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coco's avatar
coco
Member
14 years ago

8 days

Hi everyone this is my first post. In April this year I was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ after discovering a hardening in my breast. The mammogram didn't pick anything up, nor did the ultrasound, but luckily the surgeon at the breast clinic could feel what I could and he ordered a biopsy. Since my initial diagnosis I have had three MRI's and my diagnosis has changed to the milder in-situ to the much scarier invasive tag and I have gone from being affected in one breast to being affected in both. It has been a lot to take on board.

In eight days I will be having the very real and mind blowing bilateral masectomy.  I am very nervous about this and no longer see this as a nightmare I will wake up from. After spending time at the hospital filling out paperwork and speaking to specialists I now know this is very real.

Last year I lost my best friend Lisa to breast cancer she fought bravely for six years so the reality of this is at times mammoth.

I am very lucky to have the wonderful support of my family, friends and breast care nurses. I would love to hear from others regarding their journey. Also any advice regarding the procedure I am about to undergo would be greatly appreciated. I am looking forward to getting rid of the cancer and moving onto treatment I have so much to live for I can  not afford to think otherwise.

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  • Mon's avatar
    Mon
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi Coco,

    I had a bilateral mx and immediate reconstruction 4 weeks ago too.  Today I went back to see my plastic surgeon who is pleased with my results.  I am too!

    I am recovering well and I am telling you this as I am where you will be in a month's time...  I'm sure you will be

    Take care,

    Mon

    PS: Physio exercises - be diligent :)

  • Chris's avatar
    Chris
    Member
    14 years ago
    Hi Coco, I also had a bilateral mastectomy, and like Narelle, it wasn't too bad. My grade 3 invasive breast cancer also didn't show up on a mammogram, and the ultrasound showed it to be 4mm, when in fact it was 21mm. This surprised everyone, and so I decided after chemo was finished that I would also remove the other one as I would always find it hard to trust another mammogram. I had tissue expanders added at this second mastectomy, and have now completed my reconstruction. I have had no regrets at all about having this second mastectomy. It has given me peace of mind. Good luck with your surgery. Love Chris xx
  • coco's avatar
    coco
    Member
    14 years ago

    Thanks so much for your comments Narelle, i find it so comforting to talk to people who have been where I am at now.  I will ask my breast care nurse about the pillows and I have been buying lots of button up pjs already. Don't know how many lymph nodes they plan on removing or what movement will be like post op.  I am glad I perservered as well part of  me thinks it was my best friend's voice in my head insisting I get everything checked out. I really think she is my angel on this journey.

    Lots of love

  • such_is_life's avatar
    such_is_life
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi I had bilateral mx with tissue expanders around 4 weeks ago, as I couldnt  tolerate the morphine i made it through with just panadol/panadiene and found the pain easy to handle, the drains are a pain to have to carry around with you, I had 4, my advice is try not to be scared, I am sure it will not be as bad as you think, sure it is not a walk in the park, but it is certainly better than you can imagine, try to obatin one or two of the cresent shaped pillows (zoton) from your breast care nurse, I still hug mine to my chest now and it helps get you  throught the night, I had full range of motion in my arms from the start, but if you think you might have problems with that, take in some button through clothes and ps's, have a look for a couple of old posts the sharon has made about what to take to hospital and what has got you through, they will help no end,  and I know it is hard but try and think well at least now I know I have this, I can start to kick its arse, if you had not of persevered and got the diagnosis, it would still be there for god knows how long  doing its worst without your knowledge, you know about the war now, and you can battle bit by bit and win

    Cheers Narelle

  • such_is_life's avatar
    such_is_life
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi I had bilateral mx with tissue expanders around 4 weeks ago, as I couldnt  tolerate the morphine i made it through with just panadol/panadiene and found the pain easy to handle, the drains are a pain to have to carry around with you, I had 4, my advice is try not to be scared, I am sure it will not be as bad as you think, sure it is not a walk in the park, but it is certainly better than you can imagine, try to obatin one or two of the cresent shaped pillows (zoton) from your breast care nurse, I still hug mine to my chest now and it helps get you  throught the night, I had full range of motion in my arms from the start, but if you think you might have problems with that, take in some button through clothes and ps's, have a look for a couple of old posts the sharon has made about what to take to hospital and what has got you through, they will help no end,  and I know it is hard but try and think well at least now I know I have this, I can start to kick its arse, if you had not of persevered and got the diagnosis, it would still be there for god knows how long  doing its worst without your knowledge, you know about the war now, and you can battle bit by bit and win

    Cheers Narelle