Lumpectomy 4 days ago and still exhausted!!

Aysh1005

hi everyone

I had a lumpectomy last Thursday to remove 13mm IDC during the surgery I had a nasty reaction to the blue dye they use for the lymph node detection but the anaesthetist and my consultant said it wasn't a normal reaction as I didn't get the blue rash.... my body swelled I had hives and my face, ears and eyes all puffed up.... they said I need to have tests to find out exactly what I reacted to in case I ever need further surgery.

The worst thing is I'm 4 days after my op and I am still exhausted and don't feel myself I'm not sure it's all the drugs they gave me for the reaction.

I'm also a bit worried as they told me the tumour was very close to the chest wall does this mean they may not have got the clear margins and am I more at risk of the tumour spreading to my chest wall?? I go for my results on the 12th of October but I'm just all over the place at the moment mentally.

Thanks and much love

keepthefaith

Aysh, I can only empathize with you, as I have not had that issue, but, I am glad that your Dr's are trying to figure out what the reaction is from. I would tell your Dr's about how you are feeling and if this is a SE of meds. I do share the chest wall tumor DX with you. I had a 1.8 cm tumor that was close to my chest wall and my BS got clear margins, so it's not a given that you won't. I think that is one reason it was recommended that I have radiation also. Make sure you feel comfortable and trusting of your medical team. Get second opinions if you need to. I hope your up-coming appt goes well. Don't forget to get copies of all of your records as you go and take a trusted person with you to your appt. that can take notes, record, whatever. ((HUGS))

Aysh1005

thankyou so much for your advice Keepthefaith I appreciate it and will defiantly take it on board.

They didn't really tell me much from my first biopsy only that it was IDC and estrogen fed... I have seen people on here get a lot more info from their initial biopsy like the grade etc.... it's hard when you don't know much about cancer so you don't really know what questions you should be asking.

Keepthefaith I hope you don't mind me asking but what was the reasoning behind you having chemotherapy rather than just radio and hormone therapy as you had clear nodes and was Her2 - please excuse my ignorance as I don't know that much about it all.... I was told that if clear margins no lymph node activity and her2- I would prob have radiotherapy and hormone therapy although they did mention there was a higher chance of chemo because I am pre menapause which I also don't really understand

Thankyou much love

keepthefaith

Aysh, As far as the pathology of the biopsy, you should be able to get that report. But....if and when you have surgery, they will use the surgical pathology to determine your TX plan. My reports changed a little, from BX to SX, but it also could be the pathologists reading them...my BX grade was 3, my SX was Grade 2...so I call myself 2 1/2! Still pretty aggressive. Chemo tends to be more effective on higher grade tumors. There is a lot to consider, if chemo is recommended. I have a family history, although BRCA neg. I did have an Onco test and fell in the intermediate range, with a score of 21. So, my benefit from chemo was in the gray area. My MO really left it up to me as to whether I would have chemo or not. It was a hard decision, but I chose chemo bc I think I would regret not having it, if I ever had a recurrence. As daunting as chemo sounds, for me, chemo was pretty "easy", as chemo goes. I have no regrets. Remember, to ask a lot of questions and get all of the information you need to make the decisions that work best for you. Take one step, one day, at a time! Best wishes!

Snowflake67

hi I had my lumpectomy on 9/29. I didn't feel okay till yesterday. Very tired, lightheaded and blah. I met with my doctor today and I can go back to work on Monday. However there is one area that the margin is only 1 mm and he wants to go back in next Thursday. I am getting a second opinion from the radiologist Tuesday morning. Give yourself time the anesthesia andany pain medicine can make you feel horrible. I stopped my pain meds Friday and did just Tylenol which helped.