Awaiting Mastecomy

rcknrob

Hi, I am new to all of this, I am 39 years old and I was diagnoised with IDC March 21, 04. Due to insurance issues we had to make a hastened move to Miami and get all of our children there. My new dr. happens to be someone I know and therefore I trust her very much. She did a new mammogram and guess what, the tumor still does not show up. So going from all the information I was able to bring with me her assessment is this. I need a radical mastectomy because the tumor is directly underneath my nipple and due to the spread out fashion of the tumor I am not a good candidate for the sentinal node biopsy so when she does the mastectomy she will remove all the nodes under my left arm. So at this point I can not be staged past saying probably stage 2 without knowledge of the nodes. The only promising information I have rec'd is that the bone scan and CT scans are neg. This surgery is scheduled for Friday 4-23-04. I have spent all my energy for the past 2 1/2 weeks trying to get my family settled in our temporary home and trying to understand all of this. I am scared to death, what will it be like after the mastecomy, I am ot the most vain person in the world but I don't really know what happens. I have read about prothesis and I know my dr. wants me to wait until I finish chemo to do reconstruction. I am not sure what is involved in all of this can someone out there send me some answers.

How long does it take to recover from surgery?
Do you get the prothesis immediatedly?
Do you ever get over this?
Is the recovery very painful?
Any help would be most appreciated.

DeeNY711

My cancer never showed on mammogram; nor did it show on ultrasound. There is very little discomfort following mastectomy because you have a numb zone. The insurance company approved me for a Thursday admission and a Saturday discharge, but I went home Friday with no difficulty. It is such good news that the bone scan and CT scan are both negative! That is great!
Love,
Denise

SusanAnne

Hi. I had a mastectomy March '03 with lymph nodes removed, one of which was positive. I also was not given the option of reconstructing right away. Let me tell you how surprised I was at how little pain was involved. I might have taken some ibuprofen, but that's it. The most important thing is to take care of your arm, do the excercises they prescribe and elevate it whenever possible. Get educated about lymphedema.
My surgeon didn't want me to wear a prosthesis for a few months. A Reach to Recovery volunteer visited me at home soon after surgery and provided me with a bra and a pocket form to fill with fiberfill. It's not perfect, but it fills the need temporarily. I just didn't wear tight fitting tops during that time. Most likely you will be visited in the hospital by a breast cancer volunteer who will give you tons of information about your local resources-use them. A month after surgery I drove to Florida (from NY), and that was after having complications inbetween requiring another surgery. If you are in good health you really should have a quick recovery.
It was a year since my mastectomy on March 24th and I'm scheduled to have my reconstruction (TRAM flap) May 17th. It is a long haul, with different phases to go thru but you sound like a trooper. You will do just fine. I highly recommend finding a support group (you might have to try a few to find one right for you). It is an excellent source of information. Good luck tomorrow; let us know how it goes.
Susan

pattyrg

In March '03 I had a modified left mastectomy, and the recovery was fine. After chemo, radiation, I elected to have the right breast removed with a simple mastectomy. I am so much more comfortable than I was wearing the prosthesis, which I was able to be fitted for as soon as the first operation was fully recovered, healed over well.

I had 14 nodes removed, 4 were positive.

You will definitely get over this. Your own attitude is the number one criteria for how well you handle the treatments. Every day you must decide again that this is not the worst thing that can happen to you.

Join in the chat groups, and it won't take long to put things in perspective. It never takes long to realize someone's status is worse than your own.

Decide to be a survivor. Those silly people on their primitive islands have not idea of the strength of character it takes to survive! If you don't now, you will!

Go, girl.

highaim

rcknrob~

I have Inflammatory Breast cancer, and it never showed on mammo or ultrasound either. The only thing apparent was a 5cm lymph node. I had neoadjuvant chemo, and then a bilateral.

Yes- it is scary not knowing the staging until after the surgery. I had 7 cycles of chemo before surgery- so that whole time spent not knowing if the chemo was working or not.

All 11 of the lymph nodes that were removed showed evidence of dead cancer. My scans continue to be clear for now.

How long does it take to recover from surgery?

I was home the next day, but developed a massive hematoma that put me back in the hospital for 5 days. The recovery time is a relative thing- the hardest part for me was getting use of my arm back. It felt like a stretched rubber band for a good month, and I had to force stretches to gain some range of motion back. It still is "tight" in my armpit, and it's been 5 months. You'll have drains in for a week or two.


Do you get the prothesis immediatedly?

I got mine pretty quick- as soon as incisions healed. But I started radiation right after that, and got bad skin burns. Then I had more surgery, so I haven't really wanted to strap on 10 pounds of silicone!

Do you ever get over this?

Well, I'm only 5 months out. And I just turned 31. So I am a young woman, who enjoyed my breasts, and valued them as an integral part of intimacy with my husband. Sometimes I do cry over the loss. And sometimes I laugh at the awkwardness of my breastless body. But, I'm getting used to it. Getting over it? I don't think you ever get over it- just get on with it, ya know? I'm not having reconstruction......

Is the recovery very painful?

Well, I'm not the type to take pain meds, and I didn't even after my surgery. But it is difficult, because of soreness, to get in and out of bed, up and down, etc. Sleeping was the hardest for me, as I am a tosser. I have to change positions frequently, and I was unable to do that after my surgery. It's very common that the nerve under your armpit becomes severed during the lympg node removal, and the first month that caused me excruciating pain. The whole back of my arm felt tingly like when your foot 'falls asleep'. It's a burning tingly sensation, almost like frostbite. And even my shirt brushing against my arm would really hurt. But that settled down, and although it still hurts, it's barely noticeable. The armpit itself is completely numb- no feeling at all.

Some people warned me about taking pain meds before the doc pulled the drain tubes out. But, I didn't do that, and it wasn't so bad. He zipped them out real quick.

I ask God to give you peace before, during, and after your surgery......

elmsys

well, by now you have had your surgery, and i haope it went well. I just thought i'd put my 2 cents in.
I am a BC survivor (3 years). Did mastectomy surgery & lymph node dissection (16 nodes, 8 positive). I did chemo & radiation. No reconstruction. For me, the toughest part was the drains because i found them gross. Do the exercises!!!
I wore a bra with polyfill for a few weeks then went to a prosthesis. Sometimes I forget I even have it.
Do you get over it? I don't think so. But it's not such a huge focus. I look and feel healthy and people meeting me for the first time would never know what I went through unless I told them.
The chat room is a GREAT place to get answers. And ultimately, it's a great place to be able to help others.
Take care, and God bless you!

rcknrob

Thank you all for you encouragment. The Surgery is over and I am home feeling ok. You are right the arm is the worse, but I am doing the exercises and after 3 days can lift my arm completely over my head. Wed is the day we find out about the nodes. I am a nervous wreck. My husband is great, he is the most upbeat person and has made me feel better, and is taking excellent care of me. I don't feel as ackward as I expected to, which I am taking as a good sign. I have become a daily reader of the post and can not express the comfort of not being alone. Thanks again
Robyn

hounddog

Hello last year I noticed my left nipple was sore all the time so I called my doctor and he ordered a mamogram and something showed up on the mamogram so they did an ultrasound and something showed up.Then on the 26th of February I had a needle localization biopsy done before I went in to surgery and I was thinking positive and it was cancer .My husband , Mom and Dad knew before I came out that it was cancer before I did. I had a mastecomy on the 28th of February of last year.I wanted it done as soon as possible because I knew what I was up against. I had breast cancer in Nov.1989 and went through six months of chemo treatments.When I had my surgery in Nov.1989 it was my right side and I could not use my right arm . I remember it hurt like all get outs. Always do your arm exercises it is very important because if you dont you wont get the use of your arm.
Marilyn