Diagnosed 4 years ago in my left breast had lumpectomy and lymph node removal followed by radiotherapy and tamoxifen. Went for my annual check-up 3 Feb and found something in my right brest had biposy and was diagnosed with cancer again going for op on Wednesday 23/2 but am amazed that I was told by my breast care nurse that I may be ablt to come home same day!! Has anyone else experienced this? Last time I was in hospital for 5 days with drains and such! What happens now? Cany anyone talk to me or help me please. As you can imagine I am a bit devastated at the moment, I never thought lightening would strike twice.
Pyrogirl
so sorry to hear about your second diagnosis after four years it must be such a blow and a shock to have to go through it all again.
I had my mastectomy a year ago - first a wle, no clear margins and then a mastectomy and they also took all my nodes out. I was told that I would be out the same day - it seems its safer these days to go home than to stay in hospital with all the bugs etc. My hospital has an excellent after care service and the nurses visited me every day for 7 days to check my drain and wound and to be honest it was so much nicer to be in my home surroundings than in hospital. I had no pain at all and generally just sat around, watched dvd’s and read for the whole time - I just had to remember to bring my drain with me when I moved around - that was the most taxing thing about it!
You don’t say whether you will have a WLE or mastectomy and/or SNB too - it does depend on what surgery you have as to how many (or if) you need drains.
I too feel the same, second time new diagnosis other breast!!! mind you I have been free for 14 yrs!!! didn’t want to walk this road again, I face same op, I decided to wait to see if SNB nec as I have had lymphodeama in right hand and arm ( My last op was mx+imm recon+ lymph clearance)and don’t want to have it on the other side without good reason! I think things have moved on and you do fare better at home as long as you are sensible. My op 4th March, hope yours goes well on wed
XJ
hy pyrogirl 5 years ago i had B in right breast and got a new tumour in the left side 2 years ago.
both i had lumpetomy and was onsidered day surgery… i was a bit rubbish after the anaestheti so had to stay an extra day or two but it sound more like the forst lot of surgery you expereined was less like the typical type of expereine you would expet for a lumpetomy… drains are not commonly used for lumpectomy.
like you i was really shocked to get a contralateral BC espeially as i was 37 and 40 at diagnosis… i since went on for genetic testing and found i have BRCA2 as bilateral BC isnt very common in non genetic BC.
J sorry you too are in the same situation… the SNB only takes a few nodes and is therefor less likely to cause lymphoedema than a clearance… they may be able to do an FNA of lymph nodes but this and ultra sound although helpful are only about 70% accurate compared to the SNB whih is over 95% accurate… maybe discussing the radiological findings with the radiologist would be of more help in this respect and get his views and not just that of your surgeon.
Thanks for your support and helpful comments. I must say I am very teary at the moment but I must say I am a tough old bird and and will not give up without a fight. I just dont want to go down the same road as last time becuase I had nothing but problems. Two weeks after the first op I ended up with a massive infection and had to go back into hospital for 10 days then six week later I got another infection and back inhospital for another two weeks when I was given an antibiotic that I have a massive reaction to which made me quite ill. Once I was out I went for radiotherapy which has left me with massive scarring and I also have been left with lymphodeama so I am a bit scared of what is going to happen this time. The cancer this time is only one mm bigger than the last one which was a lumpectomy with two drains as they took out all my lymph nodes as will but becaue I took part in the study last time with the blue dye - they are doing that again and are only taking out the sentinel node and the next nearest the cancer and if ther eis nothing then I will not have to have a full lymph node clearance so hopefully this will save my right arm from the same problem as I have with my left.
Good luck to all you ladies who are in the same boat as me. One thing I have done to start fighting back is I dyed my hair bright red yesterday and once I come out of the op I am going to have a lady come and do my nails - I am going to pamper myself as much as I can.
Well went in and had my op last week 23/2. Had WLE and SNB in hospital for 2 days but must say that I feel much better this time around than I did last time and so far so good - no infections!! Now playing the waiting game to see what the SNB says whether I need a further op or not (hopefully). Then back to Clinic 23/3.This has made me more determined than ever that I am going to take a good look at myself and get myself into shape. I am sixty next year and I want to look 50 - so healthy life here I come.
Keep up the good work girls.
Love to you all.
Pyrogirl - Oh by the way that’s because me and my husband run a firework display company!! Big Bangs anybody. LOL