Lumpectomy Incision Size - Tamoxifen Concerns

michelle - I did not have a lumpectomy but as you can see I have had a lot of BC related surgery.  I am sorry that you ended up with a larger incision than you were told to expect, but you are right, it is good news that you have clear margins and no positive nodes.  It sounds like you may have some cording which might be causing the pain down the inside of the arm to the hand.  This is fairly common with node removal - and 5 nodes for a SNB is a little more than usual.  I would suggest that you request a physical therapy referral so they can do some gentle stretching and massage. It is best to see a physical therapist that is certified to treat patients with lymphedema.  I am not suggesting that you have lymphedema, but you don't want someone who is not experienced with breast cancer patients to cause a new problem because of their lack of knowledge.  As far as taking Tamoxifen, it is important to realize that ladies who are taking Tamoxifen and having no problems with it are probably not posting on this website - they are just out living their lives.  You can always stop taking it if the side effects are too difficult, but it is worth trying to see if you do well with it.  I take an AI as opposed to Tamoxifen, but I was willing to try it to see if I could tolerate it.  Sometimes the initial side effects dissipate as your body adjusts.  I would suggest that you go to the "My Profile" section by clicking in the upper right hand corner of the screen and filling out you diagnosis info.  People who have a similar circumstance can often offer better advice if they know the specifics of your diagnosis and treatment.  Good luck!

Hi Michelle ~ I had lumpectomy surgery almost 6 weeks ago.  I only had one (sentinel) node removed but similar to you experienced severe pain in my armpit and inner arm. This was more painful than surgery site! I am sorry to hear that your incision was larger than anticipated.  so glad to hear like 'specialK' said that your margins were clear!  I have heard also that physical therapy my help with that. My arm has felt a little better every day so I'm hoping that you will do the same.  Hang in there.  I, too, am supposed to start on Tamoxifen too and know that most responses and comments on blogs, etc are negative, but I have had several friends with complications.  it is a personal decision for everyone.  I spoke with my oncologist about my concerns (greatest being higher risk of uterine cancer) and asked for ultrasound because of symptoms I have been having for several months (bloating, pain, heavy bleeding during cycles, spotting/bleeding between cycles) Had ultrasound and hysterosonogram this week showing a .8cm polyp in my uterus. (I know these are fairly common...and it could be nothing.)I will be visiting gynecologist on Monday for plan of action of this (was supposed to start Rads Monday but will wait a bit on that)  I have decided that even if test for this comes back fine I am not going to go on Tamoxifen.  I am researching some healthier/natural treatments (not to be started until after radiation) instead.  Good luck in your research gathering and decisions.

I have been taking tamoxifen for nearly a year now and am experiencing no serious side effects.  I started taking it two weeks before radiation ended and everything went smoothly; a few minor side effects (i.e., vaginal discharge) that disappeared very quickly.  I, even, lost 10 pounds during the first month of taking tamoxifen!

I am very athletic and active, and haven't needed to slow down one bit. 

Michelle, I know it seems so crazy that we need to put ourselves into the hands of our doctors and they can't really tell us what to expect to better prepare us, but that's often what seems to happen.  I asked my surgeon prior to surgery about where she was going to make the lumpectomy incision, and she honestly said "I won't know until I get in there".  So sorry you ended up with a bigger scar than expected, but so great that your margins and nodes were clear!  I had physical therapy after radiation and learning how to stretch and exercise my arms properly helped a lot.  I also rub vitamin E oil (max strength capsules) into my scars and massage them every morning and night and they are so much better 6 months post surgery and 4 months post rads.  I also use coconut oil as a moisturizer most nights and the skin on my radiated breast is super soft and almost all discoloration has gone.  As for Tamoxifen, I was pretty scared to start too, but my MO said it was my "home run" in terms of treatments.  I figured I should at least try it and not freak out too much about side effects unless they actually happened.  I weaned myself onto the full dose over 2 weeks (5mg for 3 or 4 days, then 10mg, then 15mg etc).  Who knows if that helped, but it certainly helped me mentally!  For the past 4 months I have barely noticed any side effects that I can attribute to Tamox, and being on it hasn't stopped me losing 20 pounds with a healthy diet and exercise plan.  I know everyone is different, but it's worth a shot and you can always stop if the side effects are too awful.

michelle - thanks for the good wishes - that is sweet.  I am doing fine, but it has been a long haul!  Something you may want to consider for your incision is silicone scar strips (link below), or Kelocoat, which is silicone gel.  It is supposed to flatten the scar out.  There is a member named omaz who has a skin care regimen to use during rads.  Her RO said he had never seen anyone who weathered rads with skin that looked as good as hers.  If you PM her, tell her I told you to, she will give you the info.

http://www.target.com/p/scaraway-professional-grade-silicone-scar-treatment-sheets-1-5-x-3-8-count/-/A-13107196?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=Google_PLA_df&LNM=%7C13107196&CPNG=Health+Beauty&kpid=13107196&LID=PA&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=13107196