'breast' exam post BMX

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MT1
MT1 Member Posts: 371
edited June 2014 in Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy

So I had bilateral mastectomy without reconstruction. I remember how the lump I had felt within my breast. I had nodal involvement, but I never detected it or felt a lump under my arm. I know what I feel like now, but in learning to do a breast exam now, what is the deal? How, what, where?

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  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 16,818
    edited January 2012

    Melly, I had a single but I examine the scar and tissue surrounding where the breast was to mark any changes.  Get to know how your chest now feels including any lumps and bumps of scar tissue and then over time you will know if there are any new lumps or bumps.  Good luck.

    Love n hugs.  Chrissy

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  • crystalphm
    crystalphm Member Posts: 1,138
    edited January 2012

    Melly, I was at the doctor's just today asking him this question and the answer he told me was I will see him twice a year for a while.

    But he never found the cancer in the first place, I did. So it is a non-answer.

    Does anyone know what would be routine? Any MRI's or ultrasounds?

    I am slowly getting to know my new body and I feel little lumps where the lymph node removal was, and he says these are scar tissue, well how does anyone know that?

    The rules have changed, I don't know what to look for anymore with no breasts.

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  • GottaloveNED
    GottaloveNED Member Posts: 211
    edited February 2012

    My BMX was 3 years ago this April. I still see my onc every 3 months (a mutual decision) and he checks my scars and axillary lymph nodes carefully. He told me to watch for some of the same things I would look for if I had breasts (dimples, puckering, lumps, rashes). My scars sometimes ache and occasionally I get weird pains, but he said come in if it's a consistant or growing pain. I had a small lump on my scar we watched for 6 months or so... But it moved with the scar and wasn't growing and eventually went away, Thank God!! Just be aware of how your new body looks and feels... I use the same method I used with a breast exam... Up and down my chest in a pattern and then across the scar lines. By the way... When I was watching my little bump, I used to mark it with a sharpie so I could find it easily & track it. Hang in there!!

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  • LittleFlower
    LittleFlower Member Posts: 405
    edited February 2012

    Melly,

    When I asked my surgeon this, she made a motion of just patting down the area.  Just feeling around the scar, the chest for any lumps, bumps, new stuff.  She also said ANY changes, even if it just looks like a bug bite, she wanted to know about it.  I was seeing her once a year, but then at 5 years we stopped the appts, so I only see my medical onc now.  I miss her though.. she was a God send. hope this helps.

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  • MT1
    MT1 Member Posts: 371
    edited February 2012

    Thanks everyone. It sounds like I need to get 'in touch' with the new landscape that is me. I like the sharpie idea. Sometimes I just don't think up stuff like that.

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