do they numb you

[madgeOwens]

prior to inserting wires into breast for lumpectomy? And whats the point of putting a titanium chip in there if they cant find it anyway? And what can make you barf 24 hours after a lumpectomy? The pain or pain meds?

[rockchalk76]

Dear Madge - I would totally agree with you about that being barbaric to insert a wire without lidocaine.  After reading about your experience, I will know what to watch for.

My  previous posting was for a question posted by lauriebell, as I was wondering the same thing about "twilight sleep" instead of general anesthesia.  Anything to get me out of the hospital as soon as possible!  

I also understand your tears.  I wonder if I will be able to hold back the tears when they wheel me away from my husband.  He is my rock and I feel that nothing bad can happen or be done to me if he is there.  - Kay

[madgeOwens]

They could not locate the chip and this is the reason they do the wires...........it is barbaric not to give you something for the procedure

[madgeOwens]

Sorry, I was still doped up when I wrote that I meant they did not numd my breast before they shoved two wires into them whilst doing a mammogram.............they said they would numb me but they DID NOT....................

[madgeOwens]

I didnt say I was awake for lumpectomy......or maybe I did but thats not what I meant.they did not numb me before they put two wires into my breast........then sent me to the surgery where a kind doctor knocked me out due to all the tears I would guess!

[rockchalk76]

I will be interested to see if anyone has been allowed to have a lumpectomy (and sentinel node biopsy) with "twilight sleep".  When I asked my surgeon about the same thing this past Thursday, he was not open to it.  I hate having general anesthesia because of the breathing tube.  That was the worst part of two other surgeries I've had.  I don't get sick from the anesthesia though, and hate the time you have to wait around in the recovery room, while other people are getting sick.  I wake up quickly and am chomping at the bit to get out of there.  
One of the reasons my doctor gave for me being under general anesthesia, is that he wants to go ahead and take out all my lymph nodes if the sentinel node is positive.  That isn't how I want it to go.  I kept asking him if he couldn't just take out a few more and see if they were positive.  His answer was "that's not what we usually do."  Well, they use to do radical mastectomies too but things gradually changed.  
After the hell I went through to get my Fibromyalgia diagnosis, I am not real trusting of the medical profession right now.  I went through hundreds of dollars of tests and procedures, exposed to multiple Xrays, and a simple, non-invasive test that was done by the rheumatologist was the thing that gave me the answer.  The concept that "the doctor knows best" was lost to me about 6 months ago.  How do I trust them in this situation? - Kay

[Lauriebell]

They'd better numb me.  They put the chip in at the time on my biopsy.  Day of surgery they are going to take out the chip and put in the wire.  I have my presurgery appt this thursday.  I'm going to ask the anesthesiologist about what they call twilight sleep.  You are awake but doped up and numbed.   I hate being put out, I get sick and my throat hurts from the breathing tube.  So I'll find out on Thurs.  Are there any of you who have already had a lumpectomy and weren't put under?  

[madgeOwens]

They did not numb me, and they will NEVER do that again........
Maybe pain med made me sick I don't know,

[rockchalk76]

Dear Madge - as having a wire inserted prior to the lumpectomy is something  I am scheduled to have, I hope they give you a local.  With a local, the core biopsy did not hurt at all.  I'm not sure if I have a titanium chip now or not.  That makes me wonder about having a MRI in the future, since they ask questions like, "do you have any metal shrapnel in your body."  Titanium is metal, so....  The whole wire thing seems kind of like a crude form of marker!  Haven't we progressed a little beyond this type of marking device? They said that is the first thing they are going to do when I arrive.  How do you go all day without bumping the stupid thing?

   I'm not sure what you meant about "barfing for 24 hrs. after a lumpectomy."  I hadn't read anything about that.  I have had general anesthesia twice and it doesn't make me sick to my stomach, but supposedly some people are bothered by the drugs.  I can't take Vicoden for pain without it upsetting my stomach, so maybe that is what you mean.  I'm more afraid of throwing up before hand because I get sick to my stomach (IBS) if I can't eat.  Surgery has advanced in so many ways over the years.  It would be nice if they could figure out a way you didn't have to fast 8 hrs. before hand.  I understand the reason why, but it doesn't make an already stressful day any easier. - Kay