Hi, as I was diagnosed in May, don’t know a great deal about BC, can anyone tell me if after my 2nd WLE will my results change from my original results. The surgery is tomorrow as my margins weren’t clear on my stage 2 15mm lump. Haven’t thought of this before, with so much going round in my head. Will it alter my treatment if they get some more cancer out?? Even though they found micro Mets in one of the two sentinal nodes ok have decided not to go with node clearance as my onc has told me that research has shown no benefit, in cases like mine. Have been told I will have 3 weeks of rads then hormone treatment as I was 8/8ER+. Thanks pattyp
Hi Patty
I hope your op went well. I don’t know the answer to your question as you know from posting on one of my posts I am having a second WLE in July.
Keep you arm moving as you will need full movement to wave that bra around once treatment has finished.
xxxx
Thanks samjs, good luck with your surgery, I was fine until afterwards when the anaesthetic made me so sick I couldn’t get out of bed yuck!! On the plus side, I feel so much better than the last op, not as sore, I suppose they only cut me once this time but it’s in the same place. Just doing the waiting game now for results, hoping they’ve managed clear margins this time, fingers crossed. All the best with your surgery, and we shall be waving those bras soon x
Hi anyone know if having a drain removed 13 days post op hurts? Do i need to oake painkillers before hand? Being a baby now but it feels glued in and prob wont be out till monday? ps doing all exercises for lumpectomy and full anc which had tue 18th june but arm agony today dont seem to be able to get as good a ramge of movement in it and feels like its burning and sore to touch, breast numb is this normal? im supposing so x Be glad of anyones experience and advice, not too happy to keep taking painkillers as have probs with constipation and thats before chemo!!! ABSOLUTELY HATE THIS DISEASE, thanks for all your input though keeps me going x
Hi Lois, sorry you’re in such pain.
13 days does seem a long time to have the drain in - when I had my mx it was taken out four days after the op., and although when I have my ANC this Friday it may have to be in a bit longer, the consultant said no more than a week.
Are you seeing anyone to have the drain changed? Who told you next Monday?
Sorry can’t be more helpful, I hope someone else has more idea.
Annie x
hi annie, how are you? Surgeon said to monitor drain output when under 50 or 40 phone his bcn and go bk to hosp and he will prob take out, on 85 already today so cant see it ok by thur and the next time hes free will be monday! Feel like its glued in and got a good luck today in from under arm , right through breast and out under breast so dont think removing it will be too comfortable. Saw district nurse once who changed dressing but made drain hurt more so have changed some myself, got all gear as im a nurse.
Cant believe he said all results might not be back puts so much stress on you. Plus not even sure if clear margins yet might have to have it all done again, well wle bit. Think in longer for anc as its lymph drainage, whwn you have anc keep up with exercises arm soo bad today but does ease after i move it. You eating? Im trying but just not that hungry hope OH brings some wine home ive no probs drinking haha! Got to laugh or il cry. Got appt in another hosp tomorrow nothing to do with bc but will now have to go with this damn drain, then going to pluck up courage and have a look in a maggies centre bit scared as i imagine everyone looking ill but been told not like that at all and they can really help so il do it whilst ive still got hair and look reasonably ok. Have good evening, try and chill x
Hi Patty
I can only tell you about my own experiences. I was dx with ductal invasive, 100% ER positive, 70% PR positive, HER2 negative. Had mx with snb on 12th December 2012. 3cm tumour, grade 3, three nodes removed but only one had cancer cells in it. I also had vascular invasion. I think you must mean grade 2, not stage 2. The staging is something completely different. As I was grade 3, I had to have chemo (which wasn’t as bad as I was expecting it to be). It was suggested that I had rads - which I wasn’t happy about as I have a lung disease. Talked it over with radiographer who told me I only had a less than 20% risk of recurrence in my chest and a 50% chance in lymph nodes. So I’m not having rads. If I do have a recurrence in my lymph nodes, I will have ANC. So now I’m waiting to start taking an aromatase inhibitor called Anastrazole, which I will take for 5 years.
As your tumour was quite small, and grade 2, which is less aggressive than grade 3, it is unlikely you will need chemo. But if you want to find out what your risks are if you don’t have rads, the radiographer/oncologist will be able to tell you so you can make a more informed decision. However, as you had WLE and not MX your risks will probably higher in your chest than mine was.
The only thing I can think of that might change, is that if they still don’t get clear margins after second WLE (it happens occasionally) I think you can have that once more and if it fails MX would be suggested. Another thing that might change - I was told that if I went for rads, I would have 15 rads over 3 weeks, only to have it changed to 25 rads over 5 weeks!!
Wishing you well for your WLE, and hope they do get clear margins this time.
Poemsgalore xx
Lois, I haven’t got much of an appetite either - wine goes down OK though! 
My consultant doesn’t like patients going home with drains in, but I hope I’m not going to be in hospital for 13 days!!!
Yes, when I had mx they said below 50 before drains out - I know there’ll be a lot more drainage with the ANC but you’ve got the breast one as well - poor you, I do sympathise because they are so uncomfortable. You’ll feel so much better when they’re out but it may be that the amount will be down enough by Thursday anyway. Fingers crossed!
In the meantime try to get some nutrition inside you - I find soup is easily digestible, you don’t have to eat proper meals every day. Little and often is good!
Hope you feel better soon,
Annie x
Thank gonna have wine and spaghetti bol, yeah soup good. Hope friday goes ok if i dont speak to you before then, i didnt find pain to bad in first few days more uncomfortable now but could be that alot of swelling and fliud drained of and getting full effect now. Anyway dont mind if it sorts it all, . Poor you if you have to stay in with drains no one does around here and you can get more rest at home. Take care x
Hi lols! I didn’t have a drain in but have removed them from some pts! Some ladies say it is a little uncomfortable but other say its like a little tug!
13 days does seem long, we are advised no longer than a week! But each county has slightly different protacols.
Norms xx
Hi Norms did type reply but lost it. I normally take drains out too but usually only in upto 7 days, this one feels like its welded in and is rubbing , hurts so much, only drained 55mls today so hopefully out friday, just have to deal with it then, might ask for entenox Haha! Gonna phone bc n tomorrow as exit site sore. Thanks for reply x
That’s strange, not allowing patients home with drains in situ? I only stayed in overnight for both my WLE with ANC, and my subsequent mastectomy less than three weeks later. I had drains both times.
The second op, the nurse was giving me the discharge instructions, and when he came to talk about the drain, I told him I was familiar with drain-care as I’d just had one, and I was OK about how to strip it to clear it and so on. “Oh you don’t need to do that!” he told me.
Anyway, my first night home, the drain was almost empty in the morning, which I thought was odd, and when I checked I found there was a large clot in the upper end, under my arm. So I successfully stripped out the clot and cleared the tube so that it was draining freely once more. But I was so cross at the stupid nurse, and concerned about the advice that he might have given other ladies with drains.
So glad I knew what to do, despite what he said!
Thanks for your comments ladies, now recovering at home after staying in overnight due to terrible sickness, I don’t think my body likes being chopped about and being put to sleep. Wish I could sleep now, having many sleepless nights now and even my herbal sleepy pills don’t seem to work anymore. Spoke to one of the lovely BC nurses today and she told me I will have to wait for 6 weeks for the after surgery review, so annoying, as was due to go next week for my 1st WLE, grrrr!!! Then after that will see onc to discuss radiotherapy. Another week of waiting for results of 2nd WLE, keeping my fingers crossed that they cleared all the little b#######s this time. Waiting is obviously the name of the game but I don’t want to play anymore , gonna throw my toys out of the pram!!! Best wishes to you all , sorry for having a little rant , needs must every now and then.
Patty, am I understanding you’ll have to wait 6 weeks to see if they got clear margins??? That’s nuts if so 
Lols, I was really worried about my drains coming out, but truthfully I hardly felt either of them! The mastectomy One was longer, but only a slight pulling sensation.
As for the numbness and burning sensation: yes, that’s normal. I remember feeling like it was severe sunburn, but if I actually touched it, it wasn’t that tender, although anything brushing lightly on it was excruciating. I guess it is hypersensitivity. The OTs advise desensitization techniques, brushing/stroking with different materials.
I’m not sure how long it lasted, but mine is totally gone now, although I still have areas of diminished sensation, and some cording issues (mild)
Hi ladies thanks for replies. Had unconfortable night, drain causing problems, rubbing soo much! Arm feels like the worst sunburn ever was in queue in shop yesterday and sort of rubbed against OH whilst unpackin shopping made me jump in pain may have shouted a bit to! It feels so sensitive but looks normal and no different in size that good arm, i assume will just go numb in the end definetly feels like nerve damage. Going to phone bc nurse later but they arnt available much on wednesdays.
Take it easy today Pattyp get spoiled, . I might be back there to still waiting to find out, at times like this i wish i was part of royal family bet they wouldnt have to wait like this!!!
All have good day, sun shining at mo, gonna get up and have bath, developing allergy to all dressings , red , sore and blisters! Never mind x lol
Hi Morwenna, it’s a 2 week wait for results of 2nd WLE and 6 weeks for surgery review, hate the waiting, don’t you, hope you both soon feel better and enjoy the sunshine today x
hi just qiuck question do you have a drain with 2nd WLE. Hope answers no x
Hi Morwenna, it’s a 2 week wait for results of 2nd WLE and 6 weeks for surgery review, hate the waiting, don’t you, hope you both soon feel better and enjoy the sunshine today x
Hi Morwenna, it’s a 2 week wait for results of 2nd WLE and 6 weeks for surgery review, hate the waiting, don’t you, hope you both soon feel better and enjoy the sunshine today x
I didn’t have a drain for my wle, I think the ladies above had a full node clearance, so I think that’s a no Lois