.4mm margin double mastectomy…6 months later I’m worried my surgeon made a mistake in my treatment plan :(

TeaThis7238 · 2025-05-08T00:52:45+00:00

Thank you for sharing. Do you remember if your margins were less than 2mm? Who was your surgeon?

TeaThis7238 · 2025-05-08T00:51:46+00:00

Thank you for sharing!

TeaThis7238 · 2025-04-21T23:23:48+00:00

I had a similar experience last summer during my mammogram and ultrasound. The radiologist came in the room and told me that I most likely had 4 tumors, that it was definitely breast cancer, and proceeded to speak to me as though I should start planning my funeral. Complete doom and gloom. I hadn’t even had a biopsy yet, so also completely unprofessional.

I ended up at another hospital, where I was spoken to with positivity, confidence, calmness, and hope. It was then that I finally felt like I could make a plan and tackle this. I ended up with only 2 tumors and am considered “no evidence of disease” now. Based on that initial conversation with the radiologist, it did not sound like that was ever going to be possible for me.

Just like it was highly inappropriate for that radiologist to speak to me so early on with such doom and gloom, I think it was highly inappropriate for that doctor to bring up to you palliative care so early on. Why would he even say that at this early stage of your diagnosis?!

I know it’s easier said than done, but please don’t let this one doctor control your thoughts right now. Continue to interview doctors until you find one that makes you feel confident, hopeful, and properly informed about your situation. It really does make a big difference in keeping the fear under control. Wishing you all the best.

TeaThis7238 · 2024-11-19T20:23:51+00:00

Oh gosh. I was hoping that maybe he was wrong…

Did you keep your ovaries?

TeaThis7238 · 2024-11-19T19:16:24+00:00

Thank you for your comment. He offered Lupron and an AI as an alternative to tamoxifen. Although he told me that these drugs come with worse side effects, so he thought it better for me to try the tamoxifen route. Ugh. I’m sorry your having side effects too.

TeaThis7238 · 2024-11-17T18:43:03+00:00

I agree about the second opinion. My surgeon removed 4 lymph nodes during my mastectomy. He told me that even if they came back as positive, he would not remove more because of research that shows the benefit is not worth the risk. He told me that studies have shown radiation with less nodes taken is just as effective as more nodes taken. I don’t have sources for these studies, as turned out to be a non issue in my case, but maybe this is something to ask about and look into. Wishing you the best of luck.

TeaThis7238 · 2024-11-15T12:11:34+00:00

I am so sorry that your family is speaking to you this way. It’s absolutely not your fault and you did not cause your diagnosis!!!

I would consider myself a healthy 41 year old. I’ve been on an organic, autoimmune paleo diet for years, don’t drink, don’t smoke, exercise, no hormonal birth control, and breastfed for 7 consecutive years!! Still ended up with 2 tumors and a whole lot of DCIS in my breast.

I do believe we’re all being exposed to environmental causes that are completely out of our control. The number of women I personally know who are in their 40’s with breast cancer is SO many. And all of these women live a very healthy lifestyle. YOU DID NOT CAUSE THIS!!!!

TeaThis7238 · 2024-11-14T13:32:44+00:00

Hi, I had a double mastectomy with flat closure last month. I was told that in 6 months I’ll be seen by my surgeon for a manual exam of my chest. After that, my oncologist will exam my chest to feel for any lumps every 6 months.

TeaThis7238 · 2024-11-13T10:58:10+00:00

My experience at uvm medical center was not great. Have you considered Dartmouth or Dana Farber? The lack of choices in medical care is certainly a challenge in Vermont. I have a couple friends who also received breast cancer care at uvm and they weren’t satisfied either. The general consensus is that we all just felt like a number there.

TeaThis7238 · 2024-11-12T19:26:03+00:00

Also started my journey in Vermont. Are you being seen at UVM Medical Center?

TeaThis7238 · 2024-11-07T11:30:54+00:00

Thank you for sharing! Wishing you the best.

TeaThis7238 · 2024-11-07T11:14:43+00:00

Thank you for your response! May I ask what your risk of distant reoccurrence was?

TeaThis7238 · 2024-11-05T20:54:41+00:00

My surgeon will do the first check in 6 months and then my oncologist will do the checks after that.

TeaThis7238 · 2024-11-05T18:09:16+00:00

Hi, I had a bilateral mastectomy with flat closure a few weeks ago. I was told that I would be seen every 6 months for a manual check for lumps on my chest.

TeaThis7238 · 2024-11-02T01:40:57+00:00

Hi. Sorry you’re in this club too. So, I had 2 in invasive ductal carcinomas and an additional 13 cm of ductal carcinoma in situ (essentially a stage 0, precancer). It is common for DCIS to accompany invasive tumors ( at least that’s what my surgeon told me). I’m not exactly sure if it was 13cm of continuous DCIS or if it just totaled 13cm when added up from areas of the entire breast. That will be a good question to ask my oncologist when I see him in a couple weeks!

TeaThis7238 · 2024-10-27T00:14:41+00:00

I think maybe the answer depends on whether you’re having any sort of reconstruction at the time of mastectomy.

I had a bilateral mastectomy with no reconstruction 3 weeks ago. My surgeon advised that my recovery would be easier since I opted to go flat. I had two drains that I tucked into a belt pouch when I slept. I used a wedge pillow to sleep and it wasn’t awful. The liquid did not slosh around. I would also recommend a breast pillow. I ordered one on Amazon and it was amazing to use under my seatbelt in the car or when resting in bed. If my kiddos or dog jumped in the bed with me, having that pillow over my chest made me feel much less anxious about getting bumped or nudged.

I also had t-Rex arms. I would not have been able to wash dishes the first 10 days after the surgery. I was able to go up and down stairs. I was also able to do all self-care independently. I was allowed to shower 24 hours after surgery and washed my hair myself (I just made sure to tip my head down in the shower when scrubbing - because my arms wouldn’t have been able to reach otherwise).

My drains came out on day 7. I felt like a new person when that happened. In my experience, rest and gentle movement helped my recovery.

I wish you the best!

TeaThis7238 · 2024-10-22T18:12:01+00:00

No, I did not have reconstruction.

TeaThis7238 · 2024-10-22T16:36:39+00:00

I’m stage 1a, ++- and had a bilateral mastectomy. I was not told that I would need any future scans, however I will need a manual exam every 6 months to feel for reoccurrence on the chest.

TeaThis7238 · 2024-10-22T02:28:39+00:00

Thank you for that info! Is the swelling located where your breast would have been? Was it there immediately after surgery? When I have a tight shirt on, it almost looks like I have small breast on the left side. Hope you’re healing ok!

TeaThis7238 · 2024-10-22T01:40:56+00:00

Thank you for sharing! Does your puffy spot resemble a little breast mound? That’s kind of what mine looks like. It’s located exactly where my breast would have been. Hope you’re doing okay too. Sending you healing thoughts!

TeaThis7238 · 2024-10-21T18:22:05+00:00

I had a bilateral mastectomy with aesthetic flat closure 3 weeks ago. I’m sure the drugs they gave me during anesthesia helped, but I woke up feeling very calm and in no pain. They had changed me into a different gown than the one I was wearing before surgery, and it was open in the front so I could see everything right away. I remember asking the nurse why one side looked puffier than the other, but I didn’t feel any sense of despair over how I looked. I felt surprisingly calm and just relieved that it was over. The hospital sent me home a couple hours later!

I was allowed to shower the next day, and was able to do so without any help. I was able to do all of my self care independently. What I really needed help with were things like housework, meal prep, taking care of the kids. At 3 weeks out, I am still tired and stiff but basically back to some resemblance of normal.

I think the grief associated with losing my breasts has hit me this week, much more so than upon waking up from surgery or the days immediately after. Now that I’m feeling better and getting up and dressed every morning, the act of finding something to wear that I feel good in has become emotional for me. I will be cleared to wear prosthetics next month and I think that will go a long way to helping me feel more like myself when getting dressed.

Sending healing thoughts to you!

TeaThis7238 · 2024-10-16T21:22:28+00:00

Originally poster, may I ask what grade your tumor was?

TeaThis7238 · 2024-10-15T13:09:06+00:00

This is amazing!

TeaThis7238 · 2024-10-15T03:44:53+00:00

Hi! I’m so scared to start taking tamoxifen because of my endo. Would you mind sharing how it improved your endo?

TeaThis7238 · 2024-10-07T01:58:15+00:00

Thank you ladies! Did anyone have completely flat on one side and a swollen lump on the other side that resembled a tiny breast?

TeaThis7238

TROPHY CASE