Surgery for breast surgery

Ok, scared now. I have breast cancer. Surgery booked for Mondy (28th). Radiotherapy and menopause inducing drugs to come. Anyone been in the same situation got any advice? Please!

 

Update - now waiting for surgery number 3! They found more cancer (15mm grade 2) and an affected lymph node (now 2 out of 7) during surgery 2. My treatment plan after surgery (if successful) has yet to be discussed. If surgery 3 doesn't come back clear, a mastectomy may be the only option. Had enough of this now. The waiting is getting me down. The not knowing whether chemo is needed or not is taking over my head. Struggling to get motivated.

Surgeon and cancer nurse have mentioned the optima trial - just adding to my things to think about. Anyone have any thoughts? 

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  • 2 weeks on - how are you doing? Hope you're ok x

  • Hi Clarky15,

    I’m not doing too bad. Finally the constant stinging pain in my arm pit is easing and I’ve got all movement back.

    Results are Friday so have everybody crossed for that.

    How are you doing? You coping ok?

    xx

  • I'm ok. Pain in armpit is still annoying but coping. Seeing surgeon tomorrow for results and next steps. Feeling pretty sick but trying to stay positive. 

    Hope you get good news on Friday.

    Xx

  • Good luck for tomorrow, I will be thinking of you.

    I’m feeling the same trying to stay positive but my stomach keeps churning when I think of Friday.

     Think I’ve now convinced myself that it’s all ok and I’ll just need radiotherapy and hormone treatment.

    I have everything crossed for us both xx

  • Hi Clarky15,

    How did you get on seeing the surgeon yesterday?

    xx

  • Hi Bettyjayne,

    I need more surgery as the surgeon didn't leave a big enough margin. Had spread to first lymph node but she took 6 and the others were fine. Had 2 cancers close together. Plus pre-cancer and took 90mm out. On the bright side, she said that if I'm not happy with a dented boob, she can do lyposuction from my stomach and put it in to fill the gap! 

    Hope yours goes well tomorrow.

    N

  • Wow! This sounds like so much to take in for you. Must have been a shock for you.

    Did you know they were taking 6 lymph nodes out before your surgery? Thought they usually only took 2. Will you have long to wait until the next surgery?

    The idea of liposuction to improve the look of the breast shows the incredible way medicine has moved on. 

    How are you coping? 

    X

  • Was quite a shock. Also got told 1 lump was stage 2 and other was stage 3! Scared me loads. 

    She wasn't sure how many she was going to take as the scan machine wasn't working. I had radioactive stuff injected in a few hours before the op and she used a hand-held thing to find them during surgery. She took more because the mass of the overall tumor was qite large. 

    Each day seems to be different. One day, I'm quite ok. Other days, I'm really down. Mood swings, crying. It's not fun. And not even on hormone drugs yet! 

    How are you coing? X

  • I can imagine you were shocked and scared. It’s a lot to take in.

    So more surgery, radiotherapy and hormone drugs still ?

    I’m the same, some days I’m ok others I have a wave of sadness that slaps me in the face. Last night was a crying night, today I’m feeling so down. Can’t shake it off.

    This time tomorrow I will know more about my treatment plan too. Swaying from it’ll be ok, they got it all and it’s just what the surgeon said, to being scared for more surgery and/or chemo.

    I hope you have someone with you who is looking after you since your appointment xx

  • Yep, more surgery. Then a repeat of yesterday's appointment to see if they took enough this time. If not, surgery 3, if yes, radiotherapy and hormone tablets.

    I'm lucky that I have a lovely husband who is trying to look after me. We've never gone through this type of thing before and he's getting upset that he can't fix it for me. We've never argued about anything but my mood swings might change that. The slightest thing sets me off being upset and crying, cross and moody, down and silent. I told him to go off to the pub with his mates for an hour - then got upset because he did! He doesn't know I got uoset though. 

    Hope you have someone there for you x