Hard lump in breast after second surgery
I recently had to have a second surgery after my initial lumpectomy (wide excision with a Perforator flap, removal of DCIS and malignant tumor in left breast) to remove a margin of tumor left behind. After the first surgery, everything was healing and going well. The second surgery however has not gone as smooth. My breast has been very heavy, red and swollen and I ended up in emergency, an ultrasound was performed and 2 pockets of fluid have formed under the skin. I have had both of these drained this week, but I still feel that there is a hard lump and some pressure pushing around the area. It has now been 2 days since the fluid was drained. Has anyone had this happen to them? Does it take time for the pressure to go away? Is this all part of the healing process? Thanks :-)105ViewsSign in to react to this post6Comments
Blue dye injection -Please share your experience
Hello all. I am scheduled for my surgery, but before then I need to have a blue dye injection, just a day before. I was wondering if someone can share their experiences with this procedure as I am absolutely petrified of it. If someone can help out a very, very anxious girl here, that would be amazing! I struggle with needles, procedures, local anaesthetics, so I really hope someone can shed some light and say "it's actually not bad" 🥹, cause this one really scares me. Thank you lovely ladies ❤️🌻🌿ViewsSign in to react to this postCommentsBack to work
Hi i am booked for Lumpectomy and snd on tuesday looking for some thoughts about how long before i can return to work? I know every one differentViewsSign in to react to this postComments
Recently diagnosed
It's been a week!! Breast screen contacted me Tuesday with my biopsy results. Currently on holidays visiting a sick friend in Canberra so my conversation with Breast screen was in a video link. Had not expected to hear Breast Cancer. Dr advised lumpectomy and I now have an appointment with a breast surgeon back in my home town, Adelaide. Seeing her 26th Oct. I am approaching my 69th birthday and feel my girls have served me well. I am seriously considering double mastectomy, no reconstruction, going flat. Has anyone else had these thoughts? I have a maternal history of breast cancer and have been having breast screening every 12 month. I have always referred to my screenings as Russian Roulette....ViewsSign in to react to this postCommentDay 2 Post-Op
I am day 2 post wide local lumpectomy, 2 lesions removed. I can say that I had an overall great experience so I am counting myself very lucky. I thought I would outline my day as it might help others know what might happen. I had to be at the hospital admissions desk for 0630, which wasn't too bad really - at least the rush hour traffic wasn't too bad. 0745 I had hookwires inserted to both lesions, confirmed on mammogram. Thankfully this mammogram was no where near as squishy as the screening mams are. Just before this procedure I scoffed down a muesli bar as a second breakfast, as my fasting time was from 0800. 0915 Then I had the lymph scan done with radioactive dye to determine the location of the sentinel nodes to be removed. This process took a while for the dye to travel from the breast to the lymph node but sure enough it eventually did. This was completed around 1130. This is also when I had to stop drinking water. From there I was escorted up to the day of surgery area, where I waited briefly to be called through for some pre op checks, changed into some gorgeous paper knickers, TED stockings and gown and booties. Thankfully there were also some lovely fluffy robes to complete the look. Once this was all done, my bags were labelled (like checked in luggage) and they were placed in a holding area to accompany me up to my room post op. I was sat in a recliner chair and allowed to have my phone and glasses to entertain myself while waiting. I think I waited here about an hour. Then transferred to a bed, and that is when it all got a bit real, being wheeled down the corridor (the ceiling lights do really look like they do in the TV shows as the patient is being wheeled down a corridor) I was wheeled into the OR and given a lovely paper hat. My surgeon did a final consent check and got me to confirm the procedure I was having and drew on my left shoulder while I was awake. I had so many marks and tapes on my left breast that It really was obvious which side we were tackling. I remember the anaesthetic mask being placed over my nose and mouth and breathing a couple of times and that's it! Next thing I am waking up, feeling a little sleepy. About 2.5 hours had passed. No pain, just a weird relaxed feeling. I had some water and a lemonade icy pole which was just what I needed. After waking up a bit more I was wheeled up to the room. I remember being spaced out with some strong pain meds. I was able to put on the post surgery bra early and that was a good feeling, so much support in that bra. It was a relief to know this part was completed. Thanks to the resources and experiences of others in this network I felt like I was well prepared for hospital. The morning after I saw the breast care physio and the breast care nurse, both whom gave me some great advice and answered my questions about the immediate post op period. Being at home has been good, although hard to settle in to not being busy (I am used to working full time) . The wedge pillow was a must buy. I got mine from Target for $45. As are loose t shirts that fit my surgery arm in and then I can loop easily over my head, or button up shirts. I am also taking regular oral analgesics. If you are reading this and your surgery is approaching, I wish you love and an uneventful recovery. I am very thankful for this network of support xxViewsSign in to react to this postCommentsScared of Magseed procedure
Hi all, so I need to have Magseed inserted in my breast prior to surgery and I am petrified, as I always am with procedures and needless, etc. I just don't cope well with them. I was told it's similar to needle biopsy, which I had, but that still doesn't make me feel any better. Can someone shed some light and help me relieve my anxiety as I am absolutely petrified. Thank you ❤️ViewsSign in to react to this postComments
Surgical options
Hi all, I have been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and I have my first meeting with the surgeon on Thursday. I know to expect surgery soon but dont know if this will be lumpectomy or mastectomy. I know that this will be one of the things to discuss on Thursday but I am curious if there is a 'choice' - in a sense part of me just wants to be told which option but I wondered if anyone here made a decision one way or the other and how they felt about that? How long do you get to make any decisions if a choice is available? Am also put this query in the recently diagnosed thread as I have not posted before and not sure which is better for this. Thanks for any thoughts.ViewsSign in to react to this postCommentsDiscussion about surgery with Surgeon
Hi all, I have been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and I have my first meeting with the surgeon on Thursday. I know to expect surgery soon but dont know if this will be lumpectomy or mastectomy. I know that this will be one of the things to discuss on Thursday but I am curious if there is a 'choice' - in a sense part of me just wants to be told which option but I wondered if anyone here made a decision one way or the other and how they felt about that? Am also putting this query in the treatment thread as I have not posted before and not sure which is better for this. Thanks for any thoughts.ViewsSign in to react to this postComments
Another Re-Excision or Mastectomy?
Note: this is all behind me now and I feel great. I had four surgeries in the end, the last being a mastectomy. Recovery was pretty easy and I now have my external prosthesis, and noone would even know! Well, here I go again. I was diagnosed with DCIS in December. It has been a long path, but I eventually had a double lumpectomy on my right breast on 26 March 2026. A week later I was told that although they got clear margins, three of the margins on my largest lesion (4 cm) were less than 1mm. So, I had a re-excision on 15 April to get wider margins. I saw the surgeon this morning, who told me they found more disease and the new margins are still less than 1mm in two places. I have to have more surgery next Wednesday but have to decide (by Friday) whether to have another re-excision (and my breast will be starting to look a bit sad after that) or go straight to a mastectomy. She said it was quite feasible to try a re-excision again, to preserve the breast if I want to, but if they still find disease or don't get good clearances, then I have no choice but to have a mastectomy. If I have the re-excision, I have to have radiation treatment for 3 weeks, 5 days a week afterwards. If I have a mastectomy, then it's all done. No radiation and no lymph node involvement. Does anyone have any advice on what I should do / or want to share your story if you've had a similar experience? I know it's my decision, but your advice is appreciated, thank you.ViewsSign in to react to this postCommentsSurgery tomorrow - what to expect.
My surgery is scheduled for tomorrow and I don’t know what to expect. I’m a tad neuro-spicy and I get really, really anxious if I don’t know what’s happening. I’m having a lumpectomy and I’d really appreciate it if someone can give me a step by step idea of what to expect.ViewsSign in to react to this postComments
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