Double mastectomy in 1 week
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Topic: Double mastectomy in 1 week
Posted By: conniec
Subject: Double mastectomy in 1 week
Date Posted: Oct 01 2010 at 7:56pm
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Hello New Friends, I have surgery scheduled in 1 week. I would love to hear your thoughts on preparations. My breast care coordinator is going to give me a belt that will hold the drain tubes and a couple small pillows that she said many women find helpful. Any other suggestions? Connie
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Replies:
Posted By: TNBC_in_NS
Date Posted: Oct 01 2010 at 10:46pm
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Oh my dear, Connie...I am not a mx person, yet so I can't comment from experience but the ladies that have posted have mentioned the lazy boy chair as being their best friend in the first couple of weeks due to getting up and down from the horizontal position. Denise just had her's done so she will probably pop in soon and give you a detail of all the things she encountered. By the way, Denise is doing her yoga and things around the house and she is only two weeks out of surgery! She is definitely the one to talk with!
The drain tubes were bothersome for some, but with the belt it is easier! So that is good you have the jump on that one. The small pillows are great, they keep your upper arms away from your sides so you don't get chaffed. Exercise is the most important! Do the fingers walking up the wall so that you can get a good range of movement with your arms. Don't lift over 5 pounds....That is all I can think off the top of my head... sorry.
I will continue to pray for you until you say things are going well. We are here for you so be patient, the weekends are relatively slower than during the week.
I am happy that you have made your decision and I am sure you will do very well too!
Hugs, Helen in NS ------------- Diag@57TNBC04/092.5cm Lquad 05/09 TCx4Radsx30CT03/01/10 FU03/31/10ClearBRCA- 01/2011 RTNBC BMX 06/14/2011~2013 clear |
Posted By: scared
Date Posted: Dec 08 2010 at 11:32pm
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Hello Connie, I am sorry that you need to have this done, and at the same time I wish you the best possible outcome. I suggest that the surgeon should be one that specializes in only breast cancer and that is their speciality. My wife had a mastectomy and the operation was not too bad, she had gall stones removed and said that was much worse. Becky spent the night at the hospital, and I brought a movie I knew she would fall asleep watching and played that for her. Once home she took two Percocet every four hours and then was able to use Advil. I was the one to do the drain and the nurse asked me if I wanted to watch her do it or do it myself. I chose to do it then and there, and she said I did such a good job she asked if I wanted to do the rest of her patients, I laughed and said, "no thanks!". The trick to it is to pinch the tube where it comes out of your body. Once that is secure, just slide the other hand along the plastic tube and pinch it. Then repeat until all liquid is in the bubble. Empty and measure. I did it wrong home at once and almost pulled the tube out of her, so please don't make that mistake! Wishing you all the best! Dave ------------- Wife diagnosed 7/08 stage 2B 4.78cm with 3 nodes. 15 weeks of Adriamycin and Cytoxin, Mastectomy, 12 weeks of Taxol, and 6.5 weeks of radiation. |
Posted By: TracyAMac
Date Posted: Dec 09 2010 at 2:58pm
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How are you doing ConnieC? Tracy in Toronto ------------- TN&non-TN tumors April/10 Gr3&2;1 metaplastic Rmast.1/9 nodes w/isolated t.cells Taxotere&Cytoxan x6 Bone cancer 1980 age17;surgery&chemo AC+Methotrexate BRCA-ve On hormone therapy & Metformin Trial |
Posted By: zoomommy2
Date Posted: Dec 09 2010 at 3:51pm
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Connie C,
I only had a mastectomy on one side, but it wasn't as bad as feared. The pain wasn't bad and was easily controlled with Percocet. It was harder getting my stamina back. Of course, I flew cross country 10 days later for my son's wedding. That put my stamina to the test and I failed. The drains are more of a hassle than the surgery. But they don't stay in for more than a couple of weeks. I just used some roll gauze for a belt for the drains and it worked fine. Best of luck with your surgery. Let us know how you are doing.
Lee in Denver ------------- dx6/09,stageII,gr3,(L)mastectomy 7/09,ACx4,Taxolx7,Avastin study,gall bladder surgery 1/10,4/11 Stage 4, mets to lung, 4/11 Started Taxotere and Xeloda, 5/11 Taxotere stopped, off Xeloda |
Posted By: Katastrophe
Date Posted: Dec 10 2010 at 8:36am
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Hi Connie, I had bilateral mastectomy and I have to say I agree with Dave. My operation to have my gall bladder and stones removed was much tougher to come through. I wouldnt wish that one on anyone. I am the queen of operations (caesarean, tubal ligation, hysterectomy, oopherctomy, sphincterectomy, lumpectomy, bladder lift (twice) bowel lift (twice) mortens neuroma's on both feet, gall stones and gall bladder and bilateral mastectomy, port insertion and removal, removal of excess skin from mastectomy) to name but a few. I found the mastectomy easier than most. With the exception of the annoying drains I thought I coped with it quite well. I carried them in these cute little bags that the breast cancer nurse gave me. I just slung them over my shoulder like a couple of handbags and I was good to go. Just watch the door knobs as they are a killer if the drain tube catches it on the way through and nearly rips it out your chest. Other than that I found it bareable. Good luck Darl ... luv Kat ------------- Age 49. Stg2 gr3 19mm lump in L/br 1 lymph node in L/br 3/14 lymph nod under left arm full clear bil/mast 6rds Chemo 3wkly 25rds Rad 18rds of Avastin finished treatment on 19th August 10. |
Posted By: conniec
Date Posted: Dec 10 2010 at 9:12am
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Hi Tracy, My Mastectomy was back in Oct. It went very well. I'm so glad that I made that choice b/c the pathologist actually had the surgeon take an additional amount of skin during surgery due to more cancer below the skin. I don't think I expected the skin expanding process to be as painful/uncomfortable as it was. Thankfully my fills are done b/c I was aiming for a B cup. I just finished chemo #2 and don't have too much to complain about. I really only feel "bad" for 1 1/2 days. I hope that continues for the remaining treatments. Connie ------------- Age 40, Felt lump 8/20/10 Lumpectomy 9/7 DX 1.5 tumor stg I 9/13 margin not clear Double MX w/ expanders 10/8 Final tumor size 1.7, 0/3 + nodes AC-T chemo 11/8 - 2/21 TE/implant exchange 3/29 |
Posted By: TracyAMac
Date Posted: Dec 21 2010 at 12:21am
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Hi Connie Glad the mast. went well and that you are tolerating the chemo fairly well. How many treatments are you planning to have? My advice is to make sure you get enough sleep as you go through the process - it will keep you strong for future treatments. Keep us posted on how you are doing Tracy in Toronto  ------------- TN&non-TN tumors April/10 Gr3&2;1 metaplastic Rmast.1/9 nodes w/isolated t.cells Taxotere&Cytoxan x6 Bone cancer 1980 age17;surgery&chemo AC+Methotrexate BRCA-ve On hormone therapy & Metformin Trial |
Posted By: 123Donna
Date Posted: Dec 21 2010 at 6:48am
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Connie, Glad to hear that you're tolerating your chemo well. I hope the rest of your treatments go as smoothly. Take care and enjoy the holidays with your family. Donna ------------- DX IDC TNBC 6/09 age 49, Stage 1,Grade 3, 1.5cm,0/5Nodes,KI-67 48%,BRCA-,6/09bi-mx, recon, T/C X4(9/09) 11/10 Recur IM node, Gem,Carb,Iniparib 12/10,MRI NED 2/11,IMRT Radsx40,CT NED11/13,MRI NED3/15 |