Nurses with Breast Cancer

KAK,

 I couldn't' figure out why my bra looked  so empty at the top  of the cup near my surgical site. I kept trying to lean further  and further  forward to fill the cup more completely.

I am a  44DD. I couldn't understand why my nipple was higher on  the R side than the L side and why my bra cups looked so weird.  Since my experience,  I've read how traumatic  a lumpectomy can be...and it is very traumatic. I didn't know what to expect and   was really  upset that my breast looked different post-op.

 I wasn't well  totally  but  went out to  buy bras for my  own comfort... no more wires. Thank God for the no wire, no back tag Bali.  I had to ask for help with the cup not filling properly. A very sweet bra fitter at Macy's explained the why of that situation, after which I sat down and drank a cup of coffee and wept.

love you all,

mina

KAK,

I do not envy you having to go for your next mammo, I can't even imagine my next one, thank goodness it is about 10 months away. 

The one advantage you ladies in the states have over us Canadians is you have an MRI on every street corner (okay an exaggeration) In the city I live in we have and please don't quote me, approx 4-6 hospital run MRI's and I believe 1 or 2 privately run, pay out of your pocket MRI's for a city of about 1-1.5 million. So for us up here, asking for an MRI for a "screening" is usually not an option. I have not had an MRI and am not scheduled for one. So the question is, MRI or Mammo ? I think I would definately ask for an MRI if it is at all an option, but please remember, you can get false positives from MRI's, you can get false negatives from Mammo,so really the choice is yours. If you go with a mammo, remember you want to be done on a digital unit, that is key. Also you can ask the technologist to use the flex or springy paddle instead of the flat paddle (some may not have that option). Try taking an anagesic (?sp) prior to going. Talk to the tech prior to starting and let them know your fears of how much it will now hurt, they do have some tricks up their sleeves to try to help. The biggest and hardest thing, try to relax. The more you tense up , then the tech ends up compressing the pectoral muscle first then trying to compress the breast resulting in more compression. Trust me this is hard, I know better than to tense up and one of the techs who did one of my mammos "hit" me to tell me to relax. (no panick folks she didn't literally hit me, and she is a co-worker so it was not patient abuse)

Back on track here, one also has to remember that there is no one modality that is the perfect solution. To date mammography is still considered one of the most instramental exams we use. Don't get me wrong ultrasound and MRI's are very important too but you have to start somewhere and that is usually where the medical community starts (at least in Canada). Some modalities are not good for some things either, we don't screen with ultrasound for starters it would take hours to do a proper and thorough job, plus you don't see calcifications on U/S. Up here, cost and availability limit how much we do MRI, here you wouldn't have an MRI for a routine screen. I have even seen some people list thermography as an alternative, won't say much there as I do not believe in thermography at all, okay just a little, it is a waste of time and money and results are scary.

I think I am done rattling on now. Hope this helps.

Penny

Hello...it has been a long time since I have been on the site. 

Mina...I am so glad that you found on oncologist....hope things are going well.

I had to get a mammogram and ultra sound of the effect breast about a month ago....found a lump in the axillary area.  I was really scared....my mammographer had BC 5 years a ago.  She was awesome!!!!  She talked me through the mammogram and kept me relaxed (as relaxed you can get while having your sore breast squeezed). Luckily everything came back negative.....I just had some tissue swelling.  The swelling is now gone.  I still don't look forward on getting it done in the future, but after my scare.....I would rather deal with the pain of the mammogram than the fear I had when I found the lump.  She told me that when I have it done in the future to make sure I tell the mammographer my fears and my history.  I know they can find everything in the chart, but this way you start a dialog with them. 

Thanks for your insight Penny.

kim

Kathi...I know just how you feel......we all need a little "whine" time......just make sure it does not overwhelm you.  That is why this group has been great for me....it reminds me that I am not a lone.

kim

Sweets, I'm a homecare PT & welcome.  I just wanted to say that I would have gone stark raving bonkers to be told I had to wait two months to get my surgery because the docs can't get their schedules together!!!   WTF is wrong with your doctors?  Who gives a rodent's turd about their schedules?  Are they freakin' nuts?  How the heck are you supposed to concentrate on your patients, get through the holidays, etc., etc. while the Beast is inside of you?  

What does your PC have to do with it anyway?  I'd look at the genetic studies, path report, talk to my sisters & get a darn date from the surgeon that's convenient to me, not THE DOC's!!!

GRRRRRRR!

Take charge, Sweets, & remember what a woman internist I know once told me:  "Bitch stands for Babe In Total Charge of Herself."

Kathi

Hi, I wrote earlier about choosing bilateral mastectomies and the surgeon insisting on no drains and not telling me the path results. I decided to cancel the surgery and change surgeons, the day before I was to have surgery. I also found out that my state's (Alabama) breast cancer detection program would allow me to pick the surgeon & also to get a 2nd opinion. I was trying to be grateful and compliant and had not asked about this. As soon as I made the decision to cancel and switch, I felt hugely relieved. And have received lots of affirmation for doing so!

OK, my new surgeon is recommending (standard of care) for me to have a sentinel node bx on my other breast, because he points out that a SNB can't be done after the breast is removed. I had no indication of tumors, calcs or anything else on the other breast, just on my right breast. 

So I would love to hear from folks who have had a SNBx on the non-affected side.

 As an aside, he commented that there was a possibility that he would have to do a node dissection instead of a SNB on the affected side because the bx (the other surgeon did) I had 3 weeks ago may have disrupted the lymph node chain. Anyone had this happen?

 Thanks for all the love and support on this forum!

Blessings, Sara 

I am going to inform my fellow nurses of  something they already know. I am thankfully going to get my Medicare supplement back in December and rejoin the land of  GOOD Medicine and good Doctors. Fingers crossed and praying for that day to come ASAP!

I have had the nightmare of all experiences since I joined a Medicare Advantage plan  in September after I found my ex had dropped my secondary insurance.

I was nauseous and regurgitating non-stop post my first Neupogen shot.  I know it was the shot because I'd never been so sick. I called him 6 times from Monday morning until Wednesday late evening with medication suggestions; I called the drug company and found out Zofran generic was allowed with approval by my doctor.  By the time I got the staff  Wednesday evening they asked me what I wanted and I had left 6 messages for help Kytril didn't work after  I took the Neupogen. I was crying yelling  so miserably sick and scared...He threatened me...told me if I continue to abuse his staff...with my bad insurance...I could go elsewhere. He wouldn't take care of me.

I thank God for my friends and for his help with all these last two months have taught me.

Hi, Sara, I'm glad you feel better about changing surgeons.

With my first bc, I had an excisional biopsy. When I had my lumpectomy, the surgeon was unable to do the snb because sarring from the excision blocked the path of the dye. So out came two levels of nodes.

With my second cancer, the snb worked, thank god.

I know of surgeons who do snb's for DCIS, when there's no evidence of invasive cancer. I think that's the same for prophy mastectomies. I feel it's a CYA thing. I really hated the idea of node removal on both sides, even if it was only one! Too much risk, plus the annoyance then of blood draws, etc. And, to some surgeons, the snb can mean not just one, but several, nodes being removed.

Be careful and get all your questions answered on this one.

Anne

hi to all the nurses, i retired from nursing in 2002 after 40 years. i was in all fields of nursing including oncology and trauma.  i was at work when they called about a suspicious mammagram, this was in oct. of  99, so followed a radical mastectomy and a year of combination radiation and chemo, then a tah was done because of fibroids and heavy bleeding. all went well until jan. 2003. i was awakened with severe pain left chest {my story is so long that i will summarize} went to er, mets to bones and the next battle began and is still going on, i have been on most every chemo drug and have had most every complication you could mention, the cancer moved to the liver in 05, continued with all kinds of chemo, developed necrosis in jaw bones then ruptured gastric ulcer which they decided was from avastin. again summarizing they put me on gymzar and after two years the liver cancer is gone, talkabout miricles but  while that was happening the bone cancer went wild and i sustained a path. fracture of left humerus which they don't understand since it is all met. breast cancer. so now i am on a new drug ixempra which no one knows a lot about i feel like a lab rat! so if any of you are on it or know much about it i would appreciate the info. thanks a bunch.  hopeful.

HI Ripple1031,

I am pleased to make your acquaintance. Thanks for sharing with us. I take comfort in reading your story especially this week...that you've been on the offensive since 1999 is fantastic.

Anne, I can't second your post enough. I never thought I would sign a consent for SNB and awaken with 19  nodes yanked. Arrgh.

My core biopsy site developed a huge hematoma. When I had another mammogram for a suspicious lump noted on MRI that was subsequently dxed as a pappiloma. That subsequent squeeze left me with a very ugly huge bruise  after the hematoma healed  that is still there post June bx.  I do have  subacute Cutanous Lupus so I probably  would have skin problems anyway. I thought I'd share a squeeze story, not that I would have refused the post biopsy Mammogram.

Thanks for the kind thoughts Kak and everyone. I am waiting on pins and needles to drop my Medicare Advantage PPO and get  back my  Medicare,  my AARP supplemental  and Part "D" plan.

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=42969  Sharing Triple Neg news

Hope everyone is well.

Ripple....sorry to hear about all that you have gone through, but you are an inspiration!!!

I have just finished number 14 of 33 rad treatments.  I am started to have fatigue.  I don't know if it sue to the rad treatments or the lack of sleep due to extreme hot flashes.  I have been having problems with hot flashes followed by extreme cold.  I have tried everything I could think of (plus what my NP could think of to do).  Since I am ER/PR + I was told not use soy.  Anyone else having this issue?  I have not started Tamoxifen yet.....which will make them worse (Oh Great!!!!!!).  I was just put on Effexor for the hot flashes.  Both my oncologist and rad provider uses this for hot flashes.  I tend to be a light wait when it comes to meds that cause drowsiness so taking this med scares me.

kim

Just diagnosed Oct 24 with BC.  Had bilateral mastectomy.  Right one for the BC and the other prophylactic.  Turns out I have good decision making powers because the left one had it also.  There will be no chemo, no radiation, just hormones.  My only problem right now is major depression.  Why...

WNY, you have every right to feel depressed.  You just went through being diagnosed with a life threatening disease, major surgery which amputated two of the most intimate parts of your body & then found out you dodged a bullet you didn't even know was there.  How the heck do you think you're supposed to feel?   Exhausted?  Yes.  Sad, sore, shook up, stunned, all of that would be appropriate.  That's why we have this forum, why we have support groups.  Pretend you're one of your patients.  What would you say to yourself?  You'd be compassionate & validating, wouldn't you?

Hugs to you,

Kathi

WNY, listen, you know I'm sure that it's normal after major surgery to develop a seratonin deficiency.  I see that with patients all the time, from joint replacements to CABG.  So, perhaps you could talk to your surgeon, med onc or even your PCP about taking something.  Effexor, Celexa & Lexapro are all antidepressants that work well with any of the hormone therapies, and Effexor is particularly known for decreasing the side effects of hormone therapies.  I'm on it now, & it's working very well.  So, no reason not to start it a bit sooner.  Why wait till you start the hormones?  It's a very effective med. 

Good luck & stay in touch.  The whole cancer adventure sideswipes you a lot more than you can anticipate.  It certainly did me, but I'm finally feeling like myself again.  This forum helps, I returned to counseling which has helped, the Effexor has helped, extra sleep helps, being patient with myself helps. 

Kathi

Hello all!! Glad I found this thread!

I am a 2nd career RN; graduated in 2007 at age of 51. Worked at Hopkins bone marrow transplant unit right out of school. Loved it but couldn't do commute. Worked in a hospital onc/renal for about 6 months, loved patients, hated the politics and nurse-bashing. Settled into nursing home position this past June. Had applied to hospice at that time, but no openings. Hospice is why I went to nursing school.

Worst day of my life so far: 10/13/08. Received cancer dx. Got dream job offer from Hospice. Couldn't take new job due to insurance.

Cancer dx DCIS bilat and IDC left side. Had bilat mastectomy on 11/17 with expanders put in. SNB negative. Still have two drains in. Expanders killing me!

Major concern right now: have not been at nursing home long enough to qualify for disability pay. Husband retired on small fixed income. Financially speaking, need to return to work in about 3 weeks. Physically speaking, not sure will be able to work with expander discomfort. Am about ready to tell PS to take expanders out.

Positives: Hospice says that I will be first in line for RN position when I am able.

I have read most all of the posts here and there's a lot of good info.

Any advice you folks could give on dealing with expanders and trying to work would be much appreciated. I have discovered that I am a REALLY impatient patient! Who knew???

Thanks,

Cathy