lumpectomy and sentinal node biopsy

[katzygirl]

Hi girls I am at the same stage as you but into sure if I have a DCIS diagnosis and was told by the breast nurse that they can't tell anything about the lymph nodes by looking at them when they remove them??? I had a wide local excision and sentinel lymph node biopsy last Tuesday (14 May) they took 2 lymph nodes. Still waiting for an appointment for results but am told it will be next Tues/Wed. I have dissolvable stitches with skin closers over the wounds that I will have to take off myself 10 - 14 days after surgery. I have had no pain but have a numb patch down back off of my arm and a burning sensation when out in the cold or if I do too much I think. Have been doing the excercises but also been doing little jobs around the house when no one is looking.
i am keeping my fingers crossed that I don't have to have chemo as I can't cope with sickness although I don't know how likely it is to make me sick, I guess I will need to discuss with the breast nurse.
So hope we all get as good a news as possible next week and it feels good to share concerns with people going through the same. Xx

[hobbittoes]

Have you spoken to your nurse? Best to get it sorted asap....yep got the booklet and have been doin them most days.Sid have this nerve pain after the 2nd lot of biopsys on the lump.this now is chest throughout arm and around the back of arm.yep that's the problems with not knowing,having baby so young is hard too as she needs me doing things with her all the timelooking after her is better than doin the exercises in a wat as they are more natural movements,just have to be careful when I pick her up though x

[Flip_flop]

Had my surgey nearly 3 weeks ago now. The numbness and pins and needles is not happening as often now, just this fluid build up which seems to have come up all of a sudden. Did they give you the excercises to do?
It is hard to plan because you don't know when you might get appointments, or how you are going to feel on certain days.
X

[hobbittoes]

i dont know the size of mine and only found out it ws a high grade dcis when i went to the gp regarding kidney pain. he printed off the report and i snuck a glance when he left the room. ..im being treated by two consultants and the one is a bit strange, hes forgein ans seems very blunt and abrupt about things, always seems to be saying evrythings is going to be fine.getting the results from the lumpectomy and snb from the other guy hoepfully. hes much easier to understand and explains things better. the staples weerent nice at all, 18 in total, 9 in each wound. so glad they are out but havethis nerve damage now to contend with which at times is more painful. how long ago did you have your op done faye? read that nerve damage can last for months.thankyou for the good luck, this waiting is driving me crazy. just want to know and get treatment started and finished.feel like i cant make any plans with my family.

[Flip_flop]

Hi Laura,
Mine was a 12mm tumor (origionally told 19mm so good it was smaller), however when retested was moved up from a grade 2 to a grade 3 aggressive one. I got told grade 3 aggressive are more common wih us being young (2 girls I used to work with also had grade 3). I had disolvable stiches, staples sound nasty. I've developed a bit of fluid, and have got a bit of nerve damage, so hoping they will go soon.
Hope you get good results and feel better soon.
Faye

[hobbittoes]

That's great news for both of you! such a relief for you and your family x x.is it just radiotherapy you need then or chemo as well tonsky? What type did you have faye,if you don't mind saying?I've got a high grade had the staples out yesterday and was so painful,I almost fainted.very sore still today and feels like there may be nerve damage at the front and back or arm.had some temporary damage when they took biopsy from lump and feels the same just over larger area.still waiting on date for results.....they had originally said I would just need radiotherapy but that was before they took out 5 nodes...I'm convinced now it's spread n will need more treatment. Oddly thou I don't feel upset or scared yet, most of the time none of this seems real.

Again so pleased for you both. Laura x x

[Tonsky]

I wish you all speedy recoveries i got my results and thankfully im clear.

I have had a masectomy as my DCIS was 7cm in size but by nodes where clear they only took 2 during the op. The wait is a worry as when i came round my surgeon said it was borderline on my sentinel node but they have now cleared it

stay positive ladies
xxxx

[Tonsky]

I wish you all speedy recoveries i got my results and thankfully im clear.

I have had a masectomy as my DCIS was 7cm in size but by nodes where clear they only took 2 during the op. The wait is a worry as when i came round my surgeon said it was borderline on my sentinel node but they have now cleared it

stay positive ladies
xxxx

[Flip_flop]

Hi all,
I'm another young one (turned 33 yesterday). Got the results of my lumpectomy and sentinol biopsy yesterday, thankfully clear margins and nodes, however still got to have chemo and rads due to age and type. I know what you mean about starting to think the worse. When I came round from the anasthetic the surgeon said they got all the cancer and the sentinol node didn't look too enlarged - so then I decided 'what does too enlarged mean' and convinced myself that this meant the cancer had spread to it. I think the position we are in we always think the worst.
Hoping all your results come back good and we can all start getting on the road to recovery.
Take Care
Faye

[Tonsky]

Hi both I'm in the same boat get my results today I'm a bag of nerves.

Diagnosed with dcis had a mastectomy as my breasts are small and would not have looked right with a lumpectomy so the left breast was removed on the 9th may and 2 nodes where reremoved ouch on the stitches luckily mine are s dissolving

good luck and stay positive oh and I'm 32 so I understand you when you feel too young to have this

xxx

[hobbittoes]

Heya, glad your children are helping you out so much,it's so debilitating isn't it.surprised me how little I could do and frustrated me lots.having the staples out this morning which I'm dreading as think 2 are pretty stuck in deep. They said I'd get results in two weeks so should be some time next week but haven't had date yet.

Its surprised me how quick everything's happening now it's started.my husband was annoyed and angry that I first went in Jan and they sent me away for 6months watches thought it was a fibroadonema, it's only by me querying the swollen lymph gland that my apt was brought forward to April. If not then I wouldn't have seen them until June.....has yours all been pretty quick.

Ill keep everything's crossed for you too, have you defo got to have chemo? You sound very relaxed about things, I suppose thou I have moment like that when I'm quite blase about it, and then reality strikes....always been quite a worried and emotional but I'm not as affected as I thought I would be...maybe it still hasn't really hit home. Sending a big hug, Laura x x x

[Suffolklady]

Hi
Glad you've got your mum with you - you certainly sound like you have your hands full! My children are much older, the youngest is 14 - and luckily my daughter is home for the summer from Uni so she's driving me around!
I get my results on the 28th May - but as they know it has already spread to the lymph node - I had a biopsy done on a lump there - I'm almost sure to be starting chemo once the wound has healed. Just remember, every procedure and every test they do is in your favour, it's to find out exactly where the cancer is and the best way of dealing with it. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you - when do you get your results? Take care XXX

[hobbittoes]

Heya suffolklady,
sorry to hear your going throughout the same thing.it's crazy there are so many women affected by it. I have dcis which is unusual as I'm 30 and it's in lump form which too is unusual. I think it's harder to accept as one of the consultants said aling it was just a fibroadonema and not to worry,and then when I went for the results of the biopsy was a complete shock.
My daughter is 15months and I have 3 part time jobs so all this has been a complete turnaround around from our normal routine.my mother has been down to stay so that has helped enormously.

Sounds like we might get our results at the same time then.have they given you any indication on yours? They said mine hadn't spread when they're 2nd biopsy and only one nor was affected when they did the radio ion injected but they took out 5 nodes.worries me it's spread. It's hard not to think the worst isn't, can consume your thoughts.I'm lucky that my daughter is such a huge distraction x x x

[Suffolklady]

Dear Hobbittoes,
So sorry that you're in this position. It's really hard to get your head around the whole thing isn't it?! I'm in the same waiting room! Had my WLE and axillary clearance on Monday - got to wait 2 weeks for the results. It's so easy to read things into everything that is said and done, but for me, I'm just concentrating on getting over the op. Do your exercises so you can work towards picking up your little girl. Stay in the 'now' and try (so much easier said than done!) not to worry about a situation that hasn't happened yet. There's lots of support here. Sending you hugs - please feel free to PM me if you just want to talk. XXXX

[Lucy_BCC]

Dear Hobbitioes

I am sorry to read that you are having such a difficult time, please feel free to call our helpliners to talk through your feelings and concerns. lines are open 9-5 weekdays and 10-2 Saturday on 0808 800 6000 and our team are here to help you throught this

Take care

Lucy

[hobbittoes]

Had a lumpectomy and sentinal node biopsy on Tuesday and came hone yesterday.consultant said he had to take out 5 nodes which has worried me now that the dcis I was diagnosed with is now something's nastier.having to wait 2 weeks is going to drive me crazy. Trying to take it easy but have a little girl who can't understand why I can't pick her up, and I'm so used to being very independent. Have 18 staples in the 2 wounds that are due out next week and dreading that as I tend to bleed alot and the wounds are a little weepy.

I still don't quite believe that I have cancer and all this is happening....hard to get head around it.