worring about the cancer coming back

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Lhall
Lhall Member Posts: 51
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

Hi I had a double mastectomy done and did chemo. And I just felt a lump on my breast. And I'm freaking out. I thought if you did what I did you don't have to worry about the bc coming back. Was I wrong to think that way? Any advice would be helpful.

thanks lynn

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  • marlenet
    marlenet Member Posts: 345
    edited September 2009

    Lynn

    unfortunately we all are at risk of cancer coming back.  Sounds like you did everything to prevent   cancer from coming back. Keep in mind the lump can be a number of non-cancer related issues.  Did you contact your doctor?  I am so sorry you have to go through this. I am sending you good vibes and prayers.   Wish I could have been more helpful. 

    Marlene

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  • huntersmom
    huntersmom Member Posts: 28
    edited September 2009

    I also had a few small lumps close to my incesion  site - my Dr. said many times it is stiches that did not dissolve completely.  My marker is still down so I am hopeful that is all it is.

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  • Lhall
    Lhall Member Posts: 51
    edited September 2009

    Hi

      had a doctors appointment and she felt under my arm and felt two  lymph nodes. should I be worried cause right now I'm not happy with her, cause she is acting like it's know big deal, but before she told me to keep checking and if I feel some thing to call her right away. And I felt that lump in my right breast so now I'm really freaking out. Any advice

    Lynn

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  • otter
    otter Member Posts: 6,099
    edited September 2009

    Let's see.... Today is September 25th.  Lynn, do you mean you've seen your doctor since you started this thread (on Sept. 21)?  If so, did you show her the lump in your breast?

    It is possible to feel lymph nodes in the armpit sometimes, especially if there isn't much fat there.  (Most of us have lots of axillary lymph nodes, but they're buried in a "fat pad" and hard to feel.)  She may be acting like it is "no big deal" because the lymph nodes felt normal to her.  If they didn't feel normal, she should have sent you somewhere to have them checked out.  A typical follow-up to the finding of new lumpiness is to repeat the mammogram and/or do an ultrasound exam of the area.  That would be the case (the ultrasound, anyway) for lymph nodes that felt abnormal.

    As for the lump you can feel in your breast:  Why don't you call your doctor, if you haven't already seen her this week?  That's what she told you to do, right?  If you did go in to see her and you pointed out the new breast lump but you are not happy with her response, call her again and tell her you want it followed up anyway.

    As for thinking a double mastectomy and chemo would prevent your cancer from coming back... unfortunately, Marlene is right.  You said you had a double mastectomy, but the lump was in your breast.  Do you mean you had reconstruction, and there's a lump in the reconstructed breast?  Or, do you mean there is a lump in/on your chest wall?

    Your cancer treatments reduced the odds that your cancer will recur or that you will get another one; but they don't prevent it entirely.  Nothing will.  That's just something we all have to struggle with.  It's hard, I know. 

    otter 

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