Hi there
I was diagnosed with breast cancer 5 Aug. My lumpectomy is booked for 2 Sept. I have stage 2 hormone sensitive cancer, 15 mm lump which I found whilst on holiday in July. I am sure he said HER1 so will have a lumpectomy, followed by radiotherapy, possibly chemo and medication (Tamoxifen). I am 51 and suffer from cystic boobs anyways so have always had problems with them, they are always painful. Can anyone help who has had the same cancer as me (I know there are so many different ones). They are also taking some lymph nodes at the same time as the op.
Any advice about the op, how to stop me being so scared and nervous, any exercise/relaxation tips etc (I go to the gym every day and swim too). Thanks in anticipation.
Hi Curley
It is a very scary time but once you have your op and your treatment starts you will feel much better. its the waiting thats the worse, the internet was my downful, kept looking up things and getting upset. I was diagnosed last august with a grade 2 hormone positive 18mm lump, no node involvement. i was her2+ which means that i had to have chemo as i am having herceptin, got 11th one on wednesday. when i think back to this time last year i cant believe how i feel today, dont think about the cancer much as have been given great prognosis which i presume will be the same for you. i have got a nice head of hair, eyebrows and eyelashes back and feel quite normal. i cant advice re exercise but if you are having lymph nodes out you wont be able to do much with that arm for a while, but you will be given exercises to do to help you get the arm back to normal. good luck with your op, i will be thinking of you
sarah
Hi Curley,
Sorry you have had to join us and your recent diagnosis. Everyone feels exactly the same as you, and I was you a week and half ago when I had a Stage 2, 2cm lump removed by lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy. I can honestly say it was all very straight forward - arrived in taxi at 7am - had op - went home in taxi at 6pm.
I was a little sore and a bit tired for a few days, but it was nothing like I had imagined, and believe me, I had imagined…
I was also relieved that the lump was gone, and I am now ready to face the next stage - which I haven’t got a clue what that will be until I get results next week.
If I do have to have more surgery, I will be feeling much less stressed about it though.
Sorry I can’t offer much help on the relaxation front. What you are doing already, swimming ect., is good. For me, I went straight out after dx and brought a puppy. He has been a welcome distraction and I find walking him very relaxing. Hopefully others will be along soon to give you some more advice on relaxtion.
I am sure you will be fine, keep us posted and let us know how you get on. Everyone on here understands how you feel.
Love Tracey x
I agree with Tracey,I felt fine after wle,the waiting is always the worst,you are relaxing swimming,and i just took up cleaning the house top to bottom.,
My coping was just to keep busy.I’m under Christie Hospital,and going tomorrow for tattoo’s
Don’t get a puppy though,they get into the bin for used teabags,don’t they tracey.
Hope everything goes ok for you
Hi Curley, my experience was just the same as Tracey says. We’re all terrified - I wept my way down to theatre with sheer fear - but actually it was fine - honestly. You’re a bit sore afterwards but I think for most of us it is the op we fear rather than the after effects. I’m having another one a week today and I don’t feel half as bad about it and I will hopefully reach theatre with a bit more dignity 
As far as relaxation goes I should do whatever you normally do with a bit of moderation. I have really enjoyed walking my dogs as usually I’m in such a hurry and now I can potter and chat. And, like Tracey, I’m getting a puppy on Saturday to help me through through the rest of my treatment. Ooooh can’t wait!
Maggie xxxx
Hi guys
Thanks very much evryone for your feedback, much appreciated and makes me feel much better. I too got all the books and read some things that I shouldn’t and the waiting, it seems like I have waited a year for this op and it has been less than a month! Everyone at the BCC have been so good and very comforting but you know how your mind plays tricks, I just imagine the tumour doubling in size in these past weeks and now I am thinking the other side has the same tumour its awful. I will try and be brave going to theatre being as you have said it isn’t that bad. Thanks for the encouragement after the op - I was shaking like a leaf when I went for the biopsies let alone the lumpectomy. I like my surgeon though so hopefully he will calm me down a bit. As you say its in and out on the same day. I will of course let you know how it goes and thanks to all of you for your help here. I am also better if I keep myself busy. I sometimes forget I have the big C. Then reality hits and I have to get busy again. I am also looking forward to the day when I can touch my lhs boob again after the lump has gone. Thanks again guys, I will keep you posted.
Hiya
Did you have to have stitches removed afterwards or did you have dissovable stitches with your lumpectomy? I have received my letter and I have to arrive at the hospital for 12.15 pm and I will be home between 4 - 5pm. The op doesn’t take that long then? I thought I would be unconscious for hours!!! How long did your op take girls?
Thanks xxxxxxx
Hi Curley,
Hope you are having a good day.
I was taken down for op at 9am and was back on ward around 12.
I didn’t have any stitches - just glue.
After I had worked my way through, tea and toast, tea and biscuits, shepherds pie and ice cream - they finally chucked me out at 6pm - as they had no food left!!
Hope this helps,
Love Tracey xx
Hi Tracey
I am having a positive day (which makes a change) hope you are having a good one. Thanks for the feedback, glue sounds good, I hope I get that. I will be starving as I am to have nothing to eat after 7.30 am and if I am last in that will be all day without anything, if she offers me a biscuit I am likely to go for the whole lot !!! I know that waiting from 7.30 - 12.30 is going to be bad enough, I eat every 4 hrs currently. Oh well, needs must
Thanks for your feedback xxxx
Hi Curley
I was in a day and half,went to theatre at 9am was back on the ward and eating my dinner about 1.30pm,I think they like you to eat and drink before
discharging you,on saying that they kept everyone who had opp that day in for the night,it was in a short stay unit,
What I would advise,is pain killers,I had co codamol,oh and did I suffer with constipation ,which in all honesty was far worse than WLE,it lasted for days.
So plenty of fibre,fruit and water,you also need to drink plenty of water to get the blue dye out of your system,
I start my rads this thursday after being dx 6mm lump clear lymphs,so just rads and arimidex for 5yrs,Hope your results are as good as mine.
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Hi Walton
I hope my results are as good as yours - well done I have been told I may need chemo but they are debating coz of my age (51) so I don’t know yet, I guess it also depends on whether the nodes come back clear or not, I am praying they do. I have had clears on both biopsies for calcification on both breasts and the mri came back with no other cancer apart from the 1 x 15mm lump in lhs breast. I will make sure I drink plenty, have filtered water ready and always eat fruit so will make sure that happens too, got to keep regular. I have been told I’ll be on Tamoxifen and will have rads after the site heals. Thanks for the feedback xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
WE are the same age good luck xxxxx
Hi Curley, I went in at 11, had the James Bond radioactive dye (are you having this? - it’s fine ) immediately, went down at 2-30 and was back up about 6pm. I asked the anaesthetist and he said op lasts about 1.5 hours. They then forced tea and biscuits down me and I was home by half 7. Amazing really. I had dissolvable stitches on my boob, and glue for the SNB. I am quite possibly the biggest wuss in the world, and I coped fine, and if that’s the case, then you will too To be honest, you’ll probably feel a bit nervous and if you’re like me, that puts you off your food so I didn’t feel hungry even though it was nearly 24 hours I didn’t eat.
You are the day after me so we can be surgery buddies
Hey Milliemum
Yes, a surgery buddy fantastic. I don’t know if I am having the James Bond Die (I will ask today as I am seeing my breast care nurse) I will let you know. Thanks for the reassurance about the op, what are you having done on 1st Sept then if you have already had your lump removed and nodes?
Hi Walton
Yes, the same age - 52 in January, what about you? Good luck for rads on Thursday xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi Curley and all the other ladies,
I had a lumpectomy on April Fools Day this year! Try getting any sympathy when you tell everyone you will be blue and radioactive on that day!! I have to say it made me laugh too and told the surgeon not to play any trick on me. I had to go in the day before to have the radioactive tracer put in to find the sentinel node and then went home, just could not go near pregnant ladies or small children. Went in the next day shaking like a jelly at 7 and they had locked the ward door and had to wait to be let in!! There were 13 people being admitted and so busy did not have time to think about much else till I jumped out my skin when they called my name. I was lucky and called first so saw the doc, told put the gown on get in that bed now and off down the corridor, fab for someone nervous. The blue dye was put in at the start of the op while I was asleep.They told me I was in theatre about 40 minutes in total for the lumpectomy and the SNB but was off the ward snoring for ages in recovery as the morphine sent me into a big sleep and would not open my eyes! It is a really quick operation. My hubby could not see me for a while as they said I was totally out with the fairies, I always do that with drugs. I had foolishly said owww on waking and got zapped with another shot of morphine which affects me really well. By the way I was also really blue from the dye and scared the nurse, my family again all laughed their heads off - what would you do without them??
Really I would not be anxious if I was going for it. My boob looked like a smashed dark blue Christmas pudding and was totally on view with glue and clear dressings over it. Don’t panic, as this upset me, it improves dramatically very quickly, then becomes big, then defaltes and then chugs slowly back to looking normal. I noticed this week that apart from the scar mine is now looking the same as before the op and feeling very fortunate.
Lots of luck and i know you won’t believe us but it is blink and then it is back and done. Moonshine have not heard from you for a while , how are you getting on after the op?
Love
Lily x
HI Curly
Yeah i went for my tattoo’s yesterday,only 2 very small ones,
They had run out of gowns so they gave me a pillow case,thought they wanted me to start making beds.wouldn’t mind but it only covered a nipple.
Hiya just back from the BCN and she answered all my questions, she was lovely. I gave blood and had my x-ray so am good to go for the op on Tuesday! Thanks for all the positive vibes, I need em, I am having the blue die injection through the nipple and was told I would be peeing blue/green What fun. She has also given me my appointments for the next 3 yrs (encouraging) and said the op takes 1.5 hrs. Not long is it really. Thanks for all your encouragement, I will let you know how I get on.
One question with regard to the rads 6 weeks after the op - what are the tattoos - are they real tattoos or just marker pens ? Having had a few tattoos in my time I need to know what to expect, thanks girls. love Netty xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi Netty,
The tattoo’s are a pemanent thing,Though on saying that they are only 2 little dots,it is so that when they do the radiotherapy they hit the same spot.xxxxx
Hi Walton
Good luck for rads today - let us know how you get on.
Cheers
Netty xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx