October 2018 Surgery Support Group

GAWarrior

Kat22, I'm with you. What the heck caused this? I am not overweight, I am physically active (heck, I ran a marathon the month before I found the lump), I have none of the genes, and I don't fit the triple negative profile. I do have cancer in my family, but not breast cancer (colon and brain). I tested negative for 27 genes, including both BRCAs. I do eat meat and potatoes, but also an equal amount of veggies and fruit. I will confess to liking my desserts and was probably eating more sugar than I should have when I was diagnosed, but millions of other people have a far crappier diet than mine and they don't get cancer. Which makes me think it's a combination of things. I had a lot of stress in the 5 years before diagnosis and last year was particularly stressful. I ate sugar (I don't have metabolic syndrome, though). I used what I'm sure are probably toxic household cleaners. I use teflon cookware. I drank water in plastic water bottles. I was exposed to a lot of pesticides as a child, so I wonder if that played into it (a childhood neighbor died of BC and another childhood playmate whom I still keep in touch with went through BC about 2 years ago. All of us lived within 2 blocks of each other). My job is definitely stressful. I've worked in the dental field for 35 years so I've been exposed to toxic substances.in various ways during that time (yet coworkers also have those exposures and don't have cancer). My MO says he's seen plenty of organic-eating vegans and vegetarians with cancer. I've read about athletes getting cancer. Trust me, if I knew what to avoid, I'd cut it out of my life in a heartbeat. I'm chalking mine up to being triggered by stress and toxic overload. Now, how to reduce that without quitting my job to live on a mountain top and meditate all day...?

Sillyoldrabbit, I ordered the anti-cancer book from Amazon. It gets here on Sunday and I'm excited to read it. I think you're right - changing my diet or finding ways to reduce my stress will give me a degree of control and that's about all we can do. But part of me also thinks that cutting enjoyable things out of your life (like dessert!) and adding things you hate (like the veggies that Kat22 hates!) are going to add stress, too. <flings up her hands> Thanks for the article links/BC thread - I'm heading over to them next.

sillyoldrabbit

GAWarrior and Kat22, they do say that our lifestyle and environmental exposure during childhood and our teens is more of a factor than anything in our current lives. Dang! Like we can really do something about that. My generation was exposed to a lot of DDT in childhood, and my mother was a chain smoker. Where's the undo button when you need it? I also have no risk factors for TNBC other than metabolic syndrome. I'm glad I at least have SOMETHING to focus on.

Kat22

Sillyoldrabbit: (Love that name, BTW!) : Personally, i had a period of high blood pressure during the super-stressful year, took meds for it for a few months then quit them on my own when they didn't work. My cholesterol has always been high (duh, I'm a carnivore LOL). My blood pressure is now normal without meds and my cholesterol dropped like a rock in the last couple months after cardiologist put me on low-dose Lipitor. Other than that, I've never had any health problems. Family history is strokes. Strokes strokes strokes everybody has strokes. No cancer anywhere. Thanks for the link, I marked it as a favorite as soon as I read the first post. Looks like it's gonna be a fun read.

GAWarrior: Interesting thoughts about childhood. My mother did smoke unfiltered Camels for 40 years, so maybe... who knows? My stress was work-related, and got even worse when I was suddenly and unexpectedly fired for something I didn't even do. Was out of work for 6 months, am now doing the same job in a different company and it's soooo laid back and non-stressful I can't even believe how lucky I am. Don't know if changing employers is an option for you, just something to consider.

sillyoldrabbit

Folks, while we're on the topic of causes, my DH wonders how many of us used to have at least a 13 hour gap between dinner (or late night snack) and breakfast before we were diagnosed. There seems to be research showing that intermittent fasting of at least 13 hours reduces BC risk. I was definitely a late night snacker before my DX.

GAWarrior

Kat22, I sure wish I could change jobs, but sadly there aren't a lot in my area in my field and I'm too close to retirement to train for another career field. We'll see - I can always quit and then pick up temp jobs, but they aren't guaranteed so that's another stress. It's always something, lol.

Silly, I got the Anticancer book yesterday (a day sooner!) so I'm reading it already. Very interesting and I'm only through the Foreword and Introduction. Also, I love the link on "causes" on the forum and bookmarked it, too. Hilarious! To answer your fasting question, I generally have about a 12 hour gap between dinner and breakfast and have for years. So much for that theory (I can't imagine 1 hour makes that much difference). IMHO, they just don't have a clue and sometimes are simply throwing darts. For example, it used to be horrible to use coconut oil, now it's wonderful. Walnuts and avocados were terrible for you (too much fat), now they're awesome because they are good fats...

apatient, I see that your surgery is tomorrow. Good luck - sending you positive vibes and cyber hugs!

Dani444

apatient, wishing you the best on your surgery tomorrow! I am hoping everyone who has already had theirs is recovering well.

sillyoldrabbit- I can say I do sometimes have a period of fasting, but it is because of my job. I work 12 hr night shift (3p-3a) and we sometimes do not get a chance to eat. So if I am too tired to snack or eat when I get home I am not usually eating again until 1130 or so. But night shift is known for creating health problems anyway, so I guess I couldn't win. I have worked evening/night shift for the last 23 years. I am currently not handling my anxiety about surgery very well. I have found it hard to do anything but go to work and then back home.

Stherye

Hi all, I am having a pbmx on the 18th of October. I had one papilloma with flat epithelial atypia that was removed last february on my right breast. Four months later, and I had another one. It hasnt been removed yet as I have planned the pbmx.

I am getting very nervous. I will have nipple and skin reserved and direct silicone implants with alloderm under the muscle.

I will be very worried until the final test after pbmx. I hope my new papilloma is not hiding anything more worrisome.

I wish the best luck to everybody with your surgeries

Raysal

my lumpectomy and sentinal node biopsy are scheduled for this Wednesday 19th.. gulp..

I'm hesitant about the SNB because of lymphadema and removing unnecessarily otherwise healthy nodes, but I'm 34 with three young kids and planning to beat this cancers ass.. I don't want to turn around later and wish I had the SNB.

My lumpectomy will be at a 1 o,clock position while the SNb is under the arm, so two cuts to deal with.

I'm more nervous about going through general anesthesia than surgery itself! I've had 3 c-sections but all using the spinal and hate not knowing what's going on / being in control but my dr wont do a local.

Here's to hoping for clear margins and clear nodes.

sillyoldrabbit

Welcome Stherye and Raysal!

apatient, please know you'll be in my thoughts tomorrow as well.

GAWarrior, Kat22, and Dani444, sigh. Wouldn't it have been swell to find a simple cause of our woes? Dani444, before my DH retired, he was on call 24/7 (railroad) and never worked the same schedule any two days in a row for over 40 years. I know how hard that is on, well, everything. Perhaps the one thing we can all agree on is STRESS. GAWarrior, I'm up to chapter 11 now. I've read other, more up-to-date sources that deny the role of stress, but it just seems logical to me that it would be a factor because of the effects on the immune system. I'm starting to think of cancer as largely a failure of the immune system. Kat22, I really do wonder about the effects of second hand smoke when we were kids as a contributing factor.

Stherye, oh gosh, the waiting for test results in agonizing. Here's hoping it's benign and you never have to worry about this again!

Raysal, I had a similar surgery this month. My surgeon told me that lymphedema is rare with a SNB (assuming only one or two nodes are removed). I had to sign a consent form allowing her to do an axillary dissection if it proved necessary, though. I believe that's the procedure frequently resulting in lymphedema. I hope your sentinel node will be clear as glass. I'm glad I was unconscious for mine. There's no way I could have held still for hours while they sliced and diced, though I do have a kind of morbid curiosity about what my tumor looked like. I developed either a seroma or a hematoma in my armpit within hours of the surgery, and that has been the most uncomfortable after effect. Feels like a golf ball stuck in there, but it's getting a bit smaller every day. I really expected the surgery to be so much worse.

star2017

I’m scheduled for exchange and ooph next week. Wishing all the best to everyone in here

Raysal

thanks for the reassurance sillyoldrabbit

I'm still not clear on the SNB.. I thought it's an automatic biopsy of the nodes expected to be first affected by cancer. Those are then sent to pathology? How do they know they need to do an axillary dissection then ?

Raysal

another two questions about surgery..

How does the surgeon know they got the entire lump + margin? I mean does the lump look different than healthy tissue?

Another question is if we do have clear margins how do we know there arent any stray cells lurking around?

Starting to question whether I should just go for a mastectomy...

DeeDeeT

Hi ladies! Thought I would jump in and introduce myself. I'm 44 and a mom to five. I have a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy scheduled for Oct. 26. Thanks so much for sharing your stories here! I'm feeling so much pressure to get things done before surgery. It's crazy. My children and husband are very supportive, so I'm really blessed, but I am getting worried. I will be so happy to have this behind me!I

Best wishes to everyone!!

sillyoldrabbit

Welcome star2017 and DeeDeeT

Star2017, sounds like you've really been through it! I hope the upcoming surgery will be the end to what must have been a rough ride.

DeeDeeT, hopefully the surgery won't be too incapacitating. I think everyone here can relate to the worries. Keeping busy is a great distraction. And if it turns out all the work wasn't necessary, well that'll be a good thing. I definitely cooked way too much food in advance, and the freezer is stuffed. After surgery, my range of motion was good with only minor pain, so I would have been able to cook. But, hey, that freezer represents many no-labor future dinners.

Raysal, I don't know if all surgeons follow the same procedures, but mine said they were able to examine the sentinel node during the surgery itself and make the determination right then and there about axillary dissection. After surgery, the tumor and surrounding excised tissue is sent to pathology where the margins are examined and other tests are performed. I believe the surgeon determines how much to remove based on imaging results, but it's supposed to be something of an art. I've seen women post that their pathology reports indicated insufficient margins. They then needed a second surgery to remove more tissue. It may also be a visual thing if the tumor is large enough. If you want to gross yourself out, do an image search for breast cancer tumor. Yuck! As far as stray cells go, that's why most lumpectomies are followed by radiation. And if they determine that you need chemo, that should help wipe them out, too. I also question whether or not I should have had a BMX, but every single one of my doctors recommended the lumpectomy instead, citing an increased risk of complications with no significant difference in mortality. I read an article somewhere (??) recently discussing doctors' preferences between the approaches, and they said mastectomies were preferred over lumpectomies in the south and midwest. Strange. The author didn't have a clue at the time why this might be the case.

star2017

Raysal, Will you get the nuclear dye injection before surgery? That's what I had during my mastectomy that helped them track affected nodes.

PurpleCat

I'll jump in too. I had my lumpectomy 10 days ago. Needle biopsy had said it was DCIS, but in the final report they found a bit of invasion, less than 1 cm, so now I'm having sentinel node biopsy later in the week. I would have thought that such a small size would be a good prognosis, but I guess SNB is standard when they find invasion, regardless of size, and they're also calculating an oncotype score to determine whether chemo is advised. I'm trying to wrap my mind around the idea that something so small could actually require chemotherapy, but am trying to remember that if it does, it's because they have better ways than they once did to determine whether this is likely to recur regardless of size, and want to give me the best chance they can. It's almost unbearable to be waiting for additional test results after several weeks of believing it was Stage 0, but I know they do the best they can and are moving me along as quickly as possible.

PurpleCat

DeeDee, I wondered how you were doing. We were diagnosed the same day, and I've been praying for you. When I got my surgery report, I was told "The hardest part of this is the waiting for all the information to come in, and that will soon be behind you." Sounds like it's true for you too. Hang in there!

Raysal

star217, the dr said they would inject a dye, so I assume it's the nuclear dye? I go in today for tests and I'll ask my dr.

Purple cat i hope your SNB comes back clear. How was recovery? I have a two and a half daughter who loves to be carried not sure how I'll manage since I read somewhere I cant lift anything for a while?

Sillyoldrabbit thanks for the info! I'm actually planning to ask my dr to take a pic and even show me the lump lol. Will look on dr google for images.

PurpleCat

Hi Raysel - my recovery from just the lumpectomy was pretty easy. I had no lifting restrictions whatsoever and was able to get by with Tylenol, although almost 2 weeks later I am still needing it. Not sure how it will go with the node surgery.

DeeDeeT

Thanks so much for the warm welcome!

Sillyoldrabbit-- thank you for helping to calm me down. It really feels like I need to prep for this, so it's great to know that it's probably not going to be difficult.

PurpleCat--Oh, it's so nice to hear from you again! It's very sad that we both ended up getting bad news, but I have thought of you often as well! Thank you for your prayers. I am sorry to hear that you need another procedure. This disease is forcing me to learn patience. It's not easy for me. I'm the type of person that always liked to read the end of a book first, and then read the rest of the story. I hate, hate, having to wait for answers. But, I am definitely learning that I have to just do that. So, I'm just so sorry you have to wait even longer to get answers. I still don't know about chemo. They are predicting that I won't need it. But, as you know, things can change at surgery. I'm praying all goes as they predicted.

sillyoldrabbit

PurpleCat, what day is your procedure? Let us know and I'll add it to the calendar at the top. My surgeon cheerfully told me once that when there's invasion that means it's already in the blood. So, like everywhere. She actually smiled when she said this for some reason! Maybe she thought a grim expression would make me want to jump off a cliff. With TNBC, that automatically means chemo is required. But if I'm understanding current research correctly, with hormone positive tumors, it'll depend on the score pathology returns. Crossing fingers you won't need poison. For example, see https://www.abc12.com/content/news/Chemo-not-neede...

Kanona7795

Dominos - How are you doing tonight? I wanted to let you know that I’m thinking of you and praying for a quick recovery. I don’t know about you but I was calm until 2hrs ago. All of my family is stressed out about my surgery tomorrow and they are driving me nuts. My husband decides to be a butt hole and turn his worry to anger. Sorry to the couple behind us. My mom is a flighty as they come and my kids can’t seem to stop fighting. I pray they give me some good drugs to drown out the chaos.

PurpleCat

Sillyrabbit, it's two days from now, October 18. Thanks for adding me! I haven't put my information in my signature yet because I just don't have enough to go on at this time. E and P positive, less than 1 cm; that's about it. I think you are right about chemo; at least that fits in with what I"ve been told so far. From my very first consult, when it was still supposed to be DCIS, they said I'd need tamoxifan. NOw they're saying it will depend not just on the nodes but the oncotype score. I brought up the small size, thinking it was a point in my favor, and got the impression that doesn't count for anything if the score is high. Rats. The idea of all those cancer cells floating around my body freaks me out, but I'm trying to look at it as, at least I know they are there now and can get them treated. Thanks for the link. I'm trying not to put too much hope in statistics and what happens to "most people," because I've already fallen into the unlucky small percentage too many times in this journey, but 2/3 of people avoiding chemotherapy is better than I would have hoped.

DeeDee, I'm usually the same way, wanting to read and learn everything I can, but this time I haven't. I think once treatment is underway I'll want to know more about the cancer I had (HAD, past tense, as it will be out of my body by then) but as long as it was still in me, growing, I didn't want to know a single thing about it. I so hope we both can avoid chemo, and am glad to hear you're told it's a good possibility! As for patience, it's soooooo hard, isn't it? Everyone says that the waiting is the hardest part. There was a time I might have thought "seriously? Harder than chemo?" But it seems to be people who have experienced and are experiencing chemo that say that, so that's telling, isn't it? Hope things go really well for you!!!

sillyoldrabbit

Kanona7795 and Dominos, wishing you the easiest possible time of it tomorrow.

PurpleCat, thanks, I've added you to the calendar.

I'm getting nervous for all of you myself. Here's to successful surgeries, clear nodes, and low oncotype scores! I'd drink to that, but heck, alcohol feeds tumors.

Gramto4

Dominoes

Good luck today with your surgery. I had the same concerns about being out of commission after my UMX back in April. The time actually went by fast and before I knew it, I was back to work and waiting once again for TE exchange surgery and reduction / lift to natural breast. I just had the exchange and revisions done on September 20 and returned to work last week. I will have nipple reconstruction and fat grafting around the implant breast on December 27. If all looks good I should be done with reconstruction. Long road but worth it. Keep us posted on your recovery and best wishs

GAWarrior

Kanona7795 and Dominos, thinking of you - good luck with your surgeries today!

Also, Bubblybubbles_1, PurpleCat, and Stherye, good luck tomorrow. Wishing everyone quick and easy healing.

PurpleCat, waiting for answers is tough, for sure. I went through chemo already , it's doable if you need it! Yes, the oncotype score determines whether you get chemo, not the size of the tumor. If you find you DO need chemo, there are monthly groups on here (like this surgery group) and they help immensely in terms of support and what you';ll need to do while in chemo, etc. Plus, feel free to ask on here!

Raysal, you and I have ours together on Friday - best wishes to you! When they called from the hospital for the preop questions (asking what meds do you take, etc), they mentioned I was scheduled to have both SNB and axillary dissection. Since they don't see cancer in my nodes on any images, I questioned the axillary node dissection (and because my BS never said we were doing that!). She told me they will have us sign a consent for the axillary dissection IN CASE there is cancer found in the SNB while we're undergoing the surgery. That way, they can take more nodes if they have to. They won't do a dissection if the SNB comes back clear. Also, the chemo and radiation (if you haven't already had them) are what you will get after surgery to catch any stray cells, on the chance that there are any left. They do rads if you have a lumpectomy (I think that's a "must"). Good luck!

Proud_Patriot

Hello ladies. I am back online after my BMX Oct 9. I feel ok. I have some soreness now but no real pain. Everything is still a bit swollen. I will see the plastic surgeon tomorrow and the breast surgeon on Friday. I had SNB which found some cancer in one sentinel node but not the other two so I had a complete dissection. I will have the final results tomorrow or Friday.

I hope you are all doing well.

sillyoldrabbit

Proud_Patriot, I'm glad you're back and that you're not in pain. Hope they won't keep you waiting too long for results and a plan. Please let us know how it goes.

I saw the surgeon today for a follow up and received a copy of the pathology report. One thing that surprised me is that she removed 3 nodes during the SNB. I thought a SNB meant that only one node would be taken, but apparently not. There are several sentinel nodes, not just one. Proud_Patriot's experience confirms this as well, I think. The report also described the visual appearance of the tumor, which I'll refrain from posting due to grossness. However, the thing was dead, so it may look very different from a live tumor. <shudders>

Bubblybubbles_1, Stherye, and PurpleCat - may all be well with you tomorrow!

Julesm59

WOW, my first time putting out there. I am scheduled for surgery on 10/19. What a whirlwind Oct has been. Found a lump on Oct 1, mammogram/ultrasound on Oct 3rd, core biopsy on Oct 10th results on 12th, then met with surgeon on the 16th and surgery scheduled for the 22nd. Having a lumpectomy with sentinel node. IDC multifocal about 1.1cm both about 2.1 cm apart. Surgeon wasn't sure if the would stage it as 1 or 2 since it is so close together. On a side note, the lump I felt wasn't even in the same breast. That is on the left, and will be excised. They think it is an abcess, but doesn't act like an abcess. Whatever, she is taking it out.

They stated I would have the path on the surgery within a week and then meet with a MO. Likely to have radiation after healing from surgery. This medical staff doesn't mess around. I really appreciate their efforts to keep me informed and everything moving forward. Now I hope my body keeps up. Wish me luck. And for all of the rest of you, good luck. We are warriors, given a job. We will succeed.

Bubblybubbles_1

raysal: I am scheduled for lumpectomy and full node dissection on october 18th. Good luck with the surgery and hope everything goes well.

I am really nervous for tomorrow but I promise to post my experience later this week here. Hopefully it will be helpful to some people here. Wish me luck