Newly diagnosed - October 2024
Hi everyone! Diagnosed just 3 and a half weeks ago. Everything happened so fast. Just had a lumpectomy on Tuesday. 2 lymph nodes removed. I'm 58, mum had breast cancer in the past - she's ok. My tumour was estrogen positive and progesterone positive. HER2 negative. 2cm lump, contained. Radiation in 6 weeks and then endocrine therapy - hormone tablets. Recovering well. Emotions up and down. Doing the exercises given by the nurses. Too much going on in my life right now - brother-in-law has terminal brain cancer and my kids' aunty now has terminal cancer. Not sure how to cope right now with the other family members and myself too. It's like a bad dream you can't wake up from. I have to concentrate on my own health, stay calm and accept what is. Life is challenging isn't it? Nice to be here to connect with other women.
Loss of nipple sensitivity
Hi everyone, I am wondering if anyone has experienced this problem (I am sure some of you have). I had a lumpectomy in January followed by 3 weeks of radiation in February this year. My scars have healed well and although I had quite severe cording, it has settled down now. I have some stiffness in my arm/ chest wall that is gradually improving. However, my nipple just doesn't seem to have regained its old sensitivity. I was so keen not to have a mastectomy because I know that reconstructed breasts have much less feeling, but didn't realise that this could be a side effect of lumpectomy as well, I am wondering whether anyone else has experienced this loss of nipple sensation, and did it ever return?
Lumpectomy or Masectomy
I am nearly finished 16 weeks of chemo - 8 weeks of fortnight AC and then 8 weeks of Taxol. I am also Hert 2 so started Herceptin on 26th August every 3 weeks for 48 weeks. Due to have surgery in about 20 days. I had a 4-5 cms tumor left breast which has shrunk with chemo to 1cm and nothing in between and 1cm - which oncologist thinks could be 2 x 2.5cms tumor joined together - wont know till surgery. Also had spread to Lymphn nodes so will take out about 2/3 which is 20 out of 30 lymph nodes. Oestrogen + 30% Progesterone - and Her 2 positive. Invasive ductal cancer grade 3. Options now are (1) lumpectomy with reduction (2) Bilateral mastectomy or (3) Double Masectomy (all with lymph node removal). The first option could be do lumpectomy with margin and lymph nodes and go back following week for reduction in that left breast and if pathology shows more needs to be done could do mastectomy week after? Any recommendations or thoughts?