Welcome to Cancer Chat. I hope you are getting on OK - it sounds like a lot to be processing and I'm sure the uncertainty is difficult to deal with.
Hopefully this forum can be of some support to you. My reply here will give your post a little boost so a few more people should see it. You can also use the search bar at the top of the page to find other relevant discussions and people to connect with, if you'd like to.
We are always here for support whenever you need it, even if it's just to write things down.
I had a lumpectomy and a sentinel load biopsy yesterday following 16 rounds of chemotherapy. It was not nearly as bad as I expected. One second I was chatting to the nurses and anaesthetist and the next second I was waking up in the recovery room. I was very woozy at first but I had no pain or sickness. Since then I have only had minor discomfort. My surgeon did such a good job that, unless you look carefully, you can't really tell that I've had a lumpectomy. Of course everyone is different but if you do have side effects after surgery there is plenty of medication out there to counteract them. Hope that helps and let us know how you get on.
I am so sorry to hear that you are dealing with a Triple Negative Diagnosis. I have had 2 diagnoses of breast cancer and 1 of pre-cancer within a year of each other. I had a Lumpectomy first time around and a Double Mastectomy for the other bouts. I think that Hopecalm has explained what you can expect very succinctly. If you do have any pain or sickness after your surgery, make sure to tell the nursing staff, as they can deal with most post-operative problems these days. I was dreading surgery, but found both of them much more straightforward than I imagined. Are you having a Lumpectomy or Mastectomy? Whichever, I hope that it all goes well.
Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.
I am having a lumpectomy followed by chemo and radiotherapy. I have my pre op tomorrow and I'm just feeling sick all of the time. Sorry to sound so sorry for myself.
The pre-op is fairly routine - just to ensure that you are fit enough to undergo surgery. Many of us have all sorts of emotional upsets prior to surgery - crying, nausea, sleepless nights, etc are all par for the course. The crying actually serves a purpose, in that releasing all those tears, helps to remove stress. These will all settle after you have your lumpectomy and you will wonder what you got so stressed about.
Try to keep yourself busy with any pastime that will help to take your mind off the wait. Going to the theatre, to the cinema, out for a meal with friends will all help. Some people find that concentrating on doing a jigsaw helps. Avoid looking online, as you will find much of the information is poorly researched, out of date and won't give you any more answers. You have a difficult year ahead of you with your surgery and treatment, but it is "doable" and you will get through it all. Try to place your faith in your care team. They do this day in day out and know what they are doing. The more positive you can be about all that lies ahead, the better you'll cope.
I am now 15 years down the line and I still live a busy and fulfilling life.
Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.
