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Is it back ?

Jessiem
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Hiya guys , I would love a little advice if anyone could please help , I had a lumpectomy back in June 2022 , there's obviously been alot of scar tissue inside my breast and pain I never had before , but what I need to ask is if anyone's initial lump is still there , I've got quite big boobies and I'm sure I remember that after my op the original cancer lump was still there and still is today maybe bigger , does anyone else still have their initial lump ? Also , this is a strange one but back before I knew I had cancer , a few months before I was diagnosed my little toenails fell out , no pain or messiness they just cleanly dropped off , it's never ever happened before or since , except yesterday , the little nail on my left foot just dropped off , now it may be a coincidence about the nails and I've linked it with the cancer without any real evidence but I'm scared it's come back , anyone else have anything similar,  thanks in advance for your comments , take care xxx

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    Hi Jessiem  

    Thank you for the friend request. 

    Just read your post ,my lumpectomy back in June 2020  has left me with a lot of scar tissue,I check my breasts every month like I was advised to.

    And yes I can still feel a lump where the tumour was,but I know my surgeon removed it during my lumpectomy and all my lympth nodes were removed  from under my right arm too.

    In all honesty, I'm sure what I'm feeling is just scar tissue,as a lot of my surgery involved reconstruction...ie moving breast tissue around to fill parts that were removed. 

    I did have a scare of finding another lumo in the same breast, I was seen in the hospital breast clinic,and  although I was told that they didn't think there was anything to worry about , they  would organise a ultra sound scan to pay my mind at rest. .

     Anyway scan day came, and it showed up a vety small cyst,which they said was not harmful,and would be best left alone. So that was a great relief to hear that.

    As for your toenails dropping off,could that not be just a coincidence?, maybe you knocked them with out realising  just how badly  only to find them falling off much later ( and you'd forgotten you'd stubbed them ) I know this had happened to me from time to time. 

    But if you feel worries do reach out to your   designated breast care team,as im sure they will see you in clinic and do all the necessary things , check your breadts out again and maybe  do an ultra sound like I had . Hope this helps. X

  • Offline in reply to Jassoscared

    Hiya jas , that's exactly what I've been telling myself that it's scar tissue , I must admit it is a relief that you also still feel the original lump, I dont think I'll ever stop worrying that it'l come back , it's a monkey on your back , but that's natural I'm sure , every little twinge or ache and I start speculating , my lymph nodes were also removed (about 3 I think ) and it also feels mes around that area with lumps etc,  it's hard to decipher if there's anything new forming , thankyou so much for reply you've took a weight off my mind and I'm extremely grateful for that ️

  • Offline in reply to Jessiem

    Jessie's

    I'm glad my reply has helped you feel better about things. 

    I remember when I first checked my breast by feeling it once wasn't sore  after the operation.  

    I was scared to feel it at first, ny breasts alwsys felt a bit lumpy .  I thought eww that feels strange thicker and more  ,lumpy  in places.  I thought how am i ever going to feel a lump  if It comes back.  

    So when I had a check up at hospital breast clinic, i voiced my concern. The breadt care nurse waa very understanding and helpful.  After feeling my breast She got my hand and said take your time  with the flat of yoir hand,not your finger tips just go around your breast and get used to how your breast feels after your surgery. What changes you are feeling is now your normal. 

    And once I'd had all my Radiotherapy trestments she told me  that my right breast where I'd had the Radiotherapy  would always feel firmer than my left breast  would, as Radiotherapy tends to make the break firmer. 

    She was 100% right about that  as the right breast I had all treatments on definitely feels firmer than the left. 

    I think its quite normal to worry more about your health,once you've been diognosed with any kind of csncer,it's a normal reaction  

    I also has ulcerative colitis aged 18,I've had 40 colonoscopys in total. In 2015,I had to have half my bowel taken away on my right side,along with my  appendix,and small piece of my intestines. 

    This had to be done after a flat sessile polyp was found.  It had to be inserted with a blue dye ,and cut away in five sections.  On being tested   it was found to contain high grade dysplasia  ( pre cancerous cells) . Was told on tge Friday although it wasn't actually cancer  it could turn cancerous if left.  I was petrified I'd wake up with a stomach,ny surgeon said she wasn't planning on giving Mr one but couldn't rule it out but said if thst happens, it could in time be reversed.  But thankfully i didn't get one. 

    Had lots of problems  bowel came through the opening and caused a hernia, so in I want agsin by another surgeon this tike yo have ut repaired with mesh.

    Then I git breast cancer diognosees in May 2020. Then  in 2022 I was diognosed  after a biobsy with vin 3 of the vulva which is pre cancerou is cells. 

    I' tried imngroid cream ,which gynecologist didn't want to prescribe ,but a dermatologist I saw did. 

    I'm still being monited for thst  with the gynecologist, it's now  changed to yearly checks, this year will ve the first year,ut used to be every mth,them every 3 mths,then 6mths. So I'm hoping when this ist years check appointment comes it's still all OK,as thry do tell you it can come back.  

    So I do worry as cancer has tried it's hardest to get Mr lol, and thers bedn so many cancers in my family.  4 Bowel carers 3  lung cancers, 2 breast cancers that's including me  , one cervix cancer,I leukaemia.  V

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