Hi Silverdays,

Your right in what you say that everbody's experience is different. I had a lumpectomy with sentinel node biopsy last Tuesday. I get my results tomorrow. My understanding is in my case they did the lumpectomy because the cancer is small at 9mm. I also have IDC with a small satellite area that was picked up under MRI near the initial tumour.

Did your doctor tell yout the size of the tumour? There are guidelines to do with size as if too big it would be a masectomy as a lumpectomy would greatly disfigure the breast. 

The waiting for the results is the hardest part.

Hopefully you get some good news.

Take care xx

Hi Glasgowgal,

Thank you for replying. How are you feeling after your surgery, did they send you home the same day?The consultant thought mine was 20mm but there is a question mark, so I suppose will be confirmed by MRI. What is IDC? Good luck with your results, what a journey to have to take, I hope it is good news for you. Not looking forward to the injection of blue dye the day before the surgery. It does help to talk or write about it with someone going through it. xx 

Hi

There are so many different approaches and treatments for bc. I had invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), because of the size had chemo first and was told next would be a mastectomy and delayed reconstruction.  because of my response to chemo I was offered a lumpectomy but opted for a mastectomy with lymph node removal with immediate reconstruction, which I had 3 weeks ago, in recovery now before radiotherapy in the new year. 
They need the scans to pull together the right plan for you, once they have it things move very quickly. I know it's hard not to worry about things but the team will do the best thing for you. I put total trust into my team and I'm glad I did. 
let me know how you get on 

wl

Hi,

Did you hate the MRI scan? I did!! I then was told later that as I had elected to have a mastectomy I needn't have had the MRI ! Lovely!!

At this stage, when you want answers, the waiting for results is torturous, it was for me, but later when I had to wait for three weeks between getting the results of the pathology on my tumour and sentinel nodes and having more surgery to strip the axillary lymph nodes, it seemed like a blessed respite. Three weeks of normality before the roundabout started again. 

I should warn you - the blue dye does not turn you into a Smurf, much to the disappointment of some of my family. Not even a tinge, apart from in the toilet bowl.

i find out on Friday what the next stage of my treatment will consist of and I am happy to wait.

Good luck with everything. As you say everyone's experience is different but if it's any use to know, I found recovery from a mastectomy ok, from the Axillary node clearance a bit harder, but none of it unbearable .

Christine xxx

Hi, I havent been offered chemo first and the surgery is all ready booked on the 6th December. 

I, too have IDC now I know the abbreviation.

So that might change depending on the results of the MRI? 

There is so much to learn on this journey, but trust the team to do their best.

Thank you for replying and swift recovery to you. x

PS have taken up swearing, found that helps!!

Hi

Thats reassuring, thank you.

I hated the MRI, at least the surgery you are out of it.

I will just try and keep busy and hope for good results.

I keep planting spring bulbs, something to look forward to!

Hi Silverdays,

I feel ok after surgery. Slightly tender, feels more like a sting. I never got out the same night as I took a reaction to the general anaesthetic. It was my first time  getting one so I will know for next time, not pleasant at all. Another lady in for the exact same  procedure was fine and got home that evening. 

My cancer is IDC... invasive ductal carcinoma. All I have been told so far is its 9mm with a satellite area nearby which showed up on the MRI. My initial tumour did not show up on my mammogram. Only on the ultrasound. I went to get another lump checked, turned out it was a cyst which they drained. I didn't know about the tumour, so very lucky.

The blue radioactive dye injection is actually fine. I have a lovely blue nipple now. Think it takes a few months to go go away. I had a wire put in attached to the biopsy clip. I felt the mamamogram to check it slighly uncomfortable. I would say that was the worst thing. They do give you local anaesthetic so you will be well looked after.

Hopefully your MRI comes back good. The waiting really is the hardest. Once you have a full plan of action you will feel much better. You can take control back.

Xx

Thank you, that has put my mind at rest a bit. My IDC is larger at 20mm so maybe a masectomy. The hardest thing is not knowing. I'm sure I will feel better when I know the results and plan of treatment. xx

Wishing you well soon xx x 

Hi Silver,

I had a lumpectomy 5 days ago. My tumour was 30mm but i have/had large enough breasts that my surgeon felt lumpectomy was the best option and could still do a a good reconstruction. 

I wasn't offered an MRI, i did have a microbubble ultrasound and blue dye though. 

It was when i went back for the results of my biopsies that the surgeon decided on the surgery - however she said from the first meeting that she preferred me for lumpectomy over mastectomy.

I was out the same day from my surgery.  I'm not in pain but am finding it hard to adjust to being restful when i have energy, then feeling wiped out.  It's still early days though.

Good luck for your surgery :-)

Hi my tumour is 11mm with a small satellite area next to it, this was seen on my MRI, did they advise what the satellite area was  best wishes xx