February 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 and 5 nodes on 2/5. My pathology came back with a surprise grade 3 but clear margins and no cancer in the nodes, so I'll take it. Next step is medical oncology, then rads. My incisions are healing up ok, and I'mfeeling my energy come back slowly but surely. The incision in my underarm is still quite tender - it's such an awkward spot! - and I have swelling that I pray is normal post-op and not lymphedema. I see the surgeon on Friday.
Hope to see others post here! The cohort threads were so helpful to me my first time around.
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Mastectomy w/ reconstruction and 4 aux nodes removal surgery in 10/24. Clean margins and no cancer in the lymph nodes - good news. Scars still look very angry, I have swelling on the side/underarm, and the implant seems to sit low w/ a divot in my upper chest, and the chest, implant and shoulder are still very tight and sore. I'm not happy with how things look or feel. Both surgeons know and didn't really have any suggestions or answers for me. I'll be looking for another surgeon(s) to give me her/their opinion(s) on the work that was done and possible options for me and my implant/chest/underarm.
For those getting ready for surgery, please ask a lot of questions about the surgery process, possible outcomes for the proposed surgery, and ask to see pictures. The surgeon/ARPN should go through surgery and recovery step-by-step. I trusted the medical staff because I didn't know what to ask or even that I could ask. You have to advocate for yourself and do so fearlessly. If you have someone to take with you to appointments, please do so.
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I’m scheduled for a unilateral mastectomy on Tuesday February 25, no reconstruction. It’s my second go around, I had lumpectomy and lymph node dissection 15 years ago. Same side. Sigh. I’m at peace with the surgery, but I am starting to feel some anxiety as I get closer to the date. My family and friends are very supportive, but I just wanted to touch base with people who really understand what I’m going through.
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@dutchgirl6 Good luck tomorrow. If you have drain, take good care of it so it won’t clog up. It doesn’t hurt, just annoying. I had my bilateral mastectomy on 1/30, getting better every day. You’ve got it! Just relax and enjoy being pampered. Hugs.
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Hi myyoga! Thanks for the kind words. I'm home, relaxing and enjoying a cup of tea with my DH. Yesterday was a bit of a whirlwind, but all went well. I was home by 7pm. I had a restless night, but I'm sure that things will get better. I have two drains, hopefully they will be removed before too long. I had a lump node dissection in 2010, and I had one drain at that time, so I do have an idea of what I am dealing with.
I hope that things are getting better for you as well.
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@dutchgirl6 I'm glad you got through it well. Rest and let your DH pamper you. You're on the other side now. No more MRI, mammograms, or ultrasound. Woohoo!
I developed hematoma on one side. The surgeon didn't seem concerned when she saw it. She recommended warm compression and gentle message. Well I did that and after one warm compression, the liquid seems to move to other areas of the breasts. Weird! But I should be patient right? It's just weird that the hematoma is not so much like bruise color but kind of hard to touch and it covers the upper part of my breast. No pain though. I hope I'm not one of her skeletons in the closet.
Wishing you a speedy recovery. 🤗
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@myyoga I’m glad that the surgery is behind me too! I only had one breast removed, so I’ll still have the mammograms on the unaffected side. But at least the appointments will be half as long.
I’m off to the Community Care Clinic this afternoon, they will have a look at my incision, sutures and drains. It will be nice to get outside and breathe some fresh air 🙂
How are you coping with your hematoma? Is it getting better? Honestly, if it’s not one thing it’s something else. I’m sorry that you’re having to deal with this on top of everything else.
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@dutchgirl6 Thank you. I’m doing ok. The hematoma is not so dark outside but very thick and hard that i thought the surgeon left some stuff in there. It doesn’t hurt. Just feel like a play dough inside my chest. Weird! But I have to be patient, hoping the blood and whatever the liquid inside will be absolved in a few month. I have to tell you my sister went to the whole thing without pain and complications! The day after surgery she was up trying to clean the house. Of course we stopped her and make her rest. After 3 day she felt a little twinge of pain. She took one pain killer and that was it. She didn’t even have restricted range of motion, just a little tightness on the chest that she did some stretching esxercise to relieve it. Hoping that will be your case too. Take care.
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2/17 dmx. Healing well. Physical exam and mri showed huge reduction in tumor however Path showed surprising about of cells left in breast tissue. Clear margins. Removed all lymph nodes with only trace amounts in the very first sentinel node. Still reeling. Radiation and keytruda/xeloda to follow shortly.
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I’m so sorry your surgery was extensive, but it’s all behind you now. Just relax and let ppl pamper you.
I had my dmx on 1/30. Healing fine except a large hematoma underneath the skin like playdough. It took a good 4 weeks for most of the pain to go away. Playdough is still there. Dr recommended warm compression but the liquid seems to move around!
I didn’t know radiation is needed after dmx. Did you mean that lots of breast tissue still left after dmx? I feel that way on my left one, the one I had lumpectomy and radiation 2 years ago. My surgery was considered prophylactic so no lymph nodes were taken out this time. I’m a brca mutation carrier.
Hope you feeling better soon.🤗
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