November 2017 Surgery Group

I had my umx yesterday. I am having a hard time figuring out how to sleep.

DS - are you feeling more comfortable? A lot of people have said they either sleep in a recliner or propped up in bed with a wedge pillow and 4/5 other pillows that you can use to prop you up or put under your arms. Has your pain been manageable?

Ceci - This thread will stay and that way we can all stay in touch with each other. This site has been such a great support for me these last few weeks. Wishing you a speedy recovery!

Gladyscat - Best of luck with your upcoming surgery! Why will you have a drain in your abdomen?

UMX and ALND Nov 8th. Finally starting to get some energy back. Will be going into work tomorrow for a couple of hours (Office job, I run a business).

Hi everyone. I am so glad (sorry!) that there are more of us here now. It was lonely for the first few days and now there are lots of people in here supporting each other. That is so wonderful. I know that I hate to feel alone.

My UMX was on 11/9. The first night was pretty awful because my IV left hand was mangled up and I couldn't use it and my right hand was UMX side and I couldn't use it so I was kind of stuck in one position for a while. I was too drugged up to ask for help from the nurses and I couldn't figure out how the bed worked. I sent my husband home to help with the kids at 8 and I should have asked him to stay later and help me. The nurses were not very kind and I felt like I was bothering them a bit. The next morning I got gross eggs and cold coffee and decided to get my butt home. So when the surgeon came and said I could stay or go I knew I would get myself home where I would be more comfortable. I ended up taking a Tylenol PM and sleeping just fine once I made myself a nest of pillows. I have slept well most nights with my nest and I am feeling better than I have in a long time. I had been on Femara since May and that made me feel pretty tired and achy so waking up not in pain is pretty amazing. Waiting on pathology seems to take a million years but that is how it goes.

I forgot to mention I don't have expanders. I am going to need radiation and so reconstruction will be much later. Also, I am going to stay smallish and PS said I didn't need expanders. That is probably why I am not in pain. I have heard they are really painful.

Gentle hugs to all of you and I will check back in and see how we are all doing. Thursday I hope to get drain one out and here some good news from my doc.

Hey Roaming Star - welcome! I initially felt dread and horror as well. I am almost a week out and now I am okay. My friends and family focused on the positive of getting the crappy cancer out of my body and that helps. I have to really count my blessing each day or I can fall in a large pit of despair. We could all get hit by a bus every day and be dead so living in fear just seems wasting the time I currently have. I have been walking more and more and that is helping me to keep my spirits up. Although I feel like a monster with drains I still love the sun on my face! Let's stick together!

Hello, I am new to this group. I had a double MX on Nov.8 with expanders filled with 400cc. I have found the only way I can sleep is with one of those bed pillows that have arms with 2more pillows on top of that to give my back support. I can't tolerate any pillows under my arms. Must have uncomfortable recliner...it hasn't worked at all for sleeping!!!! Still have 2 drains but those are coming out on Tues when I have to have second surgery for auxiliary node removal . One sentinel was positive. I will have another drain and probably more pain meds of which I havent had any in two days. I feel like this is going to be a great setback in my recovery. The scariest thing for me so far was the shower. I was so weak but it really felt good. Make sure you have a stool or seat in tub so you can sit. It really drained me. Second one was much better, I even washed my hair on my own! Our struggles are very real. I think this site is going to be a tremendous help

I have been diagnosed with breast cancer....again. I am estrogen positive. I was first diagnosed at 27, and now 40. My surgeon and RO want me to have a hysterectomy, but my chemo oncologist and my gynecologist don't think it would be beneficial. I am not a genetic carrier.So my problem is, I have 2 drs. saying yes, and 2 saying no. Any suggestions?

so if you do the hysterectomy you take away 80% of your estrogen production. If you did tamoxifen before, your risk of uterine cancer is higher than the average woman. Hysterectomy takes that risk off the table. The other 20% of the estrogen can be handled by blocking with tamoxifen or stopping its production process with an aromatase inhibitor. If you were on tamoxifen before, maybe they're thinking it wasn't as beneficial as they hoped it would be. Basically the hysterectomy takes the majority of estrogen out of the picture permanently and removes some longer term complications. At the same time it open you up to more treatment options (aromatase inhibitors) as you have to be post-menopausal to take them. Just had my hysterectomy 11/2 and no regrets so far.

Thnx Roxy13 for your update - mine is on Friday. Looking forward to getting the cancer out and getting this over with!

Keeps us updated:-)

FYI for those of you considering getting your ovaries removed..

My oncologist said the meds like Arimidex you'd take if you are postmenopausal are better than Tamoxifen.

My plan is to try Tamoxifen, and if I have side effects or it's not well tolerated, then get my ovaries removed so I can go on one of the newer meds for post-menopausal women.

hello - it’s good to find this group. I only got my diagnosis of cancer on 31.10 and had UMX on 15.11. Unfortunately also a trip back into the OR to fix a leak. This second general anthesia and blood loss was exhausting No reconstruction, no real pain now but looks like I’ll be heading 200 km back to hospital today due to accumulated fluid. I wish I still had drains, I guess.

I am still struggling to cope with the fact that this is happening. This is so difficult, and it feels like as soon as I have a little bit better, then I’ll be into chemo for six months. I’m ready to have a good easy day.

Hi swg, I been doing lots of prep too including sewing drain pockets into pj tops and button up shirts. I get you in trying not to panic! It made me feel good to get prepared - at least I have control over some things... Sounds like you are doing an excellent job on taking care of things:-)

Good luck on Friday, Roaming Star!

My first night wasn’t great either. I also sleep on my side and my stomach (I know, this is the worst) and had a hard time on my back. I elevated the pilows, but still didn’t get much sleep. Otherwise, feeling pretty good. I am more mobile than I expected, pretty energetic, and the pain is manageable. They told me that the pain decreases exponentially on day 2. We’ll see. There is less fluid in the drains and hoping to get them out this weekend.

SWJ - thank you for the link. And best of luck to everyone

@roaming_star - Thursday the metaphorical black cloud lifted a bit and yesterday I walked my son to school and myself on to physio. It’s a huge relief to have a small respite from the surgery-augmented exhaustion and despair. I anticipate starting chemo the first week in December but I don’t see the oncologist until Nov 30 (I’ve already got the port installed and seen the cardiologist). So I’m determined to enjoy the next 10 days.

How did your surgery go? Thinking of you. S