procedures and what they removed each time. Many thanks to all for your support
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congratulations! That’s got to be a relief.
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DukeMom2, are you breathing again?? What a huge relief!!! I'm so happy for you. Now go out and celebrate (when you feel better and it is safe)!!!
HUGS!
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PontiacPeggy,
Yes, I am finally breathing again. I think women lose a year or so off their Ives with the stress, worry and horrible thoughts that we deal with while ‘failing’ mammos, having lumpectomies or biopsies, and enduringthe VERY painful waiting for the path report.
Now to wait and see what size my right breast ends up (this is the 3rd time I’ve had a hunk out of the same breast.
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DukeMom2, You are so right. Good luck with determining how your breast has changed with this latest surgery!
xo
HUGS!
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Mazel tov, Dukemom!
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Dukemom2 - So happy you got some good news! Lucky you, in lovely Sarasota! Fond memories of Siesta Key Beach and great seafood.
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Hi CeliaC my neighbor in northern kentucky. Are you enjoying the snow? Beautiful but not what I wanted in April. Hope you are doing well. I can't complain. Its been a year since my second diagnosis and all looks good.
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I was just trying to update my diagnosis; I go into settings where it is listed - but no matter what I click on it won’t let me add any diagnosis. If anyone has an idea of what I’m doing wrong, please let me know.
The surgeon took off my steri strips yesterday. He certainly took a lot more tissue than he has the past 2 times he’s worked on my R breast. I’m still very much enjoying my super firm/supportive front zip bra.
The path report (which I will officially upload to my profile as soon as I can figure out what I am doing wrong) showed three benign changes in the hunk he told out: fat necrosis (eewww, my breast surgeon hasn’t been in that area of the R breast earlier), Apocrine Changes and Fibrocycstic Changes.
While I am extremely grateful everything was benign this time, I have to have another diagnostic mammo in September (they found new micro-calcifications in the left breast (to date that breast has been behaving well).
I have decided that once women fail a mammo and step onto the Breast Issue Merry-Go-Round from h*ll; I think of The Eagles and identify with “Hotel California’. To paraphrase that song, ‘once you check in you cannot check out.
Again, mega thanks to all who supported me during this angst during the past few 6+ weeks.
Again, if anyone knows what I am doing wrong in trying to post my dx and procedures, I will update my profile!
CeliacC - Siesta Key beach is very unique for our area. We have lots of keys and land side beaches. Siesta Key is the only beach I have ever been in which the sand never gets hot. It is magnificent.
Again, a huge thank you to everyone who has helped me thru this process. If anyone wants info on my lumpectomy experience (or anything else), please DM me!!
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quinnie - Hi there, neighbor to the north! We had 2.3" in N KY, but it quickly absorbed into the ground by the afternoon. All good here. Hubs and I are both fully immunized. Once things open up a little, perhaps we can have a meet and greet. Just send me a DM.
Dukemom2 - I so enjoyed Siesta Beach and that lovely white sand! Lucky you to have it so nearby. Remembering dining wonderfully everyday on fish/seafood from Big Water Fish Market when I was there. Glad you are through your lumpectomy and on the mend.
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I am recently diagnosed with early stage IDC. I thought a lumpectomy was a definite but my BS is concerned that with my small size breast (A Cup) I will be unhappy with the result after the tissue is removed. I really don’t want to have a Mastectomy and wondered if there are any small breasted women who can tell me their experiences? Thanks for your help
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Hi PegInVA, I'm small - an A. I had a lumpectomy and the surgeon took out a big chunk 2 x 3 x 5 cm but put me back together so you can't tell. My cancer was at the 6 o'clock position. I'm extremely happy with the result. Please don't have more surgery than needed. A mastectomy, when not called for, is overkill. You can have plastic surgery (insurance covers it) if you want it. Less is more in breast cancer surgery. Your BS should not be encouraging you to get an unneeded mastectomy for cosmetic purposes. That just isn't right IMHO. You might want to get a 2nd opinion - insurance covers that too. We're here for you!!!
HUGS!
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PeginVA - I’m sorry I can’t give you advice, that hasn’t been an issue for me. However, after this last lumpectomy (the 3rd on my right breast and by far the largest hunk he has taken so far) my husband’s comment was, “Look on the positive side - your right breast was always larger than your left - so you are evening things up!”. I still have fluid in “the pocket” where he took out the hunk, so I have no idea what it will end up looking like. Good luck to you, and do what you feel in your heart is right for you. It’s your body
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I just had a lumpectomy on Wednesday and my doctor took a good chunk out of my small breast, too. It is currently filled with fluid (sounds like a water balloon sloshing around). (How long does the fluid stay in there?) I hope my breast looks ok after the fluid leaves and with radiation... but they are both pretty flat, saggy and underwhelming, so as long as there is no cancer, I’m good! I have no idea what to expect! My tumor was on the inside of my right breast near my breastbone like at the 3 o’clock position. I hope it doesn’t shrink more with radiation. Of course this is the smaller of my breasts...
I will say that I felt fine the day after surgery and could easily work at my desk job... super easy recovery. So I’m happy that I chose this route (so far!).
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PeginVA- I had a small A cup breast. LX on left breast at 12 o'clock. It appears as a divot, one that I can live with. After rads it appeared as though I had a breast lift, only on the left - high & perky. I joke my left boob was my 18 yr old boob and my right is my 58 yr old boob. Who knew I had any sag worth perking up!
I'm with PontiacPeg, LX is the way to go. You can always have more removed if necessary, but once MX there is no turning back. LX less recovery time, no drains, easier of the two.
FYI - I didn't have clean margins, quite a large percent of us don't and require a re-excision. So my divot is from both. BS said she might have to take a lot of tissue and said it was possible I'd need MX. I let her know if that's what she had to do, I'd be ok with it. I feel lucky she got the clear margins and I kept my boob with the divot.
Best of luck to you.
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I'm almost two years out from my lumpectomy and then re-incision. Within the last few months, my nipple on that side has become almost permanently pointed, I cannot hide the nipple even through bandaids or Kleenex. It's hard and pointed, like it's aroused or cold or wet, but it's neither, and it'salways there! So embarrassing. Anyone has this? My cancer office responded to my email about this and said to massage my nipple so I'm going to try that. I do not embarrass easily, but this has affected me. Any ideas? Thanks!!
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Hi All -
Currently diagnosed with ADH, I'm scheduled to have a SAVI localized lumpectomy a week before Memorial Day on my right breast. I don't know much beyond this - meeting with the nurse next week to go over protocol. What questions should I be asking the nurse?
As for work, my surgeon reiterated a few times that I should take 2 weeks to recover. Does this sound like a long time? A normal amount of time?
I've read through the boards and it looks like most people seem to bounce back after a few days and its not a big deal....but I've also read that a lumpectomy is considered major surgery. I'm taking the time per my surgeons guidance (trusting the guide in a land I know nothing about) but I'm nervous as this feels like the start of a slightly longer process. Due to my COVID vaccine 2nd shot being scheduled in May, my surgeon did not want to wait the 6 weeks for the MRI (waiting so the shot doesn't interfere with the results). She said there's a chance I'll need more surgery after the MRI. She also noted that the lumpectomy is going to remove the ADH cells but will also act as another biopsy to test for upgrading. Should I be toughening up and trying to only take a week if there's a chance I might be back getting more?
Lastly, what should I expect? From the savi scout placement day to the surgery day itself through the first week or two?
I heard COVIDs locked down most hospitals and I'll be going through a lot of this solo without my husband waiting on location or going to appointments.
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Luvsoonipi, If you can, take the 2 weeks. It IS major surgery. And your body needs for your to heal. You'll probably be fine and self-sufficient quite quickly. And if work doesn't entail lifting at all, probably you could go back after a week. Will they be doing a sentinel lymph node biopsy too? If you can, grab a copy of Dr Susan Love's "Breast Book" - it gives you loads of information. We all face the problem of not knowing what we don't know.
Others will answer some of your other questions.
We're here for you!
HUGS!!
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Luvsoonipi are you allergic to nickel? If so, tell your surgeon ASAP as the SAVI uses a bit of nickel in there. It had never occurred to me to mention my nickel allergy but fortunately the surgical nurse asked so I dodged that bit of unpleasantness.
PP is right, you'll probably feel good within a week but you may also be quite tired. General anesthesia can have that affect, so do rest up afterwards.
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Luvsoonipi - I'll re-iterate the above posts. If your surgeon recommends 2 weeks, please take 2 weeks. Worst case, take a week at a minimum. I had a lumpectomy last November for ADH on a Thursday and went back to work the following Tuesday. Felt ok but not great. Was diagnosed with IDC. So two weeks later I had a re- excision lumpectomy with sentinel node biopsy on a Friday and returned to work the following Tuesday which was way too soon and as a result I felt lousy for another 4-6 weeks. Make yourself a priority
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Thank you PP, edj3 and Harley07. I'll listen to the crowd and take the two weeks - how strange to take time off to rest at home and plan to stay low key when my husband and I are finally getting our vaccines. All we want to do is go somewhere - anywhere! (Well, to be honest right now I just want to hide under the covers until this surgery is over and I get to move on to other things)
How terribly painful are the first few days?
Edj3, I don't think I have an allergy to nickel but Ill ask a about it. I can't wear earring unless they are surgical steel or gold so I might be.
PP - that hug was great - thanks for the warmth. Hugs back to you all.
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Luvsoonipi, I was never miserable. Uncomfortable? Yes. But I only used regular Tylenol. I totally get just wanting to go ANYWHERE!!! I'm fully vaccinated, 75, and was so happy to have Easter dinner with my son, DIL, her mother and her brother. It was heavenly. All of us vaccinated. Do things that aren't stressful, don't require a lot of energy, rest a lot and pamper yourself. We all wanted to hide under the covers.
More HUGS!!!!
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Luvsoonipl, I had a Savi Scout placed 3 weeks prior to my lx, the radiologist placed it using mammogram and there are several compressions with images to ensure placement. I went home with mini cold gel packs to help reduce discomfort and swelling. Check to see if ultra sound is an option if you have discomfort during your annual mammogram. My path report after my lx stated that the Savi Scout was found in the margin as well was the marker from my biopsy. I also had IROT and oncoplasty the day of my lx. I was more tender/sore than pain. Tylenol or ibuprofen works well. I went back to work a week later and then for the next several days I worked reduced hours. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers!
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