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When I found out that I was going to have surgery, I had a talk with my husband and I decided that I would have the mastectomy, and then do chemo and/or radiation and then have a tummy tuck to get the tissue needed for reconstruction. When my surgery came, I had a left breast mastectomy, lymph node disection (7 of the 11 were positive), and port insertion for chemo. I now, don't want to do the tummy tuck or reconstruction. This surgery has been awful. I am 10 days out from surgery and I think I… read more
My first surgery was a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy. I had 31 lymph nodes light up. When I went to my post-op appointment to see my breast surgeon she gave me the results of the pathology. She told me only one lymph node confirmed for cancer. She also told me there were no clear margins on the tumor. She gave me the option of going back to the OR to take more tissue to sleep if we can get clear margins or decide on the bilateral mastectomy and immediate. I chose mastectomy. In my work up prior to my first surgery the breast MRI of my affected breast showed an abnormality. After the bilateral mastectomy this abnormality was pre-cancerous tissue and it covered the bottom portion of my breast. I have no regrets having the bilateral mastectomy. At my last appointment with my breast surgeon she attempted to apologize for taking 31 lymph nodes and I told her no need to apologize because I would rather be safe than sorry.
@A MyBCTeam Member, ten days out isn't that far. I was unable to really move my right arm for about two weeks and I had the drains to contend with! I understand when u say you can't sit still, that u want to get back to doing things! I'm the same exact way, but please remember that you just had MAJOR surgery. My doctor had me out of work for six to eight weeks and I couldn't drive for three to four weeks. Give yourself time, breathe deeply and count to ten, 50 or 100, whatever it takes! LOL. But please, give yourself time to heal. Give yourself rest. I had a tummy tuck when I had to have a hysterectomy a year after treatment. It wasn't fun, no surgery is, but it was sooooo worth it. It's been 15 years and I'm in my late 50s and my stomache is still flat!!! Not much else is where it should be, but that is! So, long story short, give yourself time to heal! I recommend the tummy tuck, but it is surgery and you will again have recuperation and there will be pain!! Hang in there. Hugs and prayers!!
I made my decisions after each appointment with my surgeon, oncologist and/or plastic surgeon. I stopped myself from jumping ahead because I didn't have enough information to make decisions. My goal was to make it to the next appointment. Then I would decide on the next step. Once I made the decision, I did not re-think it. That is the only way I could cope. I decided on a MX on my cancer breast. Then waited for the pathology report which indicated clear margins. Then waited for the oncologist appointment and learned about the Oncotype DX text that could be done on the tumor itself. My results were a low number so the Oncologist recommended (and the results indicated) no chemo and started on Arimidex. The next appointment was with the plastic surgeon who gave me my options for reconstruction. At that point I decided I didn't want to worry about my other breast (dense tissue) and chose the second MX and tissue expanders. I was glad that this surgery didn't involve lymph nodes (a huge plus for me)and the pathology report on that breast came back with no cancer. Because of this step by step process I have no regrets because I made the best decisions I could with the information I had at the time. It worked for me!
I agree with @A MyBCTeam Member, give yourself some time to heal. I'm not trying to discount your current emotions, as they are absolutely valid. MX is tough and painful and frustrating.
However, I know that when I went through all my surgeries (3 total), I dealt with some depression after each and every one. Some was due to the surgery and the emotional and physical toll it takes. But I do think some of it also had to do with the drugs. I think anesthesia and pain meds just messed with my normal hormonal and chemical balance in my body. It made me feel awful and made it difficult for me to keep my positivity going.
And sometimes it would take up to a 4-8 weeks for that feeling to go away.
So give yourself time to heal. Give your body time to regain some balance. And make a decision after all that is said and done. The best news is that there is no "expiration date" on getting surgery. You can wait a year to get reconstruction if you want. Or longer.
Good luck with your treatment.
Yes. I had a lumpectomy and 6 cycles of chemo.
I decided that I did not want to have radiation so I went back and had a nipple sparing BMX with immediate silicone implant reconstruction.
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