Having had preventative surgery I am wondering what screening is available, considering this does not reduce the risk completely.
I assume mammograms are out of the question with implants.
Best wishes
Jackie.
Hi Jackie,
I had my first annual mammogram after my recon - I had a DIEP with an implant. My hospital is the Norfolk & Norwich in Norwich and they were going to do mammograms on both sides but I refused to let them on the recon side - the thought of the pain made me shudder!
The lady doing them and the consultant I saw after said that it’s now routine for them to do recons even with implants though I think this is not routine for most other hospitals. They were quite happy to not do that side.
I’m now considering having risk reducing surgery on the other side as I had lobular. As you know this does not reduce the risk completely, but I’m not really sure how they continue to screen afterwards. I am seeing my consultant on 12th of September and shall ask - I’ll let you know what they say.
Best regards
Sally xx
Thanks Sally.
It is a bit of a concern isn’t it, especially as it varies from hospital to hospital. I do not think I could face a mammogram as it is still tender to touch 8 months on!
Jackie x
Mine still hurts from time to time, sometimes with shooting pains, and I’m nearly 17 months on!
Sally xx
I had tram flap recon in Dec 07 and had 2nd year check up Jan 08 (about 4 weeks post op), didn’t see cons just a dr this time, and he ordered both sides to be mammogramed, I immed questioned this and refused to have recon put into the machine until the nurse spoke with my PS. She came back and advised recon was not to be put any where near the machine and good side only.
When I had PS f.up 2 weeks later he was horrified when I told him above and took note of the dr’s name. Mind you dr was crap he didn’t even give me proper examination until I asked why he wasn’t doing as the cons did, my usual check up if feeling both sides (mast scar now recon) both arm pits, collar bone, neck and liver area due to high lymph node involvment.
Debbie
Debbie
What a horror story! Immagine the damage that would probably have happenned if your 4 week old reconstructed breast had been squashed like that. It makes me shudder at the thought. Not to mention the pain.
What have you been told will be your regular routine monitoring on your recon side? I was wondering if ultra sound scans are used instead of mamos or just physical checking by the Dr.
Jackie.
Both of mine are implants ~ ILC left breast. and don’t have mamos just a psychical examination as Debbie described. Just as an aside ~ saw my surgeon last December, new guy as my lovely original surgeon had retired, he had my (HUGE) notes in front of him and asked when I last had a mamo… I was a little confused and asked him if I had missed something ~ my BC nurse quickly told him I had had a bilateral and recon…red faces all round ~ mine in astonishment!! hopefully when I go this coming December he will have read my file…
Rosemary
Hi Jackie
I dont have ultra sound just loads of prodding and mammo on good side, get 2 very thorough onc checks per year +1 BC clinic checkup (this was the crap one this time) and at the moment still under PS so prodded by his team too.
I personally prefer the prodding, mammo and 2 x ultra sounds failed to diagnose my original lump, it was only the core biopsy that gave the true result.
Debbie
Hi again
Thank you all for your replies. The general view is that a recon breast with an implant should not be mammo’d and that followup by consultant and check ups by breast or onc consultant is the norm.
My surgery was preventative and I am soon to be discharged from the care of my breast surgeon, and I do not seem to be able to find out how and who will monitor me in the future. My GP was unable to answer me and my breast surgeon is not local and I travelled to a different health authority.
I am now feeling a little worried that if I had not had the surgery in the first place I would have been safer due to having mammos (though I know this is no guarantee) rather than now just being left. Surgery has greatly reduced my risks but not completely removed.
Thanks.
Jackie