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If the tumor is close to the chest wall you may have to have radiation in addition to the mastectomy.
I'm only telling you this because some women think having a mastectomy means no radiation, which is not always the case. So discuss this with your doctor.
Very good luck to you.
JudyView Thread

I hope you know that with HER2 pos. you will have to have a form of chemo for that and if there is node involvement after surgery you may need additional chemo which can be done at the same time. So right now they just don't know what kinds of chemo you will have to have. That will be determined after surgery.
The important thing to remember about chemo is to drink lots of water and other liquids, eat many small meals every 2 hrs. and make sure they include some type of lean protein like chicken, turkey, fish, peanut butter, greek yogurt etc. No fast, fried or processed foods. Soups are good too. And lots of veggies and fruits - especially watermelon which also has plenty of water.
Listen to your body and do not try to be a hero - rest and/or sleep when tired or fatigued. Let family and friends help you during chemo so you can give your body time to heal. Don't push yourself!
Chemo is not fun, but it is doable - and remember that your oncologist is there to help you. So if you fell nauseated, or have diarrhea or are constipated tell him and he will help you get through those side effects. Again - do not be a hero!
Good luck and let us know how you are doing.
Much good luck,
JudyView Thread

While having two 3 cm lumps removed will take quite a bit of tissue from the breast - if you opt for a lumpectomy you can then find a plastic surgeon who can lipo fat from other areas of your body to re-model the breast so it looks "normal". If you live near a large city you can find a plastic surgeon who does that type of surgery. Suzanne Somers had that done to correct the breast that had a lumpectomy. I saw her on "The Doctors" show - you might want to see if you can find that segment.
If you undergo a mastectomy then you will definitely lose sensation to the breast(s) because nerves are cut to perform the mastectomy.
There are many different types of reconstruction and the DIEPP is the one that uses your own tissues to build a new breast(s) - but you must be a candidate, and it is long surgery.
If I were you before I consented to surgery I would definitely
consult with a plastic surgeon who specializes in breast reconstruction to know all your options lumpectomy & reconstruction or mastectomy & reconstruction and then decide what YOU want. You should decide what you want for your appearance and quality of life before you have any surgery.
Please let us know what you decide.
Good luck,
JudyView Thread

Everybody reacts differently to these treatments so there is no definite way to predict what your reaction will be. I was 67 and had no problem with chemo - 6 rounds of cytoxan/taxotere. I think that was due to my diet. I ate every 2 hours and only ate lean protein, fruits, veggies, soups, shakes, yogurt etc. I did not eat any processed, fast or fried foods. Even if you feel nauseous, eat something - you should keep food in your stomach even if it is only 1 tablespoon of peanut butter! And the most important thing of all is to drink gallons of water to flush the chemo out of your body!
For the radiation, I did get very red after about 25 rounds, and the dr. stopped it for 3 days. My skin did not break open, and I found it uncomfortable, but did put cold compresses over the shirt I was wearing with no bra on - for 20 minutes every hour. That worked for me. But if you go to the Tips section you will find other good ideas from other ladies on this website.
Don't go into this with a negative attitude and that will also help you deal with it.
Good luck and please let us know how you are doing as you go through the rest of your treatment.
JudyView Thread

I would call NOW and make that initial appointment as soon as you can, and then work out payment schedules with that doctor. If that doctor wants a mammo or follow up tests, you can wait to schedule those until your insurance kicks in.
I know a dr. visit can be costly, but what price are you putting on your personal peace of mind???
I would encourage you to see a breast specialist as soon as possible to have some idea of what is going on. Chances are that if you call tomorrow you probably can't get an appointment for a while anyway.
Please let us know what you decide.
Good luck,
judyView Thread

It is so good to hear from you. You were so diligent about posting when yiur BWwas going through treatment.
It's wonderful to get updates on friends, and I'm so happy that you both have come thriugh the Bc journey so well - it's a testament to the true love you both have for each other.
Let us know what your BW decides to do about reconstruction. It can be done at any time - so she doesn't have to feel pressured to make her decision.
Good luck to both of you.
JudyView Thread

Hope you are feeling better as you continue your treatment.
As far as my diet, I havegiven up "white food" - sugar, bread, pasta, cakes, cookies, potatoes. From my research I do believe that sugar is as bad for you as taking drugs - it is addictive and does nothing for the body. The fructose molecule which is part of sugar acts on the brain to counteract the brain's receptors to let you know you are full and have eaten enough so you can stop eating. When your body doesn't get those messages you continue to eat.
I use pure stevia as my sugar substitute. Also read the ingredients and buy only products that list 100% whole wheat, if it just says whole wheat, that doen not mean that it is not also mixed with white flour.
Needless to say I try to eat every 2-3 hours - lots of fruitsand veggies, only lean protein, no fast, fried or processed food and cut down on red meat.
I am no saint and when I go out to eat I do order food that I shouldn't - as I do miss it - but at least I am not eating those foods every day like I used to.
Hope this helps!
JudyView Thread

So sorry to hear what you are going through right now. First of all please know that 80% of all biopsies done are benign, and hopefullyyou will be in that category.
Also it is realky difficult to tell what is precisely going on with dense breast tissue, so my guess is that they will be doing an ultrasound guided biopsey in the area where they saw the mass on the mammogram, and hope to obtain some tissue that has some of the cells from the mass.
If you have dense breasts the best diagnostic toolls are a breast MRI which is better than ultrasound, and a machine called a BSGI - breast specific gamma imaging. It is used for dense breasts as yu get an injection and sit in front of a special camera that takes pictures. If there is a malignancy present, the picture will have that area light up. So please ask about those 2 tests to be done.
if you live near a big city where they have a breast center - I would travel the distance to go there especially with your family history. You should be seen and monitored by people who are experts in dealing with women who have dense breasts.
As for the pain in your hip - should that turn out to be a metastasis of the breast cancer that is the easiest metastasis ti be treated. There are very successful treatments for breast cancer that has metastasized to the bones.
So please take it one step at a time. I would make some calls to find a breast center in the area where you live and make an appointment to see them. Ask the doctors you are dealing with now for copies of ALL your reports, scans and labs. You can then take them with you to the breast center. You can also request a CD of your mammogram that you can take with you too.
Please take control of your health, and ask questions of all of your doctors so you are knowledgeable about what is going on.
Pkease come back and let us know how you are doing and what you find out.
We are all praying for yoy.
JudyView Thread

May we honor her memory by making the most of each and every day, letting our family and friends know how much we care about them and love them in spite of their shortcomings!
Live your life so it has meaning.
May her family find peace and remember the wonderful woman that was in their lives.
She will be missed by all of us.
JudyView Thread

Sorry to hear that you are having such trouble with your reconstruction.
I did not have a mastectomy, I did have radiation and did not have a serious problem with that.
That being said may I suggest that you ask your PS about the possibility of having IV antibiotics since your oral meds have not worked. IV antibiotics go directly into the bloodstream and bypass the digestive system so they are more potent than the pills.
Also have they one blood work to see exactly what organism is causing the infection?
I hope you get some answers so you can get relief.
Please let us know what your PS suggests.
Much good luck,
JudyView Thread
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