Wellness

[TootyJane]

{{{corvettesandy}}} Not having had a mastectomy I cannot offer any advice. However, I do wish you the best of luck and a speedy recovery.

Lisa

[Mama Mia]

Hi to you! I am sorry you are having to go through this, but you will be fine. It is scary for sure, but not that bad. I hope you have a support person with you, otherwise, this forum and a lot of others are very good.

I had a right mast. about 30 years ago, yes, a long time. I was in my late forties, very pretty, thin, out in the boat all the time on weekends kind of girl. Bikinis etc. Well, I didn't opt for reconstruction right away either, so stuffed my right side with rice packets, lol, or kleenex out in the boat. Hilarious!

I was kind of shocked when I found the lump, but BC was and is heavy in my family, so yes, I was really scared. I knew three or four ladies who had gone through the same, and that helped a lot.

There were no forums then, but I called the 1-800-4Cancer line and they were good with info. Don't know if it still going. I had to go to Phx., for all the tests, then surgery, hard because it was 160 miles one way. I think I was more scared about losing my banking job because of it. The mgr was a real nothing, can't say here.

I had the surgery at a great hospital. All 19 lymph nodes he removed were clear, and for that I felt a huge sigh of relief and praised God.

One exercise i did the next day is called "walk the walls". With doctor's permission. You stand out from the wall a little and put the affected arm up and gently use your fingers to walk up and down. Good for range of motion. You can do it sideways too.

I was home for two weeks, resting, being careful. No pain. I think you will do fine, and try to keep a good state of mind. My DH was wonderful through out it all, and still is. I had a prothesis and augmentation a few months later, another story. Wouldn't do it again.

May God Be With You and Bless You.

mm

[wagirl]

So sorry that you are gong thru this--it S(u)CKS!!! I decided on a mastectomy of my left breast instead of a lump. I had stage 3a lobular cancer. Went thru chemo and radiation in 2012. There was 6 of 8 nodes involved so my arm was pretty sore afterwards. The actual surgery was pretty easy, but I went to a physical therapist for lymphodema that helped with the rehab of that arm and that was my saving grace. I have a pressure sleeve and glove to wear when do heavy stuff.

I wish to this day, that I had the other breast removed too. I find that having one boob is more trouble than its worth and I still have to go in for mammos every 6 months and a MRI mammo once a year. I haven't decided on re construction yet--it would take almost a year to complete and that is way too much time for another boob, IMHO. I wear a prosthetic but I hate it. It fits just fine but I love not wearing a bra which I do at home. Breasts don't define me or who I am. They do, however, make your clothes fit better.But even that doesn't bother me.

Now please prepare yourself for the plans and info your drs have told you to change. I was told I would be getting the surgery, NO chemo and just the rads----wrong!!! I had 5 months of one of the toughest chemo treatments there is and 33 days of radiation. This cancer BS is all about change from appointment to appointment. And the waiting just about drove me to drink. I'm glad you are staged at 0 that is awesome . I like Tyaks post!!! Good luck to you!!!

[shoesnbags]

OP, you need to check out the website BreastCancer dot org (didn't think I was allowed to post a link?) The forums there are great! Just click on "Discussion Groups."

[CalMom]

robin1260@hotmail.com... I might contact you.

I was diagnosed with DCIS in my left breast in Dec 2001. I was originally told by the radiologist that it was stage 0 but after my surgery, my cancer turned out to be Stage 1B and fast growing. That was over 12 years ago. Had some lymph nodes removed and they were negative. I only had radiation for 36 sessions and no chemo. I took tamoxefin for a year and have been on Evista for about 3 years. A mammogram detected my cancer. However, 2 1/2 years ago, I found out that I have the BRCA1 gene. Two weeks ago, I had to have a biopsy on my right breast which turned out to be negative. That was my wake up call. (I had a negative biopsy a few years before in the same breast that I ended up having cancer in.) I have always said that if I get breast cancer again, I will removed both breasts.

Later this week, I have an appointment with a general surgeon and a plastic surgeon to find out about a double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. I am doing the reconstruction for me, myself and I. I figure that it is easier to go through this without having to have chemo and radiation. If an option, I would have them test my lymph nodes as well. I am very concerned that I might have cancer already and that when the surgery is done, this might happen. When I had my DCIS, I had Aetna Insurance and could go to any doctor I wanted. Now, I have Kaiser (in Southern California) and am very worried about my limited options.

I don't believe that one has to have a mastectomy with only DCIS (as I had a lumpectomy and my slight scar is referred to me as my pink badge of courage) if there are other options available. The only reason I am strongly considering doing this is because I am 58 and feel it would be easier to do it now than in 10 years when I am older. My chances are very high that I will get cancer again. The BRCA1 gene is the real clincher for my decision. I wish I could medically get that gene removed instead.

The biggest frustration is that as I inherited this gene from my dad, my children have the same potential as well. My children were already tested and I know those results already.

I am terrified of what my breasts will look like after seeing some after pictures online. I am going to go to a breast cancer support group the beginning of next month. Although, this is not something I have to do in the next month, I have to make a decision. I am also having my husband come with me to the surgeon appointments. He thinks I am overthinking this too much and should leave things as is.

I think that so many of you are so brave...much braver than me. The thought of this process frightens me so much.

Best of luck to you corvettesandy and thank you for sharing.

[southernfriend]

I am of the same mind and age as you are but had my first mastectomy in 1992. No further treatment and no reconstruction. I was always very anxious every year before my mammogram and often said I wished I had both taken off. It was always...""We need to do another mammogram. We need to do a sonogram."" We need to do a biopsy."" Six month check ups since then. No cancer was ever discovered but I chose a second mastectomy this year.

[lovescats]

On 6/23/2014 southernfriend said:

I am of the same mind and age as you are but had my first mastectomy in 1992. No further treatment and no reconstruction. I was always very anxious every year before my mammogram and often said I wished I had both taken off. It was always...""We need to do another mammogram. We need to do a sonogram."" We need to do a biopsy."" Six month check ups since then. No cancer was ever discovered but I chose a second mastectomy this year.

I still go thru that. I think it would have been better to have had them both off plus before the insurance laws changed insurance companies could charge for a diagnostic mammogram that wouldn't be considered part of the free yearly checkup because it wasn't a regular mammogram.

[wagirl]

DogLvr---You do what you FEEL is the best for you!!! I agree that it is a huge decision and you have to weigh each one. But get as much info as you can. I was given 3 choices for re construction but had to wait 1 full year from my last radiation, before the plastic surgeon would even touch me. Remember that you are in charge here not anyone else. Ask questions until you can recite the answers backwards.

I have a friend who went thru breast cancer with lumpectomy and chemo only to discover she too, had the BRACA gene. She then opted to have her uterus and ovaries removed and went thru a double mastectomy afterwards. She had re construction and now is the proud owner of lovely new, not too perky "girls". She is in her 60's---perky is not in our vocabulary. And... a flat tummy you can bounce a quarter off of--her words The surgeon did a beautiful job and she got a tummy tuck as well--that is part of the reconstruction as he used the fat on the belly for the new boob. Last time I spoke to her, she was awaiting new nipples and had a "nipple" change jar out for any passing contributions--so funny. It was a huge surgery with many months to recover but she is delighted.

I don't know if I will go ahead with recon. Like I said, I am all about pleasing me and what and how I feel. the husband will abide by my decision. I am so lucky and very grateful for the kick a(s)s health insurance I have that will cover all the costs. And I saw the best surgeon in Seattle for his opinions.

Please don't allow any online horror pictures freak you out. There are so many more cases that are incredibly successful and people that are thrilled to pieces. Just do your homework.

Good luck!!

PAM

[Financialgrl]

My mother died of BC over 40 years ago and I heavily monitored since I was 18. The doctors were shocked that 3.5 yrs ago a very tiny tumor found was extremely aggressive - the margins were not clear and I was already stage IIIC. I had lumpectomy (before the pathology they were so sure since I'd been watched like a hawk there'd be no problem but that turned out not to be true). At least I did not have the BRAC gene. Went back in for a mastectomy and I've NEVER had issues with that arm. The oncologist said that was solely due to the great job my surgeon had done - he took his time and avoided muscles, etc that would have caused issues.

I had 8 chemo sessions, 36 radiation sessions and now am on Arimidex (estrogen suppression). Also told that I must always be very careful with the arm (no IVs, no BP taken, no blood drawn and no heavy lifting) - told that although it may not be a problem but if it swells it may not return to its normal size (lymphedema). Looking back I remember that my mom's one arm was so much larger than the other but that was over 4 decades ago.

I too opted for no reconstruction. My surgeon and a plastic surgeon (males) pushed really hard for it, YET; my GYN and radiation oncologist (both female) said that if it were their decision, they'd not opt for reconstruction until after 5 years, if ever because I started this journey at such a late stage - and due to the large amount of positive lymph nodes. They said, if it were them, they'd concentrate more on living life than about loss of a breast. If I were younger and an earlier stage cancer but at this point see no reason for one years later. I took what those female docs said to heart - I hang with friends who have recently lost their spouses and b/c we all see how truly fragile life is, we travel a LOT, always on the go. I've done more the last few years of my life than I'd ever have done had I not had cancer. Living life large is the best revenge against this darn disease - (I'll be 60 in a few months). I wish you the best!