HELP!! I dont know what to expect from my surgery!!!!

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SoyFuerte
SoyFuerte Member Posts: 39 Member
in Breast Cancer #1
I was thinking well ok its a surgery, I will recover... yeah right, but now that I am reading many of the posts here and I am learning I realized that I DO NOT KNOW THAT MUCH!!
I did not know about the wire... pain after surgery????? drainage??? what??????? OMG!!! what about recovery? geting back to your life? lot of questions....
Still dealing with the biopsy pain... SCARED, SCARED, SCARED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  • Marcha Louise
    Marcha Louise Member Posts: 36
    #2
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    Hi Soy,
    I had my lumpectomy
    Hi Soy,

    I had my lumpectomy on April 6th. What type of surgery are you having. Mine was outpatient, I came home with a drain tube and my arm in a sling because they took out 23 nodes (all nodes were clean) They did the sentinel node test but it did not work for me, so surgeon made a decision to remove nodes just to be sure. I had the drain tube and sling on for 9 days. You will have pain, but the pain med works well. I was scared also. Be sure and ask all the questions you can think of. I had mamosite radiation twice a day for 5 days and went back to work on May 4th.

    Hope this helps

    Marcha
  • AMomNETN
    AMomNETN Member Posts: 242
    #3
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    Surgery
    Soy
    Try not to be to scared. My saying is "It is what it is" Everyone is different. My experience is different from the others. For me the worst was the drains, they were just in the way for me plus they had to be emptied each day and measured. I had something like an apron with 2 pouches for the drains to sit in. Have shirts that button or zip up the front. The pain wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Take your pain meds as you need them and just take it easy. I did what I could but didn't over do it. I hope this helps.

    Janie
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #4
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    If you fill in your "About
    If you fill in your "About Me"/profile we might be a bit more able to answer your questions. There is no one 'size fits all' answer. I had no pain after biopsy - I had no 'wire' involved.
    Are you having a mastectomy/lumpectomy, neo-Adjunct chemo, the type cancer, so many variables.
  • Gabe N Abby Mom
    Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
    #5
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    Hello,
    Yep, it's pretty
    Hello,

    Yep, it's pretty scary...lumpectomy, mastectomy, bilateral, with or without reconstruction...doesn't matter. It's still scary. Please let us know which surgery is planned for you so you can get some clearer answers. You may be attributing side effects or issues to your surgery that don't apply to your case.

    hugs,

    Linda
  • LoveBabyJesus
    LoveBabyJesus Member Posts: 1,679 Member
    #6
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    It is scary BUT YOU WILL BE
    It is scary BUT YOU WILL BE OK. It was scary for me, and everyone else, but we went through it OK and now we are here to share our stories. Please find out more information about what surgery you'll do, as well as treatments. We are here for you.
  • LoveBabyJesus
    LoveBabyJesus Member Posts: 1,679 Member
    #7
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    I had the wire done and it
    I had the wire done and it didn't hurt at all! they numb you well. And they ask you in the process if it is painful at all, because they don't want you to feel anything at all. The lumpectomy is not bad. I was surprised of how little to no pain I felt. What I felt uncomfortable with was the sentinel lymph nodes - I had 10 which is rare. So that was a little uncomfortable, BUT still wasn't bad. If this is the surgery you are having, you will be just fine. I didn't get a drain. Some people do - but I am not sure about this one. I think the drain is for the nodes, not the breast. Good luck!
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #8
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    myself: lumpectomy
    I had wire locator just prior to going into surgery...I was totally clueless what this procedure was. I sat in mammo machine while several staff put wires in-which stayed until surgery shortly after. I was pleasantly surprised the pain from breast surgery was much better then I anticipated. It took me over 3 wks to look....but better then I expected as well.

    I had only radiation daily on my lunch hour for 8wks...

    I did not have any drainage etc..but I am sure you'll get more info here from others.

    I MUST say writing in journal was a great help...even though at the time I was doing it..seemed silly or crazy..but turned out to be helpful

    Denise
  • ElizabethB
    ElizabethB Member Posts: 89
    #9
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    Pain
    To me the biopsy was way worse then the lumpectomy which took me from a size 3 d to a b was less painfull . We are all different are bodies take pain different. They have great meds I went home the next day all i took was 2 tylonal for the second day and then i was all good . prayers out your way and hugs think positive and know it is doable and you will be ok ..xoox also as much as they took i had no drains my cut was aleast 10 inches straight across.
  • CAchick
    CAchick Member Posts: 277
    #10
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    My experience...
    Hi Soy,
    I had two lumpectomies. Neither lump was palpable (too small, found on mammogram). Because the lumps were too small to feel, I was sent down to mammography so the technician could find my lumps on the machine and mark them for the surgeon. This is why the wires are placed. Having the wires placed was not a lot of fun, but it was not unbearable by any means. The wires are then taped in place, and remain for the surgeon to find the lumps to remove. After my lumpectomies, I had just a little discomfort, which was relieved with some Lortab short term. I was only out of work over the weekend. Had stitches for a week, but could shower after 48 hours. Just had to protect those areas (from my grandchildren and any bumps/trauma). You and your doctor will look at the stage, size, and other characteristics of your particular cancer and decide what else to do as far as treatment. I had chemo and radiation after surgery, but my type of cancer was deemed to be pretty aggressive (oncotyping is a test that can help with info about that). GOOD LUCK TO YOU and hope this info helps...
    CAchick
  • poplolly
    poplolly Member Posts: 346
    #11
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    Soy--I had a mastectomy. I
    Soy--I had a mastectomy. I was scared to death! It was all I could do not to cry on the operating table. But to my surprise, when I woke up I had very little pain overall. I healed well and the drain didn't really hurt; it was just irritating to have.
  • poplolly
    poplolly Member Posts: 346
    #12
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    Soy--I had a mastectomy. I
    Soy--I had a mastectomy. I was scared to death! It was all I could do not to cry on the operating table. But to my surprise, when I woke up I had very little pain overall. I healed well and the drain didn't really hurt; it was just irritating to have.
  • poplolly
    poplolly Member Posts: 346
    #13
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    Soy--I had a mastectomy. I
    Soy--I had a mastectomy. I was scared to death! It was all I could do not to cry on the operating table. But to my surprise, when I woke up I had very little pain overall. I healed well and the drain didn't really hurt; it was just irritating to have.

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