I had my recon op on December 23. They replaced my expander with a permanent implant and inserted another implant in my healthy breast, which had gone from “A” to minus AA.
I woke up with terrible pain in my arm (healthy side) and had a lot of pain and discomfort in my healthy breast, which looked emormous. They told me it was swollen and I had to wear a tight, well fitting bra… now, Where do you go to try on bras when you have an IV line in your arm and two drains coming out of your sides? (the last one came off on the 31st and I was collecting so much fluid they had to devac the bottle).
Not only my chest and underarm hurt, but also my back, very much. I collected fluid even on my back, my hips and my tummy (I am very small). When I asked the surgeon she told me “we have done nothing to your hips”…great answer.
Anyway, the discomfort never went away and I could not stand any bras, even after going to M&S as adviced by my BCN and coming back with a “proper fitting” bra after one and a half hours between queuing and trying…
In turn I developed a sort of rash which itched and hurt with a type of nerve pain. I managed to get an appointment for last Mon (three weeks after the op, they had made one for the end of the month) and my surgeon told me it was an “allergic reaction”. I told her I did not think so and asked her to prescribe me some sort of cortisone based cream to ease the discomfort. She told me to take antihistaminics.
She confirmed my breast was now (and would remain) a SIZE C!!! (I am 5 feet tall and 18 BMI). I asked why, since I had told her several times I wanted small breasts, but of course she had an explanation for that.
Going back to my present problems: I have not been able to wear a bra for many days, which means my heavy, ill shaped breast hungs like a millstone round my neck.
The itching became so bad I was hurting myself. I went to see my GP, who thought it was a mixture of fungal infection typical of heavy breasts (!!!) and eczema. He prescribed Canesten, which has helped a lot with itching and reduced the rash.
On Friday evening I developed a temperature, which responded to paracetamol. On Sat, again (earlier). Today my temp went up at around 3pm, despite having taken Ibuprofeno at 1pm…
I do not want to go to the A&E to wait ages and have the duty Dr scratching his head (it’s happened before).
On Monday, I do not want to wait two or more hours (like last Monday) to be sent to a dermatologist or admitted with IV antibiotics just in case until they can figure out what is wrong. Basically, I do not trust the team any more.
I thought if I could pull through the week end on Monday I would call my BCN and ask her if my breast team (which is in another hospital) can take care of me, but I am concerned my temp might keep crawling up…
I am tired, afraid and feel wretched. Any advice welcome.
Sorry about the long story.
Hi Nikiya,
Poor you what a terrible time you are having and I’m not surprised you’ve lost faith in your team. You don’t say where in the country you are. I live in Scotland and the out of hours arrangements are a bit different to the rest of the UK. Best advice I can give is ring the Macmillan or BCC helpline and talk it over with one of their nurses. They may be able to suggest the best source of help for you and give advice about getting a second opinion. I’m very lucky to have a good team and if I need help on a weekend I can go and see the staff at the ward in the hospital where I was treated. It’s a specialist cancer unit and the staff there have nursed me through surgery and chemo. They know me well and have my medical records there.
I can really sympathise with the problems you have with the size of your new breast. I’m also 5 feet tall and my natural breasts were 32FF before my surgery. I hated them and my surgeon has agreed to a reduction on my good side when I have the reconstruction. At the moment I have one large one dangling. I can’t wear a bra at all yet as I’m still recovering from the rads. I can’t even get a soft cup bra since all sizes above DD are underwired.
Hang in there and I do hope you get through the weekend without any further problems.
Jan xx
Thank you so much Jan! I am in London and my hospital is Kings College, but the plastic teams are from St Thomas, so that is where you go if you choose reconstruction.
The BCC call center is closed now, I’ve tried already. Never spoke to McMillan but will try.
It is so good talking to someone! Thanks again for your suggestions and good luck with the rest of your treatment!
xx
Hello there,
We spoke a little while ago as we were both treated in the same hospitals. Sorry to read about your surgery problems. I am waiting to go in for my reconstruction in the next few weeks but had a very bad time last Christmas with my first surgery. I also got infections, skin death etc - in the end to cut time I actually went up to the plastics ward - Alan Apley and they sorted me out there. That’s what I would do - you can find the number on your hospital discharge papers. It may well avoid a long wait in A and E.
Good luck and I do hope things work out.
Victoria x
Gosh! My whole message disappeared when I tried to post it (???).
Yes Victoria I do remember you! Nice to hear from you!
I know the ward because I was there for my two surgeries and back each time a drain had to be removed. However, they are mostly a dressing clinic and cannot prescribe or diagnose.
Having said that, I suppose I’d rather land there than at A&E if things get out of hand tomorrow… if not, I’ll try to get help at Kings, what do you think?
Thanks a lot for your suggestion and I hope your upcoming recon op goes better than mine!!!
xx
Jan, John Lewis have a range of bras for DD and above that are not underwired. I got a lovely one in their sale. The make is “Royce” and they also do bras with pockets in them. The one I have has pockets in them ( which I don’t need) but it was so comfortable I bought it…and it looks pretty too. Also Debenhams have a good range of bras in larger cups but I get clostrophobic in their shop in Princes Street that I have not been in the shop to see what they have. But my daughter both have above DD and have bought bras there.
Kings A and E is less busy (or at least I’ve found it so) than St Thomas’. When I went up to Alan Apley though I did see a duty doctor - but you could always ring ahead and see what they say. Failing that though I would say Kings is better than St Thomas’ for A and E in terms of wait time.
Let us know how you get on.
Victoria x
Thanks Victoria! Today I have not had a temperature so far… however, the initial problem (which nobody seems to acknowledge) is that there is an area between my chest muscles and my armpit that does not tolerate the slightest pressure --hence I cannot wear any bra nor even a tight T-shirt, because even the armhole seams trigger this reaction. It starts with discomfort followed by pain and itching. That is how my rash started. I am concerned I have nerve damage in that area but when I expose the case everybody concentrates in the resulting rash. Now the rash is almost gone but the intolerance persists.
If I do not get worse today, I will try to see someone at Kings tomorrow. And you are right, there is a lot less wait in their A&E.
It is good news at least that your temperature has remained stable. I haven’t experienced the discomfort and pain you describe but wish you luck tomorrow at Kings in getting it sorted out. I think there are also more staff now in the breast clinic so you may not have to wait quite so long.
Take care.
Victoria x