February 2016 Surgeries

Options
13567…10

Comments

  • shpva57
    shpva57 Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2016

    Hello all:

    I had my UMX yesterday with sentinel node biopsy. I am doing well and keeping the pain minimized. The biggest pain is getting out of the anesthesia cloud. I feel strong and happy to be on the other end of the surgery. I hope you're doing well ducky179. We had our surgery on the same day

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • shpva57
    shpva57 Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2016

    Good luck tomorrow DisneyGirl16.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • blg4
    blg4 Member Posts: 88
    edited February 2016

    New here.. going to be having surgery at the end of Feb.

    I have DCIS in the right breast and LCIS in the left. Going to have mx on the right and excision biopsy on the left.

    I will be going to a hospital that is a bit far from where I am but within driving distance. Thinking of getting a hotel for family. The traffic is bad.. it is in Seattle.

    I have been posting on this thread

    https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/5/topics/...

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cupcaker
    cupcaker Member Posts: 35
    edited February 2016

    CoolgrammieNC - I just asked my mom, she was an RN for 30+ years - fortunate for me that I have a live-in nurse :) - and she says that your nail bed can tell the medical staff about your circulation and oxygen level, so she says No nail polish. I'm glad you posted cause I was planning on getting a mani/pedi. So there's something I won't be worrying about now.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • CoolgrammieNC
    CoolgrammieNC Member Posts: 54
    edited February 2016

    Thank you everyone for all the great tips..they help so much...as my date gets closer....I am scared, nervous, mad, and anxious all at the same time.....whenever I really start getting nervous I listen to that song

    "WeBelieve "and understand that I am not in this alone and that I have a whole family of warriors behind me...THANK YOU....

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Mellomom
    Mellomom Member Posts: 2
    edited February 2016
    Hi everyone, this is my first post on any board- Ever. I will be having a BMX with recon this month. Either the 15th, 22nd, or 29th. The details are still be worked out. I am going in to this surgery like a cat going into a cold bath. I want to keep postponing, but I am also plagued with the fear that waiting may increase the chances of it being in my nodes. I cannot get anyone to tell me how fast this stuff moves. I have IDC that is about 2 centimeters in my left breast. The MRI shows my nodes look normal. The KI67 rate was 52, but all the doctors say it means nothing. My oncotype score is 13, so if it hasn't reached the nodes, I plan no further treatment. Does anyone think waiting until March or April would really make a difference? Thanks,
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • shpva57
    shpva57 Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2016

    Hi Mellomom

    I think if you're feeling anxious you should do it sooner rather than later. The waiting time is the most difficult thing for me. I was diagnosed with stage 0 at the end of September 2015 and it took me four months to reach the surgery stage. If your diagnosis is clear and the treatment is as well, then just do it. Your anxiety will only intensify as you wait. You will feel much stronger on the healing side of this process. Having surgery just two days ago I feel pretty confident in saying this. I only had one breast removed which is a different healing experience than two, but you can do this.

    Sue

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • woodstock99
    woodstock99 Member Posts: 338
    edited February 2016

    @mellomom - I agree. Once I knew exactly what my pathology was after Mammogram, breast MRI & 4 biopsies (it was week after Thanksgiving), I was told that you could wait up to 3 months from biopsy but I really wanted to get my BMX done and over with ASAP. I didn't want to do in December before the holidays but took the first date my BS had in January which was 1/12/16. Since I was not doing recon, I did not have to coordinate dates with PS as well which made it easier. I just wanted to get it over with and move on to healing and getting back to my life. As well I have a 86 year old mom who I am always worried about something happening to and a stressful job so I felt do it sooner than later as you never know what can pop up in life. Just my opinion.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • DisneyGirl16
    DisneyGirl16 Member Posts: 121
    edited February 2016
      1. shpva57, Thanks for the good wishes. Surgery went well. I've got my pain pills and ice pack and sitting on the love seat with my legs propped up on the ottoman. :-) lol. I can feel the breast incision site more than the lymph node site right now, but it is not bad. Glad to hear you are hanging in there.
      2. TriplePositiveP, ducky179, Maine1965, and mom2boo_and_buzz, I hope your recovery is also going well.
      3. Mellomom, I understand how you are feeling. I wish I never had to have surgery but once I made up my mind regarding what surgery I wanted and was comfortable with, then I wanted it done asap. I was also afraid of the cancer spreading to the lymph nodes. The pathologist who looked at my removed nodes under a microscope while I was in surgery said they looked clear. So I am breathing a huge sigh of relief right now. I hope the final pathology report says the same thing. All of it is scary, but only you can decide what you are comfortable with.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Mellomom
    Mellomom Member Posts: 2
    edited February 2016
    Thanks everyone, I know you are right. I just feel so healthy and alive right now. I would never believe I am sick in a million years if I did not see the lab results myself. I hate the thought of getting on this cancer train, but I know I have to just do it. It is so hard for me to comprehend this is real and for the first time in my life I have no choices. At first I just wanted to fight it holistically, but I am not sure of success. It seems there is no middle ground to be found between the nutrition and wellness community and the traditional medical community. There is just a lot of finger pointing and discrediting. I had my babies at home with no drugs. I am amazed at what my body can handle without any help from doctors. But now, I am scared to trust them, and I am afraid not to. I guess I just have to close my eyes and jump on this one.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • blg4
    blg4 Member Posts: 88
    edited February 2016

    shpva57 that is my situation except my surgery is at the end of Feb. Not sure why so far away when I am not doing recon. I have DCIS in one breast and LCIS in the other. They want to do an excisional biopsy on the LCIS breast and an mx on the other.

    Mellomom I agree with you about holistic vs medical approach especially this line " But now, I am scared to trust them, and I am afraid not to." I feel a holistic approach will never be found because it won't make any money for them to market. I always say "you can't patent carrots".


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • woodstock99
    woodstock99 Member Posts: 338
    edited February 2016

    I am 3 weeks out from my BMX and have lots of things that I would like to donate to someone in need financially to someone who has a BMX scheduled later this month.

    Not asking for details but I will trust if someone responds via PM you know if you are.

    I am blessed with a great husband and family, great friends, wonderful job, excellent insurance, etc so had very little out of pocket expense for my surgery and between me, husband, friends & family, we overbought for a variety of items or bought things I did not need or ended up with duplicates.

    I just want to pack and ship one box to one location as I am returning to work P/T next week and I pray I will have no use for these items again.

    It's going to be almost like a Secret Santa with items ranging from button down tops (size XL), adhesive pink pockets for drains, one snap close top that has drain pockets in it, lanyards, no rinse shampoo packages, cleansing washcloth packages, shower belt, waist drain holder, socks. etc.

    There may even be a post-surgical camisole with drain pockets.

    If you are interested, please send me a PM.

    My goal is to try to get a large box this weekend, pack it and get my husband to take to ship sometime next via 2-day FedEx but it may take until the following weekend.

    Just trying to pass it forward.

    Thanks.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Queen_Celeste
    Queen_Celeste Member Posts: 68
    edited February 2016

    Balthus, that is really sweet of you to donate all your stuff. Have you thought of giving it to a local cancer center or breast cancer support group? Then you wouldn't have to pack and mail. They would surely appreciate it.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • woodstock99
    woodstock99 Member Posts: 338
    edited February 2016

    @queen celeste - most organizations with take $ donations but not items & particularly new without tags etc. There is also a forum on here for people donating items to others. Thanks.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited February 2016

    Hi all,

    Popping in here a little late with some good info from the main Breastcancer.org site on Surgery, including:

    Also, the Treatment Side Effects section is a great resource for tips to help manage any side effects you may experience.

    Lots of practical advice here on helping to prepare for surgery:Shopping/packing/to-do list for surgery + recovery....

    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 January 2016 Surgery Sisters thread.

    Hope this helps and good luck with all of your surgeries!

    --Your Mods

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • JACTsMom
    JACTsMom Member Posts: 55
    edited February 2016

    Just when I thought I had my head wrapped around my DCIS diagnosis and surgery on 2/16, today I'm feeling so anxious. I called my surgeon's office to confirm all was OK with my insurance company and it is which is great and now I know the exact name of the procedure - Left breast lumpectomy with sentinel node biopsy and needle localization and I had a moment of panic. I understand the surgical procedures but worried about how I'll feel afterward. Is the sentinel node BIOPSY recovery better than node REMOVAL? Could these pathology results come back IDC or worse?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • grandma3X
    grandma3X Member Posts: 759
    edited February 2016
    JACTsMom - no worries - the sentinel node biopsy is actually a removal (don't know why they call it that). I'm 3 weeks post op (MX) and the area where they took out the sentinel node is still a little sore, but feels better each day.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mom2boo_and_buzz
    mom2boo_and_buzz Member Posts: 149
    edited February 2016

    Hello ladies, I had b my BMX on Wednesday. The anesthesia made me really nauseous so I stayed in the hospital for 2 nights until I could keep food down and take pain meds by mouth. I'm doing much better at home. Sleeping in a borrowed recliner and friends have brought dinner every night. I think I'm having more muscle pain than incision pain but it's hard to tell. Taking some benadryl helps me sleep those last couple of hours in the wee hours of the morning.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • blg4
    blg4 Member Posts: 88
    edited February 2016

    mom2boo_and… so it is painful for you to lie flat?

    I am really concerned about you saying you feel it is more muscle pain... I have fibromyalgia. None of my drs that I asked could give me info on how the surgery would affect my fm. (BTW fm is just a big word that means "muscle pain".)

    If you have to have any surgeries in the future tell them you had nausea this severe. The anesthesiologist can give you meds for it.

    i am not listed at the top of the thread but I am having surgery the 25th of Feb

    Be sure not to get in the habit of sleeping in the recliner. Get out of it as soon as you can. My Mom broke her ankle and slept in a recliner. Now she cannot go back to sleeping in a regular bed.. it hurts her too much. We have an adjustable bed from my Dad. He passed away in Sept. (She broke her ankle many years ago so we did not have that bed then.)

    I hope you feel better soon

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • woodstock99
    woodstock99 Member Posts: 338
    edited February 2016

    blg4 I have Fibromyalgia and had my BMX almost a month ago and I can't say it made it any worse. I think for awhile it will be hard to tell if new pain and soreness is relted to BMX and will go away over time (although read posts in Pain forum) or will exacerbate FB or other immune system issues. I was going to sleep in recliner but mine is manual so my husband put a small wood box on floor for me to put my feet on to watch tv and rest but I did sleep in my bed and was ok with a wedge and lots of pillows.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mom2boo_and_buzz
    mom2boo_and_buzz Member Posts: 149
    edited February 2016

    Thanks blg4 for your insight. I had direct implants so I did expect some muscle pain over the implants and that is where it feels like it is. I see both surgeons tomorrow so I will talk to them about it. My bed is pretty high up and soft so I think a few more days in the recliner will be easier. When I had the port put in I slept on the couch with a wedge and other pillows for a week or so. After that I was back to sleeping on my stomach or side in bed. I do think this will take longer but I can't let DS take over my side of the bed for too long LOL.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Skittlegirl
    Skittlegirl Member Posts: 428
    edited February 2016

    Thinking of you today, CoolgrammieNC and nurseiam.

    Glad to hear that your recovery is going okay, mom2boo_and_buzz.

    I woke up with what feels like the beginning of a sore throat. My BS says that we should still be good to go on Thursday for my surgery. I really do not want to have to reschedule the surgeries.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • StaceySue2U
    StaceySue2U Member Posts: 281
    edited February 2016

    My surgery is scheduled for 2/25. I'm having skin sparing BMX - cancer on right, prophylactic on left. Removing sentinel nodes on right. I'll be getting tissue expanders and plan for DIEP reconstruction.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Mckaylaleigh
    Mckaylaleigh Member Posts: 90
    edited February 2016

    I finally have a date and can be added.  22 Feb BMX no recon! Thanks :)


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • JACTsMom
    JACTsMom Member Posts: 55
    edited February 2016

    Correction - no SNB for me. That portion of my surgery is cancelled. It wasn't recommended by my surgeon but, out of fear, I was the one insisting on it. However with a grateful heart to this amazingly informative and supportive site I've cancelled it. Yes, left lumpectomy on 2/16.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mom2boo_and_buzz
    mom2boo_and_buzz Member Posts: 149
    edited February 2016

    I had my bandages taken off today. Both my BS and PS were happy with the results and so am I. Pathology report showed pathological complete response so I'm thrilled! Drains in for at least another week and have to wear sport bra 24 /7. I'm pretty much off pain meds. I'm going to try sleeping without them tonight.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • blg4
    blg4 Member Posts: 88
    edited February 2016

    For people commenting on sentinel node.. my surgeon explained to me that it has to be done with the breast still attached.

    I am sure being in a recliner a few days wouldn't be a problem. I don't know how long she was in it before trying to sleep in a regular bed

    No one has told me about needing to be propped up etc.. why is that needed?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • mom2boo_and_buzz
    mom2boo_and_buzz Member Posts: 149
    edited February 2016

    Blg4 - at least for me it's too difficult to lay flat just yet, you can't use your hands to push you up for a while and my core just isn't that strong. I moved to the couch tonight with the wedge pillow behind me and it's been very comfortable. If you're only having UMX or no lymph nodes removed or awesome abs your experience may be different. In the hospital they had the machine on my legs to increase circulation /prevent blood clots, a pillow under my knees, the head raised on the bed and pillows under my arms. They were taking no chances!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • VSB2015
    VSB2015 Member Posts: 34
    edited February 2016

    My BMX is scheduled for Feb. 16. My boss expects me to be back to work March 1. Is this unrealistic?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ducky179
    ducky179 Member Posts: 43
    edited February 2016

    VSB, it's really up to your surgeon to tell you how much time you need to be off work. A lot depends on the type of work you do too. I had BMX with immediate DIEP flap reconstruction and was told I needed to be off work for 4 weeks.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories