Terrified!!!
Comments
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Mastectomy?
Hi,
I just had my mastectomy and I was terrified like you at first but mainly because
I hated to depend on people. I don't have family here so it's hard to ask people.
But I have to tell you the surgery isn't that bad. The healing takes time that's all.
I have been home now for one week and I am quiet mobile, I have to remind
to watch myself not to overdo it, since I do feel it the next day.
The surgery was really not so bad, it is the fear that gets you.
Just go forward with your decision, it will give you peace of mind.
Ayse0 -
I'm having a left radicalaysemari said:Mastectomy?
Hi,
I just had my mastectomy and I was terrified like you at first but mainly because
I hated to depend on people. I don't have family here so it's hard to ask people.
But I have to tell you the surgery isn't that bad. The healing takes time that's all.
I have been home now for one week and I am quiet mobile, I have to remind
to watch myself not to overdo it, since I do feel it the next day.
The surgery was really not so bad, it is the fear that gets you.
Just go forward with your decision, it will give you peace of mind.
Ayse
I'm having a left radical mastectomy. There's a part of me that will be happy to get rid of the source but I'm still frightened.0 -
I also wonder if I shouldmissingtexas said:I'm having a left radical
I'm having a left radical mastectomy. There's a part of me that will be happy to get rid of the source but I'm still frightened.
I also wonder if I should entertain the idea of a bilateral mastectomy. They tell me there is no cancer in my right side and that I have the same odds of getting cancer there as the average person walking down the street but my odds were apparently pretty high the first time around!!!!0 -
MISSINGTEXAS
When it comes to surgery, its normal to feel the way you do. Treatment for BC has come a long way, but there is still so much we dont know and are still fighting. We are here for you, so keep posting, write every thought, every fear, anything on your mind and we will be here for you every step of the way. Writing is very therapeutic.0 -
Breathe, calm yourself down and thinkaysemari said:Mastectomy?
Hi,
I just had my mastectomy and I was terrified like you at first but mainly because
I hated to depend on people. I don't have family here so it's hard to ask people.
But I have to tell you the surgery isn't that bad. The healing takes time that's all.
I have been home now for one week and I am quiet mobile, I have to remind
to watch myself not to overdo it, since I do feel it the next day.
The surgery was really not so bad, it is the fear that gets you.
Just go forward with your decision, it will give you peace of mind.
Ayse
This is a serious decision you are about to make.
I really took my time and knew that that is what I wanted for sure.
It wasn't the longest 2 weeks of my life I think. Read a lot of articles
and tons of post on this site. Also discussed it with my support group.
Then one day I knew what was right for me.
I am not trying to influence you but I really think that it is worth sharing.
My pre op nurse had breast cancer herself. And she had a mastectomy.
I really didn't need any encouragement from her, I was very firm in my
decision. But she did say that she didn't understand women and that
she saw so many women have a recurrence in the same breast or the
other one. Her thinking was, both breast have been exposed to the same
things, if one has it, why shouldn't the other? It made me think.
Ayse0 -
I too would be terrified if my doctor was using the termPinkpower said:MISSINGTEXAS
When it comes to surgery, its normal to feel the way you do. Treatment for BC has come a long way, but there is still so much we dont know and are still fighting. We are here for you, so keep posting, write every thought, every fear, anything on your mind and we will be here for you every step of the way. Writing is very therapeutic.
RADICAL. Gee, that sounds soooo glouish! I opted for a bi-lateral in January 2010, and I have never never never regretted my decision. Again, my decision and yes this is YOUR decision. Do a little research on the internet, ask your plastic's RN to show you before and after photo's of both procedures, then perhaps your anxtiey levels will drop and you will be able to make an informed decision about YOUR body.
Best of luck and happy picture viewing.
Vicki Sam0 -
I feel REALLY silly talkingPinkpower said:MISSINGTEXAS
When it comes to surgery, its normal to feel the way you do. Treatment for BC has come a long way, but there is still so much we dont know and are still fighting. We are here for you, so keep posting, write every thought, every fear, anything on your mind and we will be here for you every step of the way. Writing is very therapeutic.
I feel REALLY silly talking about the physical changes as I face stage 3 BC but for whatever reason...it's an issue for me. I keep thinking that aside from the fact (because I really do agree) that I could get through this only to find out in a few years that the other breast has cancer too...maybe it would just look better too. I know that shouldn't be a priority right now. Every time I think about this the question pops into my head...why not lessen the chance of doing this again and just do a bilateral mast???0 -
It's an entirely valid questionmissingtexas said:I feel REALLY silly talking
I feel REALLY silly talking about the physical changes as I face stage 3 BC but for whatever reason...it's an issue for me. I keep thinking that aside from the fact (because I really do agree) that I could get through this only to find out in a few years that the other breast has cancer too...maybe it would just look better too. I know that shouldn't be a priority right now. Every time I think about this the question pops into my head...why not lessen the chance of doing this again and just do a bilateral mast???
My beloved Moopy was diagnosed in November 2008, and within six days she underwent a modified radical left mastectomy. She did NOT want to fool around with a body part that was apparently trying to kill her. Only from the final pathology report did we learn that the tumor had been IIIa, hormone negative - also known as "triple negative".
Moopy still wonders whether she shouldn't have investigated a prophylactic bilateral (even though she knows she made the right decision), and is strongly considering a prophylactic right mastectomy in the future. There is nothing silly about discussing this matter with your medical team, and with members of the "been there, done that" club. All best, whichever way you decide!
Joe0 -
Hi
Congratulations on your last chemo. I just had chemo before my lumpectomy, none after. What kind of surgery are you having? Its very normal to be nervous about it. I put my faith in the doctors and hoped and prayed for the best and everything turned out ok.0 -
I decided to have alaurissa said:Hi
Congratulations on your last chemo. I just had chemo before my lumpectomy, none after. What kind of surgery are you having? Its very normal to be nervous about it. I put my faith in the doctors and hoped and prayed for the best and everything turned out ok.
I decided to have a bilateral mastectomy after a recurrence in the same breast. I wanted reconstruction and since I had had radiation in the breast, the only reconstruction my surgeon would recommend was the DIEP surgery (using abdominal tissue to reconstruct the breast). If I needed another mastectomy for the other breast, this could not be done a second time, so I chose to do it all at once. Although it was an eight week recovery, I thought that I'd rather do that than face the possibility of the eight-week recovery now and then another long recovery if the other breast developed cancer.
It was a blessing to me to wake up with new breasts after the mastectomy, and they are usually easier to match if they are done together.
Joyce0 -
Missingtexas i had a
Missingtexas i had a bilateral mastectomy but i had cancer only in my right side. I decided to do both becuz for me they said i had a high chance of it returning in the left side...so instead of going through this again later we made the decision of taking them both and i just finally got my implants in last wednesday and i havent regretted my choice.
I only had a lumpectomy, then chemo, then mastectomy and now the implants. Yes its natural to be scarred....and cograds on your final chemo this Thursday...its so awesome feeling...NO MORE CHEMO!!!!!!0 -
Dont feel silly!missingtexas said:I feel REALLY silly talking
I feel REALLY silly talking about the physical changes as I face stage 3 BC but for whatever reason...it's an issue for me. I keep thinking that aside from the fact (because I really do agree) that I could get through this only to find out in a few years that the other breast has cancer too...maybe it would just look better too. I know that shouldn't be a priority right now. Every time I think about this the question pops into my head...why not lessen the chance of doing this again and just do a bilateral mast???
I just had a double mastectomy last Thursday, and I only had cancer in my right breast. I did not rush into my decision, and I met with m oncologist and a plastic surgeon before making my surgical decision. There is no right or wrong answer for you, only what choice is right FOR YOU. I can give you my reasoning behind opting for bilateral, though. I chose mastectomy over lumpectomy initially because -if i had a recurrence, i would more than likely have to have a mastectomy eventually, i did not want to have radiation treatments after i went through chemo, and also, I just didnt want to chance any tiny bit of cancer being left in that breast. Piece of mind was about half of my reasoning behind choosing the bilateral. The other part that came into play is cosmetic. My breasts were very large to begin with, have always been that way, and I'm still 34 years young! I wanted the best cosmetic outcome when I'm all done with the cancer crap! If I would have had radiation on the boob with cancer, reconstruction might not turn out as well, as the radiation can affect the breast tissue. Also, if I had just removed the cancerous breast, I would have had to have a breast lift and reduction on my remaining, healthy boob. And I do NOT want to come out of this experience with smaller boobs! So with having them both removed, my plastic surgeon basically has a clean slate to work with, and I can get the best cosmetic results, and the most even-looking results.
I was scared leading up to my surgery, and the last few days before my surgery were just awful, the waiting, i was so tense. But I made peace with my body, put my faith in God's and my doctor's hands, and it wasn't that bad. I stayed 2 nights in the hospital, i was lucky to have had a private room & they let my husband stay with me the entire time. Don't feel silly that you're worried about your physical changes. It's completely natural. It's a HUGE issue for me, and I myself can't WAIT to get my new boobs. I don't even care if I'll be losing my hair to chemo, as long as I have my new boobs I'll be ok. You're the only one who can make this very important decision, take your time, research it, talk to your doctors, talk to a plastic surgeon if you haven't done so already. Do all that you can to be confident in your decision. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or just want to chat. I'm doing a pretty good job of keeping my head up amidst all the breast cancer BS, and I'm always happy to help out one of my sistahs in pink here
I'm also on facebook, if you're on there you can look me up, under Heather Kaylor Grontkowski.
Best of luck to you
*hugs*
Heather0 -
Any part of this cancer
Any part of this cancer treatment is a huge step and a big decision. I had a DCIS and a tumour in my left breast. I chose only to have a mastectomy on the left with DIEP flap reconstruction. I wanted to preserve as much of my body as I possibly could knowing that I could later get it in the right breast and have to undergo treatment and surgery again.
Part of my reasoning was that, if I were to get cancer in my right breast, it is more likely to be in the early stages than the stage 3a in my left, just because I am so much more vigilante. Hence treatment would not be extreme. And there again, I might not get it all. I was willing to take a chance. It is not that, at moments, I don't wonder if I bi-lateral would have been better, but that right now for me, I feel good about my decision for a single mastectomy and am willing to deal with whatever shows up down the line.
My decision is not for every women and I do understand the reasoning behind having a bi-lateral mastectomy, even if one is prophalactic. I stand behind the women who have chosen that just as much as I stand behind my own. The bottom line is the decision needs to be yours and you need to feel good about what you are doing.
BTW: The surgery for me, was the easy part, I recovered well and quick but the AC part of the chemo was a real stinker. I would rather have had another surgery than go through that.
Good luck and take care.0 -
Thank you!!mariam_11_09 said:Any part of this cancer
Any part of this cancer treatment is a huge step and a big decision. I had a DCIS and a tumour in my left breast. I chose only to have a mastectomy on the left with DIEP flap reconstruction. I wanted to preserve as much of my body as I possibly could knowing that I could later get it in the right breast and have to undergo treatment and surgery again.
Part of my reasoning was that, if I were to get cancer in my right breast, it is more likely to be in the early stages than the stage 3a in my left, just because I am so much more vigilante. Hence treatment would not be extreme. And there again, I might not get it all. I was willing to take a chance. It is not that, at moments, I don't wonder if I bi-lateral would have been better, but that right now for me, I feel good about my decision for a single mastectomy and am willing to deal with whatever shows up down the line.
My decision is not for every women and I do understand the reasoning behind having a bi-lateral mastectomy, even if one is prophalactic. I stand behind the women who have chosen that just as much as I stand behind my own. The bottom line is the decision needs to be yours and you need to feel good about what you are doing.
BTW: The surgery for me, was the easy part, I recovered well and quick but the AC part of the chemo was a real stinker. I would rather have had another surgery than go through that.
Good luck and take care.
I can honestly say that my experiences so far have been pretty uneventful. I receive taxotere, adriamiacin (sp???), and cytoxan all at once, every 3 weeks and have had little side effects. Ended up in the hospital once for a fever (probably from my children who both had one at the time). Had some issues with my mediport which has since been removed. Like I said, I'm to have the left mastectomy at the end of August followed by 6 1/2 weeks of radiation. I loved all of your input...I'm sure I'm going to be asking for much more before (and after) this is all over!!! 0 -
oops...one more thing...missingtexas said:Thank you!!
I can honestly say that my experiences so far have been pretty uneventful. I receive taxotere, adriamiacin (sp???), and cytoxan all at once, every 3 weeks and have had little side effects. Ended up in the hospital once for a fever (probably from my children who both had one at the time). Had some issues with my mediport which has since been removed. Like I said, I'm to have the left mastectomy at the end of August followed by 6 1/2 weeks of radiation. I loved all of your input...I'm sure I'm going to be asking for much more before (and after) this is all over!!!
What is the recovery like after the mastectomy??
Dana0 -
Danamissingtexas said:oops...one more thing...
What is the recovery like after the mastectomy??
Dana
I remember being so scared about the surgery and even crying. I can share my story, but remember that you are the only one who can make the right decision for yourself. I was diagnosed in my left breast only. I have had that fibrocystic disease in both breasts for years and thought that this mamo was only going to show another cyst. Wrong! So, i was totally shocked to find out it was cancer and i was 36 then with three kids. When i finally saw the surgeon, she gave me my options. Lumpectomy, mastectomy one or both ect... I chose to do a double mastectomy for a few reasons. Number one, with the cystic disease in my right breast as well, i felt it better to just take that breast as well. Im glad i made that choice because my tissue had started to change and show signs of forming into cancer cells. So, i couldnt imagine what would have happened if i chose only the one. And another reason that i took both was and im not kidding, if i was going to get my breast removed, they arent that big now, but im going to get a nice boob job out of it!!!! I also was worried that if i took just the left one, how are they going to match with the right size wise? I didnt have much to loose, so i decided i was going to gain if i had to go through this battle! So, thats my story and how i decided on what to do. You are going to be scared, thats only natural. Dont make a decission based on what someone thinks you should do. Make it on what you feel is right for you and what you want to do. Keep us posted. And by the way, those nice ones ive been waiting for are coming August 12th. I am so ready.
Take care
Laura0 -
my surgery story is very similar to the one above mine. It's been 5 days now since my double mastectomy. I still have 2 drain tubes in, I had a 3rd one that my Dr. removed the day I left the hospital. I'm still bandaged up tight, not quite as bad as when they first wrapped me up (hard to breathe! bandages digging into my armpits) but still pretty firm. Feels sore & bruised in my chest area. Painkillers are keeping the pain minimal, though. I have lots of movement & mobility in my arms, can lift my arms up & stuff, just not supposed to pick up or carry anything more than 5-10 lbs. The bandages are the worst, I just want to take them off and breathe freely! I haven't taken the bandages off, but I have taken a few peeks in there. Not as bad as I thought. Clean wounds with the big dark colored scar running through where my boob used to be. Caved in a bit where my boobs used to be -im sure this is because of bandages & the expanders. There is some bruising & discoloration. Seeing my plastic surgeon tomorrow afternoon & hopefully i can get the bandages & drains out!missingtexas said:oops...one more thing...
What is the recovery like after the mastectomy??
Dana
I made peace with my body before the surgery, and got all my crying out then. I also googled lots of before & after mastectomy pics, even the graphic ones, helped me come to terms with what I would be dealing with. I also googled breast reconstruction pics, so I can see what I have to look forward to! All in all, it wasn't as bad as I thought, 2 nights in the hospital, painkillers keep the pain at bay, it is somewhat difficult to find a comfy way to sleep, just because I'm a side sleeper and hard to sleep semi-sitting up! I hope I answered your questions! Any more, just ask away, and you could ask me on FB too -I get my notifications from FB on my cell phone so I get to those quicker!
*big hugs*
Heather0
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