Hi stargazer1. Its awful and worrying time for us all, my arm & armpit always felt swollen but the nurse said it wasn’t and she’d worry about the kind of swelling they were looking for didn’t help. Me! My arm & pit still feel swollen and very very strange to touch, exercise helps but is difficult I’ve even been swimming and it felt very strange my muscle in my boobie was moving, mine still looks strange feels warm to the touch think it’s lumpy but scared to touch too much don’t like the feel, they said mine will be high but at the moment it’s getting filled from the top not sure how long it’ll take nurse puts 50mls in at a time or has until now but wants me done before my chemo, hopefully that’ll be next week xx bug hugs at this **bleep**y time xx
Hi - was interested to see some discussion on this thread about tissue expanders. I had a mastectomy in late October with a temporary tissue expander inserted. I didn’t have regular inflations as I had a lot of swelling after the operation so had to go back to theatre for that to be sorted out and, because the swelling had already stretched the skin so much, the surgeon inflated the expander at that stage and then did one more fill in clinic a couple of weeks later. I’ve found the tissue expander a really difficult part of all this - it’s been uncomfortable at best and really quite sore and painful at worst - and the numbness in my arm and armpit from my node clearance makes it all feel odder still. I’m having chemo now and then radiotherapy after that so won’t have the surgery for the permanent implant for quite a while.
Like helenann, the consultation I had about whether to go flat or have the tissue expander happened in a bit of a blur. Not that I blame anyone for that - I would have probably still opted for the expander anyway - but it wasn’t really explained to me how uncomfortable it was going to be (and it’s really hard to make these decisions anyway when you’ve never really given them a moment’s thought before you find yourself in the patient’s chair!!!)
Heyho.
Hi Helen Thankyou for sharing your experience it has really helped. I’m probably overthinking & looking for problems, it’s only been a week but I am prettty impatient when it comes to illness/recovery I want to be back to normal now!? My implant feels quite hard, although I’m afraid to touch it, my surgeon is happy with it though so it must be ok. I’ve no idea how it’s going to feel when it’s all inflated. I know it was put under my chest muscle & has a ‘sling’ too. There’s so much to take in & I sometimes feel they tell me as much as I need to know. I was so uncomfortable last night sleeping on my back with ‘the bra’ on I had to take it off, wow, the relief!! Back on this morning ? the bn did say to persevere but I can’t wait until I haven’t got to wear it anymore Xxxx
Hi All,
I am new to the forum and have been dignosed with Invasive Lobular Cancer with cancer cells showing in nodes after biopsy but full extent not known yet. It is so inspiring to read the support given on the site. No one except a fellow sufferer understands how this illness feels and how frightening and traumatic the future seems.
My sureon has told me I will have an mx and as many as nodes as necessary removed during surgery. My surgeon has recommended immediate reconstruction although she said I was too old for implants - I am only 60 and reasonbly fit - it looks like I will be offered latisimus dorsi flap. I’ve read some horror stories about life after this type of reconstruction surgery and I am terrified . Has anyone undergone this procedure or does anyone have any advice on immediate reconstruction ?
thank you , best wishes to all, Susie
Hi Susie- sorry you’ve had to join us here, but the forum will be of great help and support to you I’m sure (don’t know how I’d have coped without it). As I’ve explained earlier I was diagnosed with IDC with DCIS as well as other ‘suspect’ areas of my right breast and had a right mastectomy on 24th Sept last year. I had immediate reconstruction using a tissue expander. I’m 62 years old, so don’t understand why you can’t have a similar procedure- of course we’re all individuals and need different treatments etc- so I expect there’s a good reason why your medical team are advising against this procedure. But maybe you could ask the question - to put your own mind at rest? Good luck, sending you loads of love and support- keep us informed. Love, Helen ?
Hi!
I had a elective double mastectomy in November. Apparently if the nipple is saved it increases the risk of infection and the cancer returning as it will have breast tissue x