Planning surgery for November 2025? Join the waiting room for support.
Are you scheduled to have a lumpectomy or mastectomy in the month of November? Join us here where we support each other as we prepare for our surgeries, ask questions about what to expect, share reservations and fears, and support one another through preparation and recovery. And, we encourage others who've "been there" to answer questions about what to expect with surgery and recovery.
Share your surgery date so we can cheer you on, the type of surgery you'll be having, and let us know how you do after it's done so others know what to expect first-hand.
While you get ready, check out the Shopping/Packing/To-Do List for Surgery and Recovery. For more information, check out the Surgery section on our site for info about what types of surgery, questions to ask, choosing between lumpectomy and mastectomy, and what to expect with surgery and recovery.
If you need more support, consider joining our Virtual Support Groups for those going through treatment — and beyond!
We're all here for you and we're in your pocket for surgery day and beyond!
—The Mods
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I’ll be having a double mastectomy with Goldilocks closure and fat grafting along with sentinel lymph node biopsy Nov 6. I’m super nervous and just want to get over with! This second diagnosis after 10 years came as a shock!
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Hi @ltam16 - We’ll be thinking of you on November 6 as you go through your surgery. Feeling nervous makes perfect sense, especially after facing this again after so many years.
Anyone else having surgery soon? Let's support each other!
The Mods
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My bilat mx is Friday 11-7. I'm lucky to have friends and family lined up to support me and each-other the several days after surgery. I ran into a childhood friend, she shared her (different) bc story with me. I know I'm strong mentally and physically but this really is like an out of body experience, so far. Even discussing it feels like / how can this be MY story?///
Julia near LA
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Single mastectomy on 11/17. Aesthetic flat closure. It's my second DCIS in that breast, and after lumpectomy & radiation the first time, mastectomy is my only option now. Not looking forward to it.
I totally relate to the comment about this feeling like an out-of-body experience. It doesn't feel real. I have moments of acceptance, moments of blind panic, and moments of overwhelming grief. I didn't even know I was that attached to that breast. But change is hard.
Can anyone tell me if I'll be able to lift my opposite arm over my head after surgery? I keep seeing talk of not lifting arms up after mastectomy because of drains & healing tissue, but I'm hoping that a single mastectomy means the other arm will have some mobility.
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I would trade removal of my both pinky fingers for the bilat if I could!
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I so relate to the out of body experience! I keep thinking I’m going to wake up from this bad dream. I too never realized I was so attached to my breasts. It’s going to be a big change and adjustment. My emotions are all over the place.
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Just joined. Bmx on 11/10. Diagnosed Oct 7, DCIS in Left breast and LCIS with microinvasion in Right breast. Today is my last day of work before medical leave. Ive been keeping busy but i have a feeling i’m goimg to wake up tomorrow and it’s all going to hit me. Very thankful to have this space as I go through this. Treatment at MSK and apparently it’s 7-10 days until path report post surgery. That’s going to be hard, ie to wait to hear if LN are positive, whether i need chemo etc.
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Hi @hopefulmom79 , welcome to the BCO community. We’re so glad you found us, though we’re sorry for what brings you here. We’ll be thinking of you on November 10 and sending strength for the days ahead. Please keep us posted on how you’re doing when you feel up to it. We're all here for you!
The Mods
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@ltam16 We are thinking of you today! Check in when you get a moment to let us know how surgery went and how you're feeling.
Sending gentle hugs!
—The Mods
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@gypsy11995544 We're in your pocket for surgery tomorrow! Let us know how it goes.
Hugs!
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Hi, I have my lumpectamy scheduled for 11/14 with sentinal node biopsy. I totally agree with the out of body experience. Its been an emotional roller coaster.
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I had my surgery yesterday. Everything went well and much better than I was anticipating! They did prophylactic left mastectomy and in the right mastectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy. For the right they last surgeon did a little fat grafting so if I decide for implant later, the skin doesn’t skin because I had radiation 10 years ago (if I’m explaining that right). Once I got out of recovery, I’ve only had Tylenol.
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I did have a nerve block and fentanyl (I believe) in surgery/recovery. I tend to get nauseous so they put a patch behind my ear and gave me meds in iv. I had no nauseau. Surgery was about 3 hours and I was in recovery for 2 I think. I’ve been getting up ok to use bathroom and eating fine. I will be discharged sometime today. I’ll have pathology by my follow up with breast surgeon on the 17th. Will see plastic surgeon next week. I have 2 drains and so far they don’t bother me. Feel free to ask me any questions!
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Question: where any of you prescribed numbing ceream to use before surgery to help with the two procedures tmyou get beforehand (sentinel node injection and seed localization)?
I wasn't prescibed any but someone suggested I ask for it. Just wondering what others experience were.
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@baffled26 I was not prescribed any numbing cream.
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Hi @hopefulmom79! How are you? Just wanted to check in and see how you’re doing after your surgery on the 10th. We know the days after can be tough both physically and emotionally, especially while waiting for your pathology results. Please let us know how you’re feeling when you’re up to it. We're all here for you!
The Mods
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Thank you for saying the drains don't bother you! That's the one part of my upcoming surgery that I'm really dreading, because I don't know what to expect. It's good to know at least one person didn't have a problem with drains.
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I have a numbing cream prescription for EMLA cream, or a generic equivalent, that I've had for many years. I use it ahead of IVs and blood draws, anything with needles, which otherwise really hurt.
But honestly for me it only numbs the skin and like 1/8 inch under it. So enough for veins near the surface of the skin, but I don't think it would help with the tissue deeper in. It doesn't help me much with flu shots, for example.
The key to EMLA cream is to put it on 1-2 hours ahead of time and cover it with something, like plastic wrap or a Tegaderm IV cover (adhesive clear plastic film). For me, it works wonders. Seriously, 1-2 hours ahead of time. Otherwise it just doesn't make a big difference, at least to me. I think it's lidocaine/prilocaine cream.
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@melissa_s. My Dr taped up the drains really well. I think I have tegaderm covering them. They are a little sore if I bump into them now and sometimes a little itchy but nothing horrible. And stripping and emptying is not a big deal. My husband helps with that but I can do it myself. I think it makes him feel better if he does it. He is super helpful but I think he feels helpless and upset at what I’m going through if that makes sense.
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Thanks @melisa_s for the detailed info! It's super helpful
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Thank you for this. I'm not worried about stripping and emptying them; I'm worried that they'll hurt and feel really weird while they're in, and make me increasingly stressed out. Sounds like that was not your experience, and I'm so glad!
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Two days to go. Surgery on Monday. The panic has set in.
How have other folks made the last few days before surgery pass without going crazy? I'm spending some time playing video games, but although it's fun and distracting, it also amps up my nervous system and fight-or-flight mode, which seems counterproductive right now.
Any tips?
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@melissa_s I do not feel the drains internally. Only feels a little sore/itchy right at the opening.
I tried to take a lot of out door walks, went out to dinner, had tickets to a show, watched hallmark movies leading up to surgery. I also cooked and froze a lot of meals which has been a huge help.
Wishing you all the best on Monday. It was a relief to me when it was over and everything has gone better than expected. I made sure to get anti nausea meds prior and in recovering I took whatever pain meds they offered.1 -
@Itam16 , thank you for the encouragement. Good to know about the drains.
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Surgery tomorrow Nov 18, Invasive lobular 8 out of 9 Nottingham scale. Large lumpectomy right side. Left is benign for now. Dreading surgery and looking at the right half breast after surgery. I’m team girl even grew up in a pink room.
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Hi @jmjminivanmom!
Welcome to our November surgery thread. We are so sorry you find yourself here, but we are really glad you reached out.We’ll be thinking of you as you head into your lumpectomy today, and we hope you feel supported every step of the way. Please keep us posted when you’re able. We are here for you!
The Mods
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I'm home after SMX yesterday. Almost no pain, except when I move wrong and irritate the drain, which is super painful for about 15 seconds, then calms down again.
What I didn't expect was a ton of nausea and some tossing of cookies. Not sure if that's just my sensitive body, but 24 hours later, I'm still slightly queasy. It's manageable, though. I stayed overnight as per the plan, and I'm glad. They took good care of me.
I was a weepy mess for weeks before the surgery, but calm afterwards. Go figure. It's done now. Moving forward.
I'm very grateful to have such a good surgeon so close to home.
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I’m glad it went well. Sorry about the nauseau! Rest up!
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Hi. I'm new to this thread. Had a unilateral mastectomy on my right side with tissue expander placement 10 days ago. I also had a sentinel node biopsy and remoal of 5 lymph nodes, including 2 that we knew were cancerous prior to chemotherapy. I need radiation, so reconstruction is a ways off. I'm wondering if others are experiencing a lot of discomfort. Especially when I lay down. I'm off the narcotics, but still using gabapentin for nerve pain and alternating Tylenol and alive as instructed by my plastic surgeon.
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