So you are considering not taking out additional nodes if the sentinel node is positive? You could ask if information about the additional nodes would change the course of your treatment one way or another. Are you concerned about lympehedema?
It won't hurt to discuss it more. Lymphedema is a real consideration; just another thing to add to the list when dealing with cancer.
If you can avoid it without altering your treatment plan, then you should take the time to discuss it with your surgeon. (I know you said you are seeing your oncologist but the surgeon is really a good person to talk to about it, as they deal with the structures of the area. Asking them both wouldn't hurt, but you might get different answers, as you've seen.) Are you going to have radiation? (Sorry, I try, but can't always remember details from everyone's unique situations!) Radiation seems to make it worse when the axillary area's lymph channels are affected. I'd feel pretty confident that the surgeon will do a nice job for you. Imagine how many other cases he or she has done. If he didn't do a good job, he'd be hearing from people!
It won't hurt to discuss it more. Lymphedema is a real consideration; just another thing to add to the list when dealing with cancer.
You could always call with questions if you had any between now and then. Sounds like you're in good hands.
I have the same worries. Almost everyone wakes up these days, though. Hang in there.i can....but i've picked him....i trust him....i'll ask my oncologist the questions..
and then the day before the surgery i'll discuss it with him...
i see him first - i guess he marks me with a marker the day before the surgery..
from his office i go straight to the hospital to get the radioactive fluid injected followed by mapping of the lymphatic system....
then the day of the surgery they inject the blue die...
should all be interesting if nothing else....
again, at this point all i care about is waking up..
i am terrified of surgery....
so much so that i put off my hysterectomy for 4 years even in the face of dire warnings that i could hemorrhage to death...
when it finally almost happened i had the hysterectomy 2 weeks later...
i woke up from that one, hopefully i'll wake up from this one...
at this point that's all that i care about..extra skin or no skin or bad incision repair or whatever....doesn't matter...just want to wake up....
I love to hear from people like yoi Pea-n-me!! You're a long term survivor!! That's AWESOME!! Thank you for sharing!guys. My BC was grade 3, triple negative, too, with two nodes positive - which developed 11 months after a totally negative mammogram, so it was very aggressive, also. Had surgery, AC/T and radiation, as well.
Just as a positive, cause I liked to hear the good stories when I was in the thick of it, I never had a recurrence, knock on wood, in 15 yrs. Hopefully that helps to hear! The reading is terrible that's out there.
I have the same worries. Almost everyone wakes up these days, though. Hang in there.
)
so i made it through chemo...well...not all of chemo...
i was supposed to do 16: 4 AC and 12 TC
i did the 4 AC, then managed to do 9 TC, then for number 10 i only did taxol, no carbo (neutrophil count was too low to get both).
and then that was it..
the oncologist stopped my chemo so i didn't get 11 or 12 of the weekly taxol/carbos
she didn't want to exacerbate the neuropathy....
so that's that...
my surgery has been advanced by two weeks to june 18th...
the mammogram/ultrasound that they did last week shows the cancer in my lymph node has disappeared, and the tumor has gotten smaller (but hasn't disappeared).
but i suppose it doesn't matter as i'm getting a mastectomy, so the whole thing is being lopped off anyway...both of them (DMX)...
and then once i'm done with that, i'll begin radiation...
i've been having fun planning the family trip for next summer...disney cruise and DLP.....by then hopefully this will all be a distant memory...
Hang in there! Trip planning is therapeutic, for sure!so i made it through chemo...well...not all of chemo...
i was supposed to do 16: 4 AC and 12 TC
i did the 4 AC, then managed to do 9 TC, then for number 10 i only did taxol, no carbo (neutrophil count was too low to get both).
and then that was it..
the oncologist stopped my chemo so i didn't get 11 or 12 of the weekly taxol/carbos
she didn't want to exacerbate the neuropathy....
so that's that...
my surgery has been advanced by two weeks to june 18th...
the mammogram/ultrasound that they did last week shows the cancer in my lymph node has disappeared, and the tumor has gotten smaller (but hasn't disappeared).
but i suppose it doesn't matter as i'm getting a mastectomy, so the whole thing is being lopped off anyway...both of them (DMX)...
and then once i'm done with that, i'll begin radiation...
i've been having fun planning the family trip for next summer...disney cruise and DLP.....by then hopefully this will all be a distant memory...
. I’ll be going to yearly exams next year. I choose to see my doctor one more time between mammograms so I’m 5 years after my radiation was done.
I got some good news today! I had my mammogram today, 5 years after I was initially diagnosed. Everything is a-ok
