So sorry to hear this Marlyn. It will be exactly one year on the 3rd January since I had mine.
I found it all quite straight forward. I had to have a wire inserted before the op so the surgeon knew where to target. I didn't have a lump but microcalcifications (DCIS) so without that he wouldn't have known the area.
I don't know your diagnosis so don't know if you will need this or not. I was in and out in the day. Not too uncomfortable or painful. A few stiched round the aereola which now looks completely normal again.
My boob itself is now slightly smaller than the other but only noticeable without a bra. I just buy normal bras now but straight after the op I bought post surgery bras. These are non wired and I was advised to sleep in one as well for support. This helped a lot. You can get these in Asda or Matalan for as little as £8 and they do the job perfectly.
I don't know what your treatment plan is but my lumpectomy was followed by a course of 15 radiotherapy sessions over February and March
You will get a lot of advice and support on here Marlyn. It's a great forum to use.
Good luck on the 3rd January. Xmas will keep you busy I'm sure. I had to go into hospital sporting a split lip following a VERY competitive game of 'spoons' when my son in law elbowed me in the face and I needed two stitces in my bottom lip!!!! I spent the day explaining that no, it wasn't a cold sore!!!
Oh thank you so much for replying! I am in a bit of a whirlwind right now....going from being very brave to tears ( my poor hubby) yes, I do need the needle thing and was told I would be out the same day. Depending on the tumour will depend on aftercare but will defo need the radiotherapy along side hormone inhibitors ( which scares me the most) are you on those?
top tip ref the bra! Will get stocked up
thanks again for you reassuring reply......hope everything is going well for you now..xxxx
Yes Marlyn. I'm cured now. I'm on a patient led follow up programme now. They don't call for me but I can contact them at any time if I have the slightest worry. I also have the reassurance of annual mammograms for the next five years.
My treatment has been second to none. I consider myself extremely lucky that my cancer was caught very early thanks in the main to the advancements in technology and the earlier detection of cancers.
I kept a diary. Just jotted down my feelings when I felt like it. I came across it the other week and was surprised at how much of it was a distant memory now. It just goes to show how far I've come in a few short months.
I was lucky too to have a lot of support from family and friends. Some don't know how to react but I found that diving straight in and talking about it put them at ease, got it out of the way and then you can talk normally about everything else. I would have definitely used MacMillan if I hadn't had this support.
If youre going to have radiotherapy start preparing your skin as soon as you can. Use a good double base cream every day. Aqueous cream or I used Isomol Gel which my doctor prescribed. I still use it now and have it on repeat prescription. I had little reaction to the radiotherapy. My skin was fine and just felt a bit hot and itchy towards the end of treatment but it settled down in a couple of weeks.
Your words and experience are truly reassuring. I have such a good network here, I am the warden of a residential home for the elderly and so have lots of old ladies clucking around me! My husband is my rock.....I will heed your advice on the skin prep too. Out of everything it's the meds after surgery that worry me, I must stop googling the side effects as I am giving myself them already! Again....thank you.....I know there is light at the end of the tunnel.....xxxx
I had a lumpectomy on 11th so it's nearly a week on and I am doing ok. I was also anxious and worried about my hubby as his mum has just had a heart attack. She is fine and hubby is my rock.
I am healing well and I get pathology results etc on Wednesday. I can't praise the NHS nurses enough. I am not too sore and keeping busy helps with keeping emotions at bay. Do the exercises as they keep your arm flexible which is important if you have to have radiotherapy. I have got lovely soft cotton bras without wires (Sainsbury's £6 ) and I managed to start wearing them from day 3. Be kind to yourself and pace yourself. The anaesthetic takes a couple of days to get over so plenty of rest and fluids help.
Hi there!! I had a lumpectomy for grade 1 tubular invasive cancer yesterday. I also had wire insertion which was done in the morning along with first dye for sentinel node surgery. I went in to hospital 7.30am. Wire inserted and dye approx 11am. Surgery at 1pm. Back on ward having coffee at 3.30pm. Left hospital at 7.30pm. Feeling ok. Quite sore under arm although was told they only took one node for testing. Have to wait now for results in New Year. I can honestly say the last 6 weeks were far worst than the operation itself as I was so scared especially of the anaseatic as I had never had op before. I am feeling tired but so relieved that the op is over!! Hope this helps.Gill.xx
Oh gill....thank you so much for your reply! And it does help! I also go in at 7.30 am and need the wire thing and dye thing, I am expecting your time table will roughly be the same as mine? I know I am 2nd on the list. She said I will be out the same day.
Yrs, I agree, the waiting is the worst part of it all, just want the tumour out of me, I know the road will be a rocky one but at least something is being done.
Please post updates of your journey....we can compare notes! Xxxx
I had a lumpectomy in May on two lumps that came back inconclusive after core biopsies. My results came back benign. I was advised by the ladies on here to get a good sports bra no under wire bras. Must admit best thing I could have brought! I wore it Day and night for first couple of weeks as they had to go a bit deeper to get second lump out. Don’t push yourself to hard to quick. Do as your body tells you and rest when you feel you need to. I had 3 weeks off work. Hope this helps x
