Please submit only once, then click "reload page" to see the updated board. Thank you.

[ Followups ] [ Post Followup ] [ Reload Page ] [ Post Message ] [ Message Board ] [ Search ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by Susan on 7/24/2000 from 166.62.196.206:

Hello there,

My name is Susan and I have just turned 30. I have four children, two are from my husbands 1st marriage, two are ours together. Ages 9,7,3.5 and 2. In late 1995 my husband found a large lump in my right breast, I never did BSE's so I had no idea how long it had been there. The next day I immediatly went to see my OBGYN. She informed me after an exam that is was simply a cyst, keep an eye on it and return in six months for a follow up. One month later it had grown and I sought the advice of a Breast specialist. The appointment was made for the next day and I had an exam, ultrasound and core biopsy done right then. The doctor called to say the Path report was a fibroadenoma. She felt it didn't need to be removed but that it was up to me. I decided to wait and see. One month later I was back in her office having another ultrasound done, the lump had doubled in size. She recommended immediate surgery. She was still very sure it was nothing. We scheduled surgery for the following week. My husband came with me to the hopsital and before they wheeled me off he was told it would take about 45 minutes. Two and a half hours later they informed my husband that I had needed a partial mastectomy because it was not a fibroadenoma as they had originally thought, it looked to be a phylloides tumor. Waiting for the final path report was hell. The dr. called me and said that it was indeed a Phylloides Tumor and that it was benign. I was relieved to say the least.

Since that time, Feb 1996, I have been back to the hospital for three more surgeries on the same breast, in the same vicinity as they found the first tumor. Luckily they have all been benign. Two were fibroadenomas and one was an enlarged lymp node. Once again I have found another lump. It is of course in the same area as the others. It is about the size of a marble and has been getting bigger over the last three months. I am scheduled for an ultrasound and possible core biopsy on Aug. 11th. This time the surgeon is reluctant to do surgery. I am very frustrated. This time around I have no health insurance and will be paying out of pocket for any expenses of testing and surgery. I would like to go straight to surgery and skip all the other testing in between. My thought is they got the first one wrong, whats not to say they will be wrong again. I want the lump out. I will have no peace as long as there is something foriegn in my body. This time the lump is different. There was no pain with the other lumps, this one I get sharp needle type of pain every once in a while, extending from my nipple to my armpit or sometimes just at the sight of the lump. My doctor told me that because of my age, my previous biopsies and the fact that this one is causing pain that she feels that sugery is unneccessary. I like these doctors and the hospital facility. Faulkner Breast Care Center is the best place to go when you are having problems and live in Mass. I just don't know what to do anymore. I would like to be able to trust them and not have anymore surgeries, but after the first time I just don't feel that I can. At this point in my life I'm seriously thinking about having a mastectomy done just so that I won't have to go through a surgery a year, which is what it has been for the past 5 years. I'd like to be able to tell the doctor "I want it out" without her looking at me like I'm some kind of Hyperchondriac. What do you think I should do? How accurate is a core Biopsy and how many times are they found to be wrong? Am I ridiculous for being so paranoid about these lumps? Are there other women out there that have had or are having these same sought of reoccuring breast problems? Any and all advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated. I don't want another surgery but on the other hand, I don't want to be sorry a year or two down the road for not having done it sooner.
Eagerly awaiting your reply,
frustraitingly yours,
Susan

Follow Ups:

• Re: 5th surgery! Need advice.(sorry its so long) - Betsy Mullen   8/9/2000 (0)
• Re: 5th surgery! Need advice.(sorry its so long) - Shelly Blechman   7/28/2000 (0)

Post a Followup

[ Followups ] [ Post Followup ] [ Reload Page ] [ Post Message ] [ Message Board ] [ Search ] [ FAQ ]