Anyone with a 1/3 loss lumpectomy?

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tarry
tarry Member Posts: 156
edited June 2014 in Older Than 60 Years Old With Breast Cancer

I've posted before very recently and felt able to revisit the decision about have a mastectomy.  I would prefer to have a lumpectomy even if it is disfiguring.  Now I have found out that the estimate is that I'd lose a third of my breast.  The previous answers I've gotten lead me to think I can live with that, but I wonder if anyone actually has.  If so, are you glad you did?

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  • pagowens
    pagowens Member Posts: 194
    edited August 2011

    I had a lumpectomy in Dec 2009 - about 1/3 of my right breast is gone.  I'm okay with the lopsided look.  I found Victoria Secret bras that pretty much even me out (the formed cup ones).  The only thing I didn't realize was that the "vacuum" created by such a large lumpectomy is filled with fluid.  The fluid makes a hard lump in your breast. 

    So, I have a hard large lump in my right breast that I only usually feel when I am laying in bed on that side.  The doc says she can drain the fluid...but it will fill up again.  I figure I'll skip the extra needles and leave it alone.

    I'm glad I didn't have the mastectomy.   So far.

    Good luck. 

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  • tarry
    tarry Member Posts: 156
    edited August 2011

    Thanks so much for the info.  Did you consider having any sort of filler put in?

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  • Mazy1959
    Mazy1959 Member Posts: 1,431
    edited August 2011

    Tarry, I lost half my right breast due to lumpectomy..no regrets

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited August 2011

    I would sure start out with a lumpectomy and see how you feel about how you look afterwards before you consider anything more drastic. While I was waiting for the fat to move around and fill in, I wore a 'partial breast prothesis'. With a good supported bra (I buy the Victoria Secret ones too) you can't tell the difference visually, but since my tumor was on the underside of my breast, I felt like I needed to support the breast as it healed. I wore one for about a year, just plopped it in my regular bra.

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  • LouLou40
    LouLou40 Member Posts: 180
    edited August 2011

    Hello Tarry,

    I posted on your other thread about having multifocal BC and opted for a lumpectomy, I'm not an older women, 40 at dx but happy with the cosmetic result. I just wear a padded push up bra which I did before anyway and you can't tell that a 1/4 of my left breast is missing

    Just got my path report out and the amount of tissue removed was 65mm x 55mm x 25mm deep, I only have small breasts but am very happy with the final result.

    Lou 

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  • tarry
    tarry Member Posts: 156
    edited August 2011

    LouLou, thanks again. I'm glad to think the bra can make a big difference.



    Ruthbru, I had no idea that there are partal prostheses!



    Mazy, from all thr responses here, I'm hoping I'll be saying the same thing.

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited August 2011

    Nobody does; a nurse I was talking to when I wanted to get the prescription from my doctor had a large tumor and lumpectomy many years ago. When I told her what I wanted she got very excited and was going to talk to her doctor as soon as I got off the phone.  It shocks me how we are all left dangling and have to do our own research on things that SOMEONE in the medical community should be telling us!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited August 2011

    Tarry- If you prefer a lumpectomy I say go with that.  If afterwards you're concerned with the tissue loss, or if the partial prosthesis doesn't work for you, you might want to check out fat grafting.  More and more PS's are getting trained in this and it works great for filling in areas of tissue loss.  And you get some lipo out of the whole deal! :)

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  • tarry
    tarry Member Posts: 156
    edited August 2011

    Mary, as I get closer to the operation, words like yours are very comforting. Thank you so much.

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited August 2011

    When is your surgery, Tarry?

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  • tarry
    tarry Member Posts: 156
    edited August 2011

    Sept 6th. I'm happy to be having a 'disfiguring' lumpectomy, and grateful to you for helping in the decision. It feels right!

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited August 2011

    I think you will be happy with your choice. Let us know how it goes. Best of luck! Ruth

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  • minkarejn
    minkarejn Member Posts: 103
    edited October 2011

    I just now found this thread in a seach so I'm bringing it back to the top.

     I had surgery August 24 of this year.  Clips were placed at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance in July.  My surgeon removed the tissue in question, sewed me up and had xray confirm the clips were in the tissue.  Nope.  SO, he opened me back up and ended up excising a total of five times and STILL no clips.  So, I ended up losing over 1/3 of my breast tissue and I'm only a B cup to begin with.  Fluid took over and for a while it was SO painful and I even got a stretch mark from it.  Now the fluid has gone down but my breast looks like it did before surgery and my surgeon said the cavity is full of fluid and it may turn to scar tissue so I won't be disfigured.

    I can't even believe I have a breast after I saw my path report.  SO much was taken out.  Is it normal to still have fluid almost two months after surgery?  I picked up some extra shifts this week (I'm a nurse on a surigcal floor) and probably overdid it because it swelled again yesterday (not bad, but it's bigger than the other breast).  I swear, it's like it has a mind of it's own.  

    I'm going back in for a mammo (don't even want to THINK about that with my tender breast) and ultrasound to find the clips soon.  Praying they just moved and are in healthy tissue.  I do not want to go thru this again.

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