Hi Alex- hope all went well for you today.
My surgery is next Monday- right mastectomy and immediate implant reconstruction.
Getting scared now as the day is getting nearer. 
Hi Helenann, yes it went v well thanks. One drain out and hopefully the other one out on Friday.
Exactly the same operation as me. Are you having a Lymph node biopsy as well?
My recovery has been very good so far. I did have the advantage, of having some idea what breast
surgery was like, as I had 2 reconstructions 10 years before. But this time the psychological bit is entirely different and I wonāt lie, this did hurt more. I was constantly asking for pain relief when I came around in the recovery area. I also kept it topped up during the night.
now it just feels a little swollen and I have the feeling that I need to breast feed! I donāt know if you have ever breast fed but thatās how it feels, when youāre full and you need to feed your baby! ?. Obviously this will settle down.
My consultant is very pleased with my progress and Iām sure yours will run very smoothly, you will do fantastic and it will be over in no time. Any questions you want to know about my surgery just ask xxx Alex xx
Hi JacqB
I am having surgery on Friday.Ā A wide margin excision and removal of some lymph nodes. On the morningĀ of surgery I have to have a wire marker inserted and later radioactive material injected to show sentinel glands.Ā day case hopefully.
I am very worried about pain both in the morning and after the surgery.
I hope your surgery has gone well today.Ā Huigs for you x
Hi Cas21
All best wishes for your surgery on Friday. I had pretty much the same as you including the wire guide and found that pain was not a problem. Donāt worry too much, hospitals are great at pain relief if you need it but you may well not ?
Keep us updated on your recovery.
Jacq x
@Linda17
I know exactly what you mean, we pull it all together for a while and people say how well we are doIng, they donāt see the effort it takes and the tiredness after. But I do find itās worth it to get up, get dressed and get out for a taste of normality.
@MrsLet gravel graze is such a good description of how my arm feels, Iāve also got a big swelling under my armpit scar, a seroma I think. I see the surgeon on Thursday so am hoping all is ok.
Stay strong ladies ?
Hi All, especially helenann as we are having surgery on the same day, although Iām not having an immediate reconstruction.
Iām getting really nervous now, but just want this week over. Going in to work is probably the best thing for me to be doing as I think Iād go crazy at home on my own, but Iāve had enough now and canāt wait until 5pm on Friday.
I hope everyone else is recovering well x
Chocxie best of luck on Friday!! It canāt come quick enough. Funnily the day 2nd day before and the day before surgery I had the best two nights sleep Iād had in weeks! I hope itās same for you. This time last week I was so delighted to be having surgery as I had mine last Thursday. I canāt wait for Friday either because itās my last drain coming out and my bandages changed. Iāll be thinking of you and Helenann on Friday. Big hugs Alex
Xxx
Hi Alex, thanks for the reply. I think I 've confused you slightly though. Helenann and I are having surgery on Monday, I just canāt wait until Friday to finish work.
I slept really well last night. I did wake up around 5, but got back to sleep - never happens! Iām looking forward to getting loads of rest.
I know itās all because of the amazing Macmillan events, but Iām finding I canāt look anywhere without being reminded of cancer at the moment. I just feel like hiding for a while, I wish I could fast forward to this time next week.
Oops yep of itās Monday!! I will be thinking of you both then. Yes what a relief Friday will be.
Lots of events on and more to come as itās Breast Cancer awareness month in October. Weāre smack bang in he middle of it all having our operations around this time xxx
I forgot to add, thatās exactly what I felt like putting my life on hold and couldnāt wait for my surgery day to come. Wishing our life away whilst having cancer is crazy. Try and go for walks, read
And catch up on Tv as I really donāt feel like watching much post op. Xxx
Hi girls - thank you so much for all your support - I donāt know you but feel like I love youā¤. I donāt know if you both seen my post about mosquito bites and how worried I was about my surgery possibly being delayed- I know you did Alex- Iāve had a reply from the nurses on this site who have reassured me it should be ok as long as I donāt let any of them get Infected- so am very relieved- Iām at my sisterās place in the south of France now and she has all sorts of remedies- and the bites are looking less angry already, so hopefully should all be healed by Monday.
Getting mega anxious about op now as the day draw nearer - brain in overdrive.week ?
Wish it was this time next week.
Love you all ?xxx
Dear all
Just wondering if anyone can help or provide advice??? I was diagnosed with breast cancer in my right breast in Dec 2016. It was low grade, small and had not spread to the lymph nodes. I had wle and clearance of the margins, plus radiotherapy and Tamoxifen. I was then diagnosed with DCIS in the left breast in May 2018. After 2 rounds of surgery the margins are still not clear, so Iām opting for a mastectomy with DIEP reconstruction, but the question is whether I should go for a bilateral mastectomy? There is enough tummy tissue, and better symmetry will be achieved, and it will eliminate anxieties about breast cancer returning. But there are also risks with a longer operation, and my right breast is considered ātreatedāā¦I feel that it is tainted! Any advice would be greatly received. Best wishes to all xxx
Oh thatās great new Helenann, arenāt sisters great? Xxx
Hi Louise, welcome to us lot!! Are you saying that youāre nervous about the tissue in both breasts and you want it all gone but using tissue from your stomach?
I just had the tumours in my right breast, I had grade 2 invasive ducts carcinoma Er&Pr 8 HER 2 -. Because I had more than one tumour I had to have Mascectomy and I opted for immediate implant. I know that 2 tumours were 10mm and 13mm. I had lymph node biopsy but I wonāt have those results for another 3 weeks. But hopefully I will just be put on to Tamoxifen. I have been put forward to the Genetics team for Brca test.
My reasons for immediate implant, were, I wanted quick surgery, with quickest recovery. I have always had it instilled into me by sister whose a Dr, that you get in and get out!
I also donāt know if I will be able to take the worrying about my other breast. My cousin has just had both of her breasts removed due to tumours in both. So if I do take the Brca test - as you have to got through the psychological counselling before you take it.
Even if negative the results are negative. I think I will push for the 2nd Breast mastectomy. I suffer quite badly from anxiety, so it makes sense.
I was never pushed to leave the hospital and told I could stay 2 nights but I just wanted to get home. But I do have my sister staying with me for 2 weeks and waiting on my hand and foot.
Itās such a personal decision but I just want it out, so I can get healthy and fit again, so no cancer will be given the chance to appear!!
Hi Helenann
That must be a relief, I know exactly how you feel, I am absolutely paranoid that I will get a cold.
Good luck for Monday x
Good morning All
Had my surgery follow up appointment yesterday. It was interesting because I was not seen by my surgeon but by his colleague. I explained my feelings about my square boob and although the surgeon refused to comment on the work of a colleague, she did say that my result is unusual and that I can have revision surgery when I am ready after radiotherapy to give me a more natural shape. She also informed me that I have cancer in five of the lymph nodes removed so will need four more rounds of chemo and an urgent scan. I hate that she said urgent as Iām now fixated on that and feeling very anxious ?
I hope everyone is recovering well and send best wishes to those having surgery in the next few days.
Stay strong ladies and thank you for listening.
Jacq x
Hi all, having right mastectomy and bilateral diep on Monday 24th. Left mastectomy was july 2017, have brca2 gene. Very very nervous and worried about pain/recovery. Just hate this cancer malarkey and the damage/change it has made to my body. X
Good luck Sib. I had right mascectomy with immediate reconstruction with implant last Thursday. How did your first one go? Big
Hugs
Xx
JacqB totally agrees with Lady Bowler. When they sent me for an MRI, it was stated on my letter to my
GP, it was for an urgent scan. As Lady Bowler says, itās just standard when having BC, you become priority. But yes it did take my breathe away, a bit, when I read urgent. Though itās more comforting to know that weāre priority!! Big hugs xxx
Hello all. Was anyone having their op today?
Yippee got rid of the ball and chain last drain out. No more sleeping with a handbag! ?. I can now have a bath ?. Which Iām about to do.
BCN was delighted with my wound healing. The neatness of the large wound was excellent. Looks like itās going to be a very light scar. Just going to keep the micropore on it to keep the scar flat.
Big Hugs Alex xxx