March 2017 Surgery

I'm new to the threads, happy to jump into this one!

BS says March will be the surgery month, although there are still big decisions to be made. I have the option of having a lumpectomy, though due to my age and anxiety (and desire to have children) I am leaning toward a mastectomy. I will have 2 new additional "possible" spots my BS will biopsy tomorrow to help determine if they are for 100% cancerous. Its so difficult with my young dense breast. Plus I have always been A cup and my smaller is the cancerous one.

Im just ready to get on with the program. Most excited to make this decision, have the surgery, hopefully not need chemo or rads, and start the hormone drugs! I have already discussed pausing after 2 years for conceiving. Im ready to get a plan together, beat this, and move on to starting my family! Its been hard finding those who can relate to my situation especially being under 30 and not being predisposed to the cancer.

God bless and good luck to you all.

great for you dear...my surgery was 17 days ago...and Im scared about if I need chemo...so Im praying, and hope everything will be fine with my...next Friday I'll see my doctor...god bless you!

"Yvonne - Thank you, yes that is very true. When I first got thrown into this cancer world I thought "there is no way I can do all this, get to the end of all this mess." However, with a little time, I realize that its not one big leap, its the small things accumulated together which will result in the big things This brings me peace as grace is only granted for today, tomorrows grace will come tomorrow! How are you doing with your surgeries? How was the lumpectomy vs mastectomy?"

Pinkskies, Exactly! I need to apply that in every situation as well. I tend to look at the BIG mess or situation. When we moved here a year and 1/2 ago, We sold our home in one day and had to be out in 30 and we didn't know where we were going! Sounds easy but it was NOT! Found a place to live a week before we moved. Anyway, so God started to show me to just look at one box at a time, fill that up or donate and then to the next one. Unpacking was the same. I learned this lesson which now I am applying to this new journey I'm on. One thing at a time.

My story; I had a huge lump that I put my head in my handy sandbox hoping I wasn't feeling it. I'm not a doctor person, last time I went was in 2000 for a broken thumb, so I HAD to go. Finally with God pushing me constantly, I went. Doctor is so kind and said don't judge yourself for the past, you are here today and we are going to deal with this one thing at a time. So got the Mamm, Xrays, etc and we decided to take the Lump out and biopsy it. Came back with my dx and my two choices were partial Mast and then radiation for several sessions or complete Mast, no radiation, we went with Mast. and that is on 3/7.

I am finally feeling almost 100% from the Lumpectomy, so it's been like a dress rehearsal for this next step. When I got the results from the Lump, we jumped right in that day and scheduled the Mast for ASAP and then realized we were rushing too much, we needed to process, pray, process, pray. Now I feel like I can do this on the 7th. Armed and dangerous.

Sorry so wordy. I'm praying for you girl that you get clear direction on what is right for you and you have peace about it.

Hi pinkskies2813 & Yvonne_M - I love your outlook. Yes, one day at a time, grace for today, not for tomorrow or what may or may not be.

pinkskies2813 - Have you been able to find some encouragement/help in regards to your decision? It's not an easy decision and your age would certainly be a weighty factor. I'm sure there are pros and cons on both sides. Hopefully you will be able to connect with some younger ladies and hear how they processed and weighed out the treatment decisions. Then you can use those thoughts to help you think through and determine what is best for you. I'll be praying for you.

Angyrojo - Hello, how are you? What type of surgery did you have? I'll be praying for you too. Please keep us updated.

Wow so many DIEP surgeries on here. That was my first choice but unfortunately I wasn't a candidate due to previous abdominal surgeries. I'm getting TE/implants, March 10th. Anyone else on here getting TE/implants? If so do you know what kind you're getting? Brand, gummybear, round/anotomical, saline/silicone...sorry if I have my terminology wrong, I'm still learning. Do you know what your TEs will be filled with? I saw on other groups that some get air, thought that was interesting, have to ask my PS what my fills will be. How about above or below pectoral muscles? I'm getting mine under the pecs--I wasn't given a choice but see a lot of articles about above muscle implants.

So nice to have a group for support and sharing information while going through this.

raven4mi, can you tell me if you are having your implant above or under pectoral muscle once the te has done its job? Wondering because my PS is suggesting that he will place above with dermal something?? or other. I'm not all too familiar with any of this. Just asking around wanting to find someone who has had it done this way and see how they are with it. I should include I'm having skin and nipple sparing and that he is suggesting straight to implant. I've noticed everyone seems to be doing the TE'S which makes me wonder about the difference.

hey all,

My surgery is scheduled March 3. I just finished chemo February 1 and I am getting nervous about the surgery. My doctor is leaving it up to me to decide UMX vs BMX and I am all over the place about the decision. I will also get sprightly SNB. Technically my long term survival is the same either way, but having just gone through all of this, I don't ever want to go through it again. On the other hand, I really don't want to make the decision based on fear and would really prefer to keep 1 breast if I can. I have to get a MX because I have 2 areas of concern on my right breast. I am doing delayed reconstruction and I am heavily leaning towards A DIEP. I just don't like the idea of implants. I have always been a barely A cup. My PS recommended delayed reconstruction because I might have to have radiation depending on my margins and my lymph node status. I will get TE because my breasts are so small. Part of me is considering just going flat. I don't know. Too many decisions. Mostly I am feeling overwhelmed and anxious. I wish I could just be done with all of this.

Is any one here, like me, having surgery first with immediate reconstruction and then immediate chemo? My onc said I could do chemo 1st, but she would give me more chemo plus herceptin or we could do surgery 1st and wait for the final path and it might just be Taxol plus herceptin. She said, and I agree, why get more than needed right now, especially because last time I had heavy treatment and they cannot use the same chemo again. But it seems most people here fall into the neoadjuvant rather than adjuvant treatment or were able to delay reconstruction. My PS is doing immediate DIEP reconstruction and 2 weeks later I meet with my onc to confirm which types of chemo and targeted therapy I will receive, with those treatments starting immediately thereafter. Anyone else in this boat? I'm concerned about recovering from this very major surgery while doing chemo as I remember what the chemo was like last time around. On top of it, I will have to return to work 4/17 as that is all the leave the surgeon and PS told my employer I would need.

Raven4, Thanks for the info.

CDV I don't know about chemo right after surgery since it drops your white blood cells. I had to wait 6 weeks after my RMX before I could start chemo. I had a hysterectomy after chemo and had to wait 4 weeks after my last chemo treatment to have the surgery. I agree about not doing chemo until you have path reports so you know what you're dealing with, nobody wants more chemo than they need. Now I'm getting prophylactic LMX with bi-recon.

Has anyone been given info/tips about what to expect during recovery, like moving arms, sleeping in a recliner, etc. I'm trying to get my head around what recovery will be like. Someone was saying she couldn't even lift her arms to brush her teeth, not sure if she was exaggerating or not. I am NOT a back sleeper so not looking forward to sleepless nights on my back.

Does anyone know if they will be put on an antibiotic after surgery? I can't remember if they did after my MX. But I read if they put in drains, which I'll have, they put you on an antibiotic. Caught c.diff at hospital after my hysterectomy, don't want to go through that EVER again so not keen on ever being on an antibiotic again.

My PS didn't say anything about dermal skin or anything, I wonder if that's just for over pec muscle recon, another question for my list, sigh.

Thanks ladies, so nice to have a group to ask questions. I feel like I'm finally seeing the end of the tunnel, but this last surgery really scares me, well almost last, there's the TE implant transfer too. And the fills scare me too. I know he's giving me a pain ball or pain pump that supplies local anesthesia to the surgery site for the first 72 hours, not exactly sure what it is.

Plantchild, thanks for starting this thread!

just checking in to say hi. Bmx will be Friday, and I will bevery glad to be on the other side of that! I'm probably going to just stay flat. Implants are definitely not for me. I'm going to go for a diep consultation eventually, will have to go to Toronto for that, but that seems like such a major ordeal and - in my mind - for what? They still won't be my breasts. Anyway this whole thing has been interminable. I hope it's almost over.

Sitti, my implants will also be over the muscle. Sorry I can't give you any insight on straight to implant because my PS doesn't do that. I'm sure someone else will be able to jump in and give you more information. If you, or anyone else, is interested in learning more about pre-pectoral (over the muscle) implants, this is a great thread to follow: TE/Implant OVER pectoral Can exercise, comfortable &NO RIPPLES!

Plantchild, no, my infection was hospital-acquired and unrelated to the implant - a rather rare gram-negative bacterial infection called serratia marcescens.

LisbethS, every PS seems to have a different opinion on pre- and post-op antibiotics. I find it really depends on what your particular PS "usually" does. If you're really concerned about infection and can find a holistic center that does high dose Vitamin C infusions I highly recommend that. I'll be having infusions 4 days before and 3 days after my next surgery, and the same at time of exchange.

As for your questions on what to expect post-op the thread that Sitti listed is very helpful but recovery is very different for every person. Personally, I had only slight arm movement restriction after my original bmx that went away in a couple of weeks. I slept in a La-Z-Boy for several weeks because of the amount of time I ended up with drains.

My unsolicited advice to all of you is to research, research, research and be an active participant in your treatment plan. You're the one who has to live with the decisions so don't let your MO or PS or anyone else railroad you into anything you're not comfortable with. I've had to put the brakes on my PS a couple of times to get the results I want. I'm happy to say he's been very receptive to doing what I wanted.

hello sisters. My surgery for single mastectomy was moved up to Feb. 24, I stayed overnight for observation and the pain has been tolerable. I have a follow up appointment on Thursday with the doctor, I am tired but the excersizes given feel great. Yes they hurt a bit but need to push forward. I had lymph nodes removed and this is where the surgical site hurts the most. Extra padding has helped, a mini pad. 😊 No matter what the results, push forward, endure the pain because my life is what iwant.

today is my day! 8hrs to go...excited and scared...

NervousGal - I understand what you mean about feeling alone but there are wonderful ladies on these boards that are a great source of encouragement and help. I don't know if you've read the February surgery thread but it is very encouraging as there are several ladies that have had either BMX or UMX and it sounds like they are doing wonderfully. I will be having BMX also. Be sure to keep us updated how you are doing, you aren't alone!