Forum Discussion
Surgery options & decisions
I have just been recently diagnosed with early breast cancer, stage 1, grade 1. I had my first appointment, the team were great with explaining everything though I must say it’s been very overwhelming...
Welcome @Ella123,
This whole thing is full of so many decisions. Trusting your own instincts is the best way to go, although you will probably never be 100% sure you have made the right decision either way and that's normal.
I had a lumpectomy for 19mm stage 2 Tumour and re excision a week later as the margins were too close for their liking.
The decision for me was easy. The first words I said to my surgeon was I don't want a mastectomy unless there is no other choice. His reply "Ok, now we have something to work with" He didn't try to talk me out of it although I am sure for him it would have been easier as it was a shit of a thing to find.
We had to go searching for the breast tumour as 3 mammos and numerous u/sounds couldn't detect it. We knew it was there because the lymph node (that's where I found the initial lump) had already come back positive. MRI located it.
So I ended up with the lumpectomy, axillary clearance, chemo due to the node involvement and 30 rads.
I had no problems with the rads, did not suffer any fatigue and my skin held up well until the last 5 or 6 treatments and healed very well afterwards. The cosmetic outcome of the surgery is quite good and hardly noticeable to anybody but me.
The only after effects I have from rads (18 months on) is that if I am out in direct summer sun I can feel it burn a bit through my shirt.
All the best with your choice sweet. Trust yourself.
xoxoxo
This whole thing is full of so many decisions. Trusting your own instincts is the best way to go, although you will probably never be 100% sure you have made the right decision either way and that's normal.
I had a lumpectomy for 19mm stage 2 Tumour and re excision a week later as the margins were too close for their liking.
The decision for me was easy. The first words I said to my surgeon was I don't want a mastectomy unless there is no other choice. His reply "Ok, now we have something to work with" He didn't try to talk me out of it although I am sure for him it would have been easier as it was a shit of a thing to find.
We had to go searching for the breast tumour as 3 mammos and numerous u/sounds couldn't detect it. We knew it was there because the lymph node (that's where I found the initial lump) had already come back positive. MRI located it.
So I ended up with the lumpectomy, axillary clearance, chemo due to the node involvement and 30 rads.
I had no problems with the rads, did not suffer any fatigue and my skin held up well until the last 5 or 6 treatments and healed very well afterwards. The cosmetic outcome of the surgery is quite good and hardly noticeable to anybody but me.
The only after effects I have from rads (18 months on) is that if I am out in direct summer sun I can feel it burn a bit through my shirt.
All the best with your choice sweet. Trust yourself.
xoxoxo