You are very welcome @cherryblossom1 . You will be more knowledgeable than many of us soon. You are navigating a double mastectomy. That is huge. One strong lady. Xxx huge respect for you.
Re VShaped pillow. I second that. The only way I can cope on my back is by using the Dunelm pillows. Like you I jam it round me to stop me moving. It was a life saver when I had the drain in. Like you I added extra pillows to the side to rest my arm on, and to keep it away from my scar. I nestled the bottle inbetween the pillows, out of the way.
It was like sleeping with a baby
Re side sleeping with them. I use mine now, to rest my R arm on if I am sleeping on my left side (only just been able to do this recently). It takes the pressure off my mastectomy scar/seroma with my right arm. Otherwise my arm was too heavy and in the way.
Useless at explaining this. . So one side of the V is supporting your head, whilst the other side sits against your body, rather than just shoulder/arm. Effectively it becomes more like an L shape. You pull out the V a little bit.
I hug it like a Teddy Bear effectively with my left arm underneath it. Right arm on top.
Dunelm use to sell a longer side pillow but sadly they stopped selling it last year. . So I was told. Pregnant women used it to support their baby bump, but anyone could use them. But you can still buy them online.
You make sure you rest and pamper yourself. I think you are amazing. Big hug and love sent your way. Xxx
Heres to more wonderful sleepful nights. We surely need them.
I am so very pleased for you. As outlined in a previous post on this thread i too had a double msx by choice.
Whilst generally a double msx is not routinely offered. Contralateral msx (when one breast is healthy) is possible but your multidisciplinary team must be support of it and convinced its in your best interest.
My surgeon offered it but I had to have a routine psychology assessment so that they could be convinced that I would not regret the decision.
I do not regret the decision. I am very happy flat.
Sending lots of healing fibes. Big hugs. Anna x
ps. Note I contacted the Flame study and they informed me that they had an overwhelming response to the study and have all the participants that they need now. So hopefully we will see balancing surgery offered to those that want in future.
Great news about Flame - hopefully leading to more women being free to choose in the future!!! I think it is SO important.
I was initially talked into an outcome I didn’t want by a consultant who was male. The consultant who later made the outcome I really wanted happen, was female, and I wonder if the gender difference led to a different outlook?
Just thought I’d let you know that I was offered and took bilateral mastectomy two years ago (without genetic abnormalities) so it is possible.
Due to tumour size, node involvement and HER2+ I had six months chemo before surgery, so had plenty of time to chew over surgery options, which in retrospect was a major factor in coming to terms with things.
My healthy breast was 38FF so I would be have been very lopsided with SMX. I was always really concerned about the lack of symmetry and I kept mentioning it at appointments. I knew that if I had reconstruction only an implant would do, because the plastic surgeon I consulted said that (thanks to severe chemo weight loss) I did not have enough fat in the right place for a good DIEP. Regardless, any reconstruction would also involve a large reduction to the good side. I was also unsure of retaining symmetry over the years with a unilateral implant. So my conclusion was that if we have to mess with the good side, I want flat symmetry.
Also, my risk of recurrence is high and I did not want to face the possibility of dealing with a recurrence while still on the reconstruction ‘treadmill’, because I knew it would take at least a couple of surgeries, at the mercy of waiting lists.
I had a psychology appointment which was fine, and the DMX went very smoothly and I am generally pleased with the surgery results.
I mostly go flat, and use boosts to fill out more fitted clothes when necessary. I’m very happy with my decision. I’m also taking part in the FLAME study.
Flat and fabulous indeed Anna @anna_x51 I only wish I could have gone down the bi lateral route. I won’t hesitate to have the left one of if that plays up though. xx
You are navigating a double mastectomy. That is huge. 
One strong lady. 
Xxx huge respect for you.
. So I was told. Pregnant women used it to support their baby bump, but anyone could use them. But you can still buy them online.
