Lumpectomy questions

jj2011

Hi all,

I saw BS Monday and was scheduled 8/23/2011 to do lumpectomy.  It seems that this is a must step. ( DCIS low grade was found on 6/8/11 biopsy) 

1) Do I wait too long to get surgery?

2)How long I need to recover from lumpectomy? (lump is about 5mm)

3)How do you tell your boss or co-workers about it since I need to take days off? 

Thank you for your sharing and support.  (feel stressed out)

Jen42

JJ -- low grade DCIS means time is on your side. I was diagnosed on April 4 and had BMX on May 27. Some women go even longer before surgery, depending on tests that have to be done, scheduling issues, wanting time to research options, etc.  I didn't have a lumpectomy, but my original excisional biopsy was as big as some women's lumpectomies, according to my BS (which is one reason I ended up having a BMX...my margins weren't clear and a subsequent lumpectomy would have taken 1/2 my breast anyway.)

I had the "large excisional biopsy" done on a Wed (outpatient surgery), rested for 4 days, only needed pain pills for first 24 hours, and went back to a very physical job the following Monday with no problems, except being sore. I was very candid about why I needed the time off, but that is a personal decision for everyone. You do not have to tell anyone the reason if you don't want to. You can keep it as simple as "I need time off for a medical procedure" . Or maybe even just for "personal reasons". I'm not familiar with HR policies/legal rights when it comes to this stuff...maybe someone else who posts will know more.

Of course you are stressed out. It's an incredibly traumatic time for you. My boss and co-workers were very supportive and that helped me a lot. But everyone's circumstances are different.

Good luck with everything and keep us posted on how you are doing !

Fearless_One

I was back to work in a few days.   I would request time off from work but do NOT tell them why.   

cycle-path

If you're having only a lumpectomy and no lymph node removal, you might feel fine the very next day and, depending on the type of work you do, might be able to go right back to work. Interestingly, the lymph node removal is the more difficult part, and you're likely going to have that as well. Radiation is another issue, too, as it can make you very tired. Some women work right through radiation and some have to take some time off.

I would probably plan to take some time off. Whatever day the surgery is, take off the rest of that week. (If it's Thursday or Friday, you might want to plan to take off the first few days as well.)

I agree with Fearless One -- if you can avoid telling anyone the reason for your absence, do so! There are some horror stories on the other boards about things that have happened to people who revealed that they'd had cancer. 

Fearless_One

And that was with axillary node dissection.   Had I not needed that, I might have gone back to work the next day.

Blinx

In most cases with DCIS, it's fine to wait a few months. I had more tests done after my first biopsy in early July. Surgery was in September. I had surgery on a Tuesday and went back to work after the weekend, after my drain was out.



Tell as many or as few people that you are comfortable with. This was very hard for me, but since several of my coworkers had had various types of cancer, it was easier. Not sure if you legally have to tell anyone just what you'll be out for. I imagine that if you say you need X number of days for a procedure and they need some kind of 'proof', a vague doctor's note should be good enough.

NSWTD

I work for a large employer who uses a third party for Leave of Absence approvals. I was out for several weeks though for a unimast.  For a lumpectomy you may get away with only a few days.   I did not tell anyone at work. I just was not up to others talking about something so very personal to me.  Others tell and like all the support they get.   It is really a personal choice.   Best of luck to you.

SJW1

Because DCIS is non-invasive, it is ok to wait several months for your surgery. I waited for 6 months.

Also, you might not need need any lymph nodes taken. With DCIS, usually only the sentinel node is taken, but often only if there is a large area of high grade DCIS.



Recovery from your surgery should only take a few days if you have an office job. If your job requites lifting or other physical exertion it could be much longer.



Your score on the Van Nuys Prognostic Index might be quite low with good margins. This would mean that your chance of recurrence without radiation would be small and you might be able to skip it, assuming you are comfortable with that.



Again your choice if you feel comfortable telling your boss and co-workers about this.



It is totally normal to feel stressed out at this stage of your DCIS journey. The good news is you won't need chemo for this and you will survive it all.



Wishing you all the best,

Sandie

bcincolorado

JJ: 

A lot depends on you and your comfort level who you tell and how much you tell.  You can always take some vacation days or just let someone in the office (manager) know you need off a few days if you need to.

I had my diagnosis in August but had a family wedding coming up and postponed until the end of September.  Then I post-poned re-excission for another wedding until November....and the the eventual mx I had to get until after the holidays.  Time IS on your side!

Everyone has a different pain level, but I would suggest you try to have it on a Friday and then you have the weekend for recovery (if you are off then normally).  It worked fine for me and I was able to go back on Monday with no problems.  I work at a desk and a computer all day. 

I'm sorry you have to go through this but you will get past it.  Hang in there. 

rn4babies

I have not scheduled my lumpectomy yet. I was dx'd on 7/11/11 and am having my surgery the first week of September. After reading this thread, I was wondering, is two weeks too long to be off for a lumpectomy? My doctor told me 2 weeks but I really didn't think it would be that long. I'm a nurse. I do alot of bending, stretching and heavy lifting.

cinnamonsmiles

I had a lumpectomy last year. I was in large amounts of pain afterwards. I was all excited to shower the next day or so, got in the shower, screamed and came out. The water pouring on me was awful. The gravity pulling on my breast when I would get up hurt. I wore a bra 24/7 for about three weeks. It took me about three weeks to feel like I could move around without pain and do what I wanted to. I still had some tenderness two months later when I had my mastectomy. Not everyone reacts to surgery and treatments the same way with the same recovery time.

CTMOM1234

I'd never had any surgery or general anaesthesia before my lumpectomy so was doubtful when my surgeon's assistant said I probably wouldn't need anything stronger than otc tylenol and that I'd be up in around in a couple of days. Well, sure enough was back to driving on day 2 and only used tylenol for the first day-- only challenge was that surgery was on my left side and I had to wear the seatbelt. I had a good chunk taken out but surprisingly things settled back together pretty nicely.  Sentinel node surgery is a different issue and I found that recovery longer and more painful; if you're not having a node(s) removed, should be relatively smooth recovery physically (the mental part of this whole thing is quite another matter -- so so very stressful).

I'd tell your HR your situation and work with him/her on what to communicate to your direct boss. It's private and no one's business, I felt it was better to contain the information, especially until knew what I wanted to say. 

juliet62

i'm a nurse to, had my lumpectomy wed ,back in fri night.  work with some great people who would not let me do any heavy lifting!   but was able to do everything else without problem , i am right handed and surg was on the r side, took a couple of lortab first 24 hrs and then tyelnol/advil were enough,  for the snd needed lortab  for 48hrs .  also for the first week with isolation pts especially those with open areas  tried to avoid going in the rooms to often and always gowned up

BlazerFanC

I was lucky with little pain after my 2 lumpectomies.  With the first one I took the vicodin they gave me in the surgery center and one at bed time "just in case" but really didn't need it.  The 2nd one I just took tylenol.  I sleep on my right side (BC side) and found propping myself with a pillow for the first week or so helped.  Also, I used a little camping pillow under my seatbelt between my breasts to keep the belt from crossing over the surgery site.  The first one was on a Friday so I had the weekend to rest.  The 2nd one was on a Tuesday and I went back to work on Wednesday, although I did notice a little tenderness.  I do work in an office at a computer though.

My surgeon said with DCIS you do have more time.  You don't want to put procedures off, but they dont' have to be done the next day or even the next week.

BeckySharp

JJ:  I was diagnosed with DCIS, Grade 3 in January and had lumpectomy three weeks later by choice.  The doctor was willing for me to wait longer if I had wanted to.  I had Sentinel Node Biopsy with the surgery--two nodes ended up being removed.  I had very little pain.  The scar from the node removal was uncomfortable but not painful.  I had mammosite radiation the next week (twice a day for five days via balloon).  I returned to work after two weeks with no problem.  I was more tired than usual but I could work through it.  If I had not had the radiation I think I could have returned in one week.

I did tell everyone at work.  I wanted it to be known than people speculating.  Plus others at my work site have had bc.  Good thing as I developed lymphedema two weeks later and the compression garments are a dead giveaway.  I also teach at a college and had to have colleagues cover my classes and other work.  I felt they needed to know why I was asking them to do so. 

Good luck to you. 

Becky

cycle-path

rn4babies, are you having SNB? If not, there's a decent chance you won't need the full two weeks. But if you're having SNB, there's a good chance you *will* need it. 

Lumpectomy is, for many/most women, pretty trivial. SNB is, for many/most women, somewhat more difficult and requiring a little more healing time. 

texastoots

I had lumpectomy on 7/28/11 and never even had to take a Tylenol afterwards. Surgery was easier than all the preop! I felt great the next day, had a wedding shower at my house 2 days after and back at work full time the 3rd day. If it hadn't been the weekend I would have been back the next day.

I did follow the Dr's orders though...no lifting and started my arm exercises that afternoon after getting home. Also, I wore my sports bra to help keep from bouncing and I slept with a pregnancy pillow (thanks to my dil) which is similar to a boppy, to keep my arm elevated while asleep. 

tacichon

Lumpectomy, is not painful, just follow the post op instructions from your Dr. . Most important do not lift.. The worst part about the lumpectomy is waiting for the  pathologist report and praying you get good margins!! You will be fine.

Hugs and blessings,

Terri