Lumpectomy

hi

welcome to the breast group

if you look at the link under my name you should be able to click and see some success stories from women who have had breast cancer and moved on and put it all behind them.

I asked around because I wanted to see light at the end of the tunnel. 

Cancer strikes fear in us, we're petrified and the cancer adverts don't help, they make money from frightening people, pulling heart strings to open purse strings.

Statistically a lumpectomy for stage 1, 12mm means it's been caught early and the odds are very good that she'll make a full and complete recovery, it's something like 95% if I remember rightly. 

If you're a '93 baby your mum is probably my age or a bit younger and is therefore a classic 50 year old presentation, the most common age and life stage to be diagnosed with breast cancer. 

My situation was a bit more elaborate, I had a large area of DCIS, 65mm, yes I know, it was huge but it wasn't an actual lump to be fair to me, once it was removed, too large for a lumpectomy so I had a mastectomy, they then found a variant of breast cancer which does require chemo. Chemo is not pleasant but I got through it and I'm a wimp. 

I was diagnosed in 2015, finished chemo Christmas Eve 2015.

I'm still here, if I can do it, she can do it. 

She can also see her GP for some short term help with getting a good nights sleep. I was given a small prescription for Lorazepam, prescriptions are free for five years when you're diagnosed.

Send her to us, we'll help her through the anxious waiting around stages. 

big hugs

Carolyn

xxxx

Hi sparkle1993

you have come to the right place, plenty of advice and support, feel free to look at my profile, I was like your mum last year, couldn’t sleep, the nights were long. The waiting is the worse, once she starts treatment, she will feel less stressed and her sleep pattern will return. Ask mum to read through some of our stories, this journey is tough but there is light at the end of the tunnel, wish your mum well and let her know we are here for her.

best wishes

Rita

Hello Carolyn28 ,

thank you so much for the reassurance. 

My mums 63 had menopause at 50. Thank god for mammograms or the lump wouldn’t of been found this early. She’s HER2 negative but it is because of oestrogen so she will be on medication for 5-10years which she isn’t worried about. I think it’s just the fact of the unknown of the op. 

Thank you for sharing your journey with me, such a strong lady xx

Hopefully after operation on Tuesday she will sleep better.

Thanks again xx

Aston Michelle xx

Hi Rita,

Will have a look at your profile. 

Thank you for well wishes :) 

xx

Hi and another very warm welcome. Your mum’s situation sounds very like mine, same stage, similar size, and similar sounding treatment plan. 

Re the operation, most of us are in and out of hospital in a day. I’ve had many anaesthetics for various lumps and bumps so that aspect didn’t bother me, in fact I rather like an anaesthetic- great sleep! The wound itself was longer than for a previous lumpectomy (for a benign lump) so was a bit of a surprise, but it healed well. Is your mum having sentinel node sampling too? For me this was done via the same incision as the lumpectomy so that was why it was longer than before. I was out walking (short walks) a few days later. The hospital gave exercises to do post op and these helped a lot. 

I had 3 weeks of radiotherapy and am on hormone tablets for 5-10 years. Mine was HER2 negative like your mum’s so no other treatment needed. Please reassure her that it’s all very doable and like others have said there are lots of us out there doing well! 

Love and best wishes, well done for finding us here, hope we can support you and your mum through the various stages of her treatment and beyond. HFxx

Hello HappyFeet1,

Thank you so much for sharing your story. 

yes she’s having lymph-nodes removed while under they can’t see any spread but just want to make sure. Got a oncotype of 10.

Heard the exercises are good and help a lot so will make sure there done, and short walks like yourself I think it’s good to go outside after any surgery. 

Thank you so much for sharing your story, I’ve been reading them all to my mum and she is feeling better :) 

Lots of love,

Aston Michelle xxxxx

Hi there,

I was diagnosed with tubular breast cancer 5mm the middle of December and had lumpectomy on the 16th Jan. I have my post op app on the 7th Feb for the pathology results.  I am ER positive and HER2 negative so it will probably be radiotherapy and hormone therapy.

The prognosis I am told is very good as it was detected early, a big shock to be told I had this, but the positive is that it is very treatable.

Kay xx

Hi

Thank you for sharing.

how are you doing now after the lumpectomy?

thanks,

Aston xx

Hi  tell your mum to join this site.   It will help her during the quiet hours and Allie her to voice her thoughts/fears with people who will I understand.  I know you are there to help get but she will not tell you everything as she will seek to protect you. 

The surgery.  Almost 5 years ago for me.  I had wire guided surgery which is not as scary as it sounds.  A guide wire inserted in hospital 1 under local in the morning - painless, then 10 mile drive to hospital no 2 for surgery under general.  I went to theatre at 3pm back in ward 5pm and home eating soup at 8pm.  I never needed any painkillers once discharged.  After healing I had 15 sessions of radiotherapy .  

Hi Sparkle1993,

I'm doing ok thankyou, making sure I do my exercises every day, its very important to do these, I started mine the day after surgery.

I've still got a numb armpit and some tingling sensations down my arm, I find it helps to put some support there when in bed just to make it more comfortable.

Some days I am more tired than others but its fairly normal after a general anaesthetic and surgery.

Anything else you want to ask, please do so.

Kay xx