Bilateral Modified Radical Masectomy, Syntenal Node Biopsy,and Reconstrucion Thursday

SusieH

Hi Ladies,
I'm scheduled for a bilateral modified radical mastectomy with reconstruction (expanders) and syntenal node biopsy this Thursday. I've been pretty brave about things, but am getting scared now that it's getting closer. I have to check in at the womens center at 7:30, but my surgery is not until 1:00. That has something to do with a dye injection. Has anyone out there been through this who can shed some light on what I can expect? I knew I was having a double mastectomy, but something about the term "bilateral modified radical" that I heard for the first time at pre op this week makes it sound so much worse. Any thoughs from some of you who are now going through this now or who have gone through this in the past?
Thanks,
Susie

Alexis F

Hi Susie
Hi! I had a lumpectomy, so, I can't help you with information on your surgery. I just want to say good luck to you and be sure and update us on how you are doing after your surgery.

Lex

TLynn0102

Alexis F said:

Hi Susie
Hi! I had a lumpectomy, so, I can't help you with information on your surgery. I just want to say good luck to you and be sure and update us on how you are doing after your surgery.

Lex

Hi Susie
Hi!I had the bilateral with the sentinal node test and can tell you that the node test takes time. The hospital allowed my husband to come into the room with me when they did the testing, I was glad he was there. You have to lay very still during the procedure. Once done they will read the test and then you will go back to your room where they will prep you for surgery. Your surgeon can let you know what the results of the node test was at that time. The surgery is not as bad as it sounds. They gave me a valium prior to the node testing so I was very relaxed through the entire process. I was able to come home the next day. I did not have the expanders so I cannot give you any advice on that but I am sure someone else will. Good luck to you and let us know how you are doing after you are home.

Tracey

marilyndbk

Susie--Good luck on your
Susie--Good luck on your surgery. You are doing the right thing in trying to learn all you can to prepare yourself. It is natural to get scared. Been there - done that. I had bilateral mastectomy with Latissimus flap recon with expanders in Sept 09. I was told the dye was to check the nodes to let the surgeon know how many had to be tested or come out. I had 2 nodes and positive calcifications and small invasive tumor removed on left side. right side was just breast removed and 1 node. All nodes tested negative--Thank God. They tell me cancer is gone. I was in the hospital for 2 days and came home with 3 drains which were a pain. Sleeping has been a challenge but I have gotten sort of used to it. I still can't sleep on either side but it is easier to move now. The expanders are uncomfortable. I hope to have exchange surgery soon. Take the time you need for recovery. Do only what you feel you can do. rest is very important. We are stronger than we think and can do what we have to do. Sending positive thoughts and prayers your way. Take care. Marilyn

AmandaMarie29

Hey Susie, I just had a
Hey Susie, I just had a bi-lateral mastectomy w/ expander reconstruction on Dec 28th. They will do the dye injections first which I was sooooooo scared about, until I had it done. They were a piece of cake, I was suprised to find it didn't hurt at all. After that I went to the pre-op area and they hooked me up to my IV and I went into surgery. I was really out of it when they woke me up but I wasn't in a lot of pain at all. They will do a good job of managing it for you. I was up and around my room shortly after they brought me in there. I went home 2 days after my surgery and basically slept for the first week after I got home. I had 2 drains put it and they were not as bad as I thought they were going to be. I had tied gauze around my neck and pinned them to that and only wore zip-up shirts. I also found that it helps if you tape the drain close to the skin using the soft foam medical tape. That way they won't move around and irritate your skin...also, that tape won't stick to the drain so it won't tug when you take it off. The worst part of it all is waiting to have it done. I know how you feel but it really isn't as bad as you expect it to be. It's more annoying than anything because you feel so heavy and you feel pressure because of the expanders. On the bright side... It doen't last forever! You will do great and before you know it it will be all over...(HUGS)

Mandi

Skeezie

marilyndbk said:

Susie--Good luck on your
Susie--Good luck on your surgery. You are doing the right thing in trying to learn all you can to prepare yourself. It is natural to get scared. Been there - done that. I had bilateral mastectomy with Latissimus flap recon with expanders in Sept 09. I was told the dye was to check the nodes to let the surgeon know how many had to be tested or come out. I had 2 nodes and positive calcifications and small invasive tumor removed on left side. right side was just breast removed and 1 node. All nodes tested negative--Thank God. They tell me cancer is gone. I was in the hospital for 2 days and came home with 3 drains which were a pain. Sleeping has been a challenge but I have gotten sort of used to it. I still can't sleep on either side but it is easier to move now. The expanders are uncomfortable. I hope to have exchange surgery soon. Take the time you need for recovery. Do only what you feel you can do. rest is very important. We are stronger than we think and can do what we have to do. Sending positive thoughts and prayers your way. Take care. Marilyn

Hi Susie
Yes it all gets scary but knowledge helps so much. Google in Bilaterial Modified Mastectomy and Sentinal Node Biopsy and watch all the info pop up. I prefer the Mayo Clinic sites. They are very informative and will give you all the info you want. Your surgeon is also your best bet for info on exactly how he does the procedure. Write your questions down before you talk to him/her so you won't forget.

I had two lumpectomies and the Sentinal Node Biopsy prior to my single, simple mastecomy. I chose not to have reconstruction. My Sentinal Node Biopsy was way different than Tracy's. It was done under general anesthetic and I was given nerve block shots prior to surgery to block pain in the event they had to take a bunch of nodes. The sentinal node is the first node closest to your breast. If any cancer cells have spread to your nodes they pass the sentinal node first. If the sentinal node is clean then they don't have to take any more nodes. Before the surgery, the lab tech came to my room and injected the dye into my breast. The dye stings, the needle didn't. But the whole procedure only took 1 minute. (I was so scared beforehand that when I talked to the surgical nurse when she called from the hospital to give me my time to come in that she had the tech call me at home, that made a big difference) I waited another little while for the dye to spread to the sentinal node and then I went in to surgery. The surgeon took the sentinal node and the two that were right behind it. They checked while I was still under anesthetic to see if they needed to take more. I was very lucky and my nodes were clean, however then the pathologist really checks them later to make sure and they were still clean.

We are all scared before hand, it's natural. I couldn't have made it thru if I wasn't taking Ativan all thru that time of the dx and biopsies and surgery. I feel that understanding these procedures is very helpful and clears up the mystery of the unkown. If you Google just masstectomy you should come up with the four different types of them.
As you can see, procedures can differ from doc to doc and perhaps parts of the country etc. We all react differently to them as well. I wish you good luck and speedy recovering from your upcoming surgery. Keep us posted during your recovery. This is a geat place to vent, get info and lots of love and understanding.

Hugs, Judy :-)

131mom

surgery
hi

first, good luck thursday.

had bilateral mastectomy oct 09 09. but i had the dye injection done the afternoon before cause i was scheduled for 730am surgery. for me, they just injected the dye, waited 15min and checked to make sure that it started to move towards the node. it was cool to see on the machine, follow the dot & you are the dot. anyways, there was nothing else to do or wait for results. i was able to move while lying down, of course you stay still while the needle is in you.

with regards to surgery, the biopsy was done at the same time as the mastectomy. depending on type of reconstruction, you will most likely feel more pain from that site than the chest. i had the latissimus flap transfer & the back was where i felt the pain, not chest. i had 5 drains coming home with me. 3 on the side that had the node biopsy. i stayed in hospital for 3 days, was ready to go home on the second but was still itchy from the morphine.

you will be sleeping a lot, which is how the body heals itself. showers take longer. set the alarm to take your meds. plastic surgeon is all about keeping you pain free. when you get marked, ask if they can do everything thru the areola incision so you won't have the mastectomy scare on your chest (if doing skin sparing). that's how mine was done & have no scars on my chest.

the tissue expanders feel weird. they are hard as rocks and you will feel like you have 2 ice packs on your chest if you live in a cold climate area. you will be sleeping on your back, even after the drains come out, just feels weird to sleep on the side. no more sensation, which that itself is weird.

good luck!