Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

PontiacPeggy

Nash that's why I posted it.  It never occurred to me I'd have any problem or hint of one since I hadn't ever hurt or been tight since my lumpy.  So I figured if I was surprised, someone else might be, too.

ndgrrl

Ty Poppy, I know the Plastic Surgeons office is preapproving the procedure even before I decide if I want to go through with it.  They told me they do it often, so I guess I will find out. 

 

jeanelle

Peggy, the underarm is the exact place that I have the problems with and am in PT for.  It is as tight as tight can be.  It is nice to hear that the stretching actually does help.  Now if only the swelling under my arm would go away.

PontiacPeggy

Jeanelle, Glad you're getting PT for your underarm.  Mine was just a tad tight, like a muscle you haven't stretched in sometime.  But nothing bad.  I just raised my arm over my head and towards the opposite side, getting a really good stretch.  It felt good, not painful.  I didn't have any swelling.  That sounds uncomfortable too.  Good luck!  HUGS!

jeanelle

Peggy, the swelling isn't really painful, it is just awkward and annoying.  At PT they have given me some stretching exercises to do to help and also do about a 15 minute lymphatic drainage massage to see if they can get some of the fluid out of there.  We'll see what happens.    After everything that has happened, this is just a minor annoyance.  

PontiacPeggy

Jeanelle, glad it is merely annoying.  You're right.  This is another blip along our road.  Good luck!

ForHisGlory

5 hour of pre-surgical stuff prior to surgery time?  My surgery is scheduled for Nov 3rd. ..arrive 7:15 not allowed to take any medication that morning...8:30 sentinel node injection and then 1030 ultrasound guided wire placed then surgery at noon. Doesn't that sound miserable with lots of needles? And the nurse said probably no iv meds until just prior to surgery. Is this the norm? I'm having lumpectomy,  sentinel node biopsy,  and nipple removed.

thanks!

Nash54

Yikes...my arrival time was 10am for 1pm surgery.  However, I did not have the guided wire.  A marker was placed during my biopsy so I got to skip that step.  I took a Xanax that morning.  I had the SNB and lumpectomy so not as involved as yours.  

It does sound miserable....I'd ask again if you can take something like a valium or Xanax in the morning.  Helps to clam the nerves.

Will be sending lots of positive thoughts and prayers your way on Nov. 3rd.  

PoppyK

ForHisGlory, Your schedule sounds like my day of surgery schedule. It goes surprisingly quickly as you move from place to place. I was a bit grumpy that day, but didn't need any meds. The injections and localization sound much, much worse than they actually are. I was told no meds because they wanted me fully aware and able to give consent and discuss my various procedures.

I will pray for you on Monday!

Poppy

PontiacPeggy

ForHisGlory, I was there for maybe 2-1/2 hours before surgery.  Everything went zip zip zip.  They asked if I wanted a valium and definitely took it.  Then prior to surgery gave me a dramamine!  I had no nausea from the anesthetic.  For the dye and wire locators I was give lidocaine injections first.  That worked very well.  My surgery was also less involved than yours.  BTW, they HAD put a chip in when the core biopsy was done but they still wanted the wire locators.  You'll do well.  It sounds worse than it is.  HUGS!!!

panthrah

I took a xanax and watched Bones.. no cocept of time after that pill was taken

PontiacPeggy

Panthrah, then the xanax did its work, didn't it?  

panthrah

Very MUCH so. I took a selfie and sent to my bffs.. "WOW you really are loaded" LOL But i wasnt going anywhere.. I was hanging out watching bones in the niffty lil heated robe thingy..couldnt care about anything even if i wanted to  

ForHisGlory

thanks...hoping it passes quickly! I asked about Xanax because I have some low dose but the dr said no. Maybe I'll take 1 with me just in case! :-) I have a titanium clip as well..but still need the wire. 

panthrah

They gave me the meds there. My doc allowed it. If they didnt give it to me I would have been able to comprehend Bones vs just sort of staring at it and would have noticed the time ticking by. The wire  part was super easy..numbing stuff ..then all done.. noticed nothing else. The word WIRE is was is freaky.. when really.. its smaller than the needle. My husband bought me a stress ball to take with me so I was squeezing the crap out of it til the meds kicked in.. then it sort of cuddled with me

PontiacPeggy

I'd had a wire locator done about 8-10 years ago and it was terrible.   I swore I'd never have another one. Was beside myself when I found I need one but when I had it in July, it was a piece of cake.  My BS told me it would fine and it was.  That was the part I was apprehensive about.  Loved the heated gowns.  Keep me warm and I'm a happy camper

I hadn't even thought about a valium or similar but when the nurse offered one, I thought, "Who am I to turn down something helpful?"  So I didn't!

Sjacobs146

ForHisGlory that schedule sounds right.  I has to be there at 7:30 for 1:30 surgery.  There was a little down time, but not too much.  My DH was there, and I had magazines to read.  

jeanelle

ForHisGlory, I had to be there at 8 am for an 11 am surgery.  I just had the dye injection and no wire placement.  My tumor was big enough the surgeon could feel where it was along with the clip they put in at the time of biopsy. It did go fast.  I wish they would have offered me a Xanax.  I definitely would have taken it.  I also know that next time I'm going to ask for a dramamine because I was so sick afterwards.  It was the first time I had ever been knocked out so had no idea what effects it would have on me.

Good luck with your surgery.  

PontiacPeggy

I was very surprised to be offered a dramamine and obviously took it.  Then I got to thinking that there's not much difference from anesthesia nausea and seasickness.  Smart idea.  I'd never heard of it.  It seems like everything was done to make my breast surgery as pleasant and non-stressful as possible.  None of my previous surgeries had had that philosophy (which is too bad).  For Hubby's surgery last month they did use the heated gown but no valium or dramamine.

jeanelle

Peggy, I wish they would have told me that.  I get motion sickness very easily.  The vibrations in the MRI machine made me nauseous.  Oh well, we live and learn.  

PontiacPeggy

Jeanelle, sounds like you should carry Dramamine with you at all times right now

Sjacobs146

My anesthesiologist asked me if I'd ever experienced nausea postAnesthesia, or if I was prone to motion sickness befor my surgery.  It hasn't been a problem for me, but I assume that she might have given me something if it were.  I have also experienced a sore throat post anesthesia.  They looked in my mouth and said that I had a small mouth, I think they adjusted the size of the tube to fit.  No sore throat this time.

Rosiesride

yes Pontiac Peggy!  That also happened to me after I stopped PT...I did have chording and the stretching really helps it!  I finished rads august 13 and have not been vigilant about using my pulleys or stretching and my arm feels tight and tingly.?breast hurts a little too...we also need to be massaging with vitamin e cream too I think!  Good luck...Rosie 

PontiacPeggy

RosiesRide, I have not had any PT, just hasn't been needed.  But now I will stretch regularly (which I should do for the whole body anyway).  I was poking around tonight and realized that my bad girl no longer is sensitive and even feeling like we do for lumps was fine.  Even the SNB incision wasn't particularly sensitive.  How nice to feel rather normal!  I'm still discolored from my rads but that's never bothered.  Things are pretty good!

mripp

hey lumpies! Update from me... Light at the end of the tunnel. Had my 4-5 month post op with BS today. Given the great news of ALL looks good, good surgical site with prior clean margins, flat scars all healed, good looking skin (still some browner than normal) and rad tx all done. With all this doc says any future DCIS /cancer recurrence is very very low, next to zero. Now fhat makes me HAPPY!!!!

panthrah

 AWESOME!

PoppyK

Mari, Congratulations! Thanks for the update!

PontiacPeggy

Wonderful news, Mari!!  No tamoxifen or AIs?

Sjacobs146

Wonderful news!  Can't wait to hear those words myself.

Puffin2014

Mari, great news!