Hi there

I’m going tomorrow for a mastectomy as a result of DCIS. My surgeon suggested this as it’s quite a large area and I have quite a small chest. I am not having reconstruction and hopefully will not need further treatment. They will check 1 - 4 lymph nodes too. I’m 52 and this was picked up at my first mammogram in October. I’m a primary music teacher and had 10 nativities to play for before Christmas hence the delay.

S

Good luck tomorrow! Will be thinking of you xxx

Hi Radley,

Thank you for your condolences. We lost my mother-in -law 4 months to the day prior to my father-in-law. They had been together for 80 years and he was totally bereft after she passed away.

I am glad to hear that your surgery went off well. Strangely, like you, I found my double mastectomy less painful than my lumpectomy the previous year. I think that the only feeling that I felt after surgery was relief that I had got it all away. Have you been told when you will get your results yet? You will naturally be worried about them, but I hope that they give you some good news.

No, I didn’t have a biopsy. I was offered one, but the dermatologist told me that she was certain that it was cancerous and, advised that a biopsy would cause additional scarring to my face. She advised me that she would send an urgent referral to the plastic surgeons, who would probably operate straight away without doing a biopsy. She said that it didn’t really matter whether it was cancerous or pre-cancerous, the lesion would still have to come out, so there would be no harm in waiting for the pathology results after surgery to confirm. I should get surgery within the next few weeks.

I shall certainly keep you posted and hope that you will do likewise. Here’s hoping that your results come through soon for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Sheila,

I am glad to hear that you are not rushing back to school too soon.

As you rightly said, 'there are no light duties once you're back'. It also sounds as if you are keeping yourself busy, which helps to pass the time.

You are doing well if you are already planning to start driving again next week. Don't forget to get your doctor's OK to drive before you start (preferably in writing), as some insurance companies can be very sticky if, heaven forbid, you had an accident.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine

It must have been pretty tough for your father-in-law to loose his wife after 80 years of being together.

That would have taken its toll on him too. I am sure God would give you and your family enough courage and strength to deal with two tragedies within a short time !!!!

My follow up appointment is in two weeks. It has been bad news for me on both the occasions when I went for the mammogram and histology report after lumpectomy.Hence I am dreading that-but will not think of it for the next two weeks-will just take it as and when it comes.

Hope you get the surgery appointment soon and all goes well for you.

Best wishes and regards

Radley

Hi Radley,

Yes, my poor father-in-law was befeft after his wife passed. They were a couple who did everything together, so I like to think that they are reunited now and happy to be together once more.

Waiting for results like this is always a scary time, especially when you have had to have some additional tests.

Have you got a date for your follow-up appointment yet? - Here's hoping that it all goes well.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine,

As you very rightly said they both will be very happy to be reunited again and will be thinking of you and praying for you as well.

My appointment is on the 13th of Feb-keeping my fingers crossed till then.

Any idea when you will be getting yours!

Regards

Radley

Relieved

Had my follow up appointment after Mastectomy today.

Good news no need for chemo or radio therapy but for prevention of recurrence I will have to take letrozole for 5 yrs and annual mammograms.

Has anyone been on letrozole and had bad side effects?Can you share your experiences with this medication?

Hope I won’t have any serious side effects with it .

Thanks and Regards

Radley

Hi Radley,

I am so glad to hear that all went well yesterday. Like you, I didn't have radio or chemotherapy after my double mastectomy. After my lumpectomy,I was put on Tamoxifen, but when I found the second lump in the same breast a year later, I stopped taking this and moved on to Letrozole for 6 years. I understand that some doctors like you to stay on it for up to 10 years now, instead of 5.

Have you read the information leaflet that comes with your Letrozole? This outlines most of the side-effects with it. If you want to find out more about these, why not use the search engine on the blue banner at the top of this page. If you insert Letrozole or some associated words in the search box, then click, this will bring you to previous discussions on it, which you may find helpful.

It is sometimes a bad idea to dwell too much on side-effects, as you will know soon enough if you do develop them. Reading about them all can convince you that you have them, even though you may not.

That having been said, I sincerely hope that you won't be plagued by any side-effects.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Thanks Jolamine

I did read the leaflet which gives a very long list

 of side effects.But you are right  reading too much about it doesn’t make it easier and you start imagining things.

A week on Letrozole so far so good apart from feeling a bit tired let me see how I get on with it .

I seem to have seromas on either side of the scar which is quite big on one side but the surgeon was not very concerned and didn’t want to aspirate as he said it will recur if he does.

Anyways keeping my fingers crossed and pray it will get absorbed soon.

Hope all is well on your side. Have u got the appointment?

Regards

Radley

Hi Radley,

I am glad to hear that you are coping with Letrozole so far. The seromas on either side of the scar are not so good, but I expect that your surgeon is waiting for them to absorb naturally.

I've got my date through for surgery. It's on 4th March, so not that long to wait now, thank goodness.

Thinking of you and, hoping that everything settles down soon.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine,

Was thinking of you today. How did the surgery go-Hope it went on alright and you are ok and back home.

Regards

Radley

Hi Jolamine,

Was thinking of you today. How did the surgery go-Hope it went on alright and you are ok and back home.

Regards

Radley

Hi Radley,

The surgeon was very pleasant and very thorough. He explained that if he removed the lesion with a 2½cm margin (the minimum he needs to remove) and the pathology result comes back as benign, then I couldn't have plastic surgery afterwards, but if the lesion proves to be cancerous, then there is no problem in getting a skin graft.

He looked at some of the other lesions on my body and found another suspect one on my right leg, just above my ankle.

I have had 2 excision biopsies, with quite a sizeable chunk removed from both lesions. I have to keep the dressing on my face for a week and go back to the clinic to get the stitches on my face out then. I also have to see my GP to remove the stitches from my leg in 2 weeks time.

I must confess that I was not looking forward to getting the anaesthetic in my face, but both were virtually painless. We'll see what they're like when the local anaesthetic wears off!

The pathology results are not likely to be back for 4-6 weeks - what a time to wait! He was saying that if they turn out to be benign, then he wouldn't operate as he has already removed the pigmented area of both lesions today.

How are your seromas doing, is there any sign of re-absorbtion? You have been on Letrozole for a while now - are you still coping with it?

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine 

Glad your surgery went welL

Guess the worst part is waiting for the results. That is a long wait 4-6 weeks ! Wonder why? 

Hope all will be well in the end and it is worth the wait!

My seromas are no better- but at least not increasing in size.But of late I am getting a lot of discomfort and a bit of pain too. I was wondering if I should call the team and ask their advice- maybe I will as it is 6 weeks since the surgery and I am not completely comfortable.

I am ok with Letrozole so far will have to wait and see how things go in future.

Regards

Radley

Hi Radley,

If your seromas are no better, it might be worth giving your breast care nurse a phone call and seeking her advice.

I'm glad to hear that, so far, you're coping with the Letrozole and hope that this continues to be the case.

Yes 4-6 weeks seems like a life time away to get my results. However, my appointment arrived via the post today and it was for July.  I fear that my consultant's secretary has mistaken 4 weeks for 4 months. I tried phoning her today and left a message for her to phone me back - so far I've had no reply.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine 

great to hear your surgery went well but results in July!!!! Keep ringing the consultant's secretary. You will be out of your mind by 4-6 weeks never mind 4 months.

Good luck xx

Hi Jolamine

yes I will have to ring and get some advice from the nurse.

4-6 weeks for the results itself is a bit too much and to top it off appointment in 4 months thats crazy! I am sure it must have been a mistake.

Ring the hospital to bring it forward if not at least ring them in 2-3 weeks for the results ( I am sure it would be done by then) if no luck your GP should have a copy so perhaps you can ring the surgery to see if it is there!

Hope it gets sorted out soon for you.

Regards

Radley

Hi Radley,

Don't delay. Contact your breast care nurse as soon as you can and get this sorted out.

My consultant's secretary phoned home yesterday when I was at work. She told my husband that there are no appointments before 2nd July. She also said that they do not give results out over the phone. The only advice that she could offer was for me to keep phoning regularly to see if any cancellations come up. I will certainly not be leaving this here. I would have expected to have any surgery I may need over and done with by then!

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Harvell,

I ended up with 2 excisional biopsies, one on my face and one on my leg, but no surgery. This has been delayed until I get my biopsy results back.

My consultant's secretary phoned home yesterday when I was at work. She told my husband that there are no appointments before 2nd July. She also said that they do not give results out over the phone. The only advice that she could offer was for me to keep phoning regularly to see if any cancellations come up. I will certainly not be leaving this here. I would have expected to have any surgery I may need over and done with by then!

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Here's hoping you get a cancellation very soon Jolamine. I am shocked at the 4 month wait. I feel for you, as strong as you are this will certainly try your resilience!

Best wishes and keep up the phone calls xx

Hi Harvell,

Thanks for your concern. I am like a dog with a bone. I won't let this lie until I get this appointment brought forward.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine

Saw the BCN today. She examined me and said that there is no fluid- so not a seroma but unfortunately I have developed dogs ears- swelling is a mixture of skin and fatty tissue and feels a bit firm and not cystic.She said there is nothing we can do to help it go away.But if it gets bigger and painful/ uncomfortable then Imight have to see the Surgeon who will recommend a revision surgery.

Have you had any of this problem- do you know of anything to help get rid of it-any creams or massage etc. 

I cant stand the idea of another surgery!

Hope you had been successful in getting a sooner date! Are you keeping well?

Regards

Radley