October 2017 Surgery Group

I'm having a BMX on 10/3. This forum has been extremely helpful. There's so much that my doctor hasn't told me.

Hello!

Thank you for creating this group. I'm still in the overwhelmed stage - some days are great and others, i struggle with anxiety and feelings that my body is full of cancer. It's the "limbo" stage - I have a surgery date of Oct. 16 but the surgeons are not sure if it will be a lumpectomy with radiation or mastectomy. Fortunately, I also get to have some input and gathering my own info. is overwhelming at times.

I have been leaning towards a mastectomy to ease my anxiety over the cancer spreading etc. and also am concerned about side effects of radiation. Running/slow jogging has been a staple in my life - helped with anxiety ...its my mindfulness ...so am worried about some people claiming after radiation they had shortness of breath. What about others?

Preparing for surgery...any good hints?

Some wonderful to have a group like this - thank you

I'll be thinking about all of you who are going through this with me!

I had chemo prior to surgery - so just completed 4AC and 12Taxol treatments. My bilateral mastectomy is scheduled for October 20th. I've never had any major surgery, so I am nervous!

Scheduled for bilateral mastectomy on Oct 9th. Originally thought I'd be doing lumpectomy plus radiation but MRI showed 2 new tumors that didn't show in mammogram or first ultrasound. Lymph node biopsy showed negative but still waiting for oncotype score & sentinal mapping, so still hoping to avoid chemo. In the space of a week I switched from thinking of lumpectomy, then lumpectomy with reduction for other side, then to deciding on single or double mastectomy and what kind of reconstruction I would choose! I did some research and thought I had it figured out, but like everything with this disease, planning is only a guideline. Where I live, the term "immediate reconstruction" means only adding the tissue expanders. I then wait about 4-6 months to do whatever full reconstruction I choose. Honestly I was a bit disappointed because I told myself once I had to endure the bigger surgery (mastectomy vs lumpectomy) then it would just be one big horrible ordeal and be done. Now it is a minimum of 2 fairly extensive surgeries and recoveries within one year. That is tough to work out with my job and my life, but I guess that's what it will have to be. At least I have more time to research options. For now, I will just concentrate on getting the cancer out of my body.

Prayers to everyone. I am having a mastectomy the 26th and after a lumpectomy in Feb and radiation after then the cancer coming back they want a mastectomy. I won't have any reconstruction, this surgery is enough for me to worry about. I thought it would be like the lumpectomy but a little worse and I would be down a week or so. Well now they say 6-8 weeks!!! Very scary. All I can do is stay positive this will take care of it and you all do the same!

Karenro, I hope you're not as freaked out about tomorrow as I am.

I was upset because everything was taking so long, and now it's here and I don't know if I can handle it. I know I'm as prepared as possible thanks to the information I've found here. Thank you all again.

Guenhwyvar, good luck tomorrow. {Hugs}

I am curious why everyone is getting MRIs. I found my lump, had mammogram, ultrasound and core biopsy. Lumpectomy scheduled for October 18th, no mention of an MRI. Is this a difference between the US and Canada?

vampeyes, I don't know if it's a difference between the US and Canada, but I do know that the MRI found two smaller masses on my left side that the 3D mammogram and ultrasound missed.

I'm ready to get the surgery done, too, adrachim. (I hope I still feel that way tomorrow night).

My surgery went well. The surgeon used staples instead of stitches and steristrips because of my allergy to adhesive. Then he put bandages on and wrapped it all up in a huge Ace bandage.

I'm feeling pain and pulling with pretty much everything I try to do with my upper body. They've got me on Norco but will give me morphine if the pain doesn't improve enough for me to sleep.

I'm also worried about the amount of swelling under my arms. I hope the surgeon comes by fairly early tomorrow to check everything.

Had my Unilateral mastectomy with immediate DIEP flap reconstruction on the right side and left side reduction on Oct.2. I was disappointed that the BS had to do an axillary dissection instead of just the sentinel nodes. That is the only area causing me any pain at the moment. I was very nervous but glad to get it done after being diagnosed in June. I am anxiously awaiting the pathology report as I have a cancer diagnosis and a huge imagination that seems to be running wild

Surgery went well, and I'm resting comfortably at home.

Guenhwyvar, I hope you've gotten more pain relief and the swelling has gone down.

LRE, I get anxious whenever I don't have information. I'm hoping that once the rest of the tests are done, and I'm staged, I'll get rid of some of that sort of anxiety. (Even though it may be replaced with some other sort of anxiety).

Scheduled for bilateral mastectomy October 26. I was really hoping it would be sooner so I can get it over with!

Hi, just got my surgery date. I'm having a unilateral mastectomy with direct implant on 10/19.

Warm wishes to all those that have already had surgery. I hope you continue to get stronger day by day