Just diagnosed - set for lumpectomy

[Yorkie51]

Hi I've recently had a lumpectomy/mammoplasty.

It is all a personal choice, everyone feels very differently. From a few different sources I was advised that there is little difference in the chance of recurrence between mastectomy & lumpectomy with radiotherapy. I think that's what swayed me towards lumpectomy.

Best wishes P xx

[yjj]

Hello...sorry to hear ypur news.  I had a lumpectomy and also had to make the same decision, it's a really tough one to make.  I'm guessing if they've suggested lumpectomy as an option that ypur tumour must be a manageable size...as was mine.  In the end its personal choice and I wanted my boobs.  I also assumed it was better for it to reappear in my breast tissue if it's going to reappear but oncos could not confirm this as a basis for my decision!  I just thought I can go for mastectomy if need be next time.  Hopefully that won't happen for either of us!!

Good luck sweets xx

[Bobbysgirl1234]

Hi, I have to make a decision either lumpectomy  or mastectomy. Chemopherapy  has shrunk my tumour. I'm  68 with triple negative breast caner and I dont know what to do. I hear so many stories of people who have had a lumpectomy  and it's  come back and had mastectomy  after all. Did you find it the right decision for you?

[walkwithyou]

i am 72 and getting my 11th treatment monday starting to feel very fatigues so close to christmas, but I am very confident that God will give me strength to do this.  Had set heart ablation in late october for SVT issues lingering for over 2 yrs not being able do anything

after ablation heart rate was good, but recently bothering me again

was hospitalized with flu less than 4 wks ago, 

radiation ppl called to schedule me to start.  after clearance from dr i started, i am feeling very fatigued.  thankful that my 2 teenage grandchildren are helping me with everything (been raising them for last 8 yrs)  Please be encouraged but it felt good to connect with women who r going thru the same

[Eglis]

All the best for a speedy recovery.

I think tiredness is perfectly normal and understandable......physically and mentally there’s a lot to absorb.  I started walking every day - has been huge help even when feeling tired so great that you are out and about.  A little exercise and rest and relaxation ......be kind to yourself...... and you’ll soon be feeling much better.

[DebsP]

Hi all

So - surgery last week went very well. A very long day, but it’s done.  I am over the moon that I have had no pain whatsoever!  The only side effect I seem to have is extreme tiredness....is this “the norm”?

I’m going for walks on the field behind our house with our dog - she’s been amazingly calm with me. And hubby is currently in a spare bedroom to give me space and not disturb me when he gets up for work.

I have my follow up appt on 1 March to get any further results from the more extensive checks on the evicted squatter, and the sentinel node biopsy.

I hope you’re all well.

Debs. 🦄💞

[HappyVibes]

Hi Debs

Glad it’s moving quickly for you.

Will be thinking of you, let us know how you’re doing post surgery.

Big hug xxx

[DebsP]

Morning, all.

Saw my lovely consultant/surgeon yesterday.  Surgery has been booked in for 10th Feb. The plan is for a wide local excision and sentinel node biopsy.

Everything has moved so fast - but I think I prefer it that way rather than having lots of time to dwell on things. x

[HappyVibes]

Hahaha - Zumba MRI 😂

Glad that’s done and fingers crossed for your results. 
Have a lovely weekend. Xx

[yjj]

Hello Debs - nice to meet you though different circumstances would be nice!!!  I was diagnosed Xmas Eve and had a lumpectomy on 2nd Jan with Sentinel Node biopsy. The post surgery is not too bad tho I found after a couple of days it was a bit sore once the magic drugs had worn off. Do your exercises as soon as you can, my surgeon had me doing mine on the same day as my op

i have to have another op as my margins weren’t clear as there was a sneaky large amount of DCIS and my sentinel node was positive. So I’m due more breast surgery and full node clearance (like HappyVibes) and I’m hoping that won’t be too long

as others have said this is a bit of an emotionally scary and bumpy journey but you are def not alone and you can do this! The treatments and expertise is fabulous - it’s just shocking news and opens up a whole world we didn’t ever want to have to understand. Let yourself be however you need to react and don’t feel guilty for feeling the range of emotions you will doubtless feel on this damn rollercoaster!!

the Zumba MRI boogie made me smile!

xxx

[HappyVibes]

I had my axillary clearance this morning. Surgeon said all went well. Back home now, no drain, glued wound, no dressing, no pain. 

Have you had your MRI yet @DebsP ? xx

[Eglis]

A whole new world opens up to us on the breast cancer journey.......we meet some amazingly kind and thoughtful people.  Breast MRI is an experience - the advance of technology is amazing!  
All the best with your results and lots of strength and positive vibes for the next phase of your journey!

[DebsP]

Morning all.

Well, not the most comfortable of positions to be laid in when having a breast MRI yesterday, but considering the scheme of things that’s ok. The nurses were amazingly patient with their fidgety patient trying to get comfortable.  The hardest thing for me was to keep still when they put the headphones on me. When I hear a good song - especially with a Zumba beat - my body goes into muscle memory mode and I start to boogy and the Zumba routine kicks in 🤣.  Booked for a meeting with the consultant/surgeon next Thursday to discuss the results, and hopefully work out a date for the surgery. The kind words and your support over the short space of a few days has really lifted me.  Thank you 🙏💞

[Eglis]

Good luck Debs.  Keep listening to your body...... hope all goes well.

[DebsP]

Hi Rose

Thanks for the advice 😁  I can't believe how quickly I've received so many wonderful and supportive messages on here!

Debs  x

[Eglis]

Good luck!🍀 

Feel free to share how you get on.

[HappyVibes]

Thank you so much Eglis

Yes, I feel a bit like that regarding the twists and turns. Got my head round the tumour diagnosis, then had to get my head round the infected node, then yesterday a copy letter sent to me revealed Extra Capsular Spread in said node. I did a search on here for ECS and couldn’t find anything. I’ll ask my surgeon about it on Thursday, it probably sounds scarier than it is.

Xxx

[Eglis]

Good luck with your ongoing treatment Rose.

My path has also been full of more twists and turns than I would have liked......BUT thank goodness for the technology and treatment we have available to us!

[HappyVibes]

Hi Eglis 

Agree with all of that. I do yoga daily with some added arm exercises with small weights. I found I could easily do all the exercises they gave me after the lumpectomy and knew this would stand me in good stead for radiotherapy treatment. As you say, it is also good for calming the mind.

Hope all your rad treatment goes smoothly.

Best, Rose. X

[HappyVibes]

Hi Slightly

Thanks so much for your kind wishes, and the book recommendation, I’ll order it now in case I have to have more treatment after this next surgery.

Best, Rose x

[Eglis]

Hello......sorry to hear you are joining the club!
i had lumps removed from both breasts in November.  I referred to mine as ‚my unwelcome friends‘.

i think a good sense of humour helps enormously - being able to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all.

The physical recovery has been very good - any discomfort I had didn’t last long.  I went walking outside the day after the operation......short small walks which I built up.  Thoroughly  recommend this - it helps enormously both physically and mentally.  Even better if a friend joins you.  Surround yourself with positive things/people and items of beauty.

i also did (and still am) yoga every day...... listening carefully to my body.  Prior to the op, it helped me retain my sense of inner calm and post operation has helped keep my mood lifted and improve my upper body mobility.  There are some great you tube options

When I embrace my cancer journey (am currently doing radiotherapy) rather than fight against it, it enables me to be much more positive.  Go with the flow and the most important thing is to be kind to yourself!

Good luck with your journey!

[Slightly Lopsided]

I've just read Rose's post which I think she sent at the same time and echo everything she advised.I hadn't wanted to say anything at this stage 🙄 but as she's mentioned it  happened to her too, do be prepared for a little deviation,repetition and hesitation. I had to go back for more surgery as my margins weren't clear (it happens in 1 in 5 cases) but this all shows the care to make sure absolutely every trace of cancer is removed. 

And don't read Dr Google!I made it my golden rule to stick to this site, Macmillan and Cancer Research-and there are so many really helpful kind people here.I was given very sensible information at every stage from my hospital and I could speak to my BCN about any worries and she always had the answer. However, if you want to read a very informative book , and the one I wish I had read before I started treatment, I recommend "The Complete Guide to Breast Cancer" by Trisha Greenhalgh and Liz O'Riordan,  two  doctors who have had breast cancer.I saw someone mention it on this forum and it is very sensible and reassuring with explanations of  every step of breast cancer treatment.

Good luck to both of you  and big hugs for Thursday, Rose!     

[Slightly Lopsided]

Hello DebsP

I'm sorry to hear you are facing surgery but good news that it's been found early.A lot will depend on your age and general health  but I was surprised how well I felt throughout treatment.

I had a lumpectomy exactly a year ago last week  after being recalled from my first screening appointment.I was 52 and considered myself to be in  in fairly good general health i.e I had never had any sort of operations or treatment before for anything and was on no medication for any other underlying conditions. I wouldn't say I was ever an exercise freak but I have always walked a lot so would say I was moderately fit.My operation was done by day surgery(I think that's the norm in most hospitals) so I was home the same evening.I was slightly tired for a day or two but otherwise in no pain after the anaesthetic wore off and didn't need to take any further pain killers.  I was signed off for 3 weeks(this was just pre Covid so working at home wasn't the norm) and even thought of  going back to work early but listened to everyone and agreed to be gentle on myself.

A lot will also depend on where your wound is.If you have to have a sentinel node biopsy to check your lymph nodes, you will have a scar under your arm and will be told to be careful not to lift anything heavy for  a few weeks. That probably caused me to take more care than the lumpectomy itself.My lumpectomy wound was in the "12 o'clock" position so I was lucky it didn't really cause me any problems but I had to be careful to remember not to do anything too energetic or stretch up to lift anything.My BCN told me most women try to do too much because they forget they have stitches and feel well-so no vacuuming!However, I had frantically cooked and filled the freezer beforehand in preparation and actually found cooking very therapeutic and no problem.

You should be given arm/shoulder  exercises to do later and I was very careful to do them  daily and build up the frequency as it helps prevent lymphoedema  and also helps give you full arm movement if you need radiotherapy later .I also made a great effort to go  out for walks every day and built up the length  of them and I certainly felt ok to go out after the first day or two.

In retrospect, I would say don't underestimate the emotional side of everything and even if you feel physically well , I had good days and bad days-that's quite normal, I think! I also think Covid has a big impact on  everything.I was very lucky  that when I started treatment, I could meet friends for coffee when I was recovering and have hugs but that later stopped overnight, and it became a much more isolated experience, so I do think it's harder for all women  having treatment now-so do give yourself treats and be gentle  on yourself.

I hope all goes well and good luck!🤗  

[HappyVibes]

Hi Debs

Big consoling hug for finding yourself part of the breast cancer sisterhood. I am fairly new here too and have found the members full of kindness, support, good advice and good humour. The great thing is you found it early and breast cancer is treatable now. They’ll soon kick your Squatter out and send any hangers on packing.

I was diagnosed middle of September last year with mixed invasive classic lobular and invasive ductal cancer. They always do an MRI when lobular cancer is discovered because it can be sneaky and sometimes crops up in the other breast too. After other scans that were needed had been done and waiting times for results, I finally had my surgery on December 10th - in and out the same day, no drain, wound glued rather than stitched and no dressing. I had very little pain to begin with and felt fine for a couple of days, then didn’t feel quite so well on the third day for a couple of days. I also began to feel a bit sore both in the breast and my armpit from where they’d taken a Sentinel Lobe Biopsy - just 2 nodes.

The following week I felt fine and was able to put the Christmas decs up and carry on with light housework etc. The worst part of this, as you will find, is the waiting for results. I got my lumpectomy results back on 8th January, with a bit of good news and a bit of bad - they got clear margins on the tumour so no more breast surgery, but one of the nodes was infected and so now I am having an Full Axillary Node Clearance  this Thursday 21st. My treatment plan going forward will depend on what they find there.

After 10 days I started moisturising my wound and massaging it as best I could as it was still very tender at this stage. I used SHEALD RECOVERY BALM which is great for healing wounds and fading scars but Bio Oil is good too and not quite so expensive.

It’s really important to do the exercises they give you, and follow the instructions they give you regarding recovery, when you can do what again, etc. I’m very impatient and did a bit too much too soon and got very sore again. They give you the recovery advice for good reason, so best to stick to it!

Good nutrition, healthy lifestyle and good sleep are all vital to a good recovery and there’s plenty of advice in the booklets available at your Breast Unit about what’s good and what to avoid.

When you get your surgery date you could post again on the Surgery page for that particular month and you’ll find lots of lovely girls there who can give advice and share their stories.

Best wishes, Rose x

[DebsP]

Hi.  I received news last week that I have a lump - now called “The Squatter” which is showing signs of both Ductal and lobular cells.  I class myself as extremely fortunate that it’s been found early and is treatable and am set for an MRI this week then a lumpectomy Is due to follow shortly after. Can some give me an idea of the recovery time and any tips on looking after myself to aid recovery would be amazing.  Thank you 🙏