So I saw the breast surgeon yesterday along with one of her colleagues. The appointment was to discuss corrective surgery to the breast and the damage done from previous surgery and my reaction to radiotherapy. It's seems the surgical option is a mastectomy or I live with what's happened and carry around a badly scarred, painful hard lump of a breast.
More worryingly there is concern I have another cancer. I've had a skin biopsy and now waiting for further tests and a biopsy to a lump found in my underarm.
I'd be interested to hear of others tale of a secondary breast cancer and how they dealt with it and how you coped once again being on that rollercoaster of uncertainty for a second time.
Thanks for listening 😘
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LindaLittleBear
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Make yourself a shortlist of "lessons learned" to support your ongoing journey. Ask all the questions, check if it would be the same meds if this is the same type of cancer. Write out what routines and foods helped you stomach what was going on.
I had a double mastectomy with reconstruction which took 8 weeks to recover from with the first 2 weeks being largely unable to care for myself. if you have other treatment to face, I'd suggest talking about timing. you don't want to weaken yourself going into the active treatment phase. That said, I imagine a single mastectomy, even with reconstruction wouldn't impact quite the same (no lifting and no raising your arms over the head initially).
Whatever you do, be sure to voice your questions and worries. See what suggestions they have. And never give up. Wishing you a short yourney towards "no evidence of disease" to let you regroup and pick up your life again in full.
Thank you for the sound advice. Oddly enough I haven't even considered the idea of reconstruction, as it wasn't mentioned. A question at the top of my list for next time.The no lifting the arms etc is similar to what I had to do after bypass surgery so I'll keep that in mind.
In truth we thought the no evidence of disease had been addressed. For the moment it seems the cancer has evaded test so I'm hoping the lump under the arm and the skin biopsy are clear !🙏
I think we went to surgery around the same time, (as I remember your name). I too saw the doctor about corrective surgery as I had a hard lump and they also thought I had cancer behind the lump, in the same breast. The surgeon told me to keep massaging the lump and it could go. A year later the lump has gone I massaged lotion into it, both in the morning and at night. Fortunately the tumour was benign, I hope yours is, but I must admit the thought of a secondary cancer is always in my mind as the original biopsy burst a blood vessel in my breast and it took two hospitals, five surgeons and six months to find where, in my breast it had gone. Hope it turns out to be nothing xx
Hi, Thank you for asking , how are you?Alas no, it's been two weeks so perhaps soon.
I have an ultrasound on Tuesday on the underarm, possible lymph node biopsy and on Thursday I'm seeing the Anesthesist, pre op assessment. (Happy Birthday to me). xx
I think its the wait that is worse, pity they cannot tell you quicker!! Hopefully the ultrasound will be normal and you don't have to have a biopsy x I don't have a lump under my arm, as the oncologist checked it last time I saw her, but still have pain there. It will be two years in January that I had the original op, and I have my 2nd mammogram in January, so dreading the results. Let us know how it goes and keep in touch, sorry it looks like your birthday that day, but hopefully the quicker its done and over, the quicker you can sort out getting better xx
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I massaged lotion into it, both in the morning and at night. Fortunately the tumour was benign, I hope yours is, but I must admit the thought of a secondary cancer is always in my mind as the original biopsy burst a blood vessel in my breast and it took two hospitals, five surgeons and six months to find where, in my breast it had gone. Hope it turns out to be nothing xx
Scared and Uninspired, Rare Aggressive Breast Cancer, What is Next?
Just diagnosed today
One year post mastectomy.