Back from Hospital After 2nd Mastectomy - no RHS cancer

[Belinda]

Hi everyone

After a mastectomy and full ax. dissection on 10 Jan, I have been intensely worried about the RHS. Had some wierd-feeling spots, and shadowy, inconclusive scans. Knowing that my cancer is an aggressive, sneaky kind of cancer that evades mammograms and ultrasounds, and after working through options with the surgeon, on Wed afternoon we agreed I would have my right breast removed, and was scheduled for surgery Thursday 1 Feb.

Surgery went well - much better and easier than the LHS with axillary dissection. The armpit surgery is the worst part of the process - and I didn't need it this time. Was discharged today, and got preliminary results which showed the breast was clear of cancer - a relief!

I am feeling good about this decision. It feels like there's something that I can do to eliminate one source of worry. I know its common for us to worry about our other breasts, but I am glad mine is both gone and that I have the certain knowledge that it was clear.

So far no sign of seroma - healing well, and should eb able to back into chemo within 6-7 weeks of my original surgery. Just got to recover from the general anaesthetic, and spend time healing now. No more scans for the time being - yay. And, it's a minor issue, but it's nice to be symmetrical again!

Kind regards and courage to you all.

Belindax

[sarah]

be sure to get physical therapy for your arm to avoid lymphadema.
stay well
sarah

[Mary Jo]

Hi Belinda,

I know exactly how you feel and I am so happy for you. I, like you, had my left breast removed March 7, 2006. I had right breast cancer and that breast removed and 2 sent. nodes July 28, 2005. Six months later they did a mammogram of my left breast and there was a "suspicious area of calcification" near the chest wall that my Dr.'s wanted to biopsy. Oh my gosh - I had just finished chemo and radiation and was thinking - how is the world could this be. The biopsy came back negative and I told my surgeon - "that's it.......I want the breast removed." She didn't even argue with me as she knew that from the beginning that is really what I wanted. So..................thankfully my insurance approved it and I had my left breast removed. Like you , they didn't have to touch any nodes and the pathology report came back NO CANCER in that breast. I, too, like you, know that for me personally, I made the right decision.

Congrats to you. God Bless.

Mary Jo

[Belinda]

Sarah - you are right of course - had started seeing a PT but had to cancel an appt on same day as 2nd mastectomy. Will get back into it in next week or so as RHS heals.

Mary Jo - I am so grateful to find someone else who understands where I am at with this. It is a relief when that path report comes back clear. I am going to try and find the energy today to go and ferret through my wardrobe and try on some of the things I had become too 'busty' for.

Warmest regards - Belinda

[tousled1]

Belinda,

I had a bilateral mastectomy even though my cancer was only in my right breast. When I was initially diagnosed they did CT scan, bone scan, and an MRI of the left breast. The MRI showed a 8mm area that they felt was benign and I also had a lot of microcalicifaction. I decided right then and there for the bilateral and I have no regrets.

[Chelee]

When I was DX last year I wanted a bilat. My surgeon at that time talked me out of it. Now they find all these masses which are consistent with lymph nodes in my breast and axilla. Had I gotten the bilat like I wanted to last yr...I wouldn't be sitting here with all this stress and worry.

I tried to tell him I am at such a high risk for another cancer in this other breast its not worth it. He tried to tell me that just *isn't* true..and if I thought so...bring him in the articles I have backing that up. (If I want it removed..and my insurance will pay for it...whats it to him.) I've been through so much since this years mammo, US, & MRI of this breast. All the pain and burning in breast & axilla. No answers as to why its this way. All I know is had I went through with a bilat last year life would be so much easier right now. (Anyone out there thinking about it...always go with your gut.)
Don't let anyone talk you out of it if thats what you want.

Chelee

[Belinda]

Chelee - I agree, and wish you weren't going through all that extra worry. My thoughts are with you. Gee, don't we all have enough to worry about? For me it was completely about peace of mind, as it turns out. I had to put my foot down and insist that even though its a 1 in 1000 chance that I had cancer, I could very well be the 100th woman. Just the reverse of the positive thinking that goes with the dreadful stats. I quickly consolidated all my reasons and told him that if he didn't do it now I'd be right back after chemo wanting it done, and would be devastated to have to go through chemo again if it was found to be cancerous.

Is your surgeon going to agree to do the surgery now? Like me Chelee, its probably nothing, but the peace of mind can mean a lot. Can you get a 2nd opininion?

Keep in touch, and stay courageous.

Belinda

[Chelee]

Belinda, Good question. I have no clue what my surgeon is thinking after my last appt with him? I get the feeling he thinks I am over reacting by wanting to continue to find out what this is. He thinks I should be satisfied and just go away. I told him regardless of what we found I wanted a mastectomy. He just pretended *not* to hear me. Argh!

Like you said Belinda...its all about peace of mind. I started off with *only* one mass in breast...now with additional testing we are up to 4 or more. (Add the four or more to the CONSTANT pain and I want this gone.) Plus..he SHOULD take into account...I CAN'T have radiation either.

I have an onc appt tomorrow for my onc & herceptin. I will check in his office while I am there. I already called his nurse last Thurs and told her I'm not happy...I am in pain. I want a biopsy of this and it removed. I told her if my surgeon does not want to do it...let me know now. I told her I will get a 2nd opinion at City of Hope or UCLA asap. She said she would talk to him. All I know is he better be right...all these masses better be benign. They tell me bc is not painful. Ha! I had pain in my right one that was DX last year. So thats not true. Things would be SO PEACEFUL right now had I MADE him do a bilat last year. This is not worth all the stress.

Chelee

[Belinda]

Chelee, why not consider getting your second opinions anyway, even if they are the same, it might make you feel good for taking charge of your fear and doing something about it. I'd be interested to hear from other women about whether HER2 cancer is painful - mine was, and I actually showed the sonographer where to look by pointing to the painspots - I was "spot-on". Having said that, I was convinced I had the same pain on my RHS, and there turned out to be nothing. But I guess we get a little more 'aware' of all the strange feelings and sensations that probably go on in our bodies all the time after we are diagnosed, and it's hard - even impossible - to brush them off.

Chelee, do whatever you can and need so that you can feel like you are making the right decisions (not your surgeon making them for you) and have the right options for your treatment and recovery.

And don't be afraid to say it like it is. At one point I said to a breast nurse after my session with the surgeon "I get the feeling you think I am being irrational", which toned her down, reminded her that she should be supportive not argumentive, and in turn prevented me from walking out of the discussion with her and right back into the surgeon's office.

Belinda

[Mary Jo]

Hi Chelee,

My heart goes out to you and I get upset when I hear how our doctors can treat us at times. Geez! They so flippantly shoot out statistics to us and we should just sit back and accept that as if it would never happen to us. Well, it has happened to us. One in eight get breast cancer - and we were all one of those 1 in 8. To just brush our concerns aside can be so incredibly frustrating. Often times (most of the time) the Peace of mind we so badly want is the most important thing to us and that Peace is hard to come by many days.

I understand. I've been their and thankfully my surgeon understood my fears and actually agreed with me, aside from what statistics show, and agreed to remove my left breast. Thankfully, as I said before, it was cancer free and it did give me INCREDIBLE peace of mind.

Good luck to you. My prayers are offered up for you.

Love -

Mary Jo