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Peanut5
Peanut5 Member Posts: 11
edited October 2018 in Not Diagnosed But Worried

Hello- I’m scheduled for a bilateral total ductal excision tomorrow. I have no idea what to expect in terms of discomfort the day of or the days following. I cannot take any anti-inflammatorys due to an allergy. Will Tylenol be enough? I was told to bring a sports bra but my sports bra aren’t easy to get on. I bought an extra sports bra but it still doesn’t seem like it will be comfortable to put on. Will a bra work? I was thinking something easy to put on Would be the way to go. I also have asked friends to help me out with my children the day after with drop off/ pick up for school. Is 1 day typically enough? One last thing- sleeping. I’m a side sleeper so I figure that’s out for a while. Is it best to sleep on an incline or makes no diffrenxe

I’m starting to get very nervous so any suggestions or advise to help manage my expectations are greatly appreciated 😊

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited October 2018

    I had two duct excisions at separate times, I don't think it was “total" but they did take out a fair amount of tissue. I was fine with Tylenol. I had it on a Thursday and I went to a football game on Saturday, though I was quite tired. I always used a cheap front hook sports bra. When I had the mastectomies I slept in the la-z-boy recliner for a few weeks, then I made a sort of nest out of pillows in the bed so I could not turn over. In all cases the thought of the surgery was worse than the actuality of it. I adopt the attitude that I'm in really good hands and my welfare is the staff's number one job. Also a wooden back scratcher was a life saver. Best of luck

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  • Peanut5
    Peanut5 Member Posts: 11
    edited October 2018

    farmerlucy- thank you for your response. I agree that the thought of the surgery will be worse than the surgery itself. I didn’t realize how stressed this was making me feel until I started snapping at everyone in my family for no reason. Im glad to hear Tylenol might be good enough. I could use the sleep so hopefully I’ll be able to get some good sleep out of all this. I stupidly watched the procedure online which escalated my anxiety. I do not advise doing that. You mentioned you had a mastectomy. Was the cancer found when you had the duct excision? So far all my tests (mamo, us, ductogram, and MRI ) show nothing which oddly makes me feel less confident.

    Thank you


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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited October 2018

    The excisional found ALH and ADH which are pre-cancer. The preventive mx I insisted on revealed the hidden IDC, although it was seen on a pre-surgery MRI and passed or missed at the excisional biopsy. I didn’t even know about the MRI finding until three years later. That’s why I recommend getting full copies of all reports.

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  • Peanut5
    Peanut5 Member Posts: 11
    edited October 2018

    Im so sorry but glad you insisted on more testing and found out what you were dealing with. That is great advice about getting copies of the reports. My surgeon isn’t giving me % of what my chances are this could be cancer. I’ve tried researching it but I fit in some categories but not others. The fact I had non spontaneous discharge from both nipple doesn’t seem as common, yet there was blood. I guess I’ll know soon enough

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited October 2018

    Mine was spontaneous and I had it for 3 -4 years. After I had my excisional and after they found the precancer my doctor sent me to a genetic counselor and they gave me 50% lifetime risk, due greatly to my family history of extremely early onset breast cancer.

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  • Peanut5
    Peanut5 Member Posts: 11
    edited October 2018

    thank you for sharing your story with me. I’ve never had a doctor suggest any genetic testing. I wonder if they will after the results of duct excision. I’ve been lucky this has been moving quickly for me. It was exactly 3 weeks ago I noticed discharge from one breast. I’m happy to be moving along but it all just hit me this afternoon and I started getting extremely anxious.

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  • Ah262
    Ah262 Member Posts: 19
    edited October 2018

    I hope everything goes smoothly today! I’m scheduled for a ductal excision and removal of a fibroadenoma next month. I’ve had spontaneous bloody discharge following a mammogram back in June. It’s been such a long drawn out process to get this taken care of and I’m ready for it to be done!

    Update us on how it goes and what the results are! I’m a runner and the resting afterwards is going to kill me! I’d love to hear how your recovery goes

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  • Peanut5
    Peanut5 Member Posts: 11
    edited October 2018

    thank you Ah262. This all started 3 weeks ago for me. While this all seems fast, there are days that my mind is in slow motion. I’ve done too much reading, diagnosed myself several different times, and watched too many videos. I alone created more anxiety than necessary! I was a wreck the last few days about the actual procedure later today. I’m a little anxious now because I don’t go in until later today but I’ve now shifted my worry from surgery/pain to test results.

    Good luck to you too. I’ll let you know how it all goes. I’m very active so taking off a few days will be tough. My mind needs the break so hopefully sleep will do me some good.

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  • Peanut5
    Peanut5 Member Posts: 11
    edited October 2018

    I’m home from surgery and things went well. I’m uncomfortable and would certainly not go for a run today but the pain seems manageable. I’m not taking the prescribed medication for pain, just otc Tylenol. I asked for a nausea patch which is still on and helping. Anti-nausea meds were also added to my IV. The waterproof tape is more annoying and uncomfortable than actual area of stitches (which I cannot see). My throat hurt so a little probably from the tube. My surgeon was able to remove the ducts pretty far down on one side which he said will cause more discomfort.

    Good luck to you! Feel free to ask any question. I was very nervous before my surgery do ask away if that will help you.


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  • rachelcarter35
    rachelcarter35 Member Posts: 368
    edited October 2018

    ice helps too

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  • Peanut5
    Peanut5 Member Posts: 11
    edited October 2018

    hi Rachel-

    I asked about ice and was told not to use it. It was even written in the discharge orders. Very strange!

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