Nervous about excisional

It really isn't that bad.  Are you having wire localization before the procedure?

Different people have different experiences with the wire insertion.   I actually did a survey here in 2006.  But, whatever experience you have will be a VALID experience.   I would have done the survey a little differently had I known the results beforehand.

38 people responded to my survey.  People were able to choose only one of the 4 following responses.
1) I had injectable anesthesia before wire insertion and my pain was tolerable (<=4/10 on a scale of 1-10)   19 people, 50%
2) I had injectable anesthesia before wire insertion and my pain was NOT tolerable (>4/10 on a scale of 1-10)  7 people, 18%
3) I did NOT have injectable anesthesia before wire insertion and my pain was tolerable (<=4/10 on a scale of 1-10)  3 people , 8%
4) I did NOT have injectable anesthesia before wire insertion and my pain was NOT tolerable (>4/10 on a scale of 1-10.) 9 people, 24%.

I had an awful time, but there are several reasons for that which probably or hopefully do not apply to you.  First, the doc never asked how I was, inquired about pain, said how he'd manage pain, if his pain regimen worked, etc.  If he had in some way admitted there might be some pain involved and if he had said he'd try to relieve the pain, I'm sure it would have been better.   He also gave no pain prevention before the insertion (except for a 3 second application of a cold spray, which is the equivalent of about a 3 second application of an ice cube.)   Secondly, unknownst to me at the time, I had a previous trauma history.  People who have had multiple traumas, like me, are usually more sensitive to future traumas.  

Who enjoys pain?  Not many people I know.  If you are concerned about this, if I had to do it over again, or have to do it again in the future, I will tell them I'm concerned about the pain, ask what they are going to do about it if I have pain, and, most importantly, how I should be communicating with them about the pain.  I'll bring along a bell or something, that I can shake if I have pain.  

But, as you see, most women did NOT have moderate to severe pain.  (If I did my survey over again, I would have changed the pain score categories.)

Hi Loriio,

I too am having an excisional biopsy on Tuesday and really am starting to feel kind of nervous about it.  I had the needle biopsy 3 weeks ago and the result was flat epithelial atypia. I am having the wire localization as well.  Did they tell you how long you will have to wait for results?  My surgeon said it would be a week. 

Thanks loriio, I will be praying for you also;  Let me know how it goes for you. I am glad that your mother is going to help you. I think the hardest part of all of this for me is waiting.  My mammogram was the first week of Feb.  By the time I get these results it will be almost 2 months.  I finally had to get some ativan for the anxiety.  I can deal with surgery and results but I'm not so good at waiting. I will be thinking of you on Tuesday.  Cindy

Hi  I am scheduled to have a wire localization in a week and am already traumatized by the needle biopsies I have had already...Could or would you go into further detail as to how and where in the wire localization procedure you experienced the pain??  did the numbing injections didn't work?  did the injections hurt?  did the wire placement hurt?  what exatly does that mean __do they put a wire in your breast?? etc??

For my excision, once an anesthesiologist got involved, all was fine.  A year later, I got 2 more biopsies a week apart.  The first was a stereotactic, which was awful (because I had an awful time with the wire insertion.)   I actually pulled out of the mammo machine when they were trying to inject the anesthetic.  They had to hold me in the mammo machine. 

So,I was really anxious about my ultrasound biopsy a week later, particularly since in was just under the nipple, so would be more painful. I sure warned the doc I was really sensitive to pain, and he fortunately listened!  But the ultrasound biopsy actually went quite well, even though I had a bad time the previous week.  (And both biopsies came back with nothing worse than my previously known LCIS.)

I had big hematomas (bleeding into the site).  Over the next several months they turned all sorts of beautiful autumnal colors-black, blue, purple, green, yellow.  (These are the colors of the hemoglobin as it gets degraded and reabsorbed into the body.)   But gradually they all went away.  I had a swollen, hard area around my incision site for several months.  I did massage it after a month or so.  After, say, 9-12 months, it all looked normal.   I now have a very faint pink scar that is hardly visible and left no thickening.   I had a 'dent' right after surgery, and that gradually filled in. Its just as soft as the rest of my breast.  I don't know how much they normally take out; they took out about 2 tablespoonfulls on me, and I have a B cup.  This is just my experience, your mileage may differ.

Best wishes for a painless and speedy recovery, but particularly for BoringlyBenign.

OMG, that is so long.  How are you doing tonight?  What time is your surgery tomorrow?  I have to be at the hospital at 10:00, surgery is at 1:00.  My hospital is 75 miles away.  I have been taking ativan today, I worked which kept me busy, but don't know if I will sleep tonight.  Just really anxious to get this done.  Are you doing okay tonight?

Hi sndlu49

i don't know if you remember me but i had an excisional for fea last month.  it was b9.  best of wishes, you are going to be fine!

shabby 

sndlu and loriio -

It's rather late, so hopefully you're all tucked in bed, resting before your day tomorrow.  Just wanting to say I'll be thinking about you both.  Had my excisional in Dec. The wires weren't so bad, but I did have a valium beforehand. . . no limo either, just a wheelchair ride from radiology to surgery. 

Hope all goes well and the results come quickly and are all benign.  The one thing that helped me after the excisional (and after you can take the ace/guaze wrapping off several days later) was having lots of gel packs to tuck in a comfortable (not too tight) excercise bra.  I wore that bra for weeks! 

Best of luck to the both of you.  Will be thinking of you tomorrow. . .

 I made it home from surgery.  Went for the wire placement and the clip placed during my biopsy 3 weeks ago had moved.  Finally after several mammograms got the wire placed and the dye.  Surgery lasted about 1 hour and I had a tough time waking from the sedation.  Still very groggy right now, but don't have a lot of pain so far.  Been thinking about you Loriio, hope your surgery went well today.  Cindy

Wishing both of you the best, Cindy and loriio.

cindy and lorio----praying for good results for both of you soon!

Anne 

Just have been thinking of the two of you and hoping you'll get results soon you'll get some good news.

 Hang in there - -