Hi @butterfly28 sorry to hear you are very sore today. I hope you improve soon. Sending hugs to you xx
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Hi @chillout365. Yes i got extra stockings! I asked if the results would quicker too! 4 weeks hopefully. Better than 6!
Trying my exercises but very stiff and sore, but i will persist. I have some codeine ftom last time.
Thanks for your advice x
@butterfly28 Hi 
its okay to rant we are all on a journey and itās not for me or anyone to say, "not to worry "but somehow you will find the strength. Often the thought of something is much worse than the event itself. I had three surgeries the last one resulting in a masectomy. So i can tell you that they will put a canula in the back of your hand, make sure the night before to drink a lot of fluids because i was messed around at my treatment centre i didnāt drink enough water and so when they put the needle in my hand it hurt because i was dehydrated so be mindful of that. Once the meds has been administered, and they put a oxygen mask on, you will go to sleep until you wake up. You may find, and this does not happen to everyone, that you cannot pass urine so may need a catheterization. If in the morning you are having surgery nil by mouth from 11am in the afternoon you can have a light breakfast and maybe some soup for lunch all depends on when surgery will be carried out. I wish you the very best and my prayer is with youā:blush:
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They have given me codine and separate paracetamol and laxatives. I to couldnāt sleep last night. Yes, I have a four week wait as well now so more worry and anxiety xxx
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So glad your surgeries are done, hope the soreness wears off quite quickly. Now wishing you both good results and easy recoveries. Please keep in touch and let us know how you are getting on. For now though just take it slow and easy, be very kind to yourselves. xx
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Itās been 9 months since I had my op which initially involved removal of DCIS, but my sentinel node tested positive for cancer about 30 minutes before surgery. I was offered removal of nodes at the same time or to return for another op, I wanted it all gone. When they got in there they found a 1.6cm tumour behind what they original planned to take so I am very, very lucky. My surgeon took 15 nodes and I was a bit of a mess for a couple of weeks as I had both breasts reduced by melon slice therefore I now have no areolas or nipples, a small price to pay and it was my choice. The op is a doddle compared to recovery and even that is nowhere near as bad as you would think, but maybe I was lucky with my surgeon. Itās actually been all positive since Iāve recovered, I moved house 4 weeks after my op (of course I couldnāt do any lifting), Iāve lost more than a stone, practically given up alcohol and look and feel so well. I would advise you to do all your exercises as instructed and every day, it may be uncomfortable but I now have full use of my arm with no lymphedema as yet and still do stretching every day. Iāll be 69 yo in May so Iām no spring chicken and if I can do it anyone can. Good luck and stay positive, we are the lucky ones to be given a second chance x
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Thank you for your positivity @lollyscott. Itās great to hear you are doing well. I had my axillary clearance on Tuesday and although i felt very sore yesterday, I feel lots better today. Ive been doing exercises although they are quite difficult currently. My back feels bruised and my upper arm is numb. Hopefully this will improve. X
Morning. Sorry Iāve only just seen your message, I try not to go on this site as it actually made me more anxious when I was waiting for surgery. My lumpectomy was six weeks ago and I had to wait for four excruciating weeks for results. I was like you, overthinking, thinking the worst, even worrying if Iād wake up from surgery! Please speak to the Macmillan nurses, they are there to support and will understand what youāre going through. Please donāt go on google. Be kind to yourself, itās understandable what youāre going through. Thankfully my results were good - all of tumour removed (that was another fear) and no sign of cancer in lymph nodes (I was like you when they said it was clear on the scan). I hope you are recovering and you get positive results. I still have to have chemo due to the type of cancer but I want to take everything they can give me to protect and prevent. We are all on our own journey. Much love
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My upper arm was numb and I still have no feeling in my armpit but I was told this may remain which is not a problem. I also still have pain just below my shoulder blade if I press and my consultant tells me this can literally take years to resolve - all the nerves have been cut through and messed with so itās easy to understand why. Get well soon my friend and most of all remain positive and do your exercises x
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Thank you for this. I am looking at the same on April 19. Iām sure feeling apprehensive is normal. However knowing what to do and how to feel a little overwhelming right now. Your post helped!
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I had lumpectomy and SNB on Friday afternoon . I was terrified but it was fine . I donāt remember anything after the mask being put near my face ! It took me a while to come round after anaesthesia and they gave me anti nausea drug but I was eating a cheese sandwich an hour later !
I didnāt sleep well the night after the op but I had a good night last night .
Managing on paracetamol, nurse said take every 6 hours .
Avoided codeine because of side effects .
Managing to do my exercises if I take a painkiller first .
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Hi there all you incredible/ inspirational ladies
Thank you for sharing all your stories, itās been amazingly informative & helpful to have your tips and advice from across these forums.
Each step of my cancer journey although scary has been out of my control. The nurses and my Oncologist have been great but they donāt have the detail youāve all shared here & with all the curve balls !!
Iāve always been a strong wife, mum & grandma and Ive remained this way, just as my family are used to me being (I donāt often let my feelings show).
But now; Iām so relieved to have found you all here, even though our situations & stories are not the same Iām hoping to be able to find a safe place to be scared, learn & to talk .
My journey : I was diagnosed back in Oct23, after finding a humongous 5cm lump in my left boob. The scans/biopsies also found at least 2 abnormal lymph nodes. So Iām officially fighting a grade3 invasive ductal carcinoma, which is ER & HER2+++
Iāve just had my 6th and final session of chemo (Docetaxel, Carboplatin and Phesgo). I cried as I rang that bell last week, for me it was more emotional than when I decided to shave my head (after my hair started coming out in huge clumps). I hadnāt even considered that ending my chemo would make me feel so emotional 
.
I see it as a hurdle Iāve jumped before I reach the next.
I think Iāve possibly coped so far by breaking each element of my journey down into these tiny sections; the tests, the results, the chemo, the symptoms, all without going far beyond to minimise any anxiety or loosing my head.
Iāve trusted my oncology and breast cancer teams so far and Iām now getting ready for surgery: @07:15 on 18 April; a wire guided wide local excision to remove area of the now shrunken tumour (lumpectomy) and full axillary node clearance.
To be honest I am most anxious about the node clearance; Ive read that it can be problematic due cording, pain, lymphoma or even loss of arm movement!
Iām also scared about my margins in the lumpectomy not being clear enough warranting additional surgeries. As my tumour was so big how can they achieve the margins. My question is, should I have just asked for a mastectomy straight off ? I guess thereās still time for me to get a second opinion or to change my mind.
Any advice, reassurances most welcomed .
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Hi @helsbels2
Thank you for sharing your journey so far, and agree with you about the wonderful community here online.
I would say 2 things carry on trusting in your team but if you have a query donāt be afraid to ask. I am due to have a single mastectomy on my right breast with reconstruction due to DCIS. I am well on the journey but had got completely stressed out about my left breast due to having DCIS in it 3 years ago, it hadnāt been talked about in meetings so last week I phoned my breast care nurse and spoke to her of my concerns, she spoke to my surgeon who has agreed to do a bilateral mastectomy if that is what I want.
Hope all goes well x
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@Summer-sunshine
Thanks for sharing your situation, wow I bet you are so pleased you asked about it!
Iāve contacted my team as well.
Honestly though, why didnāt they discuss this with you earlier to come to a decision alongside you avoiding all the worrying !
Good job we all have each other on sites like this to talk to 
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Thank you @helsbels2
This site is a great place to share, and get the confidence to ask questions of our care teams.
Did you make a decision or ask your team the question regarding a mastectomy? I would say that my first lumpectomy was very successful and it isnāt a long recovery, I havenāt had a smooth ride this time with my lumpectomy not being successful but I donāt regret the decision to give it a try, as a mastectomy is a bigger operation and decision.
Take care
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Oh dear lady thankyou for sharing your journey. High five for your bell ringing day xxxxx
Hello to all above from months ago. I hope you are all well.
I have just read through all the chat as it has been so helpful. I had my lumpectomy and snlb last Friday 4th oct. I want to add my experience for the next person who comes along in months ahead.
I was shockingly bad coming out of anaesthetic and they struggled to keep me awake and then after a cup of tea i threw up! Followed by anti sickness drugs which made me feel woozy again. The anaesthetist had to come and do tests on me to check I wasnāt brain damaged i think! Like pushing and pulling with my hands and gripping etc.
they eventually allowed me to sleep it off and I woke much brighter at 20:30. I was then discharged home.
I have been doing my exercises 3x a day and they are not too bad apart from the warm up shoulder shrug. This causes a shooting pain down my underarm and itās still numbish there. The incision under my nipple is no bother at all.
My biggest problem so far is wooziness. I do a few things like take a shower, empty dishwasher, dusted surfaces (not all at once, separate occasions) and im shattered and just want to flop in my bed.
Maybe im no good with anaesthesia but its day 6 now and I was expecting better. Lol
I am seeing BCN tomorrow so will talk to her. Still awaiting my appointment for results as was told it would be 2 weeks but nothing yet. Im ready for anything really but prefer nothing obviously because I just want my life back.
Love and good luck to all.
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Dear square-boobs,
Well done for getting this far with your surgery, wishing you well fingers crossed for a good outcome.
Hugs Tili 
I get my results on 24th October. I saw the nurse today and I have a seroma under my arm. The dr looked and decided to leave it to see how it goes. Causing some discomfort and taking paracetamol. Doing more around the house but still so tired. Met a woman at the hospital today who i spoke to at surgery last week having a clearance to get clear margins. She is already driving and working! I canāt believe how different to her I am feeling.
Update
Clear margins-hooray!
Clear lymph nodes -hallelujah!
No more surgery!
Cancer free!
Butā¦
Its upgraded since scans and biopsies.
It was 24mm grade 2. Now 37mm grade 3.
This change means the oncologist will test and discuss value of chemotherapy as well as radiotherapy. This is to prevent recurrence.
Now waiting for oncology appointment in a few weeks.
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