September 2021 Surgeries

Hi there! While this is my first post on this site, it is not my first breast cancer (BC) rodeo. Thirteen years ago I was diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Last month, I was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC) and I'm scheduled for surgery on September 8. You would not believe how far cancer treatments have come in the last 13 years. Oncotype tests, immediate reconstruction, genetic testing for mutations, and various chemo treatments now exist that were not available to me before.

So, while I have been down this path before, there are more forks in the road for me to follow, and I'm learning all I can to make the best decisions for my care and treatment. I do find myself clenching my jaw often, having to tell myself that stressing is not going to help. I've started listening to meditative music again but my mind is restless to know all the answers right now.

I wish each of you a safe, uneventful journey to good health and will be here to support you along the way!

I’m scheduled for sentinel node biopsy and left mx on Sept. 14, with immediate diep stack flap recon. I’m starting to accept this is happening. I was hoping to get this done sooner, but figure timing is out of my control, but I can use the extra time to complete some important tasks I’ve been putting off for ages.

I never thought I’d go mx, but there’s a decent chance I won’t need radiation if, as they suspect, there’s no nodal involvement. I have a strong family history of heart conditions, particularly a-fib, so I’d rather put off even minor heart damage for as long as possible. To me, a-fib and CHF would be worse to live with than cancer. That is 90% of why I made this choice. The other 10 is that every specialist said the size and location of the tumor, plus radiation, would leave me with a significant deformity. The PS, too, said recon would be bad. I think I would rather keep a deformed, recon breast, but I don’t know how I would feel about that decision later. Like if it was on the right, or I was 57 and not 47, I would make different decisions about allof it.

Elle2, I’m sorry you’re back in the saddle! Your perspective of how much change there is in BC treatment lifts my spirits. I hope and pray in another 10-15 there will be even better options with fewer side effects.

MarvieS - I wish I could agree with you that we could have "a successful surgery as well and hopefully we can leave this behind us soon." My first bout is 13 years behind me, but I've always wondered, after hearing stories from others, whether it would return in the future. The future is here and now for me. Yes, the doctors consider this a "new" cancer, but the fear is always there, in the back of your mind....I learned to move on but it isn't always easy to forget you had cancer.

Waves2Stars - yes, the changes in cancer treatment are astounding. Both my diagnosis were from mammograms that were state-of-the-art, digital, can see what the naked eye doesn't etc. I'm a skeptic that cancer can be alleviated from our lives, but I'm a definite believer that early diagnosis and early treatment will render it less fatal in the years to come.

Has anyone been told they have to stop taking certain supplements/vitamins before surgery? I started taking extra Vitamin D3, C and Turmeric and I'm not sure it's all okay for surgery?

I am new to the group. Diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma, stage 1 at this point, and 2 precancerous foci in right breast. Lefts breast has "suspicious" cluster of cells, non cancerous that doctor feels should come out. Scheduled for masectomy on right breast and lumpectomy on left on September 1st. This is the most overwhelming experience that controls all my thoughts. Hard to take in and have much normalcy to my thinking. My biggest fear is the unknown. When they do surgery and biopsy Sentinel, will they find more? Pet scans all clear, but does that really mean anything? So confused

Faithoverfear, It seems pretty common on the forums for us newly diagnosed to feel overwhelmed and like half of our brain is busted. It’s scary to have so much serious information directed at you, have to make decisions without feeling confident you understand what’s going on.

I don’t think they can guarantee anything about nodes until surgery. I’m choosing mx to avoid radiation, but it’s pretty much a gamble because they won’t know what’s going on in a cellular level until the surgery. I tried making a deal with the RO, like what if you find 5 positive nodes??? Can you just radiate that area??? No. What if it’s three?? No. What if it’s one? And I got a maybe we’ll see what happens. I also tried asking if I got a mx and super radiation, if I could skip tamoxifen. He actually said, “No deal.” LOL!!! Ask lots of questions, even if you think they’re dumb. Have a family member or friend on speakerphone during the call as back up ears and mouth. It helps to talk the info over later, like helps your comprehension. I’m glad you have a surgery buddy like Saltmarsh! She’s positive and calming

Saltmarsh, thanks so much. I will try more music, a great and easy solution to thinking too much. Do you find yourself pylling away from wanting to see people? Lots of good intentions I cant handle now. Hope all goes smoothly for you. Appreciate you sharing your experiences. Glad our date is soon so we can move to the next phase whatever it may be.

Look, with a serious dx, plus some mystery stuff going on, I think you’re right and normal to overthink it! I thought I had accepted things last week when I made my surgery decision and got the date. Then had panic attack Saturday night and have been second guessing every couple hours, night and day. You’re not showing a lack of courage, perspective or faith in your care team when you feel like this. You are a human woman, and there are so many little yet important things at play here, not to mention life and death And the worst is no guarantees! I hate that! But coming here has helped me cope and know others truly understand the mixed bag of fears and anxieties BC brings. I think I would’ve run off to Pittsburgh to work in a diner and forget about all of it if I hadn’t had all the help and stories to read here.

What is everyone up to this week? On Friday, I did my CT scan. They take a look at the veins and blood supply in my abdomen to make sure everything there is good for the DIEP flap transfer. That is how they are reconstructing my breast after the mastectomy. Anyone else going the DIEP route for reconstruction? I am also starting to prepare my bag for surgery. I have my pre-op appointments next Monday, meeting up with the mastectomy (MX) surgeon and the plastic surgeon (PS) doing the reconstruction and then just waiting. That will be the hardest time, a week sitting around wondering "what if..."

I shampooed my hair normally the evening before surgery. I used the hibicleanse on my body both the day before and the day of surgery. I had shaved my armpits several days beforehand so any nicks would have time to heal.

After surgery, my PS had me stick to sponge baths until the bandages and first drain were removed.

I assume you’re covid negative, Saltmarsh??? I worried, too, because we have friends who had different vax who still contracted it!

Thanks for clarifying TxLorelei! Love that name!

Elle, it’s cool you’ve got the same stats and surgery! Well, as cool as BC or surgery can be, lol! I didn’t want my breast to be way smaller, and with genetics being fine, ps decided to stack it. I know it’s “Stacked Diep Flap” but I insist on calling it a Diep Stack, or even Flap Stack, because it sounds funny, like the newest burger at Wendy’s or something. I just keep thinking of the trout fillet shape of the tissue since my kids said it, and think about it how they make pork belly into fancy shapes on cooking shows. I love that insurance has to cover symmetry, though I’m not sure I will use that option. I will have to be on tamoxifen. My oncotype said, even with multiple positive nodes, I won’t benefit from chemo. If I have to have radiation, I’m looking at MD Anderson for proton treatment. Are you less scared since you already had the lumpectomy? It’s wild to me you went so long without recurrence. How do you feel about that?

I read you should wait for the scars to heal before applying silicone strips or vitamin e. They should be able to address bad scaring at revision, anyway. I’m not sure about skin types, but maybe if it’s dark, laser treatments may help down the line. It looks like the biggest help for abdominal scars is making sure to stay hunched for a couple weeks to keep the tension light

Waves2stars - I think I'm using your term from now on, the Flap Stack at Jack in the Box! So I checked with my PS today about the "stacked" vs "flap" DIEP. He said that if someone is doing only one breast, and they don't have much breast tissue to work with,(ie they are thin) they will often "stack" which gives them a better contour and shape, In my case, I am only doing one breast, but I have lots of breast tissue to work with (ie big boobs), therefore, no "stacking" is necessary. LOL! Not sure if I believe that explanation, but there it is! The lumpectomy is much easier to recover from since it is typically just one incision to take the lump out and then closure. For me, it was a non-event in terms of recovery. I don't even remember having drains, but, of course, that depends on the size of the tumor being removed too.

I was absolutely LIVID that I was diagnosed with BC again 13 years later. I mean, seriously. this is a disease that never leaves you alone and just when you think, yep, that chapter of my life is over, up rears its ugly head. It pissed me off that I had to go through this all over again. But once I got past my belligerence and being pissed beyond belief, I realized how lucky I was and how thankful I should be that I DID keep going for my mammograms and MO checks EVERY year. Because it was caught early. It was also not invasive and once my breast is gone, I will *never* have to think about BC cells again, as my odds will be reduced to no higher than any other woman out there. Can I get it in the other breast? Sure, but I'll cross that bridge if I get there.

macdebbie - I know the unknown is frightening, but your lumpectomy will be smooth sailing! It is far easier than a mastectomy by a long shot. You'll basically be back to normal in about a week, max, and you'll feel much better knowing the dread cancer is GONE! Although I haven't been through it, I'm pretty sure that recovery from your cervical cancer was worse than your lumpectomy will be. For me, the Tamoxifen was way worse than the lumpectomy! I hated that drug, but everyone handles the drug differently and you may just sail right through your treatment.