Lymph nodes

Hi Jeremy

Welcome to the forum, I'm Daisy53 one of the Community Champions on this forum.  I'm sorry to hear about your wife's breast cancer and that they discovered cancer in two of her lymph nodes.  As far as I'm aware lymph nodes aren't hard to take out though there will be some pain afterwards.  Your wife will be given a prescription for pain before she leaves hospital.

While I won't say chemo is easy it is doable and your wife will be given tablets to offset any side effect she may feel from treatment.  One of the side effects is hair loss but she can require about Cold Capping which can prevent excessive hair loss if she need chemo.

Wishing yourself and your wife the best of luck while you and your wife continue on this journey.

Best wishes

Daisy53

Hi. Sorry to hear what your wife has been through. Good news that she does not have cancer anymore and it was successfully removed. 

I had axillary lymph node removal and not to scare anyone but I did find it more painful that the mastectomy operation but you are well looked after if pain medication/help with exercises is needed. 

Being sent to America for analysis is probably the oncotype dx test which analyses how beneficial chemotherapy will be. If your wife is pre-menopausal and the score is over 25 then chemo is recommended. My score was 26 (and I was pre menopausal) so I took the recommended chemo. I did a lot of research on the chemo drugs they offered me before coming to a decision. Side effects are different for everyone. I only really suffered with constipation and hair loss. I was always scared of hair loss but you know what I now accept it, I wear my wig every day and feel comfortable in my skin.

It’s true what they say, you never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice. 

Thankyou Daisy

Thankyou sparkle

Hi, I had 3 lymph nodes removed when I had my lumpectomy, did my  exercises carefully, along with everyday movements-and no issues  at all.  My score from America was very low (5 out of 100), so I didnt need chemo, just 5 sessions of radiotherapy. 

Hope all goes well for your wife, my partner was hugely supportive too, and it makes such a difference.

Hi

I had a right mastectomy and lymph node dissection in 2021. The operations were both done at rhe sane time. I had 11 lymph nodes removed at once. I had to have a drain bottle from my chest for 10 days which was hard as you have to carry it around with you all the time as it attached to the side of your body. I was left with lymphodeama and cording in my right arm which swells and causes me discomfort and have to wear compression sleeve. It all due to nerve damage following the lymph node dissection operation. Whether this eill happen to your wife nobody can tell you but developing lymphodeama following this type of operation is very common I am afraid. You just have to learn to live with it but you can be put onto a lymphodeama clinic afyer your operation where they can do massages to help ease the discomfort. I hope all goes well for her.