Hi Lovely Ladies and Gents,
I had my first mamogram on 6th Dec and then got recalled for biopsy, I now have SNB & WLE on Weds / Thurs this week and came here to get some practical advice.
I’ve thrown my bras out as reconstruction is to both sides - it’s easier I gather and I’m quite happy about this.
So far the only definite follow on treatment is Radiotherapy pending node results.
It’s been a whirlwind tour of my local Breast care unit and I feel like I was going on holiday to Italy and landed in Mexico instead!
Anyway, good luck to everyone else having surgery/ treatment this week and I’ll hopefully learn the lingo on the way.
Helen
Hi Helen,
know exactly what you mean about whirlwind & the lingo, am learning fast myself, am so sorry that you too have had to join the journey.
I was diagnosed 2nd Dec & had wle/snb on Xmas Eve, results on the 6th January for me.
I hope all goes well for you next week & I will be thinking of you.
Love & best wishes to you. Sarah.xxxx
Hi Helen and welcome to the BCC forums, it is a little quiet on here due to Xmas but I am sure your fellow users will be along soon with support.
In addition BCC have published a resource pack which you may find of interest and you can read more about it and order a copy here:
Our helpline hours over Xmas and the New Year are here too:
breastcancercare.org.uk/about-us/our-services/someone-to-talk-to/helpline/
Take care
Lucy
Helen, I’m a little confused. You mention you’re having WLE, and then talked about reconstruction. I’m very new at this whole game too, but I thought WLE is what people often call “lumpectomy” where they take the lump plus some clear margins around the lump, leaving the rest of your breast intact. Has your surgeon specifically said about reconstruction, or did (s)he talk about having to do a bit of plastic surgery kind of stuff on both breasts to even things up once the lump has been removed? That’s not quite the same thing as the reconstruction a lot of the ladies on here refer to, as in mastectomy and then creating a new breast shape from other bits (don’t know the lingo yet either) taken from back, thigh or tummy.
CM
xxx
Hi,
I knew I needed a translator!
I’m having a WLE to the R side and the tumour is very high up in my breast. My surgeon is displacing some breast tissue into this area to replace what’s being removed, the other side is being reduced to make things even as my breasts are overlarge and I’ve had problems with them anyway. So I guess that would be termed as plastic surgery??
Hope that clears things up for you 
Helen
Helen,
I met a lady when I went for chemo who has had the same op as you, where they have used the existing tissue and also reduced the other breast, she was pleased with the results.
I think it is amazing what they can do with surgery, I had a Wide Local Excision (WLE)on 14/09/10, the tumour was 2cm, so once they got margins as well, they had to take about 2/3 of my breast, they put a temporary implant in for about 4 weeks. I then had a second op to reconstruct using a flap of skin and fat from my back (I think it is called a Lateral Inter-Costal Perforator flap, LICP). All of this was done from my armpit, so there is no scarring on my breast, and it is all my own skin, and my own nipple. I do have a rather impressive scar across my back, about 12" long, but it is very neat and hidden by my bra strap, plus it is fading already.
It seems that each case is tailor-made to the individual.
Hope that all goes well and you are not too sore afterwards.
J