Advice appreciated please as Anxious after lumpectomy and lymph node biopsy

Hi there TIna

I dont think it will make it more sore. I had the same done last november - i wasnt comfy with bras and took them off a lot but if yours was comfy thats good. I went for check up yesterday and was told by breast care nurse that non wired sports bras are the best and to be supported is best and that i shouldnt have gone back to normal underwired which i have only just done. So i would say do whats comfy - i felt best without and sometimes sat with hot water bottle tucked under arm - to do side and boob for comfort - but if sports bra - not wired felt comfy dont think it can hurt. SHe told me that the underwire now might not help with the slight odema i still have from the op and radio and the lymph drainage. I had a couple of soft bras from primark that were great and i wore to death. The boob that had the op still feel heavier and sometimes has like stretch mark tunnels under it at end of day - i found this bit worrying - but apparently normal just extra fluid.

I bet you are all over the place it was only tues its such a shock - hang in there and just distract yourself with whatever nice things you can while you heal. I know everyone says it but walks outside good when can and cuddling my dog was great help !

It will get better

Take care

Karen x

Hi there TIna

I dont think it will make it more sore. I had the same done last november - i wasnt comfy with bras and took them off a lot but if yours was comfy thats good. I went for check up yesterday and was told by breast care nurse that non wired sports bras are the best and to be supported is best and that i shouldnt have gone back to normal underwired which i have only just done. So i would say do whats comfy - i felt best without and sometimes sat with hot water bottle tucked under arm - to do side and boob for comfort - but if sports bra - not wired felt comfy dont think it can hurt. SHe told me that the underwire now might not help with the slight odema i still have from the op and radio and the lymph drainage. I had a couple of soft bras from primark that were great and i wore to death. The boob that had the op still feel heavier and sometimes has like stretch mark tunnels under it at end of day - i found this bit worrying - but apparently normal just extra fluid.

I bet you are all over the place it was only tues its such a shock - hang in there and just distract yourself with whatever nice things you can while you heal. I know everyone says it but walks outside good when can and cuddling my dog was great help !

It will get better

Take care

Karen x

Thanks Karen for taking the time to reply. 

Its just awful isn’t it, I feel like I’m looking 8n on somebody’s life and not my own but I know these feelings will pass and that it’s just my mind trying to process it all.

i hope that you are on the mend and feeling well.

Tina x

Hi Tina

i know you never think it would happen to you. It is so weird if you have had a busy life - I found it really hard not to be able to do everything any more - everyone suggested box sets !! I I dont do box sets i was a one hour tv a week person. I have managed to keep up yoga throughout which really helped me - as i saw same group of people and my teacher adapted for me as i couldnt use my right arm as much - still cant really. Went from 2 weeks after op and it helps mentally as really good at some things - such as balance postures which keeps me positive. Still cant run much as have to sort of hold under boob - good job not many people run down our lane to see ! So have been able to do much less aerobic stuff which hard but have found yoga great - and am sure i have much more movement and flexibility than i would have had. Not sure why i chuntering on about this when you just had your op - not really what you want to hear ! But you asked if feeling well - and yes its  7 or so months - i work every day on my own business , walk my dog, cook etc and life sort of getting back to normal. Radiotherapy took it out of me - got good at 9 - 10 hour sleeps ! 

Think i probably not helping now so will just say yes am feeling better and hope you do too. Hope friends and family there for you x

Thank you, it’s good to know that there is light on the other side so thank you for telling me your story. I will start yoga if it helps.

my family are being amazing, and I couldn’t get through this without them. I haven’t been very good at being active, I worked hard but as a sales rep I drive a lot and spend a lot of time in front of a computer. I’m off at the moment and not sure when I will feel mentally fit to return. I’ll wait until I get all my results next week and see if I can at least go back for a bit before the radiotherapy starts.

Take care

Tina x 

Hi

i remember one good thing that the breast care nurse said which was that the cancer was on the outside of my body and they have taken it away now - that might help mentally to consider - its been taken away - although i know the effects and treatment still seem to dominate life. I have chosen less treatment as i dont tolerate drugs at all well and just want to feel normal again - but thats just my choice. Mentally i think work is good if you can do it as helps you to feel normal - but i am very lucky as do most of mine from home. Radiotherapy is very tiring though - be prepared.  On the upside they were the nicest bunch of people you ever could meet and i was actually really sad when i wasnt going to see them again - it felt like seeing friends. As you dont get out much around this time i made sure we didnt talk about side effects much etc i just wanted good conversations and we had some great chats around films, music, my kids ambitions, holidays - they were such wonderful people. They even gave my daughter a days work experience as she want to train to be a nurse but they let her see what radiotherapy is all about. So its nothing to be scared of at all - just tiring and that doesnt go away when it ends ( but hopefully it blasts away any b....dy cancer that may have escaped is how i see it so its worth it !! ) I hope that helps.

ANd fantastic you have good family around you - absorb all that love ! 

Sleep well - you will be ok

Karen x

Thank you so much for the chat.

night night

Tina x 

Hi Tina I went through this 12 years ago! I've just been diagnosed and waiting for the same surgery. I'm off to m and s next week for a few of the vests with hidden support. I wore these last time and they are comfortable even during radiotherapy. Going without anything wasn't great and made me feel scruffy. I've never gone back to wires. Back then you couldn't buy a nice non wired bra and I would often be found moaning at shop assistants who pointed at bras that looked like they came from a museum. I'm glad that's changed. You will be sore, but it gets better. I saw a bag in poundstretcher today. It said. " if you feel sad put on more lipstick and attack" I got it to take my stuff into hospital. Love yourself Silverberg

Hi there Tina,

Sorry to hear you have to face this challenge too but glad surgery went ok. I too was diagnosis with the same type of breast cancer in March this year. Initially the treatment plan was surgical removal of tumour with sentinal biopsy and radiotherapy but due as the cancer type...it turned out to be triple negative I was adviced I needed chemotherapy following the surgery then radio.

So, I'm just had the 2nd cycle of chemo this Wed and am feeling good. There are a few complications with the 1st round and I had to be admitted to hospital for neutropenic sepsis but have recovered well from that. The medical and nursing staff at my local cancer centre have been amazing! I'm hoping my body won't retract the same way this time as my Oncologist has changed the dose slightly, so far so good!

As regards bra wear, for me soft sports bras have been essential, in fact I can't sleep without one now. I looked everywhere and went for some cheaper ones from Peacocks as they are in the wash so often. 

I'm also off work at mo as my Oncologist advised I do this as I work with young babies/ children which would potentially be a risk for me during chemo treatment.

To keep as active as poss I cook and do light gardening, go for small walks for fresh air. For my mental health I use adult colouring books and have started a little embroidery during this time too. I've also been listening to podcasts when insomnia strikes (during chemo it's most nights) from a US radio station called 'Breast Friends' as they give alot of evidence basis suggestions for BC survivors. 

One of the main challenges I've had is the feeling of isolation, not from family and friends (mine too have been amazing), but from women going through the same experience like us...which is why this post is SO long...apologies!!! However, I'm so grateful to have found this site and also a local Macmillian support group which I hope to attend next Monday for the first time. 

So, just to say finish. Take each day as it comes, listen to your body and be kind to yourself. Listen to the fantastic advice from the nursing team, find a group if you can and this challenging time will come to an end (I tell myself this often) and life is worth living, the small blessings will mean so much more. 

Best wishes

Mia 

Thank you x