Lumpectomy with oncoplasty (bilateral reduction mammaplasty)
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Doggielover73, I am so sorry you have had to go through this experience. What you have been through sounds criminal. (so to speak). I would discuss your pain issues Very Thoroughly with your breast surgeon. For myself, I am one for whom Tylenol and Motrin will do nothing for pain removal. When I came out of surgery they started my on Tylenol which didn't work and then I received morphine. I've had a fair amount of surgeries and the only thing that stops the pain when I am in the recovery room is morphine. After that pain is managable and I go home with regular pain meds and only need them for a day or two. And more distressing from your pain experience is the fact that we do not heal nearly as well with pain present. Is you PS going to do the mastectomy? If so, I would perhaps reconsider this choice and consider having your BS do it. Keep us posted.
Liz
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cowgirl13, thanks for your response. One thing that I have learned about myself through this process is that I must have a very high tolerance to pain meds. I am now on the 1800 mg/day of gabapentin (started on 600/day) for my nerve pain and that isn’t working either :-( My BS is doing the mastectomy and the PS is doing the expanders.I was told that I will have a nerve block during this surgery, so at least I’ll be comfortable immediately after. Interesting you should mention how pain effects healing. I have been wondering if that could have something to do with my delayed heling
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Doggie, I wouldn't be surprised if having all the pain you have had has indeed slowed your healing process.
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PS responded to me today and said that I could use medihoney (which I learned about on this site) to promote wound healing. I am so excited because it gives me something that I can actually do to help myself :-) I have also significantly increased my protein and vitamin C intake. Follow up is next Friday to see if I am healed enough for next surgery on the 18th... I have a good feeling!!!
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Glad to find this post and these messages. I had a lumpectomy two weeks ago and a reduction and lift on the other side at the same time. Although I'm still healing, I think they're about the same size and shape. But the nipples are really off. It seems to me that he lifted too high and one nipple is now much higher than the other. I'm bummed. At a post-op, he said how he could just cut a cresent moon above the lumpectomy side nipple and raise it to be more of the height of the ruduction/lift side. He made it sound so simple--but so did he make it sound like nothing to do a reduction and lift and that's been a painful recovery. Anyway, it'd be an in office procedure. But, it would postpone radiation a month and I'm skeptical if it's really as simple as he sounds. It was to be today, but I canceled it. Concerned that it won't be simple and I'm pissed that the reduction/lift that he did has caused this.
Anyone have a nipple lift or change? Thoughts here?
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JLBinPDX, I did not have a nipple change but I think my nipples are different size and slightly different shape. I am almost 6 weeks post-op and my breasts are still changing significantly. I thought there was a big difference in the nipple heights/ maybe even the breast height, but that does look more symmetrical now. Did the surgeon agree that the symmetry was off or did he think maybe it could change through healing? I agree they make it all seem so simple and matter of a fact, but it’s not. So sorry, I know how frustrating it can be
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Thanks, Doggielover. I made the right decision by waiting. It's hard to know how much of challenge the plastic surgeon had in matching the one side with the tumor side. I had breast cancer in 2017 and had a lumpectomy on that side and radiation so, perhaps, it was a challenge. But I think he should've noted the poor nipple placement when he did the lift. I will see how they change over the next month wihen swelling goes down and also radiation. I'm not too obsessive over these kinds of things and I'll likely just leave it. At the least, I'll get two or three opinions. Best to us post-op folks. Mine has been much more challenging this time than last. But better day to day says a lot.
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JLBinPDX my left breast/affected side is ever so slightly larger than the right with the left nipple a smidge lower. The PS leaves the side to be radiated slightly larger due to shrinkage from radiation. In the end they should be very close to the same size and if I'm not pleased with the result he will do a fix for me. I doubt I will need it.
I started using scar gel 3 x's a day after sign off with the PS on Friday. The breasts look good and I only have a little discomfort so I'm considering myself lucky at this point. Meeting the RO Wednesday.
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I know this is a pretty old post, but hoping some 2021/2022 people who have had a Oncoplastic reduction will see it and chime in!
After really fretting about things for months, I’ve decided to get a oncoplastic reduction. I just couldn’t pull the trigger on a mastectomy with just a 8mm tumour and DCIS in the margin. I may still end up with a mastectomy, but at-least I will know it was absolutely necessary. I was able to get a ps agree to reduce my good side at the same time. I just want to move on.
I was wondering about 1) if anyone knows what technique their surgeon(s) used to mark the tumour bed if you required a boost and 2) shrinkage- from what I read it’s more rare to have shrinkage on smaller breast. 3) I also wonder what it’s like to adjust to small breast. I’m about a 32DDD or a 34DD (ptotic for sure) my undercuts is 30 and my bust is 37. My PS thinks I’ll be a C. I kinda care less what size I end up, but part of me worries if I will struggle with small breast. The other part of me is excited to wear a one piece swim suit with no problems!
Anyways- not sure if anyone else is out there- but though this might be a good place to ask!
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1982 I actually had my oncoplastic surgery 3 years ago tomorrow which included having my lumpectomy at the same time so I had a guide wire put in before surgery. As for shrinkage my PS said about 10% need a second surgery and that was me. I had 15 rounds of radiation and it caused shrinkage and a fat necrosis to form. The difference was probably only noticed by me but in June of 2020 I had surgery to remove the fat necrosis and the other breast reduced a little more to match. As for size I went from a D to a C and wish I was a little smaller, it is nice to have them a little perkier than they were. Good luck with your decision.
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Thanks Mymomsgirl!
I had a lumpectomy already and now need another one so I’m about 1 size difference as it is. The first surgeon wanted to wait at-least at-least a year to do my other breast but I did get into a second surgeon by chance and they said they would do both and if I need a revision I can come back.
How was your healing with your radiated breast after surgery? Did you have fairly dense breast prior to surgery?
Iwas reading that density and size play a role in shrinkage. The doctor thinks I’ll end up around a 32C, so fairly small. There pretty dense too so I’m hoping less shrinkage- but whatever. I can live lopsided, I have been for 6 months and it doesn’t really bug me.
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1982 I had my initial reduction done at the same time as my lumpectomy so I hadn't had the radiation yet. I did have a revision about a year after my radiation and in my opinion that breast healed better than the other breast. As for dense breasts mine were mid range with pockets that were more dense. My bigger issue after was finding a comfortable bra.
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