Likely breast cancer after ultrasound

[spartanrunnergirl]

Hi all after routine mammogram I was referred for an ultrasound, which I had today and the radiologist said it's likely a cancer, thus did a few core biopsies. I did not know that cancer could be detected at ultrasound stage but she was pretty certain it was cancer and said the biopsies were to see what they were dealing with. Has anyone else had this? Thank you

It's good to take the little breathing spaces where you can. Also to manage all expectations re Christmas (am struggling with this one myself!).

Gabrielle Parker sell some really lovely PJs and dressing gowns. They are very light cotton and loose fitting, but just as importantly, very pretty, nice enough to wear around the house while convalescing and receiving visitors if need be. I still love mine five years on, which considering I bought them for BC Surgery wear says a lot!

Hope all are progressing well and enjoying Christmas-y treats along the way.

Surgery is tomorrow. The biopsy results showed that one of the additional areas was clear and one had cancer cells, so a wider 'wide local excision/lumpectomy' is needed, with a flap to cover the defect as my breast is small. If the margins are not clear it will mean a full mastectomy.

Meanwhile my DH and I have had a few good times together and have finished Christmas shopping and posted the family's presents.

All the best tomorrow @quietmaelstrom You’ll go to sleep and when you wake up what seems like moments later, you’ll be another step on the way to wellness. We’ll all be keeping our fingers crossed for you.

Wishing you all the best for surgery tomorrow @quietmaelstrom hope it goes as planned for you, and you are coping ok with any night before nerves.

I've had three of my 15 radio sessions now. Last one will be on 24 Dec!

Was out with my running club today in the wind and rain loving every minute of it! Then back home for a big soak in the bath and a roast. One blessing of all this is how much more I am appreciating all these simple pleasures.

Good luck @quietmaelstrom . Some days you just have to surrender to the process and put yourself in others' hands. I hope everything is smooth.

@quietmaelstrom
Wishing you all the best today. Hope all goes smoothly. Xx

Hope everyone is ok.

I'm also trying to get myself all sorted for Christmas this week as my surgery is next week on Tuesday. So trying to get last minute presents and wrapping done.

Starting to get nervous with a week to go. Feel like that's the 'official' start of my journey through this. Trying to stay positive and keep things normal as possible as it's the best way I can cope. But it's not easy and I've been waking up in the middle of the night a lot.

@quietmaelstrom Wishing you luck for today and a speedy recovery. I hope that they manage to get it all without any further surgery 

@chococakey It's perfectly normal to feel like you do. I was really glad that due to the pandemic, I had only two days notice of surgery and no time to dwell. What I will say is that you will feel much much better afterwards because it will be gone. The rest is belts and braces!

Hoping all goes well for you roday@quietmaelstrom

Thank you all.

Surgery went well - the surgeon seemed pleased with how things had gone. I had a few hours of horrible post-op nausea (a problem I generally have) but was able to come home last night and a reasonable amount of sleep in my own bed definitely helped. Not too sore and am able to move my arm quite well.

I have been given a 'vacuum dressing' with machine attached for 2 weeks - apparently greatly reduces the risk of seroma (fluid collection in wound) (sorry if TMI - am just mentioning in case it's useful for others to know)

Well done @quietmaelstrom and thankyou for coming to update. Hoping you get a nausea-free decent night.

The vacuum dressings are great. Don’t worry if you feel a tickle, it’s just the sucky sucky working!

@quietmaelstrom Glad to hear your surgery went well. Sorry about the nausea though. Hopefully feeling better being back home in your own bed. Time to take it easy now. X

Thanks for giving an update. I'm finding it helpful reading about everyone's update and stories.

I'm still having the wobbles this week about my surgery on Tuesday. But trying to remind myself it's the first step towards starting to get this treated. Keeping myself occupied with sorting Xmas stuff and working from home this week. My son has his Xmas fair after school on Friday so will be going along to that.

@quietmaelstrom glad the surgery went well! I was surprised by how little pain I felt.

I had one of those bandages too - mine started buzzing towards the end of the week as the battery started dying. Used to fix it by pressing on the bandage.

I'm starting my last treatment on Christmas eve (how festive) - there is light at the end of the tunnel everyone! I hadn't even found the lump this time last year and here I am, back at work, hair growing uncontrollably and thinking about reconstruction.

Hope everyone has as nice a festive period as possible 🎅🏻

@quietmaelstrom So
pleased the surgery went well x I didn’t have any kind of drain which surprised me ! Take it easy and don’t push yourself too much as it’s important you rest and recover

Glad it went well @quietmaelstrom

I was also surprised how little pain I had aside from quite strong discomfort the first night. However, I only took paracetamol for a couple of days.

The one thing I will add for all of those who are post surgery, it's vitally important that you take a couple of minutes a day to do the exercises they give you. It's so easy to forget. I still do mine. They definitely helped ease the hard bits I got from radiotherapy too.

Thanks all

Pain levels have been surprisingly low, thankfully. I have been doing my exercises since day one, though I must confess to only doing them twice a day rather than three times - always forget one set - must do better!

Hope you enjoy the Christmas fair @chococakey and it takes your mind off things a bit. The surgery is a big step but will soon be over and you will be recovering like me.

Hope the last treatment goes well @SunnyValemin - not great timing. My follow-up appointment will be Christmas Eve so I am hoping to hear that the surgery has been successful.

@quietmaelstrom hopefully the pain stays low. The exercises help, I think I only did mine twice a day most days.

I start bisphosphonates on Christmas Eve, so the start of my last treatment I suppose. I'll keep everything crossed for you for your appointment on Christmas Eve x

Happy Sunday everyone. Hope everyone is doing ok today.

Seems quite a few of you have something going on Xmas eve with starting/ending treatments and results appointments. So I hope everyone gets on well on that day

I'm trying to have a quiet weekend, my surgery is on Tuesday morning so just trying to get a few jobs done at home and do some batch cooking of things I can freeze to make dinners a bit easier for us as a family post surgery.

Questions for those of you that have had surgery - what is best to wear on the day?
My hospital haven't really said and I kept forgetting to ask when they'd say "do you have any questions"!
I was thinking a button up PJ top with jogging bottoms and my coat on the top for the journey there/back. What about a bra? I've got some ready for post op but will I need it on the day?

Hi @chococakey

Yep I have my last radiotherapy on the 24th of December cannot wait!!

I had a wide local excision/lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy. My surgery was in the morning. I arrived at hospital at 7am and I went to the theatre about 10 am - I was out having a cup of coffee in the ward by 12:30.

I wore jeans, loose T-shirt and a big sweater. I had a post surgery bra that hooked up at the front which I put on when I got dressed to go home. I did take some jogging bottoms in case I needed to stay on the ward for a bit longer, but I didn't need to. I was in my surgery gown and then just got dressed in what I came in. I was sent home at about 3 pm so wasn't actually in the hospital for too long.

Re the bra: I saw the breast care nurse before the surgery - she suggested quite strongly that a bra that compressed and held me tightly was what I needed to wear going home and then pretty much all the time for the first couple of weeks.

I stocked up on painkillers paracetamol/ibuprofen before I went into hospital but to be honest after the first couple of days I didn't bother taking them because the pain was minimal. My hospital gave me some extra dressing to apply over the top of the dressing they had used, in case my dressing started to peel off, because I was not to take the dressing off until I next saw the consultant 10 days after surgery. My dressing did start to peel off quite a bit so I found having a supply of plasters to stick across the edges to keep it in place was quite useful.

Wishing you all the very best for your surgery on Tuesday xxxx

Hi @chococakey

I had a WLE/lumpectomy, sentinel nose biopsy and small flap reconstruction, so probably a slightly bigger procedure.

I wore a loose long sleeved Tshirt and hoody on top (skirt and tights/boots on bottom). I wore the same for coming home, though had taken a different top as well in case it was easier to get into. Like @spartanrunnergirl I did take stuff in case I had to stay longer (mainly because I usually get bad post-op nausea and vomiting).

I did take a bra with me but the post-op breast care nurse provided and fitted a specific supportive one they wanted me to wear, and told me to keep it on for 2 weeks night and day. (They had told me in advance that I would be fitted with one.)

All the best for Tuesday - hope all goes well. Happy to answer any other questions!

I took pyjamas and came home in those and a loose coat! I did take a bra as described. They were a bit hopeless bra-wise after my reconstruction as they forgot and then only had the wrong size. I was glad to have my own - something supportive is key as the others say.

Christmas eve treatment seems to be the order of the day. I have battery powered fairy lights for my cold cap!

all the very best @chococakey

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm also having a Wide local excision/lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy.
Will let you know how I get on Tuesday. Appreciate all the support and advice x

@dancingwhilstfacingthemusic love the idea of the Christmas fairy lights!

I have bought some front closing bras and a couple of other soft post surgery bras from M&S but the hospital haven't really said about anything directly post op. And despite speaking to them several times I keep forgetting to ask. My mind goes blank when they ask me if I have questions.
Guess I'll pop a bra in my hospital bag incase I do need it on the day.

@chococakey as a backup, have an overnight bag packed on the off chance they need to keep you in. I had unexpected bleeding after op1 and they were worrried about haematoma. My lovely surgeon was reassuring but decided to keep me in overnight as any issues would otherwise have meant a trip back to an and e. I was home the next day. With ops 2&3 I was home same day.

All the best for today @chococakey