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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  • Hi sorry to jump on your post .

     

    I had a lumpectomy and axillary clearance last August,  they removed 18 lymph nodes and 13 was cancerous,  5 weeks later I had to have a re-incision because they didn't get clear margins,  luckily after the 2nd op they got clear margins. 

     

    I still suffer numbness under my arm , down one side of the arm and on the shoulder,  luckily I have full movement in that arm its just the numbness and the having to be careful of getting bites and scratches due to having no lymph nodes in that arm and of course now the summer is arriving having to make sure I wear high factor sun screen so not to get burnt. 

     

    I was supposed to have had chemo,  radiotherapy and hormone blockers,  I refused them all , my choice .

     

    I have a dented breast where the scar is and was told they could do plastic surgery to improve it but it doesn't bother me , I'm 51 and long since showed that part of my body to the world lol .

     

    I wish you luck in your recovery x

  • Hi.

    It must have been a hard decision. 

    I got a copy of a letter sent to my doctor about what was found.

    Had a 16mm grade 3 and a 24mm grade 2 invasive ductal carcinoma in 90mm of DCIS. 2nd surgery soon to try and clear margins.

    Only radiotherapy was mentioned before my 1st surgery but am now worried as they found grade 3 that I'll need chemo. Not sure what to do but guess no point fretting until I'm told...

    Hope you are keeping well xx

  • Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that :-( 

     

    I've an appointment on the 6th July to see the oncologist who will go through  the  results with me bu5 they wouldn't give me the results over the phone so I'm still rather clueless 

  • I really hate that they have results but won't tell you anything until you go in. My surgeon was/is on holiday so I won't get to see her until 7th to discuss mastectomy/reconstruction options. More waiting. I'm so impatient!

    Hope your appointment goes well with the oncologist. X

     

  • It is very frustrating,  knowing they have the results but won't give them to me until I go in, you can't help but wonder why and surely if it was good news then they'd tell you over the phone .

     

    Ah good luck when you go to talk to them on the 7th , let me know what they say x

  • I am in the same position of waiting for results from biopsy after my operation 2 weeks ago. It is all very stressful.

  • Totally agree :-(  but next weds I should get the results,  the oncologist as to give me them .

  • Hi,

     

    Thanks for your message  :) 

     

    It didn't go well  :( 

     

    I have 4 tumours on my left lung and 3 on the right , one is bigger than the others and right by my airway which is causing a cough and a bit breathless. 

     

    It's secondary breast cancer , stage 4 I believe and there is no cure , I'm being put on medication to either shrink the tumours or to stop them growing bigger and to hopefully stop the cancer spreading , but need a bone scan to see if it's spread into my bones x

  • Blimey! That's a lot to deal with! Are you okay? X

  • Yeah I'm as ok as I can be I guess , it's such a lot to process that I don't even no where to start .

     

    What abiut you, did you get the news you wanted? X

  • Hi, 

    Well, went different to what I expected. No mastectomy this time. She's doing another lumpectomy. She disagreed with 'the board' that said a mastectomy was needed. You'd think I'd have been pleased. I wasn't. I'm just worried it won't get clear margins again and I'll have a mastectomy after this one. I was getting used to the idea of a mastectomy as it would be done, over (ish). 

    Anyway, 4th lumpectomy next Thursday (28th) Then the 3-4 week wait for results. Fingers crossed!

    How are you doing? 

Reply
  • Hi, 

    Well, went different to what I expected. No mastectomy this time. She's doing another lumpectomy. She disagreed with 'the board' that said a mastectomy was needed. You'd think I'd have been pleased. I wasn't. I'm just worried it won't get clear margins again and I'll have a mastectomy after this one. I was getting used to the idea of a mastectomy as it would be done, over (ish). 

    Anyway, 4th lumpectomy next Thursday (28th) Then the 3-4 week wait for results. Fingers crossed!

    How are you doing? 

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