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January 2019 Surgery Support Group

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Comments

  • yogamom2
    yogamom2 Member Posts: 64

    kec1972---All the best for a quick recovery.

    MACTAZ and all---Thanks so much for your support for tommorow.

  • mcbaker
    mcbaker Member Posts: 1,833

    The sentinel node biopsy is that procedure with the radioactive tracer. Five nodes lit up for me, so they took all five of them, which places me at risk for LE. BUT no signs of cancer in any of them. I have worked with a therapist, and have regained more range of motion than in the other shoulder. I have learned the exercise routine and will be able to start at the first sign. I much prefer the peace of mind, and not having to travel to the city five days a week for three to four weeks to get burned. Once a week for twelve weeks is doable, without excessively complicating my life. LE risk is not the end of the world, and neither is LE. Cancer kills, LE just complicates life.

    My armpit is no longer numb, and it no longer hurts.

  • Suzanna
    Suzanna Member Posts: 10

    My procedure was on the 3rd, and I just have to say, my first check up with the plastic surgeon was today and it kind of hurt. I am healing really well, and the doctor is pleased with my progress, but pulling off steristrips hurts. I guess I am a wimp, because it really has hurt me all day now. I feel like my pain is a little bit better now, though. I should preface this that I have only had 2 tylenol all day, so I plan on taking a few before bed. I probably shouldn't have toughed through the day, but I have a few nurses that push me to be strong. They say it will hurt because I had surgery. It is all done in love. If it was terrible, I would be taking pain pills. I pray all of you ladies that have your procedures this month do well also. I just know that in a month, I'll be looking back on this as a past chapter. Here's to my pathology coming in clean in the next few days!

  • mactaz
    mactaz Member Posts: 592

    Suzanna, sorry you are feeling pain and hope that it gets better. Sending all good vibes and 🤞🤞🤞🤞 for a great pathology report. Hope you days go better

  • Mamihen
    Mamihen Member Posts: 10

    Thank you, Mactaz!

    My BS wants to see whether there are suspicious areas she may want to biopsy. In her own words, she "wants to know what we are getting into" before surgery, and yes, taking or not taking any lymphnodes is then up for discussion as well....

    xo

  • Suzanna
    Suzanna Member Posts: 10

    Thanks Mactaz! I slept great! I took a pain pill before bed and it took away that knawing nerve pain. So for all of you, don’t be a hero, take what you need to feel ok after it’s all said and done. I didn’t get an award for hurting all day. Good luck to yogamom2 today and I hope everything went well for kc1972 yesterday.

  • santabarbarian
    santabarbarian Member Posts: 2,311

    With me it's the armpit incision that is more uncomfortable. Breast is fine. I can't decide if heat or ice is the better help? Seeing my surgeon today for re-check. I have "waking up nerves" in breast and armpit, but so far just tiny zaps. My armpit is swollen intermittently and I wonder if that is lymph backing up?

  • alto
    alto Member Posts: 82

    Sending YogaMom2 lots of well wishes and good vibes.

    Sending Hazelhappy good vibes for tomorrow.

    It looks like I'm being scheduled for Jan 16, UMX-N.

  • mactaz
    mactaz Member Posts: 592

    Hi to all, hope everyone is holding up.

    Alto, I have added your date.

    Kc1972, when you feel like it let us know how you are doing

    Yogamom, hope all is going well, thinking of you.

    Hazelhappy and Cerzink, good luck to you both, I’m sending you good vibes and am thinking of you both. 🤞🙏🏻

    Suzzana, I agree with you on taking meds to help you through. I’m very nervous for my surgery but you ladies give me courage.

    Santabarbarian, sorry your having some issues. Hope to hell it isn’t your lymph’s backing up or at least it is something they can treat easily,

    I met with my 2nd Opinion BS today. He was great at explaining things to me. I will go ahead with sentinel node extraction, he said there is on average no more than 2.something (can’t remember exact number) sentinel nodes extracted but some times there are very small nodes all clustered together and then there could be more. He said, unless there is significant disease in the sentinel nodes he would not recommend removing the auxiliary nodes so you I will let my BS know not to do any aux node extraction unless significant disease identified. He didn’t feel, based on his exam and review of my images, that I should have any significant disease in the nodes, although they always have to say would need to be confirmed during surgery

    Also reaffirmed that a lumpectomy is not a wise choice for me due to multifocal disease so UMX here I come.

    🤗😘 to all. Stay strong.


  • Europa74
    Europa74 Member Posts: 2

    I am out of surgery. I had a double nipple sparing mastectomy on Jan 2 and am sporting expanders. I have developed a nasty side effect to Diluaded (pain med, can’t remember spelling) which left me completely impacted. Meaning, I couldn’t pee or poop for a few days. It was an emergency so they opted to go balls to the wall and give me a liquid that would plow through the blockage. It did. And yesterday I had crap, literally, flowing out non stop. And pee... oh and I vomited because the stuff made me nauseous. With all that I haven’t been on pain meds for a day. And it’s rough.

    Does anyone with expanders feel like whenever they stand up, or walk or even take a deep breath their expanders pull down. I feel intense pressure around my expanders and a painful cramp/pulling sensation.

    Also,does one get used to the surreal numbness? It feels... so... weird.



  • moderators
    moderators Posts: 8,637

    Europa, welcome to Breastcancer.org!

    We're so sorry to hear of your terribly unpleasant experience with your surgery, but we're hoping you're on the mend now, and that your system will get regulated soon!

    Others will surely be welcoming you soon! We look forward to hearing more from you. Keep us posted on your healing!

    --The Mods

  • Cascadians
    Cascadians Member Posts: 72

    Prayers and best wishes for everybody going through this. Thanks to all for posting updates.

    My good News: Chemo has Killed the Cancer!
    Just got home from ultrasound of both breasts, both armpits, entire area: zero sign of any cancer. Biopsy clip visible and NOTHING around it. Chemo just about killed me but it killed the lethal cancer!
    Radiologist looked at September pix of the tumor, and this month's CT scan and today's ultrasound images. He said everything looks really good. No tumor, no enlarged lymph nodes, so sign of anything abnormal anywhere they looked.
    Major surgery soon, and the pathology report afterwards on the 2 amputated breasts will tell the definitive story. Right now things are looking bright: survival distinct possibility at this point.
    Long ways to go but am happy at the moment, so relieved.
    Ordered a fantastic whole body compression system, Rapid Reboot, for recovery;
    our power La-Z-Boy recliners will get here in time; my friend is coming to help with caregiving and household stuff;
    slowly all the details I've researched and am implementing / babysitting for surgery are coming together.

    Breastcancer.org forums have been invaluable for research, learning, knowing what to buy / ask for / work on. Thank you!

  • santabarbarian
    santabarbarian Member Posts: 2,311

    Beautiful news cascadians!!! So happy for you!!!!

  • santabarbarian
    santabarbarian Member Posts: 2,311

    Mactaz it was lymph fluid, and apparently that's normal. Called a "seroma," It did not hurt but it felt lumpy. Surgeon aspirated it right out of there.

  • jaboo
    jaboo Member Posts: 368

    Hi all, I just wanted to check in to this group... My BMX is planned for Jan. 21st. With expanders, no node extraction. My MO considers this whole op prophylactic, however I do not... I had close margins even after my SECOND lumpectomy, so I consider only my right breast to be prophylactic.



  • yogamom2
    yogamom2 Member Posts: 64

    Hi all, I'm home and still numb since my BS placed additional local anesthesia as she finished. I was still pretty out of it when she stopped in recovery but she said all went very well and now we wait for pathology. Hoping to be in good shape when the anesthetic wears off but have my pain meds ready to go.

    The placement of the wire was no picnic but was manageable and the radiology team was very caring and supportive, asking if I need a minute, saying they would stop for a bit if needed. Best to forge on and get it over with. In this day of pain management specialties, I'd like to think there are more alternatives for pt comfort than several shots of Lidocaine to the breast followed by several images w/ compression on the wire. Hate to sound sexist but somehow I think if we were exposing men's testicles to such treatment there would be multiple better options by now.

    So now begins the hard part, waiting to see what the pathology shows and what the next steps may be. Hoping for the best. Love, luck and prayers to all my Jan surgery sisters, may all our pathology be clear.

  • kec1972
    kec1972 Member Posts: 71

    Had my lumpectomy yesterday, went as well as could be expected, now just sweating the final path report!Ladies, I have a strange question. If my tumor size by ultrasound is 13mmx11mmx10mm, would that be considered “one centimeter?

  • mactaz
    mactaz Member Posts: 592

    Eurpoa74, first welcome and so sorry you had such a terrible time after surgery. I know exactly how you felt as that happened to me after my first chemo treatment. I had to take magnesium citrate to get cleaned out and what happened to you happened to me, it was awful. I hope you are better. I haven’t had my surgery yet, until the end of the month so I can’t respond to your questions, hopefully someone else will.

    Take care of yourself and keep us updated on how things are going. 🤗


  • mactaz
    mactaz Member Posts: 592

    cascadians, what exciting news, congrats. It sounds like you have been busy getting ready for your surgery and I’m especially glad your nodes showed up clean.

    Santabarbarian, 👍.

    Jaboo, will add you to above list. Welcome and glad to have you in our growing group, but certainly sorry we all have to be here.

    Yogamom and kc1972, glad you are home and have your pain meds ready to go. Will be thinking of you both and hope your path reports come out with really good news. Kc, I’m no expert but I would think it is 1cm.

  • WC3
    WC3 Member Posts: 658

    Hongh:

    Do you have blood clotting issues? My hospital will often let patients walk instead of getting anto coagulants.

  • Europa74
    Europa74 Member Posts: 2

    thank you MacTaz!

    Chemo was a nightmare for my bowels. I’m still dealing with digestive issues and it’s been 7 years! But thankfully there are healthy ways to manage it.

    My bowels now have seized to explode. Thanks to pomegranate peel tea. My dietician recommended it and it was incredible how fast it worked.

    Now I have to conquer the tearing pain of my expanders. The biggest pain is by my collar bone where they are stitched in. It’s insabely painful. Especially if I bend over slightly and straighten my back. I walk around crouched over holding my expanders. That’s the only relief I have right now

  • mactaz
    mactaz Member Posts: 592

    europa74, the TE pain sounds terrible. Have you talked to your PD? I get my TE on the 28th right after my UMX and I’m quit nervous about it. I hope you find some relief soon. Take care

  • Bird92203
    Bird92203 Member Posts: 3

    Hello group,

    I finally got my surgery date today after two months of waiting. You all seem so much further along in your journey, which is good for me, not sure how valuable I will be to you :) I was diagnosed in November, but it's been a long process assembling a medical team between Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. After weeks of waiting for approvals and test results and doctor appts. my doctors were finally able to schedule a surgery date, 1/21. It's getting real now.

    I'm not sure I selected the correct "type." I have invasive mammary carcinoma with squamous metaplasia, two tumors in the left breast. It's both lobular and ductal. I was going for a bilateral mastectomy when I was first diagnosed but now I've decided to just do the one until I know the Oncotype score. I started taking Tamoxifen 12/21 and so far I'm handling it well. Most of the hot flashes occur between 3-5 am when I'm in bed, but today they have been flaring up throughout the day. I have been sleeping a lot but that started before Tamoxifen, so I think it's mental exhaustion. i had a hysterectomy last year but we left one ovary, so now I need to plan on getting rid of that once this is over.

    I just moved back to my small hometown. so I have some friends I've known since High School, but my family is an hour plus away. I'm not married, but just started dating someone a couple weeks after finding my lump. Unfortunately he lives in another state and I live alone so I am nervous about what to expect when I get home from surgery. My mom is willing to stay as long as I need her, but I'm extremely independent and stubborn and don't like to ask for help so this will be a humbling experience to say the least.

    Wishing you all the best possible outcomes.

  • mactaz
    mactaz Member Posts: 592

    Bird92203, welcome to our group and believe me, everyone can contribute even if just supporting each other in their journey. I read your post and I have some thoughts but need to jump off and will post later, I just wanted to say 👋 and let you know we are here to support you

  • Notgivingup
    Notgivingup Member Posts: 143

    Good Morning All.

    I need to update my surgery date. They moved it to January 30th because of my elevated liver enzymes from chemo still being high, they are having me stay overnight in the hospital after my lumpectomy.

  • betterdazeahead
    betterdazeahead Member Posts: 37

    Hi

    I am new here. I am 41 and have multicentric ILC. I will be having a BMX with sentinel node removal and reconstruction (expanders) on Jan 31. 

  • yogamom2
    yogamom2 Member Posts: 64

    Hi all, There seem to be a lot of surgeries scheduled this week (post holiday surge?). Wishing each of you the best possible outcome for both surgery and pathology to follow.

    I am 48 hours post lumpectomy and doing well. Still pretty sore as expected (ice is my new best friend!) but only needing pain meds at night to sleep.

    My follow up w BS is scheduled for Jan 21. Stitches will come out and we will discuss the pathology results and any next steps that may be needed. Staying positive & hoping for the best.

    We women are tough and our bodies were built to heall, otherwise we'd all be only children. Hang in there, for some the journey may be longer but....we got this!

  • mactaz
    mactaz Member Posts: 592

    Yogamom2, good to hear from you. It is a busy week and the number of surges this month continues to grow.

    Sounds like everything is going as expected and hope the pain remains manageable. Sending all good vibes for a good path result.

  • mactaz
    mactaz Member Posts: 592

    betterdazeahead, welcome. Our group continues to grow, certainly an unfortunate circumstance for us all, but we are very strong women here to help each other through this. Take care and stay strong

  • jaboo
    jaboo Member Posts: 368

    Hi all, have you maybe found a timeline of recovery somewhere? I wonder what to expect, for how long incapacitity should I prepare, when drains are removed etc.... My BMX with expanders is planned for Jan. 21st

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