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hi yesterday i went for my pre-op before my op on 28th masectomy i must be honest im terrified to make things worse i sort of got it in my head ok this has to be done but then i got told im to have a needle in my nipple area with some blue dye so the surgeon can be guided to my lymph node has anyone had this and how bad is it pls xx

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Hello andysgirl

Welcome to the forums, this must be a very worrying time for you but you have come to the right place for support from our experienced users who I’m sure will be along to support you soon.

In the meantime maybe you would like to talk things through with a member of our helpline staff who are there to offer emotional support as well as practical information. The free phone number is 0808 800 600 and the lines are open Monday to Friday 9.00 to 5.00 and Saturday 9.00 to 2.00.

Best wishes
June, moderator

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oh thankyou for you kind words suppose im just a softy really but hey ive just recieved yet another fund raising pk so ill have to get started on yet another event as i already have a few going on as we speak thnx

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Hi andysgirl
No need to worry about the SNB cos you’ll be asleep. But be warned that you do have blue poo and wee afterwards! Also some of the dye is still visible on the skin around the top of my nipple 3 months after the op. When I told people one of my friends said I must look like a set of taps!x

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Hi Andysgirl,

I didnt have a masectomy, I had a WLE and a sentinal node biopsy, which is what the blue die injections are for. I had to go to the hospital the day before my surgery and have a couple of radioactive injections and a scan a few hours later, the injections were just pin pricks really and werent a problem. The blue die was injected whilst I was in the theatre and I didnt know anything about it, apparently they do it this way as there is a small risk of a reaction. I still have a slightly blue boob and my surgery was on 2nd August.

Hope this helps a bit

Anne

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Hi Andysgirl

I had the same injection and the thought of it terrified me (real needle phobia). I had one injection the morning of my surgery and I honestly didn’t feel a thing, I had my eyes closed and next thing the nurse said ‘right you can get dressed now’ I was quite surprised cos I expected it to hurt. The blue dye was done during surgery so I was ‘out for the count’ but I haven’t had any blue poo, wee or dye visible after.

Hope all goes well on the 28th
L4W

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Hi

I had the SNB thing last week, I was the same, terrified, it’s ok just a little needle near your nipple area and it didn’t hurt much, I am the world’s worst needle phobic!!! 2 hrs later I had some x rays done. The blue dye is done in theatre and you are asleep. Just blue wee for me. I had a mastectomy as well and it is not as bad as I imagined it to be. Just let the staff take care of you,and you will be ok.

Hope this helps M

8

Hi,

I also had a WLE and SNB last thursday, i had the blue dye injected while i was asleep and have only got a small patch now on my boob.

Can’t say i was blue tho, i was very green instead this only lasted about a day.

Hayley xxx

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hi andysgirl i know you how worried you are but honestly , i had my mastectomy on 28 sept ,they also took 11 lynph nodes , first i must say that i had the dye injected and can honestly say all it felt like was having a tiny prick and that was it , , the nurses were brilliant , my op took about 4 hours, i got back from theatre at 4 30 and was awake , i was up at the toilet a couple of hours later , i had a couple of drains in and yes your a bit sore but the pain killers sort that out for you, i cant stress enough how wonderfull i was looked after by the staff , try not to worry to much youl be ok, big hugs xx

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yes the injection to the nipple does sting a bit! however i had radioactive stuff injected and then lay on the bed watching on a screen as the radioactive dye spread in a pretty pattern through the ducts and lymphm nodes - so the surgeon knew where he was going during the surgery. very reassuring. it does mean the surgeon wont need to cut more than absolutely necessary, so you will have as much of your boob as possible after surgery. it’s all a bit grim, but the end result is the best they can give you.
hope it all goes well, and get those post surgery bras from Asda for afterwards cos they are really supportive and comfy.