Thanks for all your help and support

chili
chili Member Posts: 32
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I'd like to send my sincere thanks to everyone that gave me encouragement, helpful hints and tips as I've been starting my journey. I did go to the doctor for help sleeping - he put me on a fairly strong sleeping pill lopraxim and sertaline. Between the 2 I am getting more sleep. It's wonderful! I still feel like I'm barely surviving - living day to day, but will be a survivor someday. I'm almost done with rads - I start the boosters Tuesday. Then a few weeks off, more labs and I start AI. I'm making it through all my physical therapy and they've started backing off the appointments. I can still only work a max of 6 hours, but we do what we can. Question - at what point can I start discussing reconstruction/reduction with a plastic surgeon? I had a lumpectomy that has left me very lopsided. My surgeon actually suggested going back for a double mastectomy and reconstruction because the plastic surgery will leave lumps and bumps and make it hard to detect another cancer. Scared me a bit. Any words of wisdom will be greatly appreciated. Hugs to all.

Comments

  • Jadie
    Jadie Member Posts: 723
    #2
    Hi
    Glad that you are sleeping better. You will feel lots better in a few weeks. Rads and chemo can sure zap you especially at the end. You will soon find your new normal.

    I had a lumpectomy, chemo,and rads. I had to wait one year after rads to do reconstruction. I too was lopsided so I had reconstruction on the effected side and a reduction on the other. It was just like having a breast lift. I love the results. I was a DD and now I am a C. When I have my mamogram you can't even see the scar on the unefected breast. On the effected breast I have scar tissue because the lumpectomy and the reconstruction were done in the same place. They have followed me closely since (4yrs) because there are some calcification and scar tissue. They told me that it is shrinking. I am having an ultrasound done next week also. You will be watched closely and often.

    One good benefit of having a double mascetomy is that you don't have to do the mamos anymore.

    Jadie
  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #3
    none too soon
    I started talking to my team aabout reconstruction from the beginning. My sister went through all this before me, so I had a head start on thinking of question I would ask if it ever happened to me. I think it is never too soon to ask a Dr. about anything. If you are wondering about it, ask. Write down your questions. Look at the ACS website, M.D. Anderson Website, Susan G. Komen, or other reputable websites for information about it. I bought a book off the ACS online bookstore called "A guide to reconstruction", (or something like that). It is a very informative book written in language non-medical people can understand. My plastic surgeon recommended when I started talking about reconstruction, so even the Drs. think it's a good book.

    Good luck making your decision. seof

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