Hey Lainey,
That’s a massive decision to make! You’ve lost 6 stone?!?!? Please tell me your secret!
We are a tough lot which is why I’m loving these forums, all the women on here are amazing with such massive amounts of strength that it helps me think that I can do it too!! xxxxxx
Anna i found out on 7th dec my results so i enjoyed xmas and new year then joined slimming world and its the best thing i done. i dont need to lose more but its a way of life now so i eat healthy mon-sat then have a few treats on the sun, drink lots of water and 30 mins exercise a night. i was almost a size 24 before results and was told i needed to lose weight b4 they would do op’s so that was all the incentive i needed. im now a comfy 14 and look and feel great. dont get me wrong im so scared about next op at times i physically shake but hey rather try and prevent than cure. anna you are a star though as you sound so positive as i always used to say i feel too young for all these decisions and here you are at 21yrs old going through the same thing. just remember your not alone and if you feel like coming on here and letting off steam do it as we all have and that’s what we are here for… lots of love lainey xxxxx
hi jemma / everyone
just readin ur discussion and was wondering if i could help
ive just turned 21 and last year i had the blood test 2 find out if i have the BRCA1 gene that has ran threw my family- i got tested wit my sister. but i was the unfortunate one carrying the gene.
after a lot of though i am undergoin the procedure of a risk reducing mastomy. after my mother havin in 3 times and watchin my aunts go threw cheho etc i feel i have done the right thing.
i have decided with the expanders- i had them fitted abt a month ago and im goin to have my saline pumped in 2 morra.
hope this has helped
lisa xx
hi lisa, again i think that’s remarkable it’s so very difficult though. how are your new breasts? are you happy with them? lainey xxxxx
Lisa,
I can’t believe you are the same age as me, it is amazing to find someone my age who has gone through with the surgery. Where do you live? My family and friends are being amazingly supportive right now it’s incredible
I hope you don’t mind me asking but how long ago did you have your surgery? How long after you decided to go through with the procedure did you actually have the operation? I’m basically saying to my GP this weekend that I want the surgery and just wanting to know in my head when I would be having it,
I hope you don’t mind me asking.
Anna xxxxxxx
hi lainy my new breast r very big lol- cant belive ive got 2 stay this big til march! they feel fine and i dont get any pain at all.im very happy with them and im amazed by my scaring its hardally visible and 2 think i only had it in novemeber! how r u? xx
hi anna
of course i dont mind u askin- u can ask me wat u like…
im from the west mids shropshire area - wher r u from?
i found out in jan this year that i had the gene and always said if i had the gene i would have a risk reducing operation.
i had the first part of my op ( fitting the expander) on the 3rd of november
it seems a long time that i got told in jan and didnt have it actually started til recently but during this time u can find out about all the different procedures and operation, u also have 2 c a psychologists. i was also very perticular about what sergeon i had- i had the same sergeon my aunt had. although she had a different op her’s were amazing! so only wanted him - also birmingham city hospital has one of the best plastic sergeons teams in the UK.
my hospital experince wasnt the best- i ended up stayin in a week after havin the expanders fitted- usually its abt 2 days!
The first few days were pretty painful but not as bad as i expected- i had 2 stay in slightly longer as my boobs didnt drain properly!
i felt fine in my self just struggled a bit with lifting and that but was back at work within a week.
i have had my first saline pumped in 2 me 2 day which i didnt find uncomfortable at all- i havent got 2 have this again as i had the maximum dosage. so im really please. i havent got 2 go back now til march wher i will talk about the 2nd part of my op.
hope this helps
lisa xx
hi lisa im fine thanks not looking forward to feb at all. dreading hospital next week also think i hate having to accept all of this. you are doing great by the sound of it but it’s such a lot to go through i feel thats the only thing on my mind right now.keep us informed of how you are keeping xxxx
anna it can take a long while from point of genetics to op’s are over with i find this with everyone i speak to about it. but please just take the time to get things sorted in your head as somedays when it’s all confirmed it feels like a roller coaster ride of emotions and at times it’s hard to stay positive xxxx
Lainey - Thanks so much, it will be a rollercoaster, I’m sure. But I know I will have my up and my down days, just got to get used to that in my head.
Lisa - I live in South Bucks! We’re a little while away from each other!
I know that you have the expanders put in, but this is where I’m a little confused with my situation. I have sodding massive boobs as it is. Honestly, I would love it if they were smaller. In my head, it doesn’ make sense that I would need expanders in to make room for tissue when actually I want skin removed. Does that make sense???
Anna xxxxxx
Anna, im a 34jj so you can imagine they are huge. i was told i could not have implants as they are more designed for ladies with smaller breasts and the implants only go up to a d or dd. which i wanted to go down to but i will have too much skin leftover and wont get a good cosmetic look. of course my main issue is removing the risk but at the same time i would hate to look down and hate my breasts especially after all im going through. my options were to use muscle from my back where they just flip the muscle round still connected to the vessels, or this procedure and then an implant also or lastly to remove fat and muscle from my stomach and tunnel it up to the breast area and this is what im going for. hope that helps love lainey xxxx
Ooh, I want the tummy option!!! It’s like a tummy tuck and a boob op for medical purposes???
xxxxx
hi anna well there is that lol, its an op that takes at least 12/13 hours where they disconnect the blood vessels then reconnect under micro surgery. they relocate your belly button and insert mesh into the tummy to save hernias developing. it is a long time to be under but i have seen pics and my aunt hadthis one done and hers look so natural xx
That’s amazing. And that will be what I want to be honest.
It’s massive surgery but I’m thinking of the amazing time off work I get! I have to put a positive spin on it otherwise I get myself really bogged down with how depressing it can all get.
I talk to my department boss about it at work, and she just looks at me and is like “Sh*t, this is massive!” I have to smile and cope, otherwise I will fall apart I swear x
Anna you are not alone with feeling like that i took it really bad at 1st and i do still have days where i get a bit wobbly. somedays i cant accept my risks of cancer are so high. i get so so scared and at times when im talking about it i feel like im talking about someone else thats my way of dealing with it. i hav e2 kids and am aware its now 50/50 that i have passed it onto them and that worries me.i can deal with it ok sometimes but the second i admit im scared thats when i break down. xxxxx
Hi to you both
This thread is starting to take a negative turn. My way of coping with the negative feelings you both describe is to be thankful I have been given the opportunity to find out risks and do something about it. This is a GOOD thing to be happening. Also to read other threads about ladies that are living with cancer is a timely reminder. Surgery is a temporary blip in life and then one can get back to normality without the risk (or greatly reduced).
Your boss is right, this is massive, I do not try to make out it isn’t, but it is a positive and hopefully life prolonging action to take. I know you are going to say that it is easy for me to say, having come out the other side. I am glad you are putting a positive angle on the whole thing by mentioning having time off work and I admit I enjoyed my recovery sitting in the garden this summer.
I know exactly what you mean about the risk of passing this on to our children, but who knows what progress will have been made in the medical world in a few years.
Best wishes all.
Jx
hi anna
i have quite big boobs b4 my expanders wer put in i was a DD, with my exoanders and all my saline in im now and e. it dosent really bother me n they dont feel that much bigger they are just more firm. infact the dont even move ther that hard! when i have my second op when they take my tissue away im goin 2 b left wit a d cup which im happy with. my sergeon told me this operation was better 4 younger women as you dont get much scaring( which i didnt want b ing so young) and its not a big of an operation.
lisa xx
hi j, i have never disputed wether this is a good thing or not i am merely pointing out my concerns and fears. using this forum to do so has been a godsend. in my opinion i am very aware i could be in a totally different situation and for that i am very grateful however i dont like the fact my risks are so high as i would rather be like every other lady with the same odds. and i would also rather not be deciding on such surgery. this brca2 gene has came as a blow to me. i cant wait to get to the other side and be able to be more positive. i know also that im lucky to hopefully stave of cancer and anyone who has or had cancer would also wish they had the chance to try and prevent it. but i cant help the fact i am scared and will not withhold from saying so as outwith this forum i keep my fears to myself as i dont want to worry loved ones.
Hi anon
I agree with you 100%. I too was merely airing my feelings, only mine are clearly more positive. Do not get me wrong, I empathise with your situation totally, and I found your comments recently very helpful in making my decision whether to have my ovaries removed.
Only trying to help, especially with Anna being so very young to be going through this.
Jxx
Lainey - thank you for all your help, your advice has been invaluable at times,
Jacq - Thanks, I know that I need to keep my positive head on! I keep laughing about it but my mates find it really hard to understand that I can keep my head high whilst I’m doing this. I just need to. I think about possible kiddies I might have in the future and knowing that I will be around to watch them grow, which unfortunately my mother didn’t get that chance, means a lot more to me.
I know I’m a lot younger than most people on these boards and I really appreciate all you lovely women have given me! xxxxx
hi j im glad i have been of help to you and anyone else i have helped. i suppose fear of the unknown at times makes me worry as much especially as im only 9 weeks away from my op i am turning into a stress head. i do believe when its over with i will be different and can continue to offer advice. xx
anna you are more than welcome its great knowing that their are people out there who have been through this and can offer help. you are very young and are doing fantastic. anything you arent sure of just ask as their will always be someone ready to help xx
It is amazing. I honestly didn’t know I would get the support that I have from here. I feel so much better about the op already!! xxxxxxxx