has anybody had an own tissue reconstruction at the Royal Free Hospital? I am waiting to see a consultant plastic surgeon there, having only seen the registrar on his first day in post.
Has anyone had an implant at UCLH? If so did they follow up OK?
My care is based at UCLH and the delays are getting me down I waited almost a month for an MRI. On the advice of BCC phone line I am about to become a more demanding patient. Two months post diagnosis of DCIS then changed to invasive post MRI then probably back to DCIS on another opinion of MRI and no date in site for my Mx.
Hi Jennie - I’m having my reconstruction done at the Royal Free, but with an implant, not with my own tissue. Was offered a DIEP flap there but decided against it. I also have my care at UCLH (was diagnosed Spring last year - and had my original treatment at a different hospital). Don’t think we can go into specifics in the open forum, but my experience of both UCLH and the Royal Free have been pretty good. Happy to chat on PM if you think it would help.
Hi, I had all my scans & was diagnosed at the Royal Free then had my mx done privately by the same surgeon I saw at The RFH. I think my surgeon is a breast surgeon and a plastic surgeon so he’ll be doing my reconstruction (which will prob be around April after I’ve had radiotherapy). I know some women have one surgeon for their mx and another for their reconstruction. Nice to know there are others on this forum from a similar part of London to me! I’m from NW2 but the RFH is my nearest hospital.
My surgeon said I had to finish chemo and radiotherapy before having my reconstruction as radio can make the reconstructed breast harden and become misshapen - so I’m having to cope with just one boob which can be disheartening at times.
I hope you get your MRI soon (maybe ask for it at the RFH?) and that your plastic surgery appt comes through really quickly.
Jennie - if you want to send a PM (Private Message) to Greenleaf, just click on her name to the left of her posting. It’ ll bring up her a box to click on for you to send her an email so you can chat about specifics and surgeon names without it appearing on the forum. The forum moderators don’t like names of surgeons being used on line.
Hi Jennie - am attempting to send you a PM with no success.
Thanks for the how-to guide Delly, but I can’t see what to click on to send a message? If I click on the “Friends” icon it tells me I don’t have sufficient privileges :smileyhappy: Eh? Or can the mods help?
Jennie, spoke t oyou on another thread. Are you saying just a mast on Thurs wothout any recon? or have you having recon as well. If so, are you talking implant as you were put off by self tissue ? Be thinking about you flower - hope it all goes well and you are up and about soon.
Single mast is far more difficult to match up to an existing natural boob. As you’re small, like myself WAS, many surgeons like to offer trans flap recon for self tissues. Delaying recon has it’s advantages but also disadvantages - in that you could have had mast AND recon at same so getting it “all done at once and all OUT OF the WAY” quicker, maybe requiring a bit of “tweeking” later to “match up” better to your natural remaining boob. Results can often be better with immediate. But, Immediate can be affected by rads should you require following path results from op tissues removed. However, delaying gives your mind and sprit chance to deal with and recover more from the cancer aspect first with longer to research and formulate your recon decision after the physical op recovery.
I’ve been away 2 days, so am sorry for my delay as it may have swayed you another way. But it’s happening tomorrow for you now. If you get this before - you still have options to change mind afore tomorrow,Thursday, surgery wise. BUT I do NOT wish to confuse your decision furthe if you’re already resolved and happy with what’s happening 2morrow. That’s good. SOOO - I’ll just wish you well with your op and recov.
Please keep us up to date with how you are, mentally physically so we can do whatever poss to help ease things for you. Yeh?? Hope you have loadsa support family, friends wise - do you ?
How are you doing? and did you decide to just go with a mastectomy? giving yourself longer to consider your recon options - if at all. Hope you’re recovering well without too much discomfort. Do your exercises like your life depended on it - seriously. At least 3-4 x a day. Makes a massive difference, your movement/mobility improves more quickly and therefore you recover more quickly.
When you’re feeling more up to it, let me/us know how you are. When do you expect your path results Jennie ??
Hey Jennie - That’s Grrreat news on your path results. Do you have a Breast Care Nurse ?? If so you need yo get in touch with or speak to somenone about your “cording”. Takes an awful lot of painful stretching to sort it yourself - a physio can help get it sorted much sooner/ quicker. I find it difficult to believe how things now are, treatment wise, compared to me 9 years ago. 5 days in hosp with physio coming round on day 3 to take us through exercises - not having to look it up on a website . . . . .!!
Seroma’s - had them drained three times with 1st boob. Pain aren’t they. Feel like you’ve got a tennis ball. But initially if they’re bad and bulbous, get them drained as soon as, otherwise they prevent the skin from healing onto the rib area underneath.
Please do your exercises as often as you can with a little extra gentle push/stretch each session - massively important. And the quicker you get back to your normal mobility, quicker you’re back to “normality” again ??? Welcome to BC SUCKS dot com flower !!!