Newly diagnosed, surgery soon

Patlynn27
Patlynn27 Member Posts: 4
in Breast Cancer #1

I am new to this group.  I was diagnosed with DCIS, stage 0 on 1/9/17.  I am scheduled for lumpectomy on 1/31 and will follow with radiation tx.  Feeling some pre-surgery nervousness.  

I am feeling need for support from others.  ACS has made referral to their Reach to Recovery program, but still waiting to be matched with someone.

Any words of advice would be greatly appreciated.  I am trying to take this journey one step at a time.  I am also trying to prepare myself for radiation tx. and gather information about this experience, side effects, etc.

Comments

  • SLS100
    SLS100 Member Posts: 37
    #2
    have been through diagnosis and 16 round of chemo

    I am triple negative. Because tumor was 6.2 cm I had chemo befpre surgery. There is a great chat room here, most people come on at night. Very supportive. I am about to start rad but have only had the intro session so far, waiting for docs to get my start date. The chemo was really hard, and I have some cancer left in the left breast so they will do more chemo after the rad which sucks. Yes, one step at a time is the best way to go. I urge you to come into the chat rooms, people with breast c are common, and have been survivors for several years. I am still new to all this, but am doing ok, You will be ok too!!

  • peony
    peony Member Posts: 306 Member
    edited January 2017 #3
    Before you start radiation,

    Before you start radiation, you'll be positioned and marked so the technicians can align your body the exact same way every time you're treated. Make sure the technicians tell you every area that will be targeted by the radiation beams. I wasn't aware that my collarbone was one of the target areas and I didn't moisturize there. As a result, I have a dark, burn spot on my collarbone that I hear takes years to fade away.  Your radiation oncologist or her NP will tell about moisturizers and how to keep your skin healthy, but you still may have problems. Best wishes.

  • Patlynn27
    Patlynn27 Member Posts: 4
    #4
    SLS100 said:

    have been through diagnosis and 16 round of chemo

    I am triple negative. Because tumor was 6.2 cm I had chemo befpre surgery. There is a great chat room here, most people come on at night. Very supportive. I am about to start rad but have only had the intro session so far, waiting for docs to get my start date. The chemo was really hard, and I have some cancer left in the left breast so they will do more chemo after the rad which sucks. Yes, one step at a time is the best way to go. I urge you to come into the chat rooms, people with breast c are common, and have been survivors for several years. I am still new to all this, but am doing ok, You will be ok too!!

    Thanks for your response and

    Thanks for your response and for sharing your experience.  My surgery went well on 1/31.  I meet with the Dr. on 2/10 for follow up including pathology report.  The plan has been for radiation treatment so will find out if that is still the plan and when that will happen.  

    I am going to a Breast Care Center 2 hrs. from my home so cannot take advantage of support group they have.  However, my local hospital has a monthly support group I plan to attend.  This chat room seems like a good resource since it is available 24/7.

    So sorry to hear you will need more chemo. after rad. tx.  I am not sure what triple negative means.

     

  • Patlynn27
    Patlynn27 Member Posts: 4
    edited February 2017 #5
    peony said:

    Before you start radiation,

    Before you start radiation, you'll be positioned and marked so the technicians can align your body the exact same way every time you're treated. Make sure the technicians tell you every area that will be targeted by the radiation beams. I wasn't aware that my collarbone was one of the target areas and I didn't moisturize there. As a result, I have a dark, burn spot on my collarbone that I hear takes years to fade away.  Your radiation oncologist or her NP will tell about moisturizers and how to keep your skin healthy, but you still may have problems. Best wishes.

    Thanks so much for your

    Thanks so much for your response with advice about radiation tx.  My surgery went well a few days ago. I hope to have referral to radiation Dr. soon so I can find out more about tx., how many weeks, etc.  I will be sure & ask what area they are targeting.  

    Best wishes to you, too.

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    edited February 2017 #6
    Breast massage

    As soon as you can, ask your surgeon to set you up with a physical therapist who will show you how to properly do breast massage.  It is important to keep it loose.  Some people do not do this and they get hard as a rock in their armpits and across the chest.  Gotta keep that scar tissue loose from surgery and from radiation.  Ask your doctors all the time. I started mine about 3 mo. after my bilateral mastecomy and it feels so much better.

  • M12Lewis
    M12Lewis Member Posts: 26
    #7
    Apaugh said:

    Breast massage

    As soon as you can, ask your surgeon to set you up with a physical therapist who will show you how to properly do breast massage.  It is important to keep it loose.  Some people do not do this and they get hard as a rock in their armpits and across the chest.  Gotta keep that scar tissue loose from surgery and from radiation.  Ask your doctors all the time. I started mine about 3 mo. after my bilateral mastecomy and it feels so much better.

    Breast massage

    Good to know.  Had mastectomy early December.  Will soon begin chemo.  Chest is hard and still uncomfortable.  Doctor advised it would be about "a year" before tissue loosened up.  My goodness!  I really have to wait a year?  Massaging makes quite a bit of sense.  Thank you!

  • Patlynn27
    Patlynn27 Member Posts: 4
    edited February 2017 #8
    Apaugh said:

    Breast massage

    As soon as you can, ask your surgeon to set you up with a physical therapist who will show you how to properly do breast massage.  It is important to keep it loose.  Some people do not do this and they get hard as a rock in their armpits and across the chest.  Gotta keep that scar tissue loose from surgery and from radiation.  Ask your doctors all the time. I started mine about 3 mo. after my bilateral mastecomy and it feels so much better.

    Breast Massage

    Thanks for this advice.  I will talk with Dr. about referral to physical therapist to learn massage technique.

  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #9
    Day late and $ short on this

    Day late and $ short on this post-I missed this.

     

    I had the same situation as you-I just came to my 9 yr mark this week.

     

    Denise

  • ljtilton
    ljtilton Member Posts: 1
    #10
    Newly diagnosed also

    Was also recently diagnosed with stage 0 breast cancer and am scheduled for a double mas in a few weeks.  My problem is deciding on what type of reconstruction to have. So much information that I'm overwhelmed.  Spoke w/my plastic surgeon about both implants and Tram procedures.  I'd like to get first hand info from women who have undergone the procedures.  Am at the point where I really have no idea what to do.  Help!

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    edited March 2017 #11
    Look around on this site, lots of info on it.

    There is so much info on this site.  Many discussions on reconstruction.  The people are nice and supportive. 

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