Breast Cancer Now Forum

Thanks ladies for posting to this thread.    I've made the controversial decision not to start taking tamoxifen. Its very much the right decision for me but I'm feeling sad about disappointing the Dr. (I know, right?) I do believe that my Dr. has my best interest at heart but I have to follow my own conscience. ... View more

  I should receive my oncotype score next week. Sadly today I received a call to see if my insurance covers various drugs.  . I guess I was thinking that I would be on the low end of the scale. Now I'm not sure....   I've gone back to work but I'm dancing around why I've been away. I figured once I know the treatment options I would let more people at work know. The last thing I want is everyone checking in with me all the time. I know that they would be doing it out of concern but I couldn't handle the attention right now.     ... View more

Flyingarcher, I'm right with you.   I'm waiting for my Oncotype score as well. I really really hope my score is low. It's frustrating not being able to plan my life with confidence until I receive my score info. ... View more

Hi Ladies,    Just got back from my appointment. I'm eating chocolate cake right now. 🙂 One can only drink so many green drinks! lol    The Oncologist said that I could use polysporin on my incision sparingly and gently. Showering is okay now but I have to completely dry the area. ( I've been taping a cut plastic bag around my breast when I shower. Good to know I don't have to do that, although I might continue just for a few more days.) Then the oncologist showed me how to gently massage my breast.    I'm trying to remain calm about the treatment part. The though of treatment scares me. I may have to do 16 rounds of rad. They are not sure about chemo so they are sending my tissue to be analyze for an Oncotype score.  ... View more

  Queenbee happy your visit with the nurse went well and that your mind is more at ease.    Flyingarcher that is fantastic news! I'm Her2 negative also but I didn't know that that means no chemo.    I went back to work on Tuesday for half day, Wednesday for most of the day and today (Thursday) for a full day). I felt tired and pains now and again. I spent a lot of time on Tuesday and Wednesday catching up with coworkers. Only a few of them knew why I was away from work. Some thought was on vacation the whole time but I just didn't correct their assumption. I was on vacation for two weeks and then had the surgery as soon as I got back. It felt really strange going back to work. It might be a bit soon but I wanted to go back.  ... View more

Hi Queenbee,    Before the hematoma came out of my incision the upper part of my chest sounded hollow. I had pressure on my armpit then too. You might not have the same thing but don't be shocked (as I was) if you incision leaks fluid. It took a lot of the balloon pressure that I was feeling off.     Tuesday... hmmmm :(. Hope you can keep busy to give your mind a break. I read ficition novels and watched movie after movie. Sad movies too to give me something else to cry about. *smirk*.    Good that the nurse will check on you and hopfully she will change your dressing (If you still have it on). Hope you feel better and the nurse visit will give you pease of mind.     ... View more

Flyingarcher happy you had a better day.   🙂   Queenbee is your appointment set yet? I'm feeling apprehension about my Friday appointment.  ... View more

Good to know. I'm more motivated to do the stretches more often, thanks to all of you. My mobility is pretty good most likely because my nodes/lumpectomy was done on my right side. So I've been moving my arm a lot naturally and do the stretches.   @Queenbee, That's terrible that your appointment was cancelled.   My appointment today was really short. I was told they got all of the cancer and that my stage of cancer was/is 1. My nodes were clear. The surgeon checked my incisions and then a nurse put a new dressing on. I will find out the treatment options/recommendations on Friday. I hope it wont be anything aggressive.    @ Flyingarcher, hang in there. Keep your family and friends close and talk to the ones that will let you express your feelings. Knowing and not knowing is scary.  ... View more

That's good info! Feelthefear, your exercising? Wow! You are hard core. I'm lucky if I can do a stretch. 🙂   Queenbee, my visit is tomorrow morning. I'm trying to remain calm. I had a node removed and I have invasive ductal cancer  too. I'm not sure of the type yet. I know you are scared, I am too but we will get through this. I will hope for the best possible outcome for us. xo ... View more

Hi Feelthefear,    I hope the tight bra works. Now that I think about it, I was wearing a tight bra for a few days before I started to leak fluid. So it might work for you too.    Hope you are feeling better today. ... View more

Hi Queenbee,    Just found out that I'm getting my results tomorrow. I'm nervous too. I feel like I'm studying for final exams. I'll spend most of today researching treatment options and listing my questions.    It will be good for us to know our result so we can move forward.    ... View more

Hi Feelthefear,   It was a terrible experience but its only after that I realized that it was a good thing. Not to get too graphic but it looked like old blood. The look of it, the volume and the truma of being in a busy emergency room and waiting hours to be seen. It was a nightmare!    Sorry to know you are in a smilar situation. What is the plan to get the seroma out? Hope its not too uncomfortable. Did the nurse mention if there is still a chance that it could drain on its own? ... View more

Hello Flyingarcher,    Hope you are feeling better today.      ... View more

OMG ladies. Yesterday I started to leak fluid from my incision around 10am. It wasn't too much but it gradually increased throughout the day. By 9:30pm I was in a cab enroute to the hospital. Sadly the emergency department was very busy and I didn't get seen until 12am. By then my clothes were soaked. The doctor said that I had hematoma. They changed my dressing and then sent me home.    I had no idea that this could happen. I was so glad that I chose to take the full two weeks off from work. I was starting to feel pretty good on Wednesday so I was considering going in to work on Thursday and Friday of this week. Good thing that I didn't do that. I'm okay now, I think.    Just wanted to share in case some are as uninformed as me. *I'm going to read posts and articles about hematoma right now* ... View more

Hi Feelthefear 🙂   Your post made me smile!   I actually told some one that yesterday.... I said, I need to "feel the fear" and entertain some of the scary outcomes. I've been tired of people telling me not to think about the outcomes. How can you not think about it?!? Especially while your are healing from surgery, every pain and discomfort is a reminder of my unknown situation.   For me, leading up to my diagnosis (April 13), I was living in a dream world. I did even think that cancer was a possibility even after my second biopsy. I went to my 2nd biopsy results appointment alone. I was just dropping in to get the news and intended to go back to work. My shock of hearing the news was HUGE. No idea how I got home safely because it was all a blur.     I love your husbands advice! I like that he did not try to tell you to stop thinking about the worst outcomes but to ADD good ones too. Please let him know that that advice has helped me.      ... View more

  Thank you Helena and Ann          ... View more

Hi Queebee (and everyone)!   My lumpectomy surgery was on May 3. I'm recovering okay but I'm having a meltdown about my follow up appointment on May 17. I'm trying to remain calm but its so difficult.   My family and friends are being supportive, which I love them for but I'm still in a weird place.   Thanks to you and all the posters right now, I gain strength and comfort from reading your words.     ... View more