Im not so much frightened of the surgery in itself - Ive had GA’s about 5 times in the past and woke and recovered well from all of them - its more being nervous about what they will find. I have been having these dark thoughts about them opening me up and finding lots of cancer and them just shutting me back up-its horrible.
Every little pain I feel anywhere on my body I think “thats it…its spreading”.
Can i ask…if they go to do the WLE and find its a little more larger than 1st thought - would they automatically carry out a mastectomy? Do you consent for a mastectomy “just in case”? Why wake me up to put me back down that road again? Cant they just remove all lymph nodes in that area anyway - is there a reason they dont just remove them rather than call you back if its shown spread?
Sorry - ive got a million questions buzzing around my head at the moment and Ive drunk about 7 cups of coffee this morning!!!
Everything I read or hear thats positive I attach a negative to it - driving myself MAD MAD MAD!!!
Sounds like you could do with someone to talk this through with? Could I suggest you give the helpline here a ring and have a chat with one of the nurses, they’re here to support you through this. The helpline is open now and until 5pm this evening, calls are free, 0808 800 6000.
oh poor you, was diagnosed last week and waiting for a treatment plan. i’m also obsessing about every ache and pain. try and keep busy, have found heading out of doors for a long walk really useful, that and playing stupid games on my phone!
i hope it all goes ok for you x
The thought of surgery is not nice but i had WLE and it was nowhere near as bad as i thought it would be. I took two weeks off work and recovering was more uncomfortable at times than painful.
Im no expert but im pretty sure they cant just do a mastectomy without your consent. From the tests they have done they will have quite an accurate guide to how big it is, they will remove the lump and if they dont get clear margins you may then need further surgery. Waiting for these results is horrible so try to keep occupied and dont let your mind take you to crazy places.
Perhaps you could give the helpline a call to talk through your concerns.
i think its understandable to let your imagination run wild, i keep telling people the positive side of whats going on, but deep down i’m worried about the worst case senario being me!
i’m 10 days after masectomy, and not feeling too bad, i’m still sore but nowhere near as bad i thought i would
good luck for tomorrow x
hi, its horrible waiting and worrying… but it will soon be over… yes your mind plays cruel tricks on you when your diagnosed, but its quite normal to fear the worst… i also had WLE and sentinal node biopsy, 15 months ago… i was also terrified, but its not as bad as you imagine, i was home later the same day quite sore but not in agony , practice your exercises as soon as you wake up from surgery, about your question, open you up and close you back up… no they dont do that, they will remove the offending area, they wont do a mastectomy if your booked in for a WLE … but they do try to get clear margines…and they use your scan mammos so they know the shape and size of your problem… pack some warm socks for after surgery… my feet were freezing… take a cupple of magazines and before you know it you will be back at home… big hugs … angie xx
Good luck for tomorrow. I had 2 WLE September & November 2010. You’ll go through the consent form before surgery & see both surgeon & aneathestist(sorry can’t spell)they will take you through & explain all the risks etc. Please ask them; I’m sure they will be able to reassure you.
After my first WLE I didn’t have clear margins & had second op which thankfully did. I did ask if still no clear margins would I face an MX & my surgeon said it depends on cosmetic result if after 2 or 3 op’s they have to consider MX; but this would have been after discussion with me.
Yes my mind is playing all sorts of tricks on me over the last couple of days…i keep feeling odd/weird pains all over my body - and I did the silly thing this morning of reading the In Loving Memory pages and ended up in tears!
Yes it is the waiting…too much time on my hands although im at work my mind keeps going off in places its never been before.
This time tomorrow it will have been done and another step taken.
Thanks again…i know you all know what im feeling - im glad im not alone in this…although at the same time sad we are all in this together
I had a WLE a few weeks ago and when I was signing the consent form they told me they wouldn’t be doing an MX whatever they find. That would have to be done under a separate op if needs be and after discussion. Luckily I didn’t need that but have gone on to have an axillary clearance. The WLE is really not that bad.
hi ya ,i had wle ten days ago along with lymph gland removal…good news lymph glands were clear,and it hasnt spread,but didnt have clear margins,means a few pre cancerous cells were found just on the border of the lump that was removed so going back in monday 17th,just to have them cleared !!! but its only about a 20 minute procedure this time,and if hes pleased with margins then i can start my chemo and radiotherapy !!! if he doesnt get clear margins this time he has said to me that he will ask me to consider mastectomy,but its a bit of a no brainer really,boob off or risk pre cancerous cells developing into full blown cancer again!!! so i already know what i’ll choose if it comes to that !!! so good luck and dont worry to much its not nearly as bad as you imagine !!! im driving again now,hoovering etc and doing exercises with ease,so positive thinking all the way !! hugs xxxx
good questions. i had WLE on friday, surgeon told me the next day that she found another, unexpected, lump during surgery and took that out too. i wondered if they’d have done an mx if they’d known it was there but didn’t think to ask at the time. hopefully will have clear margins, i wouldn’t really relish the thought of more surgey (although it’s really not so bad). the WLE wound much less troublesome than the ANC wound - because they took all the nodes quite invasive. she also told me there were many more swollen nodes than exepected so i’m geared up for some bad news when i get laboratory results on thursday. the scan showed just two nodes affected but she seemed to think more - although they could’ve been swollen from that fall in the shower the day before.
Good Luck Libralady I looked at your post and it could have been written by me! I am a liran and obviously having the same feelings. I am in for same op on Thursday and have the same feelings every ache in my body I think thats it it’s spreading, mind playing tricks! All the advice and help on here really helps don’t know about you I don’t think I could have coped without it.
I know you can phone the helpline I have tried many times but can’t talk for crying, don’t get me wrong I don’t cry all the time about it but when someone asks me about it then I am a complete crybaby :(( so it is so much easier on here for me.
Good luck I am sure it won’t be as horrible as we are imagining, but just dreading returning for the pathology results, I don’t think I will go, I will just run away you coming with me??? where shall we go??? xx
Awww thanks Ladies - I tell you without you guys I think Id end up sectioned.
Sunflower - sending you endless amount of hugs, there are a couple of us ladies going for surgery this week.
I swear us librans must all be alike as I too have prepared myself for news of a lymph node spread - what are we like!!! But I am sure even if its started its journey the chemo will kick its ass!
As for the running away - how’s a Caribbean cruise sound. We can chemo up on the top deck watching the sun come up and go down lol!
Listen, chances are I wont post tomorrow so Sunflower - all the best hun and we can compare post op notes at the weekend perhaps BIG ((((HUGS)))
I had two WLE in August and a MX in September. I was off work for a few days each time. The worst part is waiting for the results but all of us ladies can give you support through the difficult time in the waiting room. BTW…they cannot do a MX without your consent. I specifically asked about that.
Love and hugs
Lizzyxx
All the best to you too fellow Libra Lady it does appear that there are quite a few of us going in this week, it must be our nature to think the worst I keep seeing the conversation with the doctor in my mind and it doesn’t have a happy ending. I think if you are prepared for the worst then anything else is a bonus, however, my glass is always half full and I am quite balanced normally very true to our sign.
Caribbean Cruise, now you are talking my language :0) exactly what I would pick for myself in fact when I am in on Thursay I will imagine us on top deck waiting for the drinks waiter to come around before we go down to our cabin get out selves ready for evening meal with our best black dress and bling on, then the evening theatre afterwards, we can dream hey? best wishes xxx
