Drain pain
Hi all I am two weeks post left nipple saving mastectomy on left with implant reconstruction. Pathology after surgery found cancer in lymph nodes so I had a lymph clearance one week ago. I have found the recovery from the lymph surgery so much more painful and my drain site seems to be where the pain is coming from. The tube continually looks blocked with clots. The breast care nurse tried “milking” the drain today but it was so painful. Just looking to hear whether this is a common experience or whether I should be trying to get the tubes changed? Thanks all
Lymph node removal site tender
Hi ladies, Just wondering if the tenderness I am having at the site of my lymph node removal is normal. I had a lumpectomy and sentinel node removal done on 24/2/20 and until the weekend just gone have had no pain or tenderness. But over the weekend and today my lymph node wound feels quite tender and I'm just wondering if this is normal. I don't have any swelling in my arm at all however the wound site under my dressing feels slightly more swollen compared to the same place on my other side. I do have my followup appointments tomorrow but was just wondering if you think this increased tenderness is unusual. ThanksNot doing so well tonight
I had my breast reduction local wide excision with 3 nodes removed yesterday. My partner did not offer to come in, so he went to work and I did it on my own. I was a bit disappointed that he did not offer, but as he lost his wife to metastatic melanoma I do understand that this is confronting for him. He came in to visit last night, and brought me a coffee on his way to work this morning. The breast care nurse came to see me yesterday, she was great, gave me lots of information, fitted me for a Berlie bra and said she would be in to day with some soft forms. I woke up last night in recovery in a lot of pain, that they had a hard time controlling. And I'm in a reasonable amount of pain now. Surgeon came and saw me this morning. She has taken out about 250g including tumor and surrounding tissue. She also said the nodes felt quite firm. She said that can happen with reactive nodes, but I know she was preparing me in case it's not good news when I see her on Wednesday. A different breast care nurse came to see me today, she asked me if I had any questions and I couldn't think of any. I was still feeling pretty groggy from waking every hour last night. My partner has not come in to see me tonight, he has not called to see how I am. I'm in pain. One of my boobs is half the size of the other and I'm feeling completely overwhelmed.
Diagnosed on 1 May 2017
I am 58 and have a lifetime habit of healthy living. Therefore,when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014, like everyone else I'm sure, I couldn't believe it. It never occurred to me I would get cancer. After I competed treatment I did everything I could think of to ensure I would be healthy and cancer free. Early this year I started to experience inexplicable back pain. I also didn't feel myself - hard to explain. After many visits to the doctor trying to figure out what was wrong, I ended up in Emergency at 4am with unbearable pain. I was diagnosed later that morning with metastatic breast cancer - Monday 1 May. Within a week I was receiving chemo and had my first radiotherapy treatment. I am blessed to have a highly skilled, caring and compassionate medical team that I have complete faith in. The resources on this site have been informative & helped me a lot, especially during the first few terrible weeks after I was diagnosed - I'm sure I took advantage of every scan and test available at North Coast Radiology during those weeks. The scans show I have extensive metastasis in my spine, hips and a few areas on my scull; and spots in my liver. The liver is already showing a lot of improvement. Fortunately my brain and other organs are clear. The scans of my spine and hips are VERY scary and the associated pain is no fun. Mindfulness meditation, eating healthily and exercise certainly help. I'd love any advice or suggestions you have in helping to live with bone pain. I read messages of hope and inspiration on this site during that first scary week. I can't find words to express how much those stories helped - I latched onto the hope and advice to live every day well and to set goals. Kitty's message that, "in a strange way, those of us with advanced disease are lucky – we know that the important thing is to enjoy today and to live as well as we can" is forefront in my mind. So ... thanks to Kitty, one week to the day after I was diagnosed I ordered my dream campervan (over the phone on my way to Lismore for more scanning). Since I was a child I have always wanted to own a two tone Kombi campervan (my god parents, who I adored, had one) My partner and I are had saved and planned to buy a modern version in a couple of years but we brought our plans forward. We do have a basic 20 years old campervan we love but is doesn't have aircon. Not so comfortable driving in summer since we moved north! Thank you all for being here. I look forward to 'meeting' at least some of you.
But I'm only 31...
January 2016 I found a breast lump but I just shrugged it off, most of my friends had them, no big deal right? Being in the medical industry I knew I had to do the responsible thing so I went to get an ultrasound which showed a query cyst like structure. I didn't think anything of it, the size of the lump would go up and down with my period and my GP said it was very likely, nothing to worry about because of my age. Fast forward to October and the lump still there...another scan showed that it had grown and now was the time for a needle biopsy. Did I mention I am ridiculously needle phobic??? No thanks, I opted for an excisional biopsy so that I wouldn't have to worry about it. (A friend of mine from school had just passed away last year after a long battle with breast cancer...freaking out is putting it lightly!). I got the results back on the 22nd of December (2 days before flying home for xmas), I was so sure it was going to be nothing...the surgeon said I had over a 90% chance of it being benign, I was so sure that I told my husband not to come, to be told "I'm sorry its not good news" I remember the moment clearly, shock/confusion/panic! My first thought was-I'm glad Andrews not here...what if this is my last Christmas with Andy and our family? How can this happen? The next 3hours were a blur, I had so many appointments lined up, I had to go see a fertility specialist because chemo would kill my chances of getting pregnant (we had been trying for the last 6months), I decided not to tell anyone except my boss for time off. One of the hardest things Ive ever had to do because I didn't want to ruin Christmas for everyone. The fertility specialist was nice but the examinations were so invasive and so much information was bombarding me from all sides, I felt like I couldn't breathe. I feel slightly less panicked now, ive had time to process and I've told my immediate family which has lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. I have even been brave enough to inject myself everyday in preparation for IVF...I know this is a small thing considering whats to come but I'm afraid the needle phobia won't listen to reason. Ive decided to go with a mastectomy with immediate reconstruction using a prosthesis but my first hurdle will be a sentinel node biopsy to make sure the cancer hasn't spread yet...and a portacath insertion so that will make the whole needle thing easier. I just wish there was someone out there my age that has gone through/going through this now...my spirits are pretty low