Breast Surgery; any advice to prepare for surgery?

Posted by Laurie, Volunteer Mentor @roch, Jun 28, 2018

I am looking for any pre-surgery advice, at this point I think it will be lumpectomy and removal of at least one lymph node. Surgery sched at Mayo for early Sept.

If there anything I can do during next 2 months that will put be in better position for surgery and recovery?

I have been taking Anastrozole daily and biopsy after first month shows it is working. This is part of a study to see if taking hormone therapy prior to surgery reduce need for chemotherapy. Will not know about chemo till after surgery.

Diagnosis from biopsy reports:
Left Breast: carcinoma invasive ductal type grade 1 , ERPR strongly positive HER 2 negative
Right breast: Focal atypical ductal hyperplasia involving an intraductal papilloma. Increased risk.
Left Lymph node: Positive for malignancy. Metastatic adenocarcinoma.

Thanks
LM

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@casualobserver

Here is the list of things I felt I needed to do, buy and schedule before my surgery:

WHEN YOU FINALLY SCHEDULE THE SURGERY:
Be sure you have satisfied yourself that you have asked all the questions you need answers to from your doctors, and that you fully understand what medications you will be on, what they will be doing to you and that your transportation and after-care help is ready and waiting for you.

A FEW WEEKS BEFORE SURGERY:
1. I sat down and paid in advance any upcoming household bills.

2. I cleaned my house very thoroughly as I knew family would be stopping by and I wouldn't be able to do it for weeks afterwards.
(Hire a service to do this if you are not up to it.)

3. Schedule your personal must-do's so that they are out of the way before surgery like: getting the car washed and gassed, get your teeth cleaned if it is time, get your hair dye done and your manicure done and out of the way.

4. Do all the possible laundry you can - blankets, sheets, towels, pajamas - anything you might need over the next few weeks.

CONSIDER YOUR SLEEPING COMFORT POST SURGERY:
4. I bought a wide wedge pillow from Amazon. It was described as follows: "Acid Reflux Wedge Pillow (32"x30"x7") with Memory Foam Overlay and Removable Microfiber Cover "BIG" by Medslant."

5. I bought a pack of 2 king-sized 'Beautyrest Black' pillows from Costco which are extremely soft, plush and malleable.

Note: This combo of pillows was arranged as follows: Put the wide wedge pillow down first, then lay the 2 king-size pillows side-by-side vertically, that is: one on the left and one on the right, pushed together. This placement allowed me to sleep on my back with my head elevated slightly, and gave important support to my lower back, neck, shoulders and arms. It is important to have the shoulders and arms level or above your chest if you have any lymph node dissection, which I did. This pillow combo is very comfortable, helps with fluid drainage, and reduces the need or impulse to turn or lay on one's side.

6. Set aside a very loose, comfortable pair of pajamas and a few loose shirts and yoga pants to wear while recovering.

FOOD PREP A FEW DAYS BEFORE SURGERY:
7. I bought jello, popsicles, really good probiotics, extra toilet paper & paper towels, magnesium tablets (to help with muscle pain and preventing constipation while using pain pills) breads, and other necessary groceries.

8. I made up a big volume of homemade bone broth vegetable soup. Enough to last for 2 weeks of lunch.

9. I washed and cut up a large amount of fresh fruit with OJ poured over it to make a delicious compote that I put in 4 containers in the fridge for ease of use.

10. I made a good sized roast beef in the crockpot and once cooked, I sliced it thin and put it and its gravy into several containers to have for dinner or sandwiches over the first weeks of recovery.

THE NIGHT BEFORE:

11. The night before surgery, I put clean sheets and pillowcases on my bed and clean towels in the bath.

12. I showered, took a few snapshots of my old breasts before they disappeared, prayed, spoke with my family and thanked them for their support and went to bed early.
...........................................
Good luck to you.

Jump to this post

Welcome to Connect @roewes07. First, I'd like to wish you all success for your upcoming surgery. May I ask if you would share a bit more about yourself? When were you diagnosed with breast cancer? How did you (or doctors) discover the cancer?

REPLY
@casualobserver

Here is the list of things I felt I needed to do, buy and schedule before my surgery:

WHEN YOU FINALLY SCHEDULE THE SURGERY:
Be sure you have satisfied yourself that you have asked all the questions you need answers to from your doctors, and that you fully understand what medications you will be on, what they will be doing to you and that your transportation and after-care help is ready and waiting for you.

A FEW WEEKS BEFORE SURGERY:
1. I sat down and paid in advance any upcoming household bills.

2. I cleaned my house very thoroughly as I knew family would be stopping by and I wouldn't be able to do it for weeks afterwards.
(Hire a service to do this if you are not up to it.)

3. Schedule your personal must-do's so that they are out of the way before surgery like: getting the car washed and gassed, get your teeth cleaned if it is time, get your hair dye done and your manicure done and out of the way.

4. Do all the possible laundry you can - blankets, sheets, towels, pajamas - anything you might need over the next few weeks.

CONSIDER YOUR SLEEPING COMFORT POST SURGERY:
4. I bought a wide wedge pillow from Amazon. It was described as follows: "Acid Reflux Wedge Pillow (32"x30"x7") with Memory Foam Overlay and Removable Microfiber Cover "BIG" by Medslant."

5. I bought a pack of 2 king-sized 'Beautyrest Black' pillows from Costco which are extremely soft, plush and malleable.

Note: This combo of pillows was arranged as follows: Put the wide wedge pillow down first, then lay the 2 king-size pillows side-by-side vertically, that is: one on the left and one on the right, pushed together. This placement allowed me to sleep on my back with my head elevated slightly, and gave important support to my lower back, neck, shoulders and arms. It is important to have the shoulders and arms level or above your chest if you have any lymph node dissection, which I did. This pillow combo is very comfortable, helps with fluid drainage, and reduces the need or impulse to turn or lay on one's side.

6. Set aside a very loose, comfortable pair of pajamas and a few loose shirts and yoga pants to wear while recovering.

FOOD PREP A FEW DAYS BEFORE SURGERY:
7. I bought jello, popsicles, really good probiotics, extra toilet paper & paper towels, magnesium tablets (to help with muscle pain and preventing constipation while using pain pills) breads, and other necessary groceries.

8. I made up a big volume of homemade bone broth vegetable soup. Enough to last for 2 weeks of lunch.

9. I washed and cut up a large amount of fresh fruit with OJ poured over it to make a delicious compote that I put in 4 containers in the fridge for ease of use.

10. I made a good sized roast beef in the crockpot and once cooked, I sliced it thin and put it and its gravy into several containers to have for dinner or sandwiches over the first weeks of recovery.

THE NIGHT BEFORE:

11. The night before surgery, I put clean sheets and pillowcases on my bed and clean towels in the bath.

12. I showered, took a few snapshots of my old breasts before they disappeared, prayed, spoke with my family and thanked them for their support and went to bed early.
...........................................
Good luck to you.

Jump to this post

Hi Kanaaz! Diagnosed January '18 at my home town hospital in Montana. I have invasive ductal cancer in my left breast which has metastasized to my lymph nodes. I have 2 DCIS in my right. I found a strange lump on my left upper breast while showering. I never miss my mammograms except for the one I cancelled August 2017 due to a shoulder injury and non-ability to undergo mammogram. I went to Mayo for a second opinion in February. My Oncologist at Mayo put me on Letrozole and I have had wonderful success with it. My K-i 67 dropped from 19 to 2 in only 31 days! Feeling grateful and positive that I am doing everything to promote many years enjoying my world!

REPLY

Just researching after reading my pathology report from a stereotactic biopsy for microcalcifications. I have ADH and your name came up. Hoping that you are doing well! I have an appointment with breast surgeon Monday but supposedly nursing will call me before then to go over my results.

REPLY
@maureenmckean

Just researching after reading my pathology report from a stereotactic biopsy for microcalcifications. I have ADH and your name came up. Hoping that you are doing well! I have an appointment with breast surgeon Monday but supposedly nursing will call me before then to go over my results.

Jump to this post

Hi Maureen, I wanted to check in to see how your appointment went on Monday. Will you be having surgery?

REPLY
@colleenyoung

Hi Maureen, I wanted to check in to see how your appointment went on Monday. Will you be having surgery?

Jump to this post

Thanks for checking in. I think I replied but not sure if I accidentally deleted it instead. Lol. Yes she will do an excision and hope there’s no more funky cells. If there are I’ll go on tomoxifen. I’m just hoping there isn’t cancer. Trying to take it one step at a time.

REPLY

No advice for weeks before surgery but my physician gave me something (maybe Percocet, I don't remember) to relax me and I had zero worries going into surgery. I was not at all zonked out just quite relaxed.

REPLY
@ppat4pr

No advice for weeks before surgery but my physician gave me something (maybe Percocet, I don't remember) to relax me and I had zero worries going into surgery. I was not at all zonked out just quite relaxed.

Jump to this post

I believe I took the med for 3 days prior to the surgery.

REPLY

Hi. I'm going in for surgery too. I had DCIS and it was invasive. Large tumor, 9 cm, is gone thanks to 6 rounds of chemotherapy - tchp. Even though the tumor is gone, and no sign of cancer anywhere else, my team recommnends mastectomy of that breast. Right breast is fine. Both my sisters had breast cancer. Also, there are microcalcifications in my left breast. So they add up the probabilities of recurrence and say it's extremely high. So off it goes. I have not been given much prep for surgery. I asked the surgeon and he kept looking at his watch. I do know that there will be 2 surgeons in the OR with me. They have to snip away all the strings attaching the breast to the body and then they remove the breast in one go. Sew me up and move me to post op recovery room and then overnight in hospital one night. Then home with a drainage tube attached to my left chest which I have to empty and measure and chart every day. I will use a shower chair to shower. I go back for follow up one week after surgery and hopefully they will take out the drainage tube. Then go back a week after that. Then 4 weeks recovery where I shouldn't lift anything more than 10 pounds and I shouldn't reach for things. Walking is recommended. They will give me a prescription for oxycodone to go home with but not very much. Surgeon recommends OTC painkills alternating between the two. Good Luck to you, to me, and to us all.

REPLY

i had my left breast removed , and lymph nodes . long neat incision to under arm. no pain what so ever, drainage tubes where unsightly but no problem . removed in 7 days . important to move arm up when ready so no constriction later . applied a oil to scare . no pain at any time . and was not freaked out by sight of missing breast . the thought of the operation was so daunting but in realty it was very easy .
will go back at later date to have other breast done so as not to bother with bras . if having any lymph nodes removed it's important to massage arm to shoulder and chest wall in movements away from hand to stop any build up of toxins . the operation is well worth it and easily done . don't worry too much it's the unknown that gets you . all the best xox

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REPLY
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