Lumpectomy - what can i expect?

Thank you all for your supportive words! I'm pretty calm - wanting to just get through the day on Friday and hopefully nothing new will show up in pathology.

(I still haven't seen my biopsy report - was just told that it's "got to come out" - fibro epithelial cells - probably just benign but sometimes containing other things in the margins)

palmettomom3: Good luck to you, too! I think your SNB will cause a longer recovery than I will have with just the lumpectomy, but I have already arranged to have an extra day or so from work if I need it. It's interesting how differently people recover - the experience on these boards differs. I will wait to see how it goes for me and I wish you a smooth procedure and easy recovery, too.

Is the "3" in your name because you have 3 kids? I have 3 too - ages 14-20. 

I will post again once I'm all done.

All the best to you!

Hi ladies,

 I had a duct excision last week in which they removed a mass, which is rather like a lumpectomy, so I thought I'd offer you a few pieces of advice. I agree with the other ladies: bring a sports bra with you. Also, try to ice the area after the surgery on and off, 30 min on, 30 off. In addition to that you might want to have an ace bandage to wrap around the sports bra. I got some really bad swelling opposite the site of the incision, because fluid accumulates from inflammation and might have trouble draining. More compression on the breast as provided by the bra + bandage together might help you limit swelling. The pain I felt was a sort of burning pain--they say the burning feeling is because of all the nerves in the area, so if you feel that it's probably normal. Good luck, ladies! I wish you the best and hope everything goes well.

 Sarah

Shayne--glad to hear it went well for you! Hope it continues to get better.

I know what you mean about the compression wrap. They didn't tell me to wear one the first day, but I wish they had. My breast swelled very badly and got all red and I might have to get it drained if it doesn't go down. They didn't tell me to wrap it until AFTER the swelling had gotten bad, which wasn't too much help to me at that point, which is why I wanted the ladies to know that tight compression like that beyond the sports bra will save you a lot of pain in the form of swelling later. I also found the compression wrap to be unbearable, I can barely tolerate wearing a bra day and night.

Are you continuing to take something for the swelling like advil, or has your swelling pretty much been taken care of at this point?

That's not gross, don't apologize, I'm just glad it came out for ya! The tender, painful to the touch swelling is no fun. and the redness isn't too pretty either. Glad to hear it's going well for you. I hope you don't have any more trouble wiht it!

Whoops excuse the typos, autocorrect got me again.

Very helpful information ladies. I am having my lumpectomy Monday 6-18 , uncertainty is killing me. After reading these post I feel  a lil better about it. Mine is directly behind my nipple and almost 2 cm. I am glad I found these posts before I go..

I just had my lumpectomy and SNB on Friday 6/15, and lass than 2 days later I am feeling great.  I have taken a few extra strength tylenol, but mainly just ice the area which takes away any minor achiness.  No real pain at all - what will I do with all th pain meds I was prescribed??!!  My lump was at 3 o'clock on my left breast, and even though there was no remaining sign of cancer after neoadjuvant chemo, my surgeon said she would be taking tissue about the size of a walnut.  She did a beautiful job putting the incision following the curve of my areola.  I have a feeling once it's healed it will be barely noticeable.  The SNB scar is a little more funky and definitely more "achey" but not painful.  My biggest challeng so far has been sleeping on my back - I am a side sleeper and it's just uncomfortable!  I have dermabond on the incisions, so I can take a shower today.  I also had my port removed during my surgery, and total time under was about 2 hours.  I was a little nauseous after the anesthesia, but that was really my fault because they offered me the anti-nausea patch and I refused - doh!  This was by far the easiest thing I have done so far on this crazy cancer ride.

My lumpectomy was Friday 6/15 -- doing great a couple days later (sore, no real pain) .... but the sloshing is very strange. I literally make a glug-glug sound when I go down stairs or step off a curb. It surprises me how loud it is.

How long does this take to go away? 

I expect my results on Wednesday and I'll ask the BS about it then...

Wow! So glad to see that those of you that just had lumpectomies are doing so well so quickly! I am nervous today as mine is tomorrow...



The sloshing is funny! I guess that's the same sound you used to hear when as a kid you drank a lot of water and then went jumping around!



My advice on the nausea patch is take it! It really helped last year with my gall bladder surgery.

Just hrs away from heading to the hospital and NOW I'm getting super nervous. I feel almost silly for being scared after reading all the stories and how it appears to be a "not so bad" procedure. However, I am scared. I have a great support system, wonderful friends that lift me up and spread their light and love whenever anyone needs it. I know with this team backing me up it'll all be ok. Just needed to vent for a minute, and tell somebody I'm scared.

Palmettomom3... I know it's gonna be here soooo soon.. I pray yours goes well and outcome all good. I know that as for me, I'm gonna go thru this kickin butt and takin names, and you'll do the same. I work with survivors on a daily basis, just different kind, they're survivors of domestic abuse and they have taught me so much over the yrs while I thought I was teaching them. So I figure if these women can go through hell and back and continue to fight to live, then surely I can do whatever is headed my way.. thanks again and I'm sending you light and love ..