Blood Thinners and Invasive Breast Carcinoma ER/PR+ HER2-
Good morning, last week I was diagnosed with Invasive Breast Carcinoma ER/PR+ HER2-; most likely stage one, depending what they find in the surgery. I am 42 with two young children. I have a history of blood clots and pulmonary embolisms and have a stent in my iliac vien. I am on an anti-coagulant for life. I don't know whether to choose the mastectomy or the lumpectomy. My vascular surgeon said that i can go on baby aspirin for the week of the surgery and then back on the plavix after. I am not a candidate for elective surgery. I am a size G bra size and have back soreness due to my large bust. I was leaning towards a mastectomy to lower the risk of reccurence and to help with my back pain with smaller implants. The first opnion I got worried the risk of reclotting was to high to get a mastectomy. My vascular surgeon doesn't seem as worried. Has anyone else been in this position before? I know that the reccurence rate between the two surgeries does not differ as much as was once thought-per the breast surgeon. This is just an overwhelming decision to make.
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@kcarey28 - So sorry you're facing all this. We hope your doctors and the support from others here help you figure out what feels right and safe for you.
Since blood clots are a concern in your situation, we wanted to share this article from our main site about Blood Clots and Phlebitis, which could be helpful in your conversations with your doctors.
Please keep us posted on how you're doing. We're here for you.
Warmly,
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Good Morning kCarey28, I'm very sorry to learn you've had both PE's & BC at such a young age. Do they know the cause of your PEs? It's said having cancer increases blood clotting risks, so you have every right, but you're not alone.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/hidden-cancer-rarely-causes-out-of-the-blue-clots-in-the-bloodstream-201506298112
Have you had a D-dimer blood test? For people who have been on blood thinners like you, the risks are much lower.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562222/
After the lumpectomy, but before my double mastectomy, I also suffered PE's in both lungs while hospitalized following an injurious car accident. My doctor had immediately taken me off the Tamoxifin.
I was given Heparin before & after surgery. My double mastectomy surgery was uneventful and I found it easier and less painful than my earlier lumpectomy. But due to the blood clotting risks, I declined reconstruction and have remained flat & content for over a decade. Didn't wish to push my luck in having any reconstruction surgery. It was the best decision for me. I've been on daily baby aspirin for 10+ years. Hoping and praying for the best decisions for you. Best Wishes.
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I'm a 2 time breast cancer and 4 time endometrial cancer patient. I developed a blood clot in my neck and another one in my lung a few weeks after finishing my first round of chemotherapy in 2022. My doctor put me on a blood thinner called Eliquis and I haven't had any new blood clots since then. I was told at the time my blood clots were caused by 3 things. First having cancer in general makes you more prone to blood clots, second having gone through chemo, and third because I decided to keep my chemo port in place after chemo was over because it's virtually impossible to get an IV line installed in me. My breast cancer came back in the fall of 2024 and I had to have surgery. What they did is 2 days prior to surgery switched me to a different blood thinner where I had to give myself 2 shots a day. They had me continue with these shots for 2 days after surgery and then I went back to taking the Eliquis pills twice a day. Unfortunately the shot they put me on didn't allow my blood to clot properly after surgery and I ended up with a hematoma in my chest that was the size of a nerf football. My blood didn't start clotting normally (based on what was in my surgical drains) until I was off the shots and back on the Eliquis. I ended up having another surgery to remove the hematoma. For the second surgery I went off of the Eliquis 2 days before surgery and I refused to take the shot. 2 days after the surgery I went back on the Eliquis. I didn't have any problems with hematomas or blood clots. I've also had multiple biopsies since starting the Eliquis and I've never stopped taking it before hand and have never had any issues with clotting from the biopsies. Don't know if any of this is helpful, but figured I'd put my experience out there.
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