Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

Molly50

Way to go Plumster1!! Octogirl, enjoy your family time. It sounds like you are having a good time. Mustlovepoodles, Welcome to a terrific support team. I hope your Lx goes uneventfully. I found the best thing for the pain was the ice packs the surgery center sent me home with. I slept a lot the first couple days and in a recliner because my bed is tall. I was so happy to get back to my bed!

PatRN10

Welcome must love poodles. Ditto what everyone else said. In my case, the Lx site was at about 12:00 so I was able to continue to wear my regular bras with underwire without issues. My SNB was just one node so that wasn't bad either. Any change up in position, I can see where this bra would have not worked out.

Sweetmamaj

Mustlovepoodles--Welcome to the group, and c'mon in-the water's fine! We are a warm and caring bunch of gals. Like PatRn, I only had one node removed during the SNB so bra-types on that incision-and my arm/shoulder range-of-motion were not too much of a problem. But my tumor was upper outer quadrant, so I needed a very supportive bra and squeezed into sports bras or cycling tops.

I don't do well with post-op nausea, so never filled the Rx for oxycodone; instead used tylenol and rest. Pain was mostly upon movement of that breast (hence the very supportive bra), but it was more annoying than painful.

Yes, this is a strange journey and we're sorry you're here, but you will get support and lots of sharing with us. Glad the scientific journals appeals to your pragmatic mind; sadly, they only fuel my socratic process but I'm working on letting go (lol).

Plumster--totally impressed with your activity up there, and so happy that you guys finally saw your kids!! And you get to bring them home tomorrow-whee! What a great feeling! And Octogirl--glad the weekend is going well and you got to spend time with your family, and extended family. Really happy to hear that you were able to relax .

Molly, I hope you get positive results from your MRI tomorrow! I know you're worried about it being painful, but hopefully it will be easy! You will probably lay on your stomach and gently let your breasts hang freely through these cut-outs. No mammo-squeeze involved. Let the tech know where your incisions are so she can try to position you as comfortably as possible. Anyhow, many positive thoughts and gentle hugs to you!

mustlovepoodles

Thank you all for the welcome. I don't know why my info didn't show up on my first post. I went back and looked at it and I had it set for Private. Hopefully, it will show up now.

On the subject of bras...I am a pooh-size girl with big fluffy boobs. I started wearing underwire when I was 14yrs old and weighed 93-lbs! The last non-underwire bra I owned was probably a training bra. So, today I decided to go soft-bra shopping. What a disaster...

I went to Macy's because they have a lot of variety AND they had a sale. I tried to find some appropriate bras but I honestly didn't even know what to look for. I finally just came clean with the saleslady so she would know how to help me--"I'm having surgery for breast cancer and I need a soft, supportive no-wire bra." The look on her face was like "OMG, this old lady is gonna die right HERE in my store!" It struck me as funny, but also made me tear up just a little. This was the first person outside of my immediate family that I have told. Unfortunately, neither of us could find anything that worked. There was this ONE front-closure bra that I tried on...it had about 10 eye hooks up the front and once I got the girls all stuffed in there and turned around, I thought, "Oh HELL NO!" I may have breast cancer but I'm not about to spend $50 on a hideous bra~

The truly ironic thing about all this is...I just bought over $160 worth of brand new underwire bras before went on vacation in early July. Matter of fact, we were eating lunch in the basement of the Capitol building in DC when I got the path report--yeah...I turned to my husband and said, "Well, it looks like I have breast cancer" and he said, "Should I get us some cheesecake?" He's a great guy.

PontiacPeggy

Poodle, you definitely have a keeper hubby! And the right attitude. Sport bras might be better. All depends on where your incision is how annoyed you'll be.

HUGS!

Nash54

Mustlovepooodles...sounds like hubby's going to come in handy....😜

Molly50

mustlovepoodles, your hubby is a good one! Try a sport bra. Probably Target or Walmart would have them. Sweetmamaj, thanks for the gentle hugs. I am nervous but ready to face both work and the MRI tomorrow. My special needs son got very sick today so probably no rest this evening.

plumster1

Molly, hope your on recovers quickly and you can get ome rest with all this stress.

Must love poodles, hubby is definitely a keeper. My experience was post LX surgery they put me in what I would call a velcro tube top. I wore that round the clock til my 1st post op 4 days later. Then my BS gave me a very soft and supportive surgical bra which velcro'd in the front. I kind of alternated between these two for the first week and a half. You might call your BS office and see what they "put" you in. Because I luckily did not have to buy anything

Molly50

Funny how many of you were given or told to wear bras. I wasn't and still can't handle wearing one. I wear camisoles or the soft bra I bought in anticipation of rads. My left breast is so swollen and sore still. She had to take so much tissue she sewed my breast together to try to make it look okay. It looks better than my non bc breast.

Tresjoli2

I was put in a bra as well. Woke up with it on it had adjustable everything. Molly my BS did a PS technique when she removed the tissue so that I did not have a divot post surgery. It worked amazing, although now that the swelling and seromas are gone that breast is slightly smaller than the other one. Only I notice.

Nash54

I woke up in an ace bandage wrap....I left it on for a few days until I couldn't take the itching.  I'm small breasted...don't know if that makes a difference in getting surgical bras.  

PatRN10

The bras that you already have may be just fine. I recommend an inexpensive sport bra at Walmart. I bought one but haven't needed it so far.

Sweetmamaj

Poodles, Wow, I don't have big fluffy boobs, but rather small/medium deflated ones-(secretly envying Tresjoli's and Molly's thoughtful BS's)-haha. Anyhow the "right" bra for you might also depend on where the incision will be. Like Tresjoli, I also woke up in a surgical bra that had so many options for adjustments, I almost expected it to make me breakfast! Sadly I also woke up with hives from contact dermatitis from that contraption.

So the tops that I already owned from cycling and working out, were ok for the most part. But my L breast was swollen to about a cup size larger, so I really wanted to go to a maternity shop and buy a nursing bra! (Towards the end of my pregnancy, my girls had grown so painfully mammoth in size that I needed to sleep in a bra. I found one brand that was that just the right amt of soft lacey support with adjustable cups (!) AND it was an underwire). Alas, picture a stressed, silver-haired woman walking into a cute little maternity boutique and asking to try on bras-yeah, never gonna happen. With hindsight, I might have shopped before surgery for my dear "neice Spohie" and had a good return/exchange policy. FEIW, I was back to most of my regular underwires in 2 1/2 weeks.

Molly--thinking about you! Hugs!

Hope everyone had a good weekend and safe travels. Wishing peaceful thoughts for all of us. Xoxox.

april25

I woke up in a surgical bra... I liked having it hold everything in place. I switched back to my regular underwires 5 days after surgery. My incision was at 12'o clock, and I'm a b cup, so this wasn't bad at all. Only 2 nodes taken for my SNB and the bra didn't hit my incision there, either.

I wore my regular bras all the way until after RT #20. Then the skin got really red, so I went shopping for softer bras. I only needed them for 3 weeks (still wearing softer ones), but things are getting back to normal quickly (one week after RT), so I'll probably be back to my regular bras soon.

But I think it really depends! I might just have something around just in case, but maybe wait until you see how it goes. I had one front-closure bra to use right after surgery, after I stopped using the surgical bra. Then shopped as needed!

Meh527

I chose my surgeon because he uses the margin probe. I just had my lumptectomy so don't know yet how that went, what the pathology report, what his confidence level is of clean margins, or even if estrogen receptive (although prior pathology reports indicated 90% for estrogen and 80% on progesterone). I know he was talking radiation and possibly tamoxifen before the surgery even. The next day I felt fine. Then the day after (yesterday), I realized I was retaining water. Gravity was not my friend. Stayed in bed with icebag. Went to work today, feeling tired in a too cold office. I'm on here now when I really need to be in bed. If I feel so tired now. I can't imagine dealing with the radiation and fatigure (as I've gotten older fatigue comes with every flu, sniffle, cold, or any other ailment). My boob is like a water balloon. Not oversized swollen, but feeling tender and fragile. Woke in surgical bra. Never saw surgeon afterward. Wore regular bra today.

PontiacPeggy

Meh527, Welcome! Glad you found us but sorry you had to. We're a warm, supportive, caring group! I would think that you would be put on Tamoxifen (or, if you are post-menopausal, an AI such as Arimidex). Most of us have radiation after our Lx and then the appropriate medication. I'm not familiar with a margin probe. Your path report should tell you about clear margins, ER, PR & HER2 status. Are you having an Oncotype test done?

Hope your recovery is going smoothly and comfortably!

HUGS!!!

Nash54

Meh527...perhaps you went back to work a little too soon.  The whole BC trip is emotionally exhausting (I think even more so) than the physical part.  Sorry your here but welcome to the lounge.  Rest well. 

octogirl

Hi all...just a quick check in to say that the posts about bras have been helpful even during my time traveling: I wore a different style of bra than I have been for the wedding (trying to wear my best stuff to look as good as possible in all those photos :-)) and unfortunately, the side wire wore my skin raw in one spot. Felt much better when I switched back to the sports bra style I've been wearing since Lx...but had to have hubby bandage up the sore spot a bit.

And yes on taking it easy. I've been having lots of fun, but by the end of the day feel very tired. Naps have saved me! Highlight of the wedding festivities has been spending time with my grandkids. Their hugs are so precious to me. Weather here in the Tahoe area is perfect, other than some haze from forest fires (nothing very close, fortunately).

Hope all are doing well! will write more when I am home.

HUGS!!!

Octogirl

Molly50

Welcome meh527, wow you really went back to work quickly! I took 8 days off and felt really energized going back yesterday. Can you take more time off?

My MRI was not bad yesterday. They were very kind and careful with me. I was looking at my BC breast and it's healed so beautifully it's a shame that I have to lose it.

Molly50

Speaking of bras, I have been playing around with ordering different types. I tried one on this morning that goes over my head, it is a soft pocket bra with thin pads, no underwire but has lace so it is pretty. Best part is it is very comfortable. I at least have something with some support that doesn't hurt my ALND site until my MX. After that who knows what will work with my TE.

plumster1

Molly, glad MRI was not bad and Octogirl, sounds like a great time!

Welcome meh, my surgeon also used the margin probe. I am curious where you are from. My BS was one of the pioneers of using it. I am in southern California and had clean margins post LX. I think you are probably just exhausted from going back to work. I laid low for a good 9-10 days and by day 14 felt back to normalish. Take it Easy on yourself

Sweetmamaj

Welcome meh! I echo everyone's suggestion of taking more time off from work, if at all possible. You just went through a lot!

Molly-yea that your mri went okay! Sounds like you found a good bra for now:). Wonder if your BS or nurse navigator (if there is one) can help you with the TE question? And if you have the same BS for your MX, there might be some comfort in knowing how skillful she is. Hugs!!

Octogirl, didn't know you were still there! So glad you're enjoying sweet hugs from Gkids and lots of naps. Just imagining the colors of lake tahoe, and the forests is relaxing to me .

Sweetmamaj

Ok, I just need to vent: It's hot and stuffy in my eternal waiting room, with no windows but only posters advertising the wonders of hormonal and genetic testing. (While I wasn't looking, someone must have taken down my lovely poster of Tahoe). When the 3rd submission for her2 finally came back neg on 8/4, the next morning, my MO's nurse emailed "we are sending out the tumor for the oncotype..results usually take 3 weeks", and we scheduled an appt for the week 8/24. (btw, my 5th scheduled appt, but who's counting).

Well, I got a call from oncotypeDx today, and found out that they just rec'd a request from my MO yesterday (8/10), and were still waiting for the tumor to arrive.

bummer. ok, well, thanks for being here. I see that someone returned my poster and added a window while I was typing.

PontiacPeggy

Well, at least you know you're HER2 negative. That's worth something, SweetMamaJ! Sounds like Navy words are needed on the Oncotype - like TARFU (Things Are Really F*cked Up). You must be grinding your teeth to restrain yourself from committing mass mayhem. I know I would be very close to it in your shoes. Hopefully, the test comes back with an extremely low number!

HUGS!!!!

Sweetmamaj

Peggy, you really know how to reach out and give great hugs – – thank you! Never heard of TARFU, but I like it! It sounds like a sneeze. "Ah ahhh Tarfu"! I might have to use it the next time I talk with the waiting room attendant. .

PontiacPeggy

Sweet, there are several variations of TARFU: SNAFU, which I would guess you've heard of in its cleansed form: Situation Normal All Fouled Up. Here's a third: FUBAR (F*cked Up Beyond All Repair). An acronym for every situation Gotta learn these things when you have a son and daughter-in-law in the Navy!!

HUGS

Sweetmamaj

ha! I've heard of snafu, but I'm enjoying the fantasy of saying, "excuse me, there's some..aah ahhh Tarfu!..here".

PontiacPeggy

Use them all! You don't have to explain what they mean

HUGS!

Horsegirl

Sweetmamaj - you just made my day! Sneeze on all of them. LOL

Sweetmamaj

Oh my Horsegirl! What an hysterical image! Heheh!!

Ok, so my waiting room is aired out and again filled with camaraderie, hope, and support! This board -and specifically y'all- are the best!

I confess that one of my frustrations in delayed results, is messing up timing--ie, not having some of you dear sisters with me when I go through rads and begin endocrine tx. Silly, huh? But I've grown so close to you!