Just diagnosed, surgery on Monday with existing implants

Options
JJOntario
JJOntario Member Posts: 356
edited December 2014 in IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

I am a newbie here. I am really trying to catch my breath as this us all happening so fast. Surgery (SNB, wire loc and lumpectomy) are being done on Monday. My other breast is also in question and needs to be biopsied but they are anxious to get the right side done now.

A yr ago had a completely spotless mammo, and with my last child making plans for university and NO BC in my family I went ahead and got the boobies of my dreams. I finally had the time to focus on myself. Now this "perfect" boobies are even more complicated by these implants. Has anyone else had implants and then gone on to find BC?

There are so many things we don't know...and last week at this time my DH and I were joking that we were being sp paranoid with worrying.

-- on top of this..we bought a new house and are moving on Dec 18th, and we have a family vacation planned with non refundable tickets to Costa Rica...leaving on Dec. 24th. I was feeling overwhelmed before...but now things are just feeling totally insane!!!

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited December 2014

    Hi JJ, and welcome to Breastcancer.org.

    First, take a deep breath -- we can understand why you're feeling overwhelmed -- there's a LOT going on!

    Take relief in the fact that there will be surely very many members weighing in shortly on your situation and offering support to you. You've found an AMAZING community offering tons of advice, knowledge, and support. Welcome!

    Please keep us posted on how things go with your appointment on Monday!

    --The Mods

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • JJOntario
    JJOntario Member Posts: 356
    edited December 2014

    I am really trying to wrap my head around the fact that I have spent the last 9 months on the "justbreastimplants.com" forum...(which is an amazing, supportive, and informative site) to joining this forum. I have had exactly one week from being diagnosed to my surgery ...it's just all happening so fast... I had way may support when getting my BA compared to this and I am freaking about the SNB and wire loc. at least in the surgery I will be out...

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TarheelMichelle
    TarheelMichelle Member Posts: 871
    edited December 2014


    JJOntario, I had beautiful $5k breast implants for 6 years before being diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer in my left breast. I was very upset about it. Everything worked out OK, though. The implants stayed in -- I had read that removing the implant might be necessary but my lump was very high almost at my collarbone, so removal wasn't necessary. My radiation oncologist said that the implant gave my heart protection from radiation. I did not have any thickening, lumpiness, etc. of my breast tissue or my implant from radiation. My surgeon did a gorgeous job. He had to take out a lot of tissue to get clean margins. The left breast was at least a cup size smaller, but it was not misshapen, and the scar was very hard to see. Of course, though, having had implants, I wasn't thrilled. I got a prosthesis, which I hated. It took me several years, but I finally got reconstruction surgery in April, using lipo from my belly to fill in my left breast. I had lost quite a bit of weight in the meantime, and my left breast had started to get a divot but the surgeon made me look pretty good. I am pretty happy with the size and symmetry of my breasts. I don't "hate" my breasts or feel like they were trying to kill me, as some women do. When I was diagnosed, I had a hard time finding info on surgeons who were experienced in lumpectomies on women with implants. You might want to focus on talking to doctors who do breast revision surgery (when an implant surgery didn't have a successful outcome) and cancer surgery, not just cancer surgeons who take out all sorts of malignancies. You want a surgeon who is familiar with implants and lumpectomies. Hoping you will have some fantastic doctors and nurses taking care of you.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • fluffycats
    fluffycats Member Posts: 35
    edited February 2015

    Hi JJ,

    I'm a newbie too. I got implants in February of 2012 and was just diagnosed with IDC after a lumpectomy on 12/5. (I also used the JustBreastImplants website when I was researching getting implants.) My surgeon wouldn't biopsy the lump as he didn't want to risk injuring the implant. Unfortunately, the margins weren't negative so I will need another lumpectomy. He actually wants to take off the nipple as the tumor was practically under it. I don't know how I feel about that. I want nothing to do with this whole mess. Anyway, my surgeon did a core needle biopsy of a swollen lymph gland on 12/11 (it's on the same side as the BC), and I will get the results from that tomorrow but we are pretty sure that the cancer is in the gland because of how misshapen the gland was. Today, I went in for a full body PET scan to see if the cancer is anywhere else.

    You're correct in that this is all moving way too fast. I noticed the lump back in July but figured it was a cyst as the left breast usually developed a cyst every few years that would hang around for a few months. Leftie is also where I had problems with mastitis when I was nursing my son (he is now 20). I didn't get concerned about the lump until the end of September during my yearly physical when my doc found the swollen lymph gland. He tried to send me for a mammo but I put that off until 11/19 as I had been laid off for a while and had just started temping and simply couldn't handle the possibility of bad news while learning a new job.

    Anyway, I wanted to let you know you are not alone in getting BC after getting new boobies. I would definitely take that trip if I were you, medical clearance or not. Of course, I'm not one to play by the rules anyway.

    I will post my results and action plan after that is all figured out. Take care!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories