January 2020 Surgery Group
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Thank you Mods!
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Hi LiveLoveLaugh2020 - welcome to the surgery group for January. Love your screen name! It's my hope I'll be doing just that this year once my surgery is over. How has the recovery been from the exchange surgery? I'm trying to get an idea of what to expect. I'm hoping mine will be in the summer when my teacher husband is off work to care fore me. Although maybe it's a faster recovery than the initial DMX. Any insights you have will be helpful. Thanks!
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Thank you Sugar! I hope so too, I'm finally just getting there. This is such a long process. I can't believe I just had my exchange surgery because I felt like time dragged but before you know it you'll be there. Exchange surgery is nothing compared to bil MX. I was in pain pain for a couple days with the worst part being the pain from the site of fat grafting. I am still very sore in those spots but otherwise feeling good. I was so happy not to have drains!
Be prepared to have help for the MX as you'll be very uncomfortable and limited in what you can do for weeks. The worst part to me were the drains! They were dreadful. Hopefully you won't have them in long. If you haven't already.. get yourself a shirt that holds the drains (makes it much more comfortable), a belt for the shower that holds the drains, and if you have a recliner it will be your new best friend! Hope this helps! I wish I had joined sooner as all this information would have been so helpful!
Let me know if you have any more questions
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I had my post surgery visit with my surgeon on Thursday. They found a second tumor adjacent to the one they knew was there. The original tumor was IDC, the new one is DCIS. Has anyone ever been diagnosed with 2 types at one time?
She removed 4 nodes, all came back clear. The margins on both tumors were clear. So at least that is good. The not so good part is that my cancer is triple negative. That scares me a lot.
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Rose14 - Yes, I had two types (DCIS and a triple negative tumour) 10 years ago. Chemo is very effective against it and the good thing is you don't need to take anything after. No tamoxifen, etc. Your's was caught early and the fact you had negative nodes is huge. Feel free to reach out to me anytime through private message. This time I'm dealing with hormone positive so it's a new journey for me.
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I know this group is for January surgeries, but I'm having my surgery on February 18th and I’m struggling with whether to have a lumpectomy or mastectomy.
In August 2019 I was diagnosed with Stage 2b breast cancer with a 39 mm mass in my right breast with a 18 mm right auxiliary lymph node mass. Due to the size of the mass in my breast I was to endure chemotherapy first for which I just finished my last treatment on December 30th and this past Thursday I had my post-chemotherapy mammogram and ultrasound and both masses were almost gone (nothing was next to the ribbons).
I knew from day 1 I wanted a mastectomy as my breast are very dense and I did not want to go through chemo EVER again. My Oncologist, Cancer surgeon and many nurses have been telling me that the chance of cancer reoccurrence is the same and I should consider the lumpectomy.
Has anyone had a mastectomy gotten breast cancer again? I’m also triple positive
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Sugar77, when I had my exchange surgery 10 years ago, it was very close to being a pain-free surgery. My recovery period was short. And the relief of getting rid of that horribleexpander and getting a nice soft implant in exchange was tremendous! It is much easier surgery than a mastectomy.
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littlemom32 - welcome to our surgery group. I was told lumpectomy with radiation and mastectomy have the same outcome when I pushed for a mastectomy. The surgeon was right. My triple negative breast cancer didn't recur. However, I still had breast tissue and something new developed a decade later in the same breast. Hindsight is 2020 and I now have no choice but to have a mastectomy. I hope this helps.
Edited to add: I have no regrets. I had 10 very good years where I rarely, if ever, gave breast caner another thought except maybe at annual mammogram time. I want to point out there "IS" life after cancer...really!
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Littlemom, my understanding (which I don’t think doctors do a good job at explaining) is that a mastectomy and lumpectomy with rads has the same outcome/stats for that particular cancer. And like sugar, her lumpectomy worked the first time. But, she’s having to deal with it again now. I see tons of stories of lumpectomies and women going through it again (sometimes more than twice).
I have very dense breasts, am 46, so I opted for a double mastectomy. I asked my doctor as he is usually a breast conservation doctor and he did agree that having dense breasts would just normally raise my risk of a new cancer in the same or other breast. I have early stage, but he agreed it would certainly cut my chances of a new one. He did state that it doesn’t get all the breast tissue so there is always a chance, but the less tissue, the less chance. And mine is highly er+ and breasts tissue produces estrogen. In addition, after my surgery, they found DCIS/LCIS that were not picked up on an MRI, 4 3D mammos and ultrasound so he really thought I did the right thing.
It’s certainly a personal decision. My mom got a lumpectomy six years ago and just went through a scare, thankfully it turned out to be nothing, but she did say she wished she had gotten a double because the stress every year is awful. It is a harder procedure and I’m just six weeks out so that always needs to be considered too. The decision making process through all of this is tough I hope you find peace in whatever decision you make😄
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Little go with what your heart is telling you. I went back and forth in the beginning and it was hard. But I was finally able to make a decision that I was most comfortable with. It's so hard either way. I didn't want to do the six month follow ups and constantly worry. I also did not want to have to take medication. After my bil NSM, LCIS was found in my "normal" boob. So that just made me feel even more comfortable with the decision I had made. Best of luck to you.
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I will be undergoing a lumpectomy with sentinel biopsy on the 28th. It seems minor compared to what others are going through, but has anyone experienced this and have any advice?
Thanks!
P.S. this is my first post to a group like this. This is all brand new to me.
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Thank you ladies! I’ve been looking for other women to ask these questions to as I don’t know anyone else who gone through breast cancer.
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Hi Skyes - welcome to the January surgery group. I did a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy previously. Mine was done as two separate surgeries a month apart. Long story but my lumpectomy was "non cancer" surgery and the tumour that was found wasn't expected. With lumpectomy, I had it on a Friday and went to work on Monday and for the SNB, I had on a Friday and returned to work on Tuesday. Since you're doing both at the same time, you might want to plan on a few extra days to recoup. You can do this! We're here for moral support.
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Welcome!
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I finally got my surgery dates. My mastectomy is January 23, and my DIEP is February 8. My oncology surgeon is the same one who did my other mastectomy in 2008, and I trust her. At least I know what to expect with this surgery. I admit to being nervous about the diep, though.
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Sorry that you're going through this again NV. Wish you luck with your surgeries.
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well I am 4 days post BX and I am nothing less than miserable. Right side feels pretty good left side feels like its faling off. No matter how I move or what medication I take I'm in extreme pain.
I was worried about the nuclear medicine testing but that was not bad at all. I woke up super naesua and in oh dear God pain. Stayed in hospital little more than 2 days and wished I hadn't left. Thought right side felt good and left side would follow suit. WRONG...
All left side swollen so waiting to hear from doctor about next steps. Anyone have these issues?
Remember, we are all moving forward and will be back to ourselves soon. God bless sisters!!
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Lecoll so sorry to hear that. I remember those first few days and they were very rough. The pain/discomfort was bad. Thankfully I didn't have swelling so hoping that all is well with that. Do you have a recliner? It made such a difference and at least allowed me to sleep a little bit as it's much easier to get in and out of compared to the bed. I hope you have help, and start feeling better soon!! Keep us updated.
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I had lumpectomy / partial mastectomy on January 6, 2020. I am a bit confused about the numbers and descriptions about my cancer. All I know is that it was DCIS - 0, which I believe is pretty lucky for me. At any rate I had excessive bleeding afterwards.
This photo was taken about a week after the surgery. The "bruising went all the way down to my pubic area. After 3 weeks it's much better, but I still have bruising especially on my breast, but what bothers me is the swelling! I went from a "B" cup to at least a "D" cup and it is very uncomfortable. I continue to wear the elastic post operative binder so there is no giggle. Tomorrow I go to the radiologist to make arrangements for my follow up treatment. !. I'm wondering if anyone else had such incredible bruising. My surgeon said she has seen bruising like this before and the swelling will last from 2 - 6 months. In reading about radiation I understand I should expect swelling from that too. That is what really concerns me. For those of you who have gone through radiation were you able to wear a bra? How was your swelling? Not doing too well emotionally either right now. First time in my life I have anxiety attacks. Ugh! I am so thankful for this web site. I have the feeling that the web information is edited so as not to scare women. For some reason I was said that I could not post links...I was trying to post a photo of my bruising. Used the "image insert" and a photo on my computer, but no luck.
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Mybestfriends - sorry you are havingswelling. When I went through radiation, I wore soft cotton bras with no underwrite. I can't remember the brand but the one I wore was in the boxes section at the department store. Be gentle with yourself. There are a lot of emotions involved and you will get through it. I promise! Hang in there. We are here for you.
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Surgery was yesterday. Came home with four drains (Ugh). Pain managed with extra strength Tylenol every 6 hours. Stiff/tight. Some parts above bandage feel bruised. Overall doing much better than expected.
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Fairy glad you're doing better than expected. Those dreaded drains are the worst! (equally as bad as those dreaded expanders). Hopefully you get them removed as soon as possible. Wishing you a speedy recovery.
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Fairy - this is so encouraging that you are managing with Tylenol. Hope your recovery continues to be smooth and painfree. Did you have expanders put in?
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Hi all- I am so happy to have found this forum and thank you for this January surgery group! I had bilateral mastectomies Jan 3 and expanders put in. I knew I wouldn't be back to normal activity for a while, but I was not prepared to feel chest discomfort all the time at this point (2.5 weeks out). I am much better than before and maybe just take Ibuprofen twice a day so I know things are getting better day by day.
But I try to describe it to people that I feel like there is a metal cage around my chest that I feel with deep breaths, turning, reaching high, reaching low and of course anything that bumps into tuching my chest. I'm sure part of it is the tissue expanders. I haven't been able to walk that far. I've been getting phantom sensations (like chills) in the area which I know is normal and the sternal area is very sensitive. Sitting in a car is way better than before but can't imagine going for a long ride and I am not driving yet ( are any of you driving and how did you decide when you were ready.?)
I have 4 kids and 3 C sections and recovered from those okay. The pain is different post-delivery since this being in the chest area and so many motions are involved. And my surgeon said also since there is no baby to distract me and fill me with joy that might be another factor.
Just wondering if this is par for the course or am I a big wimp? And what are all your plans for going back to work and anybody have travel they had already planned (I have a work trip mid Feb) and how they are deciding about those?
Thanks sisters!! Su
I don't know why my diagnosis/treatment aren't in my signature but I filled it out! Basically I have L DCIS, 3 cm, grade 3, + family history but genetics neg, b/l mastectomies 1/3/20, tissue expanders placed, exchange maybe in April if I don't pull them out of my chest first....
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Mine was a prophylactic double mastectomy without reconstruction, so no expanders. They did a nerve block right before surgery. They said it would last 12-14 hours, but maybe it is still working it's magic.
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Dear SuBeez88,
Welcome to the BCO community. We are so glad that you found us and reached out for support.We hope that you find some help here from the shared experiences of others. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help you navigate your way around the boards. We are here to be of assistance.
The Mods
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Su I was one of those who had pain/discomfort for a while too. You're not being a wimp. I know what you mean about those expanders I felt the same way! They caused me pain for 7 weeks and at fills.
Fairy that nerve block was the best..
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DeeDeeT405 My plastic surgeon said under muscle for the expander in case I need radiation.
Dysonsohere, I’m from TX & have also had my plans changed/delayed. I know it’s frustrating.
I have the radioactive injections this morning & needle localization this afternoon. Staying at a hotel near the hospital to be back at 5:30am for the mastectomy. Crazy that it’s really happening. So anxious to get pathology results back & see what the future holds.
Hang in there ladies! Taking it one day at a time....
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Good vibes and wishes to you going in to your surgery, Momofboys3
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livelaughlive. I do have a recliner.my challenge is the second I move , cough or sometimes just breathe the pain is incredible. Called dr again and am going to see him today.
I know it will get better and I need to be patient. Problem is I am an active person and now taking meds every 4 hours that make me tired. At least the naseau is gone for now.
To all my sisters stay strong....God will get us through this all.
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