just starting!

braton1

I am learning as I go along with all of this. One day I went in for a mammogram and the next like normal I am being called back for an ultrasound, then biopsy, sure enough the very beginning stages of ductal carcenoma. My Gyno set up an appt. with a surgeon where he sent me to a plastic surgeon. Had an MRI for the lumpectomy in the left and got called back the very next day to have more tests and another biopsy done. Over a week later went into the surgeons office and he tells me I have the "bad" cancer in the right and suggests a mastectomy. Had surgery double mastectomy and the 1st two lymphnodes removed had cancer so the surgeon took all of them, which weren't cancerous. Thank God! Mean while the plastic surgeon put in expanders. The pain is unbelievable and am told it is from the expanders. I notice something odd on the right side, it was a hole, so I go into the plastic surgeons he tries to fix it but by the next week the hole is twice the size. Had surgery again he removed the right expander and put another one in just didn't fill it up as much. Then I went to an Oncologist who explains men are tards and think all women want is big boobs, and she wished any reconstruction would be done after chemo. I have a dime size area that is like a dip not pretty and open but not a hole. My Oncol. Dr. is watching it and says more women end up doing chemo and having surgery to take out the expanders. I didn't understand why I was sent to the plastic surgeon before the Oncologist. I didn't need a port either, that was freaking me out alittle but the nurse insists I get one. They didn't tell me before I went in for the chemo that I should have drank alot of water, and no caffiene. So yes I didn't drink alot of water but caffeine before I went in and got poked a few times before someone else came and got the IV in.
Why do you have to ask everything? Why don't they offer any info? I was terrified of all the side effects I was waiting to happen right there in the office. I don't know what to expect! When you hair falls out is your scalp tingly or do feel anything at all? I am rambling now.. Sorry Thanks for any guidance.. Tonia

dmdudra

just starting
sorry about all that you have went through... sounds like your doctors need to talk with each other and get on the same page for your benefit.. My oncologist and surgeon talk all the time... before my mastectomy on the left side.. I had a lumpectomy two years ago.. wish I had just had the mastectomy then and that way no recurrence.. but I was hoping for the best... I was told that after my mast and chemo I have to wait 6-9 months before reconstruction surgery so not sure why they sent you to a plastic surgeon before seeing a oncologist.. I had a port put in since I had one last time and love it, no poking and it is so easy on the veins.. when my hair came out last time with the A/C chemo I got tired of watching it fall out in shower so I just buzzed it myself... no tingling, but it was cold in the winter time so I wore a hat... good thing is when the hair comes out it comes out everywhere, under arms, legs, privates.. bad thing is no eye brows or lashes...my lashes grew back but not the brows... I hope this answers some questions for you... take care and hang in there it does get better and if you need somebody to talk to that is what we are here for...Diane

laughs_a_lot

Welcome
Well first of all we are all a bit different. I got an itchy head when my hair started falling out and it drove me nuts so I ended up shaving it off. I am half way through chemo and still have to shave my legs. I get 5 o'clock shadow on my head about once a week so I shave it too. I asked my oncologist about the 5 o'clock shadow on my head and if the chemo was working. He said yes the chemo is working. I still laugh when the misquitoes out at the family farm bite me because I tell them they will die from my chemo. Tee hee hee. I think if you take some time reading some of the postings on this board that interest you then you will fill the gap in being educated about some of the things that the doctors don't tell you. I joined the board several days after went to the surgeons office and found out there was a site for us. This way I was less scared when I had to go in for surgery and chemo.

cahjah75

So sorry
to meet you on the bc site but I do welcome you. There is a wealth of info as you go through this journey. It can be very overwhelming when all drs don't tell you everything you might be wondering about. My experience was a bilateral mastectomy. My surgeon suggested I wait to have reconstruction until later. I did see a Plastic surgeon prior to my surgery though just to go over my options. He told me I could have reconstruction many years later if I chose to. I'm 62 so I have decided not to have reconstruction. Instead I wear prosthetic breasts. My hair fell out 14 days after 1st chemo. I had it shaved by my hairdresser afterwards. I had 6 rounds of Taxotere/Cytoxan every 3 weeks. I had minimal side effects. I had a Neulasta shot the day after chemo. I then had 28 radiation treatments. I finished chemo in Dec 2010 and rads in Feb 2011. My hair is still growing out very slowly and very curly. Keep posting and ask questions and someone is sure to answer.
{{hugs}} Char

Marcha Louise

Hi, Sorry you are here, I
Hi, Sorry you are here, I just found out I had Breast Cancer Mar 11, 2011. I had a PET scan which was clear, then a lumpectomy and mamosite radioation. No lymph node involvement, they took 23 nodes. My oncotype was 37 so I started chemo AC on June 24th, am in my 1st Nadir time right now, feeling pretty good. Have had no nausea, they gave me a nausea drug called Emend which I took an hour before chemo and then once a day for 2 more days. I have been really tired. I am still working. Be sure and drink the 2 to 3 qts of water a day, it really helps. If you can have a port put in do so. It makes all the difference in the world. My chemo will be every 3 weeks for 6 month. When you say the Bad cancer what type are you talking about? Hoping things will settle down for you.

Hugs

pinkpalette

hi braton1!
I'm just starting too! Chemo next week. I can't offer guidance, but I'm in with you for the long haul. Did you start chemo? I am so worried about the side effects too! Sometimes I don't want to hear them and other times I can't take it all in. They said I have the bad cancer too. Isn't all cancer bad, duh! You sound very brave. I wish you well on this journey. Ramble on.....