Hiya
I am booked in for mastectomy or lumpectomy on 26 March(waiting for results of MRI to decide which op). They believe it is DCIS.
Just wondered if anyone else having op around the same time. I’m a Brit but I am living outside the UK so would be nice to “swap notes” with anyone going through it at the same time 
Hi there spudgirl
I am also outside the UK - where are you? I had my mastectomy a while ago (October) and currently going through the chemo treadmill.
I had excellent care, and very prompt treatment.
Thinking of you and hoping it goes as smoothly as possible for you.
warm wishes
Philippa
Hey Philippa! We’ve “spoken” on here somewhere before. I am in Belgium
I went to see the surgeon this morning and have been told that the DCIS is in one area so she is able to do a lumpectomy (rather than mastectomy), and she is doing a Sentinel Node Biopsy at the same time.
She said in about 85% of cases they won’t find anything else, but there are of course some where they find invasive stuff once they’ve tested the bits they take out… but crossed fingers and all that.
I saw a nurse this morning who booked me in for 25th for the dye thing to be done (my op is on 26th) and she said she has never heard of anyone not having treatment after and she said it will be either hormone or radiotherapy.
So how is the chemo going? Are you working out there at the moment or does it make you feel too poorly?
Hi, I’m booked in for the 25th only diagnosed on Wed all very new still in shock!
Hi Spudgirl
Im booked in for mastectomy and recon on 19th March. Having my node biopsy the day before and starting to get really nervous. I have widespread dcis so there was never any choice but to have a full mastectomy. I was due to be married in 5 weeks so this has been a double blow! Hoping and pryaying I wont need chemo as we have rebooked the wedding for November and im not sure I will have the confidence to go through with everybody staring at me without a full head of hair!!
How are you holding up emotion wise?
Deed
xx
Hi Spudgirl and Sam…hope all goes well with your ops.
I had lumpectomy/sentinal node biopsy on 24th and doing ok now…it wasn’t as bad as I had expected, so I really hope all goes well for you both.
Sam…I only found out 2 weeks ago and appreciate the shock that you are feeling…for me it still seems surreal talking to people about my cancer…it’s hard to accept.
I hope you are coping ok.
HC xx
Hi all
I got the results of the MRI scan and my surgeon says I can have a lumpectomy as it isn’t widespread. I’ll be going in on 25 March for the dye injection for the sentinel node biopsy, then 26th is the Op. The surgeon did say that I may need further surgery later, depending on what they find when they analyse the lump / nodes, but she said statistically she only sees that in about 10 - 15% of cases, so I am feeling very positive.
Deed, thats awful timing for you (mind you, I don’t suppose there is any such thing as good timing!) The nurse said to me as long as it is no more than DCIS then they don’t give chemo, just radiotherapy, so I’ll keep everything crossed for you that the results are good!
Emotion-wise I think I have gone from absolute dispair before I got the initial biopsy results back, to feeling like its a slightly nervous trip to the dentist rather than having bits cut out. I wonder if it will finally hit me after the op. I am worrying that I am not worrying.
Sam - how are you doing?? What op are are having and how are you feeling?
and Hippy Chick - how are you doing recovering from the operation itself? In my head I am going to wake up afterwards and just chill for a couple of days with a trashy mag and a nice cup of tea, but I have a feeling it doesn’t quite work like that 
Someone said to me the other day you can feel really wiped out for ages just from the general anaesthetic? and do you know yet if you will have radiotherapy or anything?
big hugs to everyone.
SpudGirl
xx
Hi Spudgirl
Good news on the results from the MRI scan. x
I think I was much like you on the emotion front, despair followed by ‘lets get on with this’.
I am recovering ok, getting a bit more movement back in my arm as each day comes and although still have a sore armpit, the exercises are helping. I will say that I was totally wiped out for about 3-4 days after I got home and got used to having an afternoon nap! I still feel tired easily and I guess that has a lot to do with the emotion too.
I’m now taking Tamoxifen for 5 years and will start Radiotherapy in about 3 weeks.
HCxx
well there I was thinking I was coping well with it all then over the weekend I’ve just felt really depressed. I have a history of recurring depression and quite stupidly I took myself off the antidepressants before Christmas (don’t know why I did that!!) I have made an appointment to see the doctor tomorrow to find out if its okay to go back on Citalopram. I’m just worried because I have my op in 2 weeks and I told the surgeon and the anaesthetist I wasn’t taking any medication (which i wasn’t at the time) so I suppose I’ll have to let them know before the op?
It probably didn’t help that I got the MRI paper results back on Friday. I had only been told the results by the surgeon before that, however the results seem to say (its in French so I am not 100%) that they can’t tell for sure, but it appears I have type 3 high grade DCIS. The surgeon only said it was good that it was contained in one area, she never mentioned the high grade stuff. Of course in the big scheme of things, its still not showing as any invasive stuff, but still it upset me that I hadn’t known.
… then yesterday my hubby went away on a course for a week, so although I have my gorgeous little girl with me after school, its not quite the same as adult company when you want to talk.
I do feel like I am now completely over-reacting, but thats typically what happens to me when the depression comes back… grrrr
Sorry - I sound all self-indulgent now.
SG xx
Spudgirl
I too have a history of depression so started citalopram when I was diagnosed. I wasn’t depressed but took them just in case. I don’t think they make a huge difference to anaesthetic or chemo but may be a prob with tamoxifen. I’ve stopped them now as not depressed!
Julia xx
Hi Spudgirl
It’s ok to be self-indulgent (which incidentally I don’t think you are being!). It such a difficult time and having support around you is ‘so’ important. As a single mum I don’t know what I’d do without my friends, it’s lovely having the children with you, but it’s not the same as having an adult there for support.
Hopefully the week won’t go too slowly and in the meantime keep coming here for support.
HC xx
Helloooo
Well I am back on the Citalopram. They make me so tired for the first week. Yesterday while I was working (I work from home) I was looking at the computer and just couldn’t keep my eyes open a minute longer so I sat in the rocking chair in my “office” and shut my eyes for two minutes and woke up an hour later!
I still feel like rubbish of course but hopefully the tablets will start to kick in in the next couple of days.
Julia - did you have to stop taking the Citalopram at all before your op or did you just let them know you were taking it? My doc said just tell the anaesthetist on the day, but I’m wondering if thats okay to leave it till then?
HippyChick - hope you are feeling better yourself - I saw your thread from the other day and I know exactly where you’re coming from.
SG xx
Hi SG
I told the anaesthetist when he did my pre op assessment on the surgery day. Are you taking your citalopram at night? At least you know that they will kick in soon. The person that invents one that works within a week will be a deservedly wealthy individual!
Hi Spudgirl
I am feeling better today, thankyou. Hope you are doing ok
HC xx
Julia - I never thought about taking it at night!! It could actually stop me from waking up at 4.30am every sodding morning, which I have been doing for about 3 weeks now.
Well I have taken today’s but I think I’ll leave tomorrow’s until bedtime see if it makes a difference
HC - glad you are feeling better!
SG
xx
Hi SG & Sam
Just wanted to wish you well for your ops this week…xxxx
Hi HC
Thanks - I am relieved I’m nearly there! I just got a message from Sam, they brought her op forward a week so she has had it on 18th and is back home doing great! It really cheered me up to hear it. She was in and out really quickly but I have to stay in until next Tuesday - I think its just the way they do things here. So I am packing my bag at the mo with tons of mags, puzzles and books
Well I am now back out of hospital. Was told I wouldn’t be home until Tues, but came out yesterday (Sunday) so I’ve been healing well after the op
Was told the Sentinel Node biopsy was clear Just waiting for the results on the rest, the surgeon wasn’t sure she got clear margins because it was a little bit spread, and as there was a cyst in the way when they were doing that wire thing before the op, they said it was difficult to locate the place properly.
Am now waiting for a phone call from the breast nurse to see her about exercises, she was supposed to phone me today but didn’t. Then should get a call tomorrow or Thursday to go back to see the surgeon for the results on the rest.
I actually feel fine, just a bit one-armed, and tired but feel guilty that I’m not back at work.
SG xx
Hi SG
Really pleased to hear that all went well and that the SNB showed the lymph nodes are clear…hope your other results are ok too.
I can relate to the one-armed feeling…it’s very frustrating…just get someone else to do all the housework if you can! Hee hee!
Isn’t it funny how we feel guilty for not being at work…I would just say don’t be in a hurry to go back, take time to rest, your body has been through a lot and you have been to hell and back emotionally, so just take some time for yourself. My doctor signed me off for 8 weeks (without any prompting from me) and I just decided not to go back until I feel completely well.
Hope you continue to feel ok.
HC xxxx
I’ve been avoiding the computer for a few weeks so I wouldn’t be tempted to sneak a peak at work emails and get embroiled in it all. However I am now starting back at work today. I work from home so its not like I have to travel and I’m just easing myself back into it.
Well I never did get the phone call from the nurse about my exercises, however when I went to see the surgeon to check my stitches she gave me a “prescription” for 30 sessions of physio for lymphatic drainage and to get my arm moving. Apparently they do that here as a precautionary measure which I was quite impressed with. I started the physio last week with two sessions a week.
Its probably a good job I’m going actually because where they cut under my arm, it is really stiff and when I try to stretch it, I can see a sort of taut line which is the bit that doesn’t stretch. My hubby thinks it is a ligament. Has anyone else had that?
SG xxx