Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

Hello, I had my MRI prior to surgery and went in face down, head first with goggles. As others said get comfortable as you can't move once situated. I asked for classical music, then mentally took myself to another place. Doable and actually not too bad. The tech asked if I am claustrophobic and I said " we'll find out I guess." Apparently not I'm thankful to say.

Also, I has left-sided radiation in the face down (Prone) position. Spellchecker just tried to put "porn" position, which for some reason tonight amuses me...

Lovesmy Vizsla - From first infusion, I suffered, bone, muscle and nerve pain, apparently he said it was normal. First day of each Taxol that night id have pain in my lower back, and it would cause restless legs, was awful. The next day I was PERFECT, then 3rd day would go down in pain, lower back, legs, hips, neck, shoulders, was really odd, but as the infusions went on, it got worse I got to 6 my onocologist was going to stop them but I went to 8 but was in constant pain from 3rd day til next hit. I was on ibuprofen/panadol osteo 6hrly, Im 3 weeks post chemo and meds are now stretching to 12hly, the pain has lasted that long worst luck. Im doing better day by day. Go figure though...NO neuropathy and my nails are perfect?? really healthy...uuuugh who knows LOL

I must admit about the MRI, all my MRI's have been face up, so have never heard of an MRI done that way.

Well,I guess I have to chime in. I have had different MRI's for different things. For my breast MRI there was no clanging and banging. My breasts dangled thru two holes on the slide part. I was face down, no goggles, no music with my head supported by a form. And I went in head first. It only moved about a third of the way toward. It didn't take that long and I never felt claustrophobic

Just a question ladies. I am on day 6 from my lumpectomy and I have some swelling where they removed the two lymph nodes. Is this my body adjusting and will works its way out? I will place heat on the spot and call the nurse support later today. I don't have a fever just swelling.

Sorry, I just kinda dropped out of this group but wound up in hospital due to neutropenic fever. Given massive amounts of antibiotics, and also had some unexplained reddening of my port site noted on Thursday.

When they withdrew the needles from my port yesterday prior to be discharged, a small amount of serous drainage came out which threatened my hospital release. They had to re-access the port and run another series of cultures (all of which have previously come back negative ,) but I was still able to come home - Thank God. I just have to keep watch on the port site. There is talk of removing it, but I hope not.

I'm still on oral antibiotic and feeling weak, but I'm home. My next chemo is scheduled for next Monday, and my MO says she'll modify the amount of drugs given, plus I'll have the Neulasta shot the day after. Hopefully, that will prevent this from happening again. My MO says this happens to about 1 in 10 patients after their first chemo, wasn't I lucky?

Neoplasm is just another word for tumor.

ne·o·plasm -a new and abnormal growth of tissue in some part of the body, especially as a characteristic of cancer

I too, had two small nodules on my lungs which they said were standard for anybody living in an urban setting. Can't help much on the rest, but I would sure call my doctor and ask for an explanation.

MLP3- hate that you are worrying! Sending positive energy your way. I had an abnormal lung xray years ago- required CT- scared like crazy but, they determined it was scar tissue probably from pneumonia as a child. Hopefully, you will have some sort of similar story to share...hugs to you.

Brit- Glad you are home. Rest, rest, rest....your body is under siege so rest and let it fight away! Not asking you to help pick out my lotto numbers! Haha.

Brightsocks- you may be developing a seroma....def keep watch and check in with your doc.

Reader- that IS hilarious....have to say some of the things they have us do- sort of seem like they could be just that.

MLP3, sending positive thoughts your way. Hopefully the explanation for all those scary-sounding things are quite benign. Good luck with your MRI.

HUGS and MORE HUGS!

Brit and LTFly- Agree completely about the Claritan (and, ALleve) for the possible bone pain from Neulasta. I took it every treatment and for 4-7 or so days after starting on first day of chemo each time.

6Doggies, my first post-treatment mammogram was 6 months later. I also had an MRI a couple months later. I was seeing my MO every 3 months now it's every 6 months. I'm also taking Arimidex and you do not seem to be taking any anti-hormonals so that might make a difference in how often you see an oncologist. Please try not worry or obsess about waiting a couple more months. It's a quite normal schedule. Hope you're doing well!

HUGS!

Sad news. My husband'a mother passed this morning. She was 95. We are on our way to FL now.

My condolences MLP sending hugs your way.

MLP3: actelectasis refers to a partial collapse of a lung. The neoplasm (tumor) seems to refer to your breast tumor. The nodules on your lung and near rib cartilage is unspecified. Could be a cyst, scar tissue, granuloma, etc. They will probably keep a close eye on them or see if they shrink during your treatment for breast cancer. They can always biopsy them if they are really worried. No need to worry.

Brit I'm sorry your first treatment was so dramatic. It can only get better. All I can say is I get Neulasta every time to make sure my counts stay up.

My daughter in law told me F*** you so I guess that relationship is toast. Never a dull moment on BCO.

Brightsocks - Definitely keep up the pain meds, until you start to feel pain free. As Loves to Fly said, icing is the way to go for swelling, heating it will aggravate it. The swelling takes a little while to go down, so its very normal.

Poodles - Sorry about your sad news!

JCLC - Yikes!! That's crazy!

MLP - Hope you get your answers, so you can settle!

Brit - Sorry to hear about your hospital visit, hope things are much better next week.

Ive not heard of Claritin, sounds like exactly what I needed through treatment awwwww!!! Thankfully 4 weeks PF*ingC LOL YAY!!! am nearly down to pain meds once a day now, still a little achey but huge improvement. I just bought a new exercise bike, this was the one way I used to stay in shape, am so excited to be getting back into it!

Hi Brightstocks - we had surgery the same day. I seem to be more swollen today (where the nodes were taken) than before. Also, feeling achy/numb. I've been numb since the surgery but maybe some feeling is coming back, hence the achyness. I think, from what I read, that it's normal. Ice helps. Heat will increase the blood flow to the area which I think can cause more pain. I see my surgeon on Wednesday. I hope I she tells me it's healing nicely.

Mel, just as brand-name acetaminophen is called Tylenol stateside and Panadol in the EU, perhaps loratidine is available Down Under under a different name.

Brit, may the worst of chemo be behind you!

MLP, so sorry to hear of your m-i-l’s passing--there is no good age at which to lose a parent.

Shamisen, I had my lx with SNLB on 9/23, but never got that “profound fatigue” about which I’d been warned. And because of the location of the tumor and incisions, had no limits on my ROM--so I was able to pull stuff on & off over my head (got a bunch of button-down shirts & PJs I barely use). My sis flew in the day after surgery to take care of me--instead I was able to be a gracious hostess (though I let her drive till the day after she left three days later). My husband did take the weekend off, both to help out and to see her (it’d been over a year for me and three for him since we last saw her); and I do have a housekeeper 5 half-days a week as well as an adult son living at home. Two weeks post-op I was able to drive 90 miles and play a concert, driving home that night; less than a month later I drove 4 hrs each way to attend and perform at a music conference. (For both of the latter, my singing partner loaded and unloaded my car; I carried my guitar in my other hand--dulcimers were lightweight--and used an ultralight 4-wheel spinner suitcase). Obviously, "your mileage might vary!”

Had a great weekend (although Mother Nature had a sick sense of humor weather-wise) with my pal from New Orleans. We shopped and dined out. Saturday night’s concert she played drew a full house despite the snow. Yesterday, she played fiddle with a Cajun dance band at a dance party in a rock club--despite the frigid temps, the place was packed. And for the first time in my life, I did some Cajun dancing (it is very poor form to decline an invitation to dance). Those "two-steps” (same steps as a waltz but at Red Bull speed in 2/4 time) are truly aerobic exercise--and the kind of weightbearing bone-loading that we’re supposed to do to ward off osteoporosis. Then we went to Chicago Sketch Comedy Fest to see my son’s show “That Just Happened,” which he produces and directs and for which he’s head writer (sort of a male live-theater Shonda Rimes). Hilarious--the Peyton Manning sketch had my friend in stitches!