Thanks Elsa and Jo
Any advice is much appreciated, I think I’m almost organised for Friday… Fingers crossed. It sounds like I am thinking along the right lines with clothing and bras. Still not decided whether to come home with drains or not. Think it might make my husband’s life easier if I stay in as he’ll only have the three kids to look after and not me, lol
Thanks again… Wish me luck xx
Katie x
Hi everyone
I’m a new user diagnosed 15th March, will be having mx around September after chemo, felt it would be rude to eavesdrop on your convo and not introduce myself- I’m not at your stage yet but find it useful reading about other people experiences and to get info on what to expect.
Good luck to one and all.
Hello Empress Pink
Welcome to the forums, I’m so pleased that you are finding the forums useful.
At Breast Cancer Care we also have a free helpline where the staff can offer practical information as well as emotional support. The free phone number is 0808 800 6000 and the lines are open Monday to Friday 9.00 to 5.00 and Saturday 10.00 to 2.00.
Best wishes
June, moderator
Hi Empress
I’m new here too, sorry you’re here but welcome.
I had my chemo before surgery too as I have IBC. I hope you are managing well with the chemo, it might not feel like it just now but it will be finished before you know it.
Katie xx
Hi Kay
I am 21 days since my mastectomy and I was very sore in the beginning I had a seroma which was very swollen and sore, My nurse recomended doing nothing with it as if the fluid is drained of the body keeps making it. It was quite bad a week ago now the only time it is really troubling me is when it late in the day, and that is eased by removing my bra. Also E45 cream helped also.
Hope this may help,
Carolann.
Hi Katie,
Thanks for the welcome x. Yes it’s going quite fast although I was feeling grumpy during my treatment on Wednesday- like I’ve had enough of this 
but thankful I am being looked after very well by my medical team at Guys.
Chemo has been not toooo bad for me so far (fingers crossed) did you get your mx with an immediate reconstruction, if so were you given a choice of implant/lipofill/ I really don’t fancy the sound of the other forms of reconstruction whereby you incur another major scar and then 2 lot of healing- does anybody else want to jump in with their experiences/advice.
best wishes to all
Hi Empress Pink
I was doiagnosed 1 May had my mx on 9 May and 5 lymph nodes, and had a implant placed in at the same time,I went for the lipofill. I am quite a large breasted lady my surygen now says he may not be able to make it as large to match but he could do a reduction on my other. At the moment the idea of any surgery is a no no but in time who nows. I have now had my line put in for my 6 cycles of chemo. Had a bone and ct scan as my lymph nodes were iinvolved. Now waiting to hear from Oncolagist for my results, and to find out when I start my chemo, was told next thursday, but as i have not heared i am no longer sure.
Good luck to you all,
best wishes Carolann.
Bad day today. Sent home on Wednesday with drains in place with a spare bottle should one of them fill up. Well one did fill up and the spare bottle didn’t fit. Spent 4 hours at A&E, because this is where I was told to go if I had any problems. Waited quite a while to see a doctor who told me I needed to see someone in emergency (thought that was where I was!!). Waited again, saw a nurse who, after much huffing and puffing sent me up to the ward I was discharged from on Wednesday, then had to wait while the shifts changed and they found a bottle to replace the full one. Tired, got take-away from McDonalds and I’m going to bed now,
Goodnight ladies
Hi Carolann,
thanks for your reponse- it seems as though the surgeons are quite keen on the lipofill as am I, I don’t mind having my fatty bits transferred to my breast, I should be able to get some benefit out of this!
Your hospital moved really fast- you barely had time to breathe! it must have been quite frightening, but this is definitely a diseae for the brave and I hoope your’e bearing up- as am I although there will be those dark moments 
I am quite large breasted as well so am hoping to be reasonably even at the end (hopefully in one go) I would love next year to be ‘normal’ -ish good luck for Thursday.
Are you being treated in London?
Best wishes xx
Hi girls, I’m 18 months on from a L mx & ANC. I am now well used to my new shape, my party trick is guess the falsie.
I gave had to change my style of dress as did like deep V’s and cleavage, 34 F boobs.
Found asda post surgical bras good (and cheap) then went down to bravissimo after I got my permanent prosthesis, it was a big boost to get a “normal” bra that fits and holds the prosthesis.
I now wear a lot of vest type tops and open blouses ( I tend to have bingo wings anyway, not helped by slight lymphoedema) and wear skinny jeans or knee length skirts to flash a bit of leg.
I am thin
Thinking about reconstruction but to be honest the thought of more surgery and having to do all the post op exercises to get my shoulders going again is putting me of big style.
Good luck with your journeys
Pat
Hi ladies
To answer Empress pink I am not being treated in London but in Northampton, I am finding some of my treatment is going to be slightly different because I had Luekimia 14 years ago. So because of this my chemo may be different.
Sounds like you are having a hard time Madrock, did the ward not say if you had a problem with your drains to ring them, hope things are going better for you know, I felt a lot better once my drain was out.
I still not got a bras that fits well so I will have a look in Asda.
Take care of yourself Ladies
Carolann.
Hi Pattymi,
thanks for the Asda tip, I really wouldn’t have thought of looking there, and I certainly could do with saving some money now after the fare’s I’ve had to pay in the last few months.
Reading your post gave me one of my few smiles of the bank holiday.
You take care
xx
Hi Pattymi,
thanks for the Asda tip, I really wouldn’t have thought of looking there, and I certainly could do with aving some money now after the fare’s I’ve had to pay in the last few months.
Reading your post gave me one of my few smiles of the bank holiday.
You take care
xx
Hi Carolann,
So sorry to hear this is your 2nd battle, I wish you all the best
xx
Hi everyone
I’m scheduled for a left side mastectomy on Sept 13th. I had a lumpectomy & radiotherapy on the same side 22 years ago. I also had another lumpectomy last year on the right. At the moment I have pre-cancerous cells but my surgeon advised a mx due to my history. I am so undecided about a reconstruction, which at first I was keen to have. Since reading the posts on here & the BCC booklets, I am now wavering…in fact I don’t know what decision I will make! I am (a young!!) 63 & have a strong personality but have no idea how I’ll feel if I choose not to have a reconstruction. At the same time, the thought of having what is in effect 2 ops & all the attendant problems associated with a longer recovery is quite alarming.
Any thoughts, opinions or advice re either option would be most welcome, thanks
Giselle
Hi Giselle
I also consider myself a young 65 and I had a mastectomy and ANC end of May this year. I considered all family commitments, duration of operation and recovery time. I decided against reconstruction, although I was assured by the hospital (umpteen times) that I could have recon done at any time in the future should I change my mind. I assume your hospital has told you much the same. Mastectomy was surprisingly painless with no problems.
This can only be personal decision after weighing up all the odds and commitments and what feels right for you. Sorry no help on that.
Good luck with making your decision.
Take care
Maggie
Hi
I am 48 and had a left side mastectomy in March this year & at the moment I’m not planning on having a reconstruction. I am fortunate that I can honestly say I haven’t missed my breast for a moment. I suspected I wouldn’t have an issue with losing a breast before my op, but was also worried that I would be surprised by myself and actually be devastated. I am happy with my prothesis, have bought some lovely underwear & still look the same in & out of my clothes. I have explored reconstruction in detail and currently see it as a big operation to move flesh from one part of the body to another. However I know I am lucky being happy single breasted and some women find it very difficult. It is very much an individual decision and the option to change our minds is available for many years down the line.
Good luck.
S x
I had mx with immediate implant recon 6 weeks ago. It is fabulous! No nipple of course (later options for that but don’t think I want one?) but a lovely smooth shape. No real pain post-op either, sore at times and if I overdo it boy do I know about it because then it really aches. Got to have rads soon, my surgeon has said that this can affect the implant and if so it will need to be replaced, or in his words “we’ll whizz you into day clinic, whip it out, pop a new one in and send you home for tea”. Hmmm!!!
Thanks so much for your replies. It was good to read about both options from women who have personal experience, much appreciated. I’m leaning towards not having a reconstruction atm, with the option of changing my mind if I find I can’t cope with being single breasted. It’s hard making a decision when you have no idea of the emotional impact that will or will not happen.
Another thing that’s a concern is the swelling that can occur after having some lymph nodes removed (can’t remember the medical term for this!) My surgeon said he’d remove 4 or 5 at the same time as the mx. Has anyone experienced this & if so, how debilitating is it?
One more question (sorry!) How long after the mx did you really feel well enough to drive, go out with friends etc? In other words, how soon did you begin to feel ‘normal’ again?!
I’m so glad I found this forum- although I do have a lovely bcn to talk to, connecting with others who are in the same situation is a great support. Thanks
Hi Giselle,
I had a tissue expander put in at same time as mx which was filled with about 200 ml of saline initially. So while it was obviously smaller than my other breast, I did have something there which I felt helped me accept having my breast removed. I’ve since had 2 more top ups of saline and I now look even whenI’ve got my clothes on. I will have this removed at some point and an implant put in. However when I made the decision to start recon, I didn’t know if I would need rads. I am due to start rads next week and at last plastic surgeon appt was told it is most likely I will also need to have a flap of skin taken from back or stomach as well as implant due to shrinkage of skin from rads. I was a bit phased by this as I thought I had chosen a fairly straight forward recon, or rather that was how it had been explained to me. Now I am facing a much bigger op but now I’ve started on this road I just need to go with it.
With regards to your other questions I didn’t have any lymph nodes removed so can’t comment on that bit. Because of the start of recon I was in hospital for 2 and a half days and came home with 2 drains which stayed in a week. Went out to Sainsburys of all places about 10 days post op for about half an hour but had had friends visit etc, friend took me out the following week for a cuppa and I went on the train to meet a friend at about 5 weeks. I didn’t really feel like driving ( and I enjoy driving) till about 4 to 5 weeks post op. I didn’t need to drive so I didn’t push it and just started again when I felt ready. I’d probably say after 5 weeks I felt stronger physically and getting back to normal re tiredness. At 6 weeks I started chemo and felt I’d recovered enough from my op. Emotionally, that was a bit different as I had been told post op I wouldn’t need chemo and poss not rads but then onc had a different plan for me so it hit me a bit hard. All in all the mx has been the easiest part of the journey so far, soreness and tiredness being main concerns but certainly not too debilitating.
Sorry, that was a bit long winded!! Good luck, hope all goes well for you.
Gaynor x