Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

Brightsocks

All I am thinking about is one more day closer to radiation. Starting on the 17th with my Birthday on the 18th. Wow what a fun party I will be having but on the bright side if I am placing my Birthday on hold I will not turn that one year old right? I think I am as ready as one could be for the treatment. Those who has finished their radiation have been very helpful in providing advice on what to expect. I am just wondering in ones treatment plan who explained to you what type of breast cancer do you have ? Family Doctor?

MabelJo

I guess I am wondering why the pathologist was so hesitant to not call it. Makes me think that it looks close enough it could be, otherwise, wouldn't they have said?

Or it looks so random it might be some rare something or other.

Anyone else ever go through this?

Melclarity

Brightsocks - You'll manage radiation really well, after 1 treatment you wont notice anything, it will be just like having a scan, so celebrate away!!!! won't hinder a thing! Your BS would be the best one to tell you type of BC you have unless you have a MO?

ChiSandy

My gyne’s partner was the one who called me with the biopsy path results and told me it was grade 2 IDC. Next morning my gyne, who had just returned from vacation, called to elaborate and relayed that it was ER/PR+ and HER2-. My family doc didn’t get involved till it was time to do the pre-op bloodwork & EKG and get my flu & Prevnar shots. (He’s part of a different hospital system than my BC care team).

Jclc83

To someone who is beautiful inside and out....Happy Birthday Mel!!!!!

I hope everyone is doing well.

Brightsocks

Happy Birthday day jclc83.

Brightsocks

I am finished with my surgeon so I won't see her again and I don't have a MO. I just find it interesting how the different systems work.

Jclc83

it's not my birthday Brightsocks lol. But thanks anyway.

CyndiNic

Mel - hope you had a great bday. Beautiful pictures!!!

MLP I would love to get together sometime!

MabelJo - the waiting sucks, hope you get definitive answers soon

Cyndi

Italychick

brightsocks everything is weird about who does the follow up. My breast surgeon is the one monitoring me long term, said she wants to be the one to follow her patients. Oncologist said after systemic treatment is done, I won't see her anymore.but I like my breast surgeon the best anyways.

JuniperCat

Brightsocks, didn't your BS recommend that you see a MO after surgery?

ayr1016

Happy Birthday Melclarity!!

Brightsocks - you are right, it is interesting how everyone's follow up is different. To be honest, I found it weird to see the surgeon first because I wanted to see the person who was going to see me long term and didn't even realize that some people see their surgeons long term for follow up. But, then I quickly found out that it is normal to see the surgeon first to get the cancer out and then begin treatment. I asked my MO last Friday about follow up after surgery, radiation, etc. and how long I would see her and she said "forever!". I was like ... um, okay......

Now that I have time before radiation, I am going to look for a RO closer to me. I just can not fathom driving down town every single week day for 6+ weeks. Wish me luck in finding someone ~

614

Dear MabelJo:  I am so sorry that you do not have a definitive diagnosis yet.  The waiting is so difficult to endure.  I hope that the second opinion results come back quickly.  Good luck.

Dear Melclarity:  Happy Birthday again.  Your daughter takes wonderful pictures.  You are beautiful.  Have fun with your daughter in the mountains.

Dear Molly:  Thanks.  Your son and mine are almost the same age.  I am sorry that he was dx with encephalitis.  You have such a positive outlook.  You are a wonderful woman.

Dear Brightsocks:  My radiologist who looked at my mammogram and sonogram (not my RO) informed me of my dx.  Good luck with rads and happy upcoming birthday.

Dear Ayr:  Good luck finding a Radiologic Oncologist whom you like who is close to your house.

Dear JCLC:  I love your picture.  You look so peaceful and happy.

Dear ChiSandy:  Good luck with the tx for the LE cording and SE's.  Enjoy Mardi Gras.

Dear Peggy:  You make me laugh.  I'm glad that you are feeling better.

Hello and hugs to everyone else.

Melclarity

Thanks Everyone! - Having an amazing day!!!! Yay!!!! Brightsocks - my BS referred to me to a radiologist then I did treatment, then I went onto yearly checkups with my BS. My GP has had nothing to do with it. I'd contact your BS is the best one to get your correct diagnosis from. Its quite usual that you wouldnt have a MO if youre just doing rads. Generally its when Chemo is involved you go through a MO. Thats how it works here, not sure about there.

614

I guess that the weather is weird everywhere.  It will be in the 30's tonight in South Florida.

Dear Sloan:  I would ask your MO how often you will be seeing her, what vitamins/supplements can be taken, does she do blood work at each visit, questions about tamoxifen (I think that you are concerned abotut your dose.), questions about side effects from chemo/tamoxifen/surgery/LE......, recurrence questions, questions about how you are feeling, how often will you be having mammograms, sonograms, and MRI's, ask her to do a breast exam, and ask anything else that you may think of.  You may want to ask about sexual issues (if relevant) if you are comfortable with your MO.  Write down the questions and bring someone with you to the appointment.  Good luck.

Sorry if I missed anyone.

Melclarity

ladyhumps

2 beautiful ladies Happy Birthday Mel!!!

HappyHammer

Sloan- the All y'all is a much used colloquialism here in the deep South...did not know it was a TX saying as well...I am just proud that spell check didn't give me trouble with the "c" word haha. I meet the MO tomorrow- if there are important questions to ask please let me know asap. Finished rads, skin is healing, tired but who isn't, started Arimidex a week ago, need to lose weight-working on that- lost 40 during chemo and am settled at 30 under since dx- but feel ok. Anything anyone thinks of- please share.

HappyHammer

MEL!!! What a precious pic of you and your girl!!! Made me smile so much- thank you for sharing!

HappyHammer

JCLC...where do you live?

queenmomcat

Brightsocks and MelClarity: I'm all for celebrating my birthday when *I* personally feel ready to celebrate it. This has precious little to do with when my actual birthday is. Rather more to to with other events in my life.....

Brightsocks

My treatment path does have a MO because I am not going to have chemo just radiation. Breast cancer is so complex for it seems we all are on a different path yet we all call it BC

Sloan15

614 - Good questions. I'm nervous even to ask about the next round of scans. Today I left a message asking if the doc can do an entire panel of bloodwork like a physical. I'm guessing having a baseline on some things would be good. I really haven't had any SE from the Tamoxifen-- I was already having the buffet hot flashes! Haha. But, YES, I'm worried about the dosage and will definitely ask that question! I did ask about lubricant, and I told my MO I use Astroglide. I don't think he was too up on whether this lube was estrogen free, but I think I read it is. ( I love it, by the way). Thanks for the tips!

Sloan15

Fitbitters:

cresentmoon is joing our bc group. So, check your list. There's should be 10 of us, right? sloan, rona, jill, sally, carol, 1step, happyhammer, cresentmoon, lisa, cathy.

Praline

Melclarity - Beautiful picture with your daughter!

Sloan15

What the heck? Crescentmoon's step goal is 19,000 a day? Geez louise! I bought paint today to color my front door and joked that I should hook my Fitbit up to the paint can shaker to freak out my Fitbit group. Cmoon does that in her own!

Molly50

Yes, I accepted her friend request. I will see my MO every 4 months and then every 6 as long as I am on Anastrozole or whatever drug if I give up on this one. My BS wants to follow me as well because I am high risk for a new cancer. I am on a every 6 months monitoring schedule of alternating mammogram and MRI until I have a prophylactic mx on the other side. Then it will be annual MRI. I don't see my RO again. My MO has been having me do blood work with every appointment. I will have a dexascan every two years while on AI's.

I would ask your MO about follow up schedules and blood work as well as what the plan is for monitoring for recurrence. Some just wait for you to be symptomatic.

Molly50

19,000! Mine is 12,000 but I rarely make 10,000

Sloan15

Molly - did your doc say every 6 mo monitoring even if u didn't have pending mx?

ChiSandy

My treatment plan didn’t include chemo but I still have a MO. I am on letrozole, and at my next followup in Aug. I will start semiannual Zometa infusions.

Happy birthday, Mel! You and your daughter are beautiful!

So tonight I went to my first support group meeting. It was terrific. There’s one other woman who was just dx early-stage, but she’s in a trial of neoadjuvant anastrozole--for which I was ineligible because my tumor was too small. I’m the second oldest--the oldest is 77.There’s one woman who’s Stage IV, and that was her initial dx (6 in., not 6 cm) four yrs. ago. Another, after 12 yrs. of negative annual mammos, was at her gyne for a Pap and the gyne palpated an enlarged lymph node--this time the mammo revealed extensive tumors throughout her breast, Stage III. Still another, in her early 40s, had lymphoma as a teen, then a kidney transplant in her 20s and got her bc dx at 33. Only the other newbie and I didn’t have mastectomies and chemo. But here’s the weird thing: when I asked if anyone was dealing with LE, everyone’s (except the woman who just started tx) hand shot up--and except for the Stage IV lady who’d forgotten to don hers, they were wearing compression sleeves (sans gloves or gauntlets). We had a nurse as our moderator, and though most of the women had known each other for years, they were all friendly, non-judgmental and willing to listen and offer information. I will definitely return.