Hello Tim!
Yes, I did mention that to the surgeon, and he said while some doctors
would go that way, he isn't a big fan of Tamoxifen.  And from what I
have read about side effects, I am glad he isn't.  I have enough bone
joint pain with osteoarthristis in the cervical spine.
I am waiting to see my regular doctor as soon as she gets the surgeon's
report.
Simplicity

This wasn't directed towards me, but I can offer my experience.  I had a
lumpectomy around 1pm on Thursday, and went out to dinner that evening.  I
never needed any pain meds at all, not even tylenol or something else like
that.  I remember the doc saying he puts some numbing stuff or something
inside, which helps the patient to have less pain afterwards.  Also, my
lumpectomy removed a small amount of tissue - if it had been a substantial
chunk of the breast my experience probably would have been less "easy".  If I'd
been able to shower the next morning (I physically could, but the post-op
instructions say not to) I wouldn't have had any trouble being back at work.
Instead, I was home...feeling filthy and bored out of my mind since I didn't
feel I looked cleaned up enough to go out in public until I snuck a shower late
that afternoon.

Sue - DivaofDVC   aka WDW1972
DVC '97   OKW, Beach Club, Vero Beach, & Hilton Head

Dear Corinne,

Actually, waiting for the procedure was the worst!  The surgery itself
went quite well and everyone was so nice and helpful.
Yes, I was given pain medication, and one of the older nurses told me
to be sure to take it for the first two days.  I did, it was Loritab 5,
but hated it - it made me sooo tense.  After my two days, I switched to
my Xanax, Tylenol and I take Naproxen for arthritis and that seemed to
do better.
As to a shower, no I did haven't the strength to take one until about
two days later, besides I had this huge bandage completely covering the
left breast and a wound drain tube because they had taken so much
tissue (but no nodes, that I am aware of).  Finally, my husband helped
me to take a shower, by putting layers of that new self stick plastic
wrap all over the left shoulder and breast area - helping me to stay
steady in the shower and helping with the hand held shower to do my
hair, since I could not do any reaching.
Honestly, I took it easy around the house.  I kept my left arm close to
my left breast to give it added support and protection.  I would tire
easily (still do to some extent) and my darling husband pampered me
like he has never done before.
I am a wimp about medical stuff - did not look when they put the wires
in to the calcifications as a guide for the surgeon - or look at my
incisions for about 4 days.  Hubby did the dressing changes.
But I healed wonderfully - the doctor was happy - and had the drain
tube taken out a week later.
Oh, the morphine was wild - I was a bit nauscis the night of the
surgery and had one of those really bizarre "morphine dreams."
Honestly, I find the mental disease of depression and anxiety the
uglist disease, because the no one really knows about it.  With this
disease at least they can take out the offending part - and I always
sort of suspected that I would face some sort of cancer someday, since
it runs in my father's side of the family.
Try to relax, you will get through this too - just don't push yourself
too hard, too fast.
And my heartfelt wishes that the lab results are benign!!!
Hug,
Simplicity

Hi Annie!
Oh, sorry to hear that you too are dealing with both these "curses",
but also glad that you can truly understand the frustrations of both
diseases.
I just turned 52 - guess breast surgery was my Birthday present!!
Yes, I have battled the depression for years - they use to classify my
episodes as "life crises", But eventually as I hit menopause and lost
my only parent, job, house, etc. the abcess got too deep to pull myself
out of.  
And so goes life -----
Simplicity