March 2014 Surgery
Comments
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Hi March gals, thanks for sharing on this thread --
We're stopping in to supply some good information for you and future posters to help prepare for your surgeries:
Check out some good info from the main Breastcancer.org site on Surgery, including:- What to Expect with Any Surgery
- Lumpectomy: what to expect, side effects, and questions to ask
- Mastectomy: what to expect, side effects, and questions to ask
- Lymph Node Removal: what to expect, side effects, and questions to ask
- Reconstruction: all types of reconstruction, what to expect, side effects, and questions to ask
Also, the Treatment Side Effects section is a great resource for tips to help manage any side effects you may experience.
Also, you may find it helpful to chat with ladies from past months'
surgery threads, to get first-hand stories of their experience; see the February 2014 Surgery thread.
Hope this helps and good luck with all of your surgeries!
--Your Mods -
Hi everyone!! Sorry it took until today, but things didn't exactly go as planned. It is safe to day gen anesthesia and narco pain mods are not my friends!!!
I don't remember much about that first night , it is better that way. However, we have all had a good lesson and will be much more aware the next time. I am taking Valium and high dose ibuprofen We have decided that I can tolerate a little pain over the pukiing...sorry may be too graphic.
Thank you all for prayers and good thoughts!!! I am home and resting in the awesome lift chair!!!
Prayers to those recovering and those on deck, together we can beat this monster !
Also, I came out of surgery with 360cc's in each expander!! Yikes!!!
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Also wanted to add, they found more IDC in a place they weren't even looking ! So glad we decided to godown this path. I truly can't imagine doing it again!!!
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Lakegirl, Sorry you had such a hard start to recovery. Glad you are home and hopefully getting lots of TLC. Keep us updated. Not sure if you were given the option of lump. w/rads or not, but I can't imagine doing this all again as well. Im afraid they may have missed something in my mammogram on my right breast, so i just want to take them both off and never deal with this again. Did they find the other spot in your right or left breast? Also, have you seen your new ones yet? Im guessing you look pretty good with 360cc's in. Get lots of rest.
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Lakegirl, so glad to hear it's over and you are home. Since you just had your surgery Tuesday, I didn't expect to hear from you until about now. Those first few days are really tough for most of us, but it does get better in a day or two, as you have pointed out. Sorry you had nausea and vomiting. I sure wish the doctors could wave a magic wand and make it go away. For those of us who are so sensitive to general anesthetics, it makes recovery harder. Did you ask for anything before surgery to decrease it? Did they try anything like Zofran afterwards? Sometimes those meds really help, sometimes not. Is the nausea all gone now? Mine always lasts at least a day and a half, sometimes longer. The only time I had surgery with no nausea/vomiting afterwards was when I had IV sedation - propofol and versed - instead of general anesthesia. Unfortunately it's not appropriate for all surgeries.
So you are pretty comfortable in the recliner? Good for you! Valium and 500 mg Tylenol will get you through this ok and keep your pain to tolerable levels, especially now that you are past the hardest part. Rest and heal and get back to us when you feel like it. Don't worry about being too graphic. People need to know that it doesn't always work out the way you planned.
(((Gentle Hugs)))
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Still reading all of the posts and getting mentally prepared to get this behind me. Iwannaseeyoubebrave, I was out driving on the day of your surgery, and I heard the song "brave" and I thought of you. I got emotional for so many of us going through this, but thankful at the same time to have each other. So happy you are doing OK,...The waiting is the hardest. My breast is very tender so it reminds me daily that something is very wrong,...
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Hello all - home and resting and watching tv. Just had some fruit and toast. My PS told my husband "she will be happy" but in the short term I'm a bit ouchy. My implants were removed, some pocket work done to lift the right side and smooth the left, new mesh sewed in, and implants replaced.
If you have a SNB prior to surgery you have an incision under the arm. You have this with lumpectomy also. I had ALND five weeks after BMX - my SNB was clear in the OR, but post-op path showed cells, and I have an incision under the arm that is as wide as the underarm. I was numb for the better part of a year, but regained feeling gradually except for the hollow of the underarm. Interestingly, I did not grow much hair there after the surgery.
I was a lumpectomy candidate who elected BMX. Prophetic choice as I had ALH and ADH, as well as multiple palpable cysts, in the "prophy" side. The two types of dysphasia never showed on any imaging. My 2cm IDC didn't show on mammo and the 1/2 cm positive node further up was missed on the pre-surgical MRI. BMX was a good decision, as was ALND.
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Sandra , they threw everything at me but the kitchen sink. Actually had to hold pain meds to let some of the anti nausea stuff work it's way through. I had scolpamine patch, meclazine, zofran, they didn't want to layer pain med in fear of affecting respiratory. Finally, the rock star of RN,s came to my rescue and Reglan was the thing that actually helped. They really didn't think it would work,but it was a game changer!!!!
I am sore no doubt, but as long as we stay on top, I can take that over the nausea and vomiting any day.
We(my type A) sister and I are religious re the Valium and 600mg ibuprofen. We are trying to alternate the two, I'm never without one or the other.
Question...is the side that had the lumpectomy and SNB more painful? They are sore especially around the sternum.
I must say from what I can tell they look pretty good!!! I was totally worried I would come out flat !!!
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Lakegirl, I hope you're feeling better. iwannaseeyoubebrave, it's good to see you posting already and all went well. I just had my last day at work for probably a month. I've been in a very positive mood because I'm happy my surgery date is finally coming Monday. I've had this lump since October and was diagnosed February 3rd. I just want it out. There are a lot of us on Monday! Good luck to all of you.
I finally got a call back from my surgeon tonight. During my pre-op Tuesday he said that if I had a lot positive nodes, they may not proceed with the mastectomy on the good side, and may not place expanders. I had emailed him about it. He told my there it is a very small chance, like 2%, that this would be the case. Fingers crossed for clear margins and negative nodes. Focusing on getting new perky boobies has really helped my not think about the cancer.
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I keep my focus on the new ones that stick out farther than my tummy and aren't what I would call "stripper"boobies!!! To each their own, but not for me.
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Julie, keeping you in my thoughts and keeping the fingers crossed! Clear margins, negative nodes, and perfect perky boobies!
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Thanks, KLJ :-)
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Is anyone having a nipple sparing mx/ bmx? What are the pros? What are the cons? How did you decide? I didn't sign my surgery concent form at my pre-op because I can't decide. I realize that clean margins determine if it will even be possible on the cancer side. My surgery is still on for Monday morning they said I could sign it then.
To the March ladies that have already gone: Yay you! You did it!
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Blueberry, I asked about nipple sparing before I had my BMX six months ago. The breast surgeon said since I had DCIS, which is in the ducts, and the nipple is at the end of those ducts, the nipples could have DCIS cells. He said it was safer to take everything so that DCIS would be gone for sure. (It only grows in the ductal system, so without ducts and nipples, it cannot recur.) Made sense to me. However since then, I've seen lots of women post on this forum who had DCIS but still had nipple sparing. ??? I guess there is a difference of opinion among doctors. That's no surprise...they seem to disagree about everything.
Another reason why I didn't have it is because my breasts were huge FF. So much skin and tissue had to be taken, that trying to save the areola and nipple would have required repositioning it and hoping it would survive the transplant. Apparently some don't.
On the other hand, unless you have tattoos later (which I understand is amazingly accurate), your new foobs (fake boobs) will look more normal if you have nipple sparing.
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Lakegirl, I'm going to ask my anesthesiologist about meclizine and reglan when we have our pre-op meeting next week. He can look at the hospital records and see if I've ever been given either of those. Thanks for the tip. Maybe reglan will help me like it helped you. Just as you described, the PONV (pon-vee, post operative nausea & vomiting) is the worst thing about having surgery with general anesthesia for me too. Unfortunately it's pretty common but not always as bad as you and I seem to have it.
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I had skin and nipple sparing and had both IDC and DCIS. My BS originally suggested a lumpectomy so that would have spared the nipple anyway. They core out the underside and do a separate pathology on it. If there are cells, they will remove it. You have to be a candidate for it - mass well away from the nipple, smaller cup size - my BS won't do NS on anyone larger than a large B-small C, and little to no ptosis or droop.
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I will also add that if I had it to do over again, in my case specifically, I would lose the nips. I have had 8 surgeries on the non-cancer side. My left TE was out for seven months and the nipple was not stretched by the expander, but the other one was. So I still have nips but one is smaller than the other. There is some degree of risk that they don't end up being symmetrical, even if you don't have complications.
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Hi everyone,
You can add me to the list. I'm scheduled for BMX and TE placement on 03/26. I have three areas of DCIS in my left breast and decided to do prophylactic MX on the right. Ironically, I was diligent about my mammograms because I've had discomfort in my rt breast for years. Turns out that was the healthy one!
Still struggling with the decision to do PMX. I know this is the right decision for me, but making the declaration to remove healthy tissue feels a bit like giving up- making a decision based out of fear. But I also know that it's ok to do that. I have a 5 y/o son, and anything I can do to minimize future disruption in our lives from cancer is something I feel I must do.
I've worked in oncology for 15 years as a psychotherapist and have seen many brave souls go through their journey. Many of them "speak" to me now as I work through this process. Needless to say, being at work these days is an interesting and complex experience.
Another wrinkle in my story- My mother was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer six weeks before I was diagnosed. Her prognosis is very different from mine and trying to sort thought both simultaneously is sometimes a challenge. She had her first chemo two weeks ago and is actually doing quite well right now.
Like many of you, I wish I could get to surgery faster. I am scared, but optimistic. I have very good doctors and a great support system, especially my husband and now all of you! Thanks to everyone for your willingness to share.
Here's the question that keeps popping into my mind- Will I ever feel normal again? After all the surgeries, tattoos, etc. (however long they take) will there be a day when I don't think about this?
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Hello Ladies,
It's been a few days but I had to log on to let you all know I'm doing well. It's 5 days post surgery and I can wash and blow dry my hair - that is to say the "styling" happens mostly in the front but I can reach the back to brush it through and dry it. I keep thinking of all the fabulous women who have gone through this already and it helps me so much each step along the way. For all those who still have their surgery in front of them: please know it will be ok. I was so scared in the hours before. I was afraid of being put to sleep, I was afraid of how I would feel (not just physically but emotionally) when I woke up, I was afraid in general. But it all turned out ok. The doctors and nurses just sort of ease you into everything before you know it, you're on the other side.
My surgery started at 3:30 on Monday and was over about 7:30. At midnight they came in to try to get me to go to the bathroom and take a walk down the hall. They seem to worry about blood clots. I couldn't do it then. I felt all the blood drain from my head and I felt very nauseous. So they let me go back to sleep. By 3am I was able to get up and go to the bathroom. They asked me if I wanted to walk down the hall - sure! I said. By 7am, I was ready for breakfast and actually feeling pretty strong.
I was sent home the next afternoon. A couple of days after being home were slow. You have to adjust to oral vs. IV pain meds and the anesthesia takes time to actually wear off also. So if you take a slight step back after getting home it's OK! It's just an adjustment.
Yesterday, 4 days post surgery, I had my follow up with my plastic surgeon. It's kind of funny, I think, what a surgeon finds "beautiful." But it's nice to know I'm healing well. I also got my first "fill". It was uncomfortable but it gets better.
Maybe I'm rambling - I just want you all to know - WE CAN DO IT! Please don't be afraid to ask ANY questions. There is nothing too personal. Many healing prayers and thoughts reaching out to you all!
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PS called this am to check on me. He basically said no more narcotics for me!!! And, I need to tell every healthcare provider the same.
My sister is here taking care of me our joke today is to use my T-Rex arms. LOL!!! Elbows at you side move ment from elbow down only!!! I have to entertain myself somehow!!!!
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Did you just have surgery on Monday? It's awfully soon to get completely off pain meds! I'm still on mine - not taking as much as I've been prescribed but the expanders themselves cause quite a bit of pain. I've not heard of anyone getting off pain meds in less than a week. Are you ok, Lakegirl?
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I also have more pain on my left side where I had my lumpectomy. I'm not sure if they did some extra scraping or if it's the old scarring that's causing the pain. Also, the left TE expander looks a liittle more odd than the right. I put my big brave on today and took a really good look at the excisions. That was a very anxious moment. I was surprised that I didn't react badly like I thought I would. I think it definitely pays to do some picture research to prepare yourself. I also braved a short shower. It felt amazing.
Also, if some of you are worried about getting nausea, just make it clear with your anesthiologist. I stressed that I get motion sickness easily and they created the perfect cocktail for me. Thinking about all of you that are recovering or getting ready for your big day. One day at a time. Sometimes one minute at a time. Just keep looking forward. Keep those positive thoughts flowing. It does help.
Lastly, stay on top of your meds. We've been writing them down religiously. I've already cut back on the pain meds but don't plan on holding back on the Valium just yet. It helps with the muscle spasms.
Take care. Hugs to you.
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Melisden, very glad to hear a progress report from you. It sounds perfectly normal...tough the first couple of days, then better and better each day. I learned the hard way that there are times you will feel pretty good and be tempted to do something other than letting your body heal. Believe me, if you do, you'll pay for it later in the day. Staying ahead of your pain is the way to go! And yes, like Lakegirl, you can do this without prescription pain drugs, just over the counter Tylenol or ibuprofen or nsaids. (Like her, I'm too sensitive to narcotics so it's not a choice for me. I've actually coded - heart stopped, after Dilaudid, Stadol, and Tramadol. With morphine, my oxygen stats drop into the 70's immediately and the ICU folks get way too excited! Fortunately I have a high pain tolerance and have developed skills using biofeedback. But believe me, I wish I could have a percoset instead!
) I've read that some take a non-narcotic during the day and just take prescription drug at night because the constipation from narcotics gets bad after awhile.
Lakegirl, sounds like we are "no-narcotic" sisters as well. It's been my experience that medical people tend to minimize it when you when you say you can't take narcotics or opiates. It's very common, apparently, to feel a bit of nausea after taking them, so they just assume that's what you mean. Make sure they know that your oxygen stats drop too low and you have extreme nausea/vomiting. They will ask what drugs, specifically, you've had problems with, so be sure to get a list from your doc of what was tried and what failed. I've even thought of getting one of those medic alert bands. Here is a little something to make you laugh.
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Iwannasee, isn't it weird how each side has it's own way of healing? It still amazes me how not only are women different, but our own body can respond differently, even from surgery to surgery. Glad you are taking Valium and it's helping. I always ask for it now. I had never taken it because I'd never had muscle spasms before or needed a muscle relaxer. It does make you a bit sleepy at first...that may depend on the dosage. I had no trouble with the BMX with permanent implants. You'd think I would have had muscle spasms, but no. Then with the next surgery where one implant was taken out and a TE put in, the muscle spasms attacked me...just on that one side. It must be really tough with both sides! I took no chances with the next surgery and had the doc order it right along with the antibiotic and Tylenol so I wouldn't have to wait while they called him. I feels like HOURS when you are suffering.
So do you think you look like you thought you would? You were smart to have looked at some pictures ahead of time. I didn't and should have. Keep posting and let us know how it's going.
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thinking all of you ladies who went through hell and back this past week! You are so strong!!
Lots of good calming thoughts coming to all of you who are up for Bust Ride(ETA: shoot! I did it again. Bust Instead of Bus!! Freud is having a laugh at that!!) this upcoming week.
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If you haven't checked out the Tips and Tricks thread, here's the link. Feel free to add your tips too.
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/6/topic/817225?page=1
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Blurberry For whatever it's worth, my breast surgeon (not the PS) said that she thought the color of the nipple on nipple sparing eventually changes and she personally thought nipple reconstruction after Mx brought better results.
Lakegirl Thank you very much for the tip on Valium, narcotics are not my stomach's friend either. I had two c-sections with only tylenol post -op and have been wondering what else I might be able to use.
SpecalK Changing plans that alter short-term expectations sucks. But it sounds like you are back on your game pretty quickly; your help with all of our questions is priceless.
Sandra I don't know what I would have done without your wisdom. I'm hoping the Pilates work I've done for so long helps my recovery go smoothly.
So tomorrow I'm off on my long awaited bus with all my March sisters in my pocket. I'll keep you all updated when I can.
alisaandjoel, Tarot, Blueberry, jbdayton, and Juliecc We'll have a rockin bus full tomorrow! Its so good to have company for the journey. Sending you all the very best thoughts for great outcomes.
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Welcome McWill. This is the group you wish you'd never had to join. It has to be extra hard for you since you've worked in Oncology for 15 years. Also with your mother's Stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis, your stress level has to be maxed out. Knowing she is doing well has to help a little but it's hard on children, no matter what their age. My grown daughters (41 & 37) had more difficulty than I did with the news. They were worried about me, of course, but they had to face what this would mean to their own lives and brought the issue of mortality to the forefront. It's not an abstract idea for you anymore.
Making decisions is SO hard, especially when you think the doctors won't know for sure what you have until they get in there and the pathologist reports the results. Deciding between a lumpectomy and mastectomy is agonizing, especially when one "side" or the other is trying to push you into making the decision THEY would make. Only you know what is right for you. Your doctor may try to influence you too but once he/she has given you all the facts, they need to respect your choice.
Like you, I chose a double mastectomy. I knew the studies show that lumpectomy with radiation delivers the same chance of recurrence, but I was more scared of radiation than anything else. (I already have heart problems so couldn't take a chance on potential heart damage.) With a BMX, I wouldn't have to have rads or chemo or years of hormone therapy unless pathology showed my DCIS had become IDC. Since extensive LCIS was found in what we all thought was my healthy breast, the BMX turned out to be a good decision for me in the long run.
Others are horrified by the idea of mastectomy and so afraid of the side effects, they could never chose to go in that direction. Some women say they wouldn't feel like a woman anymore if they lost a breast. An older married woman might have a different viewpoint than a younger women or single women or maybe age has nothing to do with it. There truly is no place for judgment. There is no right or wrong.
McWill, I don't know much since I'm only six months into this journey. You asked how long it would take to feel normal again. I don't know. I'm not even sure I know what normal means anymore. Women say they DO get to a place where they are comfortable with their new bodies and don't even think about cancer anymore. I guess I have to be patient and wait for that "new normal" to show up.
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