I just recently found out I have breast cancer...
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Tomorrow is one week since. The pain is horrible (but getting a little less), feels like stabbing knives but I decided to stop Oxycodone and have been Tylenol for 2 days now. I look forward to the future and healing. It was kind of maddening to walk around with breast cancer growing in my chest and know I had to wait for surgery and hoping it had not spread. My prayers were answered. :) How is everyone doing? I apologize for whining about the pain but is real and I must be sensitive to pain, yup.
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The drainage bulb (I have two) have to be emptied 2-3 times a day mostly twice. I noticed today as I check the level of fluid, it is less. I will change it about 8 PM and then document. One seems to have more in it than the other. Has anyone who had drains had that? I think the swelling has gone down because I was able to peek at my normal breast and then I gently tried to see the other one and freaked out. I know I need to look and make it's okay but not that brave. It will take time. Hope you are having a good day today. :) I see the doc Friday (plastic surgeon ) and the breast doctor next week.
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Oconotype: Is that the one where they examine the excised breast to see if there is a future need for chemo or is that the genetic testing appointment that I have, do they do that there?
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I love your saying, once you choose hope, anything is possible. Thank you!
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It's okay. I notice the swelling is down, the one drain bulb hardly has anything in it but the other one has some (like 1/4 of bulb-full) I was able to put both hands above my head and try a small stretch. It did not hurt doing that. I take Tylenol every 4 hours and only take it because it hurts. They have strong pain meds I can take but I stopped taking them they made me feel unstable on my feet. Thnx!
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CancerFree Sunny-
So glad to hear the lymph nodes are clear! Hope your pain gets less and less each day. Day 10 post surgery I was able to get the drainage tube out. That was a game changer for me as it really bothered me up in my shoulder area. I did not choose to have reconstruction so my experience/scar may be different from yours but within a couple weeks I felt ok to take the bandage off and leave it off and pain was minimal even tough I had extensive bruising, even down my arm. Take it one day at a time and give yourself credit for each step toward recovery no matter how small.
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Today 8 days since surgery and I saw the Plastic Surgeon. He put in expander (at surgery) after the doctor removed my breast. I am so happy to say it did NOT look as awful as I thought it would. It looks like a A cup (little breast) with a scar that does not look horrible. I told him I was surprised that it had a small bump and not flat (Thank GOD and he said the expander is why I have a little bump, looks like an A cup size to me. Each time I go in now, they will put some fluid in, expand the area and when all done, I will back into surgery and have the implant.
I asked why I am in awful pain. They explained everything to me. They told me to take a muscle relaxer and I did. I watched the clock to see if it would work and it did take some of pain away.
Just gotta heal more!
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Okay, I just got the final pathology report (online) and it says Lobullar Carcinoma. Which is different than Ductal and more rare. (10% of women get it) But everything else I read about the report looks pretty decent and when I go see the doc this coming week, he will go over it with me again. It looks like I dodged a HUGE bullet by early detection.
Pain is better today and I was given permission to drive so I just drove 2 miles to Walmart! I have been home so long and not outside world (except for dialysis) for 9 days. Nice to get outside.
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Thank you!
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Yes, my diagnosis is similar to you and cancerfreesunny as well. I just opted for the lumpectomy, no rads. My oncotype dx 26, 30% chance of recurrence, and 17% if take inhibitors (that's only a 13% decrease!!) and wanted to do chemo, I refused. Put on Arimidex (anastrozole) and took it for 1 month - felt like crap and stopped - not worth it for 13% decrease in recurrence. Now doing DIM and calcium d-glucarate to decrease estrogen. I am seeing a naturopath MD next month. I fear that all the things they tell you to do are carcinogenic (rads, chemo, inhibitors, etc.)
We each have our own decisions and journey. I wish the both of you luck and health...
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Thora,
The oncologist said I was 14 on the test and did not need chemo (yea!) I will be taking the Anastrozole (have to pick it up) but I am worried about side effects. Did you say it made you feel weak? I am on dialysis and already extremely weak!
I also found out I am chek2, found that out yesterday on the genetic test. That means 40% risk of breast cancer and colon cancer.
What kind of side effects did you encounter with that besides feeling weak?
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Hi Sunny, great news! low oncotype score and no chemo!! I took myself off the anastrozole after one month. I felt uncomfortable taking it for one - and then towards the 3rd week, my muscles were weak, low back pain, and I had headaches and night sweats. I also got a baseline dexascan for my spine and left hip which showed ostopenia. Anastrozole is bad for your bones, so might want to get that done. Going to see a naturopath doc next month to explore alternative therapies.
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I completely understand your feelings. I sobbed for a week straight when I found out I had stage 3 HER2+ breast cancer that had spread to 2 lymph nodes on the same side at 32 years old. It hits you like a ton of bricks & all of the unknowns, decisions, sheer gravity & weight that you feel is not like anything I’d experienced before. I did IVF first - as a needle phobe this was a precursor to the tedious yet also rewarding voyage I had now been reluctantly placed on. I did chemo first, then double mastectomy with reconstruction at the same time & then radiation. I was ready for some symmetrical breasts & I was not at all concerned in that aspect. Silver lining - My breasts look better now than they did before (& they were good prior) but not good enough to never ever have to wear a bra (which I don’t now :) Regarding my hair which, I had spent years meticulously growing long, highlighting & taking care of - I am so grateful that I didn’t loose all of my hair on my head due to the cold cap - which was amazing - it definitely thinned out a whole lot but was extremely long & thick prior. Id say I lost about half what it was but when I look in the mirror at my now see through hair, I remind myself out loud “I am beautiful, I am strong, time heals all & this too shall pass” I did loose all my eyelashes on one eye & kept most on the other - go figure. & my brows which were thick & dark thinned out a lot. I lost the thin ends of them completely, but kept the front. I’m 7 months post my last chemo & all of this hair loss took place in the 2 months after I was finished with chemo & fell out after my mastectomy. I was crushed. I thought i had made it unscathed. It’s been a just a few months since all the hair loss & hair is growing back, just not as fast & thick as I’d like. Silver lining - My tumor was the size of a golf ball & chemo melted it. Pathology got a complete response & I’m in remission. I’m told my chances of reoccurrence are 4%. It’s coming up on a full year of dealing with all this in June but I do feel very grateful. My medical team at Duke Cancer Center, family, friends & job have been of the upmost support. I have learned so much on this journey & formed unbreakable bonds with those who matter most. Including myself - I am proud even though everything took a toll on me, I beat cancer & I pray it’s gone for good. I find hope in the fact that many ladies have said their hair & eyelashes & brows have grown back & thicker at that, makes my heart sing. I also find great comfort in connecting with women who are going through the exact same thing because it’s life changing.
When I was diagnosed my Mom turned to me & said “You are much stronger than you know” - I found that to ring true & I pray you all will as well.
All my love & support 💗
ash
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Sunny hope your recovery is going well! Just wanted chime in on the Anastrozole question. I took it for around 8 years. I had no issues except mild hot flashes once or twice a day. I had regular bone scans to keep an eye on bone density. No issues with that either. Keep pressing on!
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I have taken 2 of the Anastrozole pills and so far no side effects that I can see or feel. I will take it until I feel something weird or too many side effects.
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