Susie, Good luck with the next stage of your treatment x I joined the forum just before starting rads as up until then I couldn’t bring myself to look at, read, or even talk openly about my diagnosis, i just couldn’t face it.
However, started rads in June and literally found the best support ever from the lovlies who were going through treatment as well. This forum has been just fab and although we all have different treatment plans its clear at the end of the day that basically underneath, we all have the same hopes and fears.
Rads is totally doable.
xxxc
I hope everyone is healing well! Good to hear you’re starting to heal now, Susie.
I have a quick question for those who have had a mastectomy and reconstruction. It seems a bit silly to ask this, given the far more important aspects of treatment and recovery that we’re all dealing with(!), but it is niggling away at me. I had a single mastectomy with immediate implant recon 2.5 weeks ago. My reconstructed side is a lot bigger than my “real” boob. I have/had small breasts (B cup) and I completely understand that it is difficult to match things perfectly. I didn’t think the mismatch would worry me at all. Cosmetically, it doesn’t. It just feels a bit uncomfortable… I can’t find a bra that fits and doesn’t squash my reconstruction side. If it fits the reconstructed side, it provides no support to my real side. I know it sounds silly, but it is annoying me and is a bit uncomfortable (I’m also probably focusing on trivial matters to try and take my mind off waiting for final results ?).
Anyone else in the same situation? Any suggestions? Can you buy a bra with one B cup and one C/D cup? ?♀️ ?
Hi Jane, thank you so much for your suggestion - what a good idea! I hadn’t even thought of “supplementing” my real side to even things out! The BCN mentioned that my reconstructed side will be a bit swollen for a while, but did concede that it would end up being a cup size larger than the real side. She suggested I wait 3 months to see how things settle down and then give her a call then. Given that I’m not sure what my follow-up treatment will involve (although I do know I will need radiotherapy, as I didn’t get clear margins), I would prefer to get control over the current situation now, if I can.
I will look into the knitted knockers and partial prostheses right away! Thank you again! This forum is wonderful ??
Linda, there’s enough room for my bf usually, now I hug my pillow I tend to move less, and in fact when I woke up around 4am this morning he was actually hogging a fair amount of the bed!
I did order the pillow recommended by Quaggie (thanks!) and expecting it to be delivered maybe Wednesday, so will report back after I’ve used it a few nights. I’m hoping it will help my backache too as I wake up with backache some mornings but then I get really bad backache if I stand up for more than 10 minutes.
Jane - that’s just the same for me, I often wake up in the night with backache and if I stand or walk. It’s difficult to know what to do for the best. I keep wondering if I’m getting pain because I’m not moving about enough or because I’m moving about too much!
Elliesmum - I would just like to reiterate what Jane said about your foob being bigger than your real boob. I have also had LD flap recon and mine is bigger than my real one. Like Jane said, it is quite swollen but also my consultant told me that she would be making my reconstructed breast bigger than my other one because they tend to shrink after a while. I’m not sure if the same applies to an implant reconstruction but it may do.
Yes it is really weird isn’t it, I don’t like to touch it. I was originally told that most numbness would disappear but there may always be slight numbness around the back scar and the top of my arm from the SNB. I can’t remember being told about the numbness in my foob but I have an appointment on Tuesday so I’m going to ask then.
With my DIEP surgery i eas told i may het some feeling back if the nerves knit but it could take 18 months. Also eith regard to size i was told the body will absorb some of the implanted fat so my boob will reduce but i assume that wouldnt apply to an implant.
Hi everyone sorry I haven’t posted for a while. I have been getting really tired, and having to sit around during the day which is unlike me as I am usually pretty active. I really have to pace myself which is very frustrating. I wasn’t expecting to feel so tired especially 3 weeks after the op, Lumpectomy and lymph clearance. Is anyone else with a similar op having similar low energy? I am very impatient to get back to normal I know, but my expectations were higher!
I see the oncologist on Wednesday for the first time since Chemo. I can’t help feeling nervous even though I’m sure she can’t have bad news after the good results from surgery. Oh well I will find out then I suppose.
Hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday evening x
Hi Michelle. I too felt really tired at week 3 post op. But now at week 4 to 5 I feel so much better. I had a lot of rather long naps. ?
Good luck with your oncologist - planning for radiotherapy perhaps ?? ??
Hi all , hope you all had a good weekend and recovering well.
I am in week 5 since my aux node clearance and getting movement back in my arm however the incision underarm still sore and front and back of arm still numb. I am able to raise my arm but not for long time as get really tired and still hurts .
I still feel very tired in myself and basically not doing much around the house … seem to be either glued to the Telly or sleeping .
I seem to be suffering from hot flushes during day and night sweats ( obviously my tamoxifen is now kicking in) . Is fatigue a side effect of taking these tablets ? I also feel very lightheaded during the day and can’t seem to work out what’s causing that
Still awaiting appointment with the oncologist so that I can start with the Rads
Tiredness is normal, whether it’s from full on mx with recon, just mx, or WLE, the surgery is a trauma to our bodies and whilst bodies can heal many things on their own, they need a bit of help from us, and letting our bodies take over and rest is one of the best things we can do. Take any opportunity to snooze, nap or sleep where possible and let the body, and the Knitting Nannas inside, do their job. It’s terribly frustrating though that we feel so tired and any activity, even small such as showering, can wear us out.
And that doesn’t even cover the mental tiredness, stress and anxiety, but we have to allow time for things to resolve and heal, rest, gentle exercise and sensible eating. Many of which can be easier said than done but we’ll get there.
Hugs to all the tired ladies here xx
Thanks Wombat Woo, good to know and yes it is probably to talk rads, I just can’t help the nerves.
Jane, I’m with you in that the body needs to rest to recover but for my mental well-being I like to walk. I like to do a 3 mile walk with my dog and friends everyday. I did it all through chemo and it’s what has kept me sane and the anxiety at bay. Unfortunately my head and body need different things at the moment to help them! I’m back walking today after a week of taking it easy so I’m hoping I don’t feel totally exhausted later.
Mavit I’m not on Tamoxifen but have had the odd occasion of feeling light headed. I even checked my blood pressure to see if it was low but it seemed ok. I’m also getting flushes but not night sweats. My periods had been becoming irregular over the last 12 months and then stopped probably because of chemo. So I guess I’m in menopause?
My boob had two incisions and is feeling ok now but my under arm cut it still sore too. It seems to be healing ok but can sometimes feel stingy and I check that it hasn’t opened up but it looks ok. I now have pretty good movement of my arm but plan to start swimming after I’ve done rads. The top half of my arm is still numb too, I think this can take quite a while to come back to life, and parts of it may always be numb.
Xx
I my think your BCN will thinknyou are bothering her Quaggie, it sounds like the sensible thing to do to me, I hope it gets sorted.
That’s the good thing about having a dog they make you get out every day! X
Dear Mavit xx I’ve been on Tamoxifen for nearly 4 months now and can pin point a few things that I have noticed.
Yes, i still get tired mid afternoon and right now its 20 to 3 and I could easily have a kip!! Thankfully Im working from home so won’t make a fool of myself if I nod off. Not really the done thingvin an open plan office…
I think Im using the Tamoxifen as a reason for weight gain but Im battling that with a diet and exercise.
Main point really is actually a good side effect. YES there is one!!! My adult acne has really really cleared up and I haven’t had any major spots for 2 and a half months. So glad, as without makeup I needed a paper bag…
Lilac xx
Thinking of you Quaggie xxxx
I remember when I took my dressing off for the first-time after surgery, I didn’t realise they had taken my nipple off (thankfully they put it back) and it was just a huge shock as id been lead to believe that it was just going to be in inceasion across the top of my areola.
But the body has an amazing way of mending itself, with the help of Bio-Oil and Aloe Vera moisturiser.
Check with your BCN about lotions to take the itch away. I took heyfever tablets for about a week after my rads had finished as my chest area was really itchy. No skin breakdown or burning, just the side effects working their way out.
Xxx
Hey Quaggie so glad you saw the nurse !! Finding a home wouldn’t be good… hopefully seeing the surgeon on Wednesday will offer even more reassurance.
Lilac moon when I took my bandages off and looked at my scar it was such a shock and I knew they had taken my nipple away …
Stay kind to yourselves ladies… hugs Wombat xxx
Hole not home… spell checker gone into overdrive ???
Ladies, I did have my nipple back, it was just that I hadn’t realised they were taking it off during the lumpectomy to then reattach it afterwards!
Poor old thing took the full power of the boosters during rads as well…just as it was settling itself down to being slightly off centre.
Oh how I can laugh about it now!!!
Ah, now I understand Lilac Moon. My incision is right round my areole too but I don’t think that means the nipple was taken off, just that that’s the neatest way to leave the scar.
Glad you got your dressings sorted Quaggie and pleased that everyone’s nipples are more or less where they should be!
I also went to see my BCN today. She started talking about Tamoxifen but I didn’t think I was having that as at our last conversation she had said I had a weak oestrogen + link of 5/8. When I questioned her she said she’s not sure and I should ask the onc on Wednesday, but I think she knows more than she is letting on.
I’m HER2+ so have done Perjeta and doing herceptin for a year which has few side effects but all you seem to read about tamoxifen is the bad se’s Apart from lilac moons skin improvements most people talk of achy joints and hot flushes.
Sorry if you feel I’m making a fuss about nothing, I’m sure nobody wants to be told they have to take a drug for the next 10 years if their life I just really want expecting it.
X