May 2017 Surgery Group

Matryoshka · May 2017

Thank you for your kind words, KimPossible. You may want to ask your Doctor about sentinel lymph nodes biopsy and axillary lymph nodes clearance. My lymph nodes were clear from the MRI scans, but my Oncologist told me she would remove some sentinel nodes from my underarm for testing during my lumpectomy, and if need be, I will need a clearance of the underarm nodes.

And turns out one of the two sentinel nodes removed from my first surgery had expansion beyond the nodal wall that my doctor was concerned with, so she recommended a second surgery to clear it out, to see if it has spread.

I read up somewhere that sometimes Doctors don't always tell patients about lymph nodes procedures up front, or even if it was shared, it gets forgotten because we are more concerned about the breast cancer diagnosis, the chemo, the radiation. So may be a good idea to check with your Doctor on this. Good to know what procedure you will be undergoing, especially when any form of lymph nodes removal will have potential side effects ranging from mild to serious (such as numbness, stiffness, painful sensitivity, lymphedema). We don't need any surprises like this in our condition! (=

Just keep in mindthat a clearance is not always necessary, it may not even be recommended if you will be going for radiation. Just that for my case, the Onco felt it is necessary, and I trust her.

Feel free to ask if you have any questions! There are a lot of information on this site to read up on too!

Flomom14 · May 2017

Okay, so I had my bilateral mastectomy with lat flap on right side only [second fight with breast cancer, had lumpectomy and radiation first time, just finished 6 months of chemo (AC and Taxol on April 10)] surgery on May 1st. First week of May was a blur between pain meds, discomfort and sleeping. Worst part was opiod induced constipation due to anesthesia and pain meds - stopped pain meds immediately after that low point.

Question for anyone who has had the BMX yet, I am numb from my right elbow to my left armpit. It feels like I have an elephant sitting on my chest due to the expanders. I had 4 drains, 2 removed last week and I am hoping for the rest this week; however, has anyone had swelling and how long will the swelling last? And has anyone had discomfort with the expanders, it feels like I have two boulders in my chest and haven't even begun the saline filling yet

I was also fitted for my surgical corset/bra before surgery and would advise sizing up with one then go regular with another, I was so swollen after my surgery that when I left the hospital, I could not get the surgical bra on at all.

Other than exhaustion and I still have one t-rex arm on my right side, I am doing pretty good going into week 2 post surgery.

Anonymous · May 2017

Matryoshka,

I forgot to put in there that she expects to take 1-3 with SNB at the time of lumpectomy. So, I am prepared for that, too. I appreciate you thinking of telling me that, though. So much to process and do, in such a short amount of time.

Interesting that she said both lymph nodes look good with MRI, but one question for her is how can she know for sure? I guess she can't until she takes them. I go for my radioactive seed localization Thursday. Formulating new questions as we speak...

Kim

DizzyGirl · May 2017

Wishing all the May 18th ladies good luck. I am so nervous I almost feel sick. I met with Lymphedema specialist today to get a baseline before surgery. I think this made me even more nervous. She suggested different shoulder exercises I can do without raising arms to get nodes moving fluid.

To the hosp at 5:30 am and surgery at 7:30am. Will stay at least 1 night in the hosp, possibly 2.

Breathe!

Dizzy Girl

Anonymous · May 2017

Dizzy, You can do this!

BTW, I am in Northern, IL. Prayers for peace and quick healing. Have been wondering if it will be easy to type post surgery. As a Southern transplant, I can't have any voice recognition tool intelligently transcribe a message for me...not without a good laugh by all.

Update us as you can, and nothing but the very best to you!

Kim

Tpralph · May 2017

mine is same day but have to be there at 6 am surgery starts a 8 am and runs 8-10 hours for bilateral mx and diep flaps

nervous but anxious to have it done with. What a crazy trip the last two months have been. wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

Lordhelpmetoo · May 2017

good luck to all the ladies having surgery tomorrow. Please keep us posted

Kim345 · May 2017

Hi Everyone and Welcome to everyone new (lots of support with these guys) Sorry haven't checked in in a bit but running around like crazy trying to get ready to be out of commission. Family, 5 and 6 year old little girls and work. I am sure everyone has the same running around or did if already had surgery.

Dizzy & Tralph - yep, I'm the 18th too and have to be there at 6am and surgery at 8am - BMX w/TE's and nodes. We will all be in there at the same time!! I am getting nervous too but it's time to get past this!! You're right, crazy two months!!!

I did get my genetic testing results back. I tested positive for the chck2 gene which increases breast cancer odds by 40 - 45 percent it what I was told. BMX right deciduon for me because now would have been decision by Team. Also, have ILC which already increases for bi-lateral occurrence and hard to detect.

Sunny - I think you are having surgery tomorrow!!! We will be thinking of you.

My fellow 18th's - It's time....it's coming....let's do this! Will be thinking of you! I think we have one more on the 18th too!!

Thank you to everyone that posted after your surgeries. What s HUGE support. Hope you are doing well!! I am taking the advice and not taking much to the hospital.

Lordhelpme - thank you for your thoughts!

Kim

Anonymous · May 2017

Lumpectomy with sentinel nose biopsy scheduled May 25. I need to go in the afternoon before for the sentinel injection (freaked out about that). I'm most nervous about too many lymph nodes being taken out. Although nothing showed up on the MRI outside of the one tumor, so bs thinks she won't need to take many, I'm so afraid of lymphodema and how it wouldn't impact my qol I'm having high anxiety about it. (Other shoulder is already limited mobilty due to arthritis)

dp1 · May 2017

my surgery is also on the 18th. I am so nervous but I want to get it over with. I'm having a BMX with tissue expanders and also a SNB done. My mind keeps racing and all these thoughts keep running through my head. I wish I could relax and sleep, but I can't. Oh well, good luck to the others upcoming surgeries

Kim345 · May 2017

Hi dp1, I knew there was another 18th scheduled. What time is your surgery? Best wishes to all - Let's keep in touch!!! Post when can!!!

Epic - wishing you all the best too next week. I understand the nodes are nerve racking...nervous too. Stay positive :

Herculesmulligan · May 2017

sunny jay and the other may 17 surgery people out there: our day is here! Let's do this! Keep me posted on how you're doing when you can.

If I can vent.......I'm feeling a little sorry for myself today. I've got 4 sisters and a mom, none of whom have reached out about my surgery today. No text, no call, nothing. It bites.

But I've got a supportive husband and friends who are looking out for me. I'll focus on that.

MamaOz · May 2017

good thoughts coming your way on your surgery kimpossible

My bmx is sceduled for Sat morning getting anxious a bit

After long emotional debate with myself, and others in same boat, I have radiation to follow.. I am opting for no recon ..

Anyway I am just hoping chemo worked and any suspicious nodes left are negative..

wishing all good luck as I may not be on the board for a few days

NotVeryBrave · May 2017

Hercules - Sorry about the lack of support from your family. It's always surprising to see what happens. Focus on your team and their love and support. Just can't figure out some people.

Epic - Try not to worry too much about the SNB stuff. It's usually a group that they take - seems like 2-5 is usual number. I had three. I was so anxious about the procedure that I cried with relief after the injection was done! Emla cream on the area with plastic wrap for an hour ahead of time really helped.

Lordhelpmetoo · May 2017

EpicSquirrel, you and I are scheduled for surgery same day. Except mine is BMX. Good luck darling

dcdrogers · May 2017

Sending blessings and well wishes for those who are facing surgery this week. You got this!

~Dee

dp1 · May 2017

Kim345, my surgery is scheduled for 7:30 but they want me at the hospital at 5:30 am. I'm trying to pack and just get through this day without thinking too much. I'll be posting when I'm feeling okay. Good luck to everyone.

Heidibird · May 2017

Sending good thoughts and wishes to those getting ready to go through their surgeries as well as to those who have already had them. Mine was in November so I don't fall in your category but I wanted to give encouragement if I could.

Lordhelpmetoo · May 2017

Heidibird, your encouragement is much appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to do so

Herculesmulligan · May 2017

ok I'm home. The surgicenter had 70 patients trying to cycle through 4 ORs, so there was a lot of waiting. Once I got over my peevishness about that it went well. Some pain but already I can tell those sharp TE edges are gone and that feels good. I had some dilaudid and some Vicodin and that's helping.

Lordhelpmetoo · May 2017

Hercules, so great your home now and that it went well. This will be me next week

Herculesmulligan · May 2017

you're gonna love it! Already that pressure under my armpits is gone. What a relief. For the first time in months I feel like I've taken off the stone bra

Herculesmulligan · May 2017

I just touched them for the first time.OMG THEYRE SO SOFT!!

JuliaJazz · May 2017

My axillary node dissection today went very well. Took about one and a half hours including installing a port for possible chemo. Doc told my husband that the nodes looked clear but that was true last time as well and pathology later came back with a different result. So we will patiently wait again!

I took one oxycodone when I got home and now am going go try cutting back to half a pill thru the night. Everyone's pain threshold is different, so it is not a contest. Take what you need. I am babying my right arm and my husband is patiently waiting on me but I get up an down to the bathroom, etc. quite easily from my nest on the couch. With a variety of pillow I have my arm raised and my neck supported.

Hope everyone else who had surgery today is doing well too. Hang in there ladies who are still waiting. Try to focus just on the next step and not worry about possibilities down the road. That is the best advice I have been given and it is really helping me.

OhHeyItsDeeDee · May 2017

Good luck to everyone with upcoming surgeries! Everything is gonna go great! I had my bilateral mastectomy with tissue expanders on 5/9. For sure, my left arm is more sore because of all the lymph nodes that were removed, but the pain overall hasn't been too bad. When I left the hospital the day after surgery, I wasn't able to feel anything from my left elbow up and also in my armpit. Now, a little over a week later, I have feeling in most of my arm except the very back part. The armpit is still numb, but maybe I'll regain some feeling after a while(?)

Also, drains truly suck! They serve a very important function, but still, I feel like a creature with these tubes hanging out of me! I started with 4, and am now down to 2 that will hopefully come out tomorrow. That'll help me feel more like me again

dcdrogers · May 2017

@OhHeyItsDee - I had my BMX surgery on 5/4 and still have 2 of the 3 drains in. Scheduled to meet with the PS tomorrow with hopes of removing one more, but with the past two days of outputs on the remaining 2 drains I don't see that happening . I believe I read in several places that moving around increase the fluid output. This just plain sucks because each day as I get stronger I tend move around more and thus create more output.

I have 10 nodes removed from under my left arm and also have numbness in the back of the arm. It seems to get just a tad better every few days and I'm hoping the numbness will eventually go away. Armpit is also completely numb.

~Dee

Herculesmulligan · May 2017

I had the same surgery with the same numb armpit. In the last 15 weeks it's coming back. I'd say I've got like 60% restored sensation and still getting better. I did switch to an electric razor to shave that armpit bc it freaked me out to shave something I couldn't feel,

Oh plus the sensationnto the back of my arm I'd totally normal now.

OhHeyItsDeeDee · May 2017

Hey dcdrogers! Our treatment timelines are neck and neck huh? Except reconstruction I guess. I'll be having DIEP flap surgery sometime after radiation so more drains are in my future! You are so right regarding output and activity. But I found is that suddenly the output just comes to a screeching halt. 50cc's one day, then maybe 10 cc's after that. Weird. We'll be rid of our tentacles soon!

@Herculesmulligan Thank you for giving me hope! I really hope for a similar result. It's really strange touching a part of my body and it feels like I'm touching someone else, know what I mean LOL

jerzeygirl17 · May 2017

hello! I am 8 weeks out post op and have expanders. I read and stocked up on everything however this is what was most helpful:

wedge pillow to recline in bed - it will be very hard and uncomfortable laying flat for few days.

satin button pajamas helped me slide in and out of bed. You will need some help or need to learn how to get up from the bed without straining your chest wall.

button down shirts for drains and easy access - you will limited mobility with arms overhead

no deodorant allowed for month or so

no shaving - def shave or wax underarms before surgery! wash hair, get it done while you are at it since you can't shower for awhile. Only sponge baths.

dry shampoo

lots of alcohol wipes - to clean and wipe arm pits as well use for drains.

rubber gloves - for drains. you want to minimize infection so when you are doing drains - hands to be clean, rubber gloves and wipe the drain tip with alcohol wipes - most def is you have someone helping you

always had snacks near by since the meds made me bit nauseous

baby/body wipes to wipe your body down

cozy easy slip on pants

hand sanitizer and hand lotion bedside

I purchased a neoprene drain holder for shower however I never used in shower since I wasn't given permission to shower with my drains but I did use the holder around the house when I didn't want the drains dangling from my shirt

water - stay hydrated and vitamin C helps with healing

seatbelt velcro buddy is helpful for when you are in a car - driving or being chauffeured

keep items you use daily on counter so you don't reach

get up and walk around as much as you can. it helps with circulation ( think blood clots) and moving (slowly) excalerates healing.

I read a lot about the surgery and spoke to many women. I was very nervous for the obvious reasons. However, it wasn't as bad as thought. I had a great support system and my drains came out within 6 days. No infections. Drugs were helpful the first few days!

However, the tissue expanders were extremely uncomfortable for days. Each time you get filled too, the pressure returns. I had a hard time catching my breath and talking the first few days. It feels like a large elephant on your chest but each day it gets better and you will get relief between expansions

I am 8 weeks in and have a lot of relief now. I still can't sleep on my stomach and side sleeping can be frustrating at times but def a lot better. I feel like I have a bra on 24/7 - which I do - an internal bra

Don't buy bras....you won't need them or be using them. Wear button down loose shirts. I have tried wearing some soft bralets recently however they have been so tight but I can't feel it since I lost sensation. My doctor doesn't recommend bras especially post op.

Hope this helps. Good luck to you. Sending you healing light

jerzeygirl17 · May 2017