*TAMOXIGANG* All the fours...44!

[GoodbyeRubyTuesday]

Apologies for the bingo reference, couldn't think of a witty title but the other thread is very nearly full.

In honour of our new thread I have piled extra apple pudding on the trolley so tuck in :)

Hi All, hope you don't mind me coming on for some advice. I meet my surgeon this week for my preventative bilateral mastectomy and wondered if there are any questions that I should be asking that maybe I won't have thought of?

I'm intending to have no reconstruction so not worried about the different types.

Is there anything I ought to ask whilst I am there?

a touch I can't offer any advice as haven't had that conversation myself et, but wanted to say hello and welcome.

Been awake once 4 and the stories around Remembrance Day keep making me cry.
But it's my sons birthday today so better go and wake him up!! We are going to service at church and out for lunch

Morning all
Touch I haven't been through that either but welcome and I'm sure someone will be able to help you

Foo foo hope your boy has a lovely day

Tax truck hitting here, achy legs, tired, taste buds gone but worst of everything is feeling depressed. I know it's the drugs I always feel like this on this week but doesn't really help

Hi everyone,

I hope you don't mind me posting on here.

My mum was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago (hormone related). It was caught early, she had a lumpectomy, radiotherapy, and has been on tamoxifen since then.

A few weeks back she started complaining of a niggling in the affected breast. She made an appointment with the GP which was Monday past.

Upon examination of both breasts GP seemed satisfied that he couldn't find anything sinister and booked her in for an early mammogram.

Anyway, Tuesday morning she finds a lump in the opposite breast . This is the morning after her examination! It has continued to grow throughout the week. It's swollen, quite hard, painful and the skin is red.

I'm terrified . She seemed to be responding so well to treatment. I've been looking online and lumps that appear this quickly appear to be linked to inflammatory BC?

Has anyone experienced similar?

I can't lose my mum

Hi Everyone I hope you don't mind me crashing your thread.

I had a preventative double mastectomy this week ATouchNervous and just wanted to say that so far I have absolutely no regrets! I had an immediate reconstruction.

Just wanted to know if anyone who's had surgery could tell me able their experiences with drains, what's normal etc?

TapDancing I think that if her lump is painful the greater chance is that it's NOT cancer. I could be wrong but it sounds more like some sort of infection or mastitis type of thing?

HI Paddy - what do you want to know about drains? I had my mx on a Friday and came home on Sunday with a drain in. The drain was then removed on Tuesday by the BCN - it was just swiftly pulled out. I think some people end up with them for a little bit longer - it just depends how much fluid is draining.

Hang in there Malt - remember this is the last time for you - just get through this next week and then you'll be on the up.

For some reason I've been particularly suffering with taste bud issues this time - it must be a cumulative effect but it is very annoying at the moment.

I see you are watching gogglebox - I love the posh couple, they are my favourite. You occassionally get to see the outside of their house - quite impressive!! I'm also amazed at the variety of drinks they have on the go - they don't seem to have a set tipple!!

Last Downton tonight as well.

Hi ladies,

Well after a 5 week wait I am going to my breast clinic appt tomorrow morning. Bit nervous as they want me to have a mammogram first. Was quite surprised by this as I am only 35. Few questions if anyone knows the answers - Is it going to be painful? Is the radiation dangerous? When will they give me results?

Wish me luck! DH is away on business so I need to go alone.

Kitkat you're right just got to get through this week ! I'm watching 4 in a bed with the posh couple in, they seem really nice looking forward to downton tonight I'm also doing some online Christmas shopping as a bit of distraction !

Angry feet I had a mammogram when I was dx it wasn't painful just uncomfortable and they gave me the results straight away, good luck

Tap dancer sorry you're worried about your mum all I can say is get her to get it checked out, fingers crossed

Angryfeet - my mammogram was not painful and I got results of it after a few hrs. I don't think it is dangerous.
They may also do an examination, an ultrasound and/or biopsy whilst you are there so expect some waiting around.

Tapdancer, I second what's been said about it being most likely an infection. But the checkup should be able to put her mind at rest. It's vanishingly rare for one sort of breast cancer to give way to inflammatory breast cancer as a new 'first cancer' in the breast. And the treatments are so good these days that unless it's spread to half a dozen places (to use an expression), they can pretty much keep the cancer 'on hold' permanently now. So it's more long term nuisance for second-timers than 'oh heck, I'm a gonner!'.

No wise words about mastectomies or drains, alas.

Angryfeet, yes, mammogram is just like having your boob squashed between two lumping great plates of metal and it jolly well does hurt a bit for some of us. Depends on the boob. So I take painkillers beforehand and shout at them if it gets too much. Last time I had the results straight away - but that depends if there is a specialist on duty. If there isn't, you wait until your team see the results.

Paddyclampo, you mention drains. My mum had a drain for a couple of weeks after her mastectomy last year. She kept on releasing lots of fluid so they kept it in for quite a bit longer than she'd expected. I suspect there's a wide range of normal.

Thank you Amber, paddy and Malteser for your responses.

Amber I really hope you're right...it's not even the thought of it being cancer again that scares me...my mum has convinced herself that when a cancer returns, it's not looking good.

I'm just so angry this has happened. The (the surgeons) were so pleased with her progress they decided against chemo, advising that the chances of non-recurrence with radiotherapy treatment was upwards of 94%!

angryfeet also a Chance they may send you for an MRI as well due to your age. Won't be the same day though. I was a bit surprised by the biopsy as expected to go in and them say "nothing wrong" - but they didn't.

Thanks Kitkat and Wren for your replies.

Was just checking mine were normal really although as has already been said there's probably a lot of variation of what normal is!

Have 2 drains, one in each side. One of them is def starting to go more orange but the other is still def roseè - hope there's nothing wrong with one of them!

Cos of the method of reconstruction I've had the drains will be in for a least 2 weeks. Will be glad to get rid of this annoying pressure dressing though!!!

Paddy - I guess 1 side just has less to drain - I believe going orange or clear is good. Sounds like you are doing well on your recovery though - I imagine it is rather annoying having a drain on each side!!

Luckily the surgeon has kind of brought them and tied them together and stuck them down in between so I can push them to one side or the other which I'm glad of!

Hello Paddy, sorry have missed this conversation, but I recently had node clearance done and had a drain in for a week afterwards. It couldn't be removed until it was draining less than 50ml in 24hrs. The fluid went from red to straw coloured quite gradually, but no matter the colour, it had to stay in until under 50ml was draining. Since removal I experienced no problems with it continuing to drain or problems healing, so whilst annoying at the time, it's best to leave the drains in until volume of fluid collected is low.

Really will be thinking of you tomorrow - hope your day goes well - get plenty of anti-sickness drugs down you.

Thankyou handbags really appreciate the support. Hope you are doing okay. Xxxxx

Good luck tomorrow Really - what time are you being done?

Yes good luck from me too really. Are you taking someone with you to keep you company ? It won't be as bad as you imagine I bet

Dh snoring through downton !

Thanks kitkat and malt. Need to be there for 10, but I'm sure that doesn't mean that's when I'll be seen! But you never know. I'm going on my own. My iPad and book for company I'm actually feeling quite relaxed about it. I just want to get it over and done with! Of course I might wake up tomorrow in a complete panic!!

Will hopefully be back tomorrow afternoon and let you know how it went. Xxxxx

Thanks handbags :) Both sides were about 50ml this morning when I emptied them but I remember the surgeon saying that he expected the drains would be in for 2 weeks so I've kind of resigned myself to that. Will be glad to get the pressure dressings off sooner, they're driving me mad!!!!

Good luck tomorrow really- you will be back home before you know it.

Waves to everyone else-will catch up tomorrow but have had a nice weekend and day without a fever spike.

Nipping in to wish Really huge amounts of luck for tomorrow. You'll be back soon and it's another thing done.

Sorry not to post to all. Hope everyone's okay though.