January 2025 Surgery Support Thread
Please gather here to get and give support. Feel free to share your type of surgery, date, and let us know how you're preparing and how you're doing post-surgery. We're all here for you!
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Lumpectomy tomorrow.-1/15. Had the radio seed placed today. I am glad to be going in early in the morning so I don't have to wait all day. I bought some post op bras from Soma- they have hook and eye closures in front and an opening for a cold pack for the first day or so; some button down flannel shirts, some new flannel button down pajamas; and a wedge pillow because I am a side sleeper so I am hoping using the wedge will be more comfortable than my regular pillows while sleeping on my back. Easy meals to heat up, a new book, and a list of movies I haven't seen yet while I am resting at home. I think I'm ready - but will be happy when the surgery is done!
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Hello,
My surgery has been awhile ago, on the 26th of August 2024. I was told that I’m going to get my lymph nodes removed during my surgery which was a mastectomy. After the surgery when I received the pathology report it stated there were no lymph nodes submitted. So I was in the assumption that they didn’t remove them. When I had my appointment with the radiation oncologist however he told me that since they were not removed he can’t do radiation, so I have to go back to surgery and get the lymph nodes removed during. At that point I became nervous and worried because I didn’t like to go get an extra surgery just because they forgot the lymph nodes. So went back to my surgeon and asked for the surgery report, which clearly stated that he indeed removed the lymph nodes and it got submitted with the rest of the specimens to pathology. The hospital is investigating the case right now. I’m worried that they obviously won’t find them and they got lost. So now how can I even get further treatment and anything if there is no report of how many was removed and how many had cancer and not?
I am clueless at this point about what to do.
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Good Morning, I am recently diagnosed with DCIS. I meet with the surgeon for the first time next Tuesday. What kinds of questions should I ask as we discuss my plan for treatment? I am likely getting a lumpectomy. I know I am ER positive and PR negative. Thank you.
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@nanakay60 and @theunexpected - Welcome to the community! Sorry you have to go through surgery, but we're glad you found this group. 👩❤️💋👩
We have a dedicated thread where you’ll find lots of helpful information about breast cancer surgery, along with other related threads that might be of interest to you. It's called Prepping for Surgery? Start Here.
Feel free to check it out, and if you have any questions or need further info, we’re here to help!
Wishing everyone the best of luck with their surgeries and recovery!
The Mods
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Thank you. I can't join the virtual meetings this week but I will try to participate next Thursday evening.
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2012 DCIS, ER +ve, PR +ve HER-ve
Lumpectomy left breast sentinel node negative radiation Tamoxifen 5 years BRCA 1&2 negative
2021 Melanoma in situ right forearm excision
2024 BC recurrence right breast
Jan 8, 2025 Lumpectomy 2 nodes removed negative
DCIS 5mm grade 2 stage 1a ER +ve, PR +ve HER-ve
Recovered.
Feb 19/2025 Waiting for Oncotype to determine if chemo MO appmt in March
RO appmt for radiation Feb 25/2025
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Hello,
Unfortunately no, the pathologist says he never received the lymph nodes, no evaluation. Surgery report says he did level 2 sentinel lymph node dissection.
Hospital wrote me a letter saying that the lymph nodes were sent to the pathologist.I have no information on how many they took out and what was their status.
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@dori307 So sorry that they couldn’t find the lymph nodes! I don’t know if the surgeon can find lymph nodes now that the mastectomy was done. That’s the reason that even with DCIS mastectomy, sentinel LNs are removed during mastectomy. Just curious, why radiation is needed after mastectomy? My understanding is that ppl go for mastectomy to avoid radiation unless the margin is not clear? So that’s it? They don’t recommend any further treatments because they’re messed up? 😡
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Btw, if you saw blue streak in your urine after mastectomy, that means the surgeon used dike to find lymph nodes. Mine was blue for a whole day.
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My first oncologist told me the same thing, if I had mastectomy then I wouldn’t need radiation to my breast. My insurance stopped working with that oncology group. After my surgery I was sent to a different oncologist. Also the radiation oncologist said even if I had mastectomy I still need radiation. They made me do another PET CT scan everything was clear but it still showed some minor activity in my axilla. Within a year I’m seeing the third oncologist now because my second one actually left the oncology institute after I had one appointment with him lol. This has not been a smooth journey to say the least.
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@dori0307 I’m sorry that happened to you. It must be very stressful for you to deal with cancer and these messes! Somebody has to be hold accountable. If there are some activities in the axilla, maybe that’s an indication of positive sentinel lymph nodes? And they cannot come up with appropriate treatments in this situation. Sentinel lymph nodes disappearing between the surgery and the lab is unheard of! I hope the situation is rectified and you can get the treatments needed to resume your normal activities. Praying for you🤗
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