SAVE THE DATE: May 2, 2020 from 8am to 5pm at Convene (117 W 46th St, New York, NY).
I’m excited to announce the NYC SEX and BREAST CANCER conference for PATIENTS hosted by the Susan G. Komen Foundation! I’ll be speaking about painful sex, lubricants, and hormones. There will be many other informative talks about libido, communication, sexual devices/toys, and pelvic floor physical therapy. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details!
Breast cancer patients often ask me what to eat in the weeks leading up to their surgery. Making sure you take in nutrients to promote healing and decrease inflammation is important, but I do not recommend crash dieting or fad cleanses prior to surgery. It is also important to focus on activities that make your brain happy- relax, spend time with friends/family, and get enough sleep to make sure your immune system is ready for surgery. Below are some other tips for healthy eating to optimize postoperative recovery.
Antioxidants come from vitamins and minerals in the food that you eat. Their job is to remove the harmful free radicals from the bloodstream. Free radicals are the toxic byproducts that are the result of the body turning food into energy. Free radicals can damage DNA and impair the immune system. Most fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants. Many of these foods are identifiable by their bright red, yellow or orange colors. Foods such as tomatoes, spinach, carrots, berries, red grapes, cranberries, apples, peanuts and broccoli are good sources of antioxidants.
Protein plays an important role in healing, and making sure you are not protein-deficient before surgery can help speed your recovery. Eat cottage cheese, yogurt, fish, tuna, chicken, turkey or eggs to provide yourself with good sources of protein. If you are a vegetarian try to include legumes in your diet before surgery. Almonds, walnuts and peanut butter are also natural protein sources.
Before your surgery, avoid foods that increase the inflammatory response. According to the Arizona Center for Advanced Medicine, foods that increase the inflammatory response include refined carbohydrates, such as sugar and white flour; saturated fats from red meat and organ meats; trans fats from commercially baked cookies, cakes and pastries; and alcohol.
One in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Usually, a breast surgeon is the first doctor you will meet after your diagnosis. Following these tips will make sure that we can give you a definitive plan, which may include surgery or chemotherapy.
1. Your medication list. We need to know about all of the medications you are taking. We can also tell you if a medication should be stopped prior to surgery.
2. Your prior breast images. If your mammograms were done elsewhere, we need to see them. The images come on a CD and bringing the CD and reports to your visit allows us to make sure you don’t need further tests before surgery.
3. Your pathology report. The doctor who originally gave you your diagnosis will probably have a copy. Otherwise, you can ask the radiology center that performed the biopsy. Check your pathology report yourself, make sure it says three things: a) the type of cancer they found (invasive or in-situ, ductal or lobular, etc), b) the estrogen receptor (positive/negative), and the Her-2 status (positive/negative). It would also be helpful to bring any reports from previous breast biopsies.
4. Your family history. This may require a family discussion but the more details you know about who had what type of cancer, and at what age, the better we can determine if you may benefit from genetic testing prior to surgery. If someone in your family has had genetic testing, ask if they will share the report with you or provide you with a copy.
5. The contact information of your primary care doctor or any specialists you see. If you have a complex medical history, it may be helpful for your surgeon and your primary doctor to speak directly.
6. A valid ID and current insurance card, just like any other doctor’s visit.
7. Lastly, a friend or family member to take notes. You may receive a lot of info during your visit, which can be overwhelming. It us helpful to have someone there who can also ask questions.
Most of the time, we can obtain the above information, but this can take weeks which may delay your surgery. Bringing the above information allows your team to formulate your treatment plan in an efficient manner. Knowing the above helps you to actively participate in your care.