Double Mastectomy in the morning.....Im so scared

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Melinda0628
Melinda0628 Member Posts: 67
edited December 2016 in Just Diagnosed

I was just diagnosed with BC last month. Had a biopsy and it was positive. I have never had surgery and this is freaking me out. Everyone says you will be fine but my nerves are taking over.

DX 10/28/16 Left Infiltrating Lobular Carcinoma, Right Lobular Carcinoma Low grade Stage II Bilateral DM 11/25/16

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited November 2016

    You will be surprised with how little it hurts!! Because there are no organs or bones or muscles moved around you are really just dealing with the incision. As the incision heals at home it will first be pretty numb but after ten days or so it starts to zap. That is the nerves regenerating and is a good thing.

    Getting them both off at once is smart so you don't have to go through two surgeries and healing times. Getting out of bed will be the hardest thing you do. Use your stomach and leg muscles!!

    Good luck sweetie. You are not alone.

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  • Luckynumber47
    Luckynumber47 Member Posts: 397
    edited November 2016

    sending big, big hugs your way. I'm sure what you are imagining is much worse than the actual surgery. Did your dr give you something for anxiety? Mine prescribed Klonopin for the morning of surgery and it kept me very calm. Surgery was like a nice nap. Any pain and discomfort was well controlled by the nurses and I ate a regular dinner

    You really will be fine. Just get through it and let the healing begin

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  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited November 2016

    I think the forum isn't that busy because of the American Thanksgiving so I just wanted to say that I found my double mastectomy to not be that bad. I didn't have reconstruction but really I could have gone home from the hospital the same day if not for having sleep apnea. I was surprised to only need plain tylenol by the second day.

    I was worried that it would be hard to manage on my own but I was fine. The drains can be a nuisance but for me the experience was way better than what I had expected. I hope yours is too.

    Hoping you have some kind of way to calm yourself and get some sleep.Take care and come back here for support after your surgery.

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  • xxyzed
    xxyzed Member Posts: 230
    edited November 2016

    Surgery is scary. Ask the anaesthetist for drugs for your anxiety when you arrive at the hospital. Everything about the recovery like the drains, funny feelings in your chest area, wound healing, is annoying but not a big deal in the overall scheme of things. Remember
    any problem is temporary and can be fixed.
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  • jewybean71
    jewybean71 Member Posts: 14
    edited November 2016

    Melinda,

    I know this is scary. I was just diagnosed with breast cancer too, on 10/28. I just had my lumpectomy and sentinel lymph node surgery on 11/22. You can ask for something to relax you before surgery, and that helps. You will be asleep during the surgery and then wake up in the recovery room. I had my husband and uncle there with me and that helped because they actually told jokes and funny stories before I went in to help me with my nerves. The nurses and doctors were very caring. I went home with pain meds, which i am still taking. I am following dr's orders to rest. Important to eat & drink too. I think what has helped me the most is looking at surgery as a positive in that the doctor is removing the mass from my body. I will say some prayers for you. You will be ok! :)

    Juli

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  • Kat104
    Kat104 Member Posts: 30
    edited November 2016

    Melinda,

    I'm sorry I didn't catch you before your surgery, but I hope you are feeling so relieved by now and recovering smoothly! I had a single mastectomy 3 days ago, and I found the day/night before surgery to be harder than the surgery day itself. The fear was strong, and yes, the surgery (my first one too!) felt like a deep nap. I so hope this finds you in a better state of mind, and I'll say congrats! You got over a big hurdle! Now time to heal. You've been through a lot, and you're doing awesome.

    Kat

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  • Goincrzy8
    Goincrzy8 Member Posts: 387
    edited November 2016

    I too am not looking forward to surgery, my UMX is Dec 9. Barbe1958 thanks for that post, You are right when you say Because there are no organs or bones or muscles moved around you are really just dealing with the incision. OMG that was an eye opener for me. Thank you

    Hope all went well Melinda.


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  • Melinda0628
    Melinda0628 Member Posts: 67
    edited November 2016

    Thank you all for your encouraging words. Im in the pre op area got my iv in and just received my sentinel node injections...8 total. Now just waiting. Surgery isn't for another 1.5 hours.

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  • truper
    truper Member Posts: 10
    edited November 2016

    Does the sentinel node injections hurt? I have my Double Mastectomy surgery on Dec 13,...I'm such a big 66 year old baby. Someone told me that I would be down for 5 to 6 weeks and could not do much of anything..I live by myself..is this true?

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  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited November 2016

    I was waiting for the injection and she told me we were done. I hadn't felt it. For me the anticipation was the hard part. I was 66. Try to keep busy until then or ask your doc for some temporary anti anxiety meds if it is too much. Hopefully the person who started this thread will report back with some reassurance for you

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  • truper
    truper Member Posts: 10
    edited November 2016

    Thank you wrenn for your post, at least now I can sleep tonight...I haven't slept much since I learned about my BC. I do trust in the Lord and I know I will get through this as everyone else has. I'll be glad when I'm the one telling people how to get help and how to get through it. I'm so glad that I found this forum. What little time I've been on here I have learned a lot. Thanks to all that has posted. May God bless you all!

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited November 2016

    Truper, they used to inject right onto the nipple which was agonizing but now they just do the quadrants. Some people want anesthetic but that just adds another needle!!

    As for being "off" for 5 to 6 weeks it's mostly the anesthetic your body is dealing with. I drove back to work after 2.5 weeks with an hour commute each way. You will want to feel normal as quickly as possible probably and getting back into a routine helps. If you're getting reconstruction it will be a much longer healing time of course.

    Hoping to hear from Melinda today.

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited November 2016

    The recovery time is also dependent on whether or not you have reconstruction in the form of expander placement or direct to implant. If you chose not to do reconstruction, or delay it, the recovery time after surgery is faster. I think 2-3 weeks for mastectomy without recon, 5-6 weeks for those who start the recon process at the same time as mastectomy. That said, one is not incapacitated - I did bi-lat mastectomy with expanders and had help for less than the first week, and rested and took it easy after that, but did not need help getting in and out of bed, making things to eat, stripping drains, bathing, etc., but I was not cleared to drive until the 4-5 week point though, and would have returned to work at the 6 week point.

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  • Melinda0628
    Melinda0628 Member Posts: 67
    edited November 2016

    Hi everyone,

    I am doing good. Obviously sore, but my surgery went well and its over! Still in hospital, but everyone says im doing very well. The sentinel node injections I barely even felt.

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited November 2016

    Way to go Melinda!!!! Very proud of you, sweetie, we know it's tough.

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  • Mariangel43
    Mariangel43 Member Posts: 136
    edited November 2016

    Melinda, we are very proud of you. Both the biopsy and UMX surgery were the most nicest thing I ever had. Nothing hurt; when the drains of the UMX moved, it hurt a little, but nothing to bother me or leaving me without sleep. I can't say that of the first phase of reconstruction. I felt pain with the TE placement. But I didn't take pain killers except acetaminophen.

    Truper, I had a different experience with the sentinel node biopsy. The anesthetic injection didn't hurt but one of the dye injections directly into the node made me scream like crazy. I was not prepared and started to wrestle with BS. When he pinched me to the table of the CT, he said DON'T MOVE!, and I asked CAN I SCREAM? I screamed hard and loud. When he finished, I started to fight with him. Anyway, he started laughing and everything went well after that. Then I went to the patient's waiting room and told the patients, as I said you before, I scream a lot. It was a funny, painful experience. Will I let them do it again? No. I need to be totally sedated to let anyone pinch a node. But since everyone has a different threshold for pain, everyone has a very different experience. The BS had to inject directly into the node because all my procedures were delayed because of a stupid paper. But that is another strange story. Hope everything goes well for you. And a little relaxer can help you.

    When I was supposed to have my needle biopsy, I was so anxious that I had two 5 mg. diazepam and half 1 mg. alprazolam (2 Valium and 1/2 Xanax. I knew I had an ultrasound because I saw the pics but I only remember that the surgeon said he would send me to the ER. And something about the technician. I spent the rest of the day fighting sleep, of course. I needed that thing for my SNB too. But this BS only made me have synthroid before surgery. :)


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  • Goincrzy8
    Goincrzy8 Member Posts: 387
    edited November 2016

    Glad to here all went well Melinda. Barbe you went back to work after 2 and 1/2 weeks? That is great if you did.

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited November 2016

    Goingcrazy8 yep I had to. Commission sales. I only got paid when I sold. I hadn't had a sick day in 2 1/2 years so used those plus the stat holidays and the rest of my holiday days between Christmas and New Year's. I went back to work the day my last drain came out.

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  • truper
    truper Member Posts: 10
    edited November 2016

    Melinda, Glad your surgery is over and you are doing ok. Please keep us informed about how you are doing in the next few days. Praying for you.

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  • Melinda0628
    Melinda0628 Member Posts: 67
    edited November 2016

    Hi again

    Day 1 at home went fine. Hubby has been amazing. Nice to be able to sleep and not be woke up every couple hours for vitals, etc. Should have a follow up with BS next week. Just glad its over, at least the surgery.

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  • Kat104
    Kat104 Member Posts: 30
    edited November 2016

    Melinda,

    Hooray, this part is over! Wishing you continued healing and that each day gets easier than the day before it.

    Kat

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  • msphil
    msphil Member Posts: 1,536
    edited November 2016

    hello sweetie i am a 22yr Survivor Praise God and i still remember the fear n anxiety i felt quite normal for what ur goin thru But know we are here for u, AND THIS TOO SHALL PASS scripture. U are in my prayers. HOPE You All has nice Thanksgiving. God Bless

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  • Melinda0628
    Melinda0628 Member Posts: 67
    edited December 2016

    Thank you for all the encouragement. Its been a rough week, but everyday gets a bit better. I just had my PET Scan today so I am nervous about those results. Follow up with BS tomorrow.

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