Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi Helenann,   I'm so pleased to hear you now have a date to have your tissue expander replaced-fingers and toes are crossed for you that all goes ahead on 12th August. I had been thinking a lot lately, about tomorrow-as it was last 20th July when I had the 1st mammogram that lead to a call-back, which lead to the biopsy confirming Grade 2 Lobular. It's a year tomorrow that my ball started rolling. However, I am fine-and still letting Letrozole do it's stuff before I know what my surgery options are.    I'm going away for a long week-end on the Bank Holiday week-end...to the same place I went last year, the week after my diagnosis. I won a Winnie-The-Pooh on the boardwalk, playing one of those stupid games:) and he has been sleeping with me ever since. I suppose it's fair to say he's been giving me comfort this last year:).     Please keep us updated on the rest of your journey....sending you mucho hugs for 12th August.  xxxx     ... View more

Hi I had the TUG flap reconstruction 2 years ago and am delighted with the results.  I was a very floppy 34dd and implants alone were never an option as I’d had radiotherapy which can cause problems with implants.   I did have a lot of problems with my thigh scar getting infected and as a result my scar isn’t as near as my surgeon would have liked.  My breast from day one has looked and felt very natural and feels like part of me. It is a hard decision to make and the TUG reconstruction is a big operation and I limped for several weeks.  If your surgeon is offering implants then remember that if you really don’t get on with it you could always request a TUG at a later date.  Good luck. ... View more

Hi Bebe,    Thank you for thinking about me.  My surgery was on the 5th, long 16 hours, it all went well and I stayed in the hospital for nearly a week. Was feeling horrible for few days after, but that was down to me feeling extreme nousea for few days. I had 8 drains connected to me and the last 2 were only removed the day before discharge. On the day of the discharge I noticed some lumps in my underarm but was reassured by 3 different doctors at different times that was nothing to worry about. It was incredibly painful and kept growing and came out on the other side as well, thank God went to Gp the next day and she just looked at it and said its infected and I need antibiotics as it won't go away on its own. I end up in A&E the night I was discharged as had problems breathing, they did some additional tests and all was fine so couldn't really tell me why, but possibly becouse my body was working overtime trying to recover. It took few days but it seemed to settle now. Still taking it slow and not allowed to do pretty much anything and God I miss having a shower!!!  I had my results already, that was very strange and quick appointment and lasted only few minutes - I wish they would take their time to explain things properly and give us time to take things in. It is a good news tho as they said its all gone now. The cancer was a bit smaller than they thought and it was still grade 1, the lympnodes were clear, the dcis on the other side was much bigger than they thought but again all removed now. I assume all the margins were clear but they didn't mention it, just said its all gone now and I just need pills for the next 5 years. Don't need more checks etc but have another appointment in 3 months with them, not sure what will happen than. Don't know where I should get the  Tamoxifen from as they didn't tell me. Have big list of questions to ask them so need to call the breast nurse. To be honest I am not sure how I feel about all this, it's been such a roller-coaster of emotions, in January I was diagnosed with cancer, we are in March and apparently it is all gone now. I know I should be relieved and happy right now but I am struggling to get my head around what's happened 😔 there is moments I feel like fraud, the whole thing only lasted just over few months, and how can they be certain I don't need other treatments, they said if there is anything left behind they couldn't see the pills will deal with it, will that be enough tho, isn't there any test they can do to make sure it is definitely all gone? I have 2 small kids I can't take chances. Few days ago also a member of the family (not imidiate family) passed away. She was bateling the cancer and was told it was gone, all good, than few months later it came back and spread everywhere. It was sad news and it just put more doubts in my head. Will I ever be able to forget about it all or will it be constant fear of worrying if it comes back.... I am sorry, I don't want to be insensitive, I know that you and many other ladies go through much more and cannot wait to hear the all clear news and must think "what on earth is she on about, she should be extremely happy right now". I think I just need more time to process it all. Its only 3 months since I was diagnosed and there was no time to get to terms with anything, appointment after appointment, shock after shock, decision making without having time to process it all. Think I just need more time.... Anyway, enough about me, how are you getting on? Did you start your treatment yet? Maybe we could meet one day, once I am aloud to drive again, at that Maggies centre?   A xxx   ... View more

Hi Anna, I had DCIS 10 years ago and had a lumpectomy with radiotherapy and then routine mammogram in December picked up a new non-invasive cancer in the same breast. I had a mastectomy of my right breast with immediate skin sparing reconstruction, no lymph nodes touched and using tissue from my tummy 18 days ago and I’m doing ok. I was surprisingly calm on the day of the op and the surgeons, theatre staff and all the nursing staff gave me the best care possible. My surgeon told me on the day he would cure me which reassured me no end. Woke up with oxygen , a catheter and three drains in and didn’t get out of bed until day 3 and then they came out on day 4 and I was discharged day 5. I was kept in a single room kept at 28 degrees with a heated blanket on for the first 24 hours to help the blood flow to the newly constructed breast. On days 2 & 3 I thought what have I done as I felt like I’d been hit by a train and I was stiff and uncomfortable but then I thought well what’s a short term pain for the long term gain. My surgeon was more than pleased with how it all went and discharged on day 5. I ended up back in A&E early hours of day 6 as I had a urine infection due to the catheter but nothing that antibiotics couldn’t sort out. Dressings were changed at the hospital breast clinic a couple of days later. The only thing I’m struggling a bit with at the moment is some pain in my armpit and underside of my arm where they connected the blood vessels and my BCN said it might be short term nerve damage but I’m trying to work through it with pain killers and massage. I recently obtained two heart pillows designed especially for women who have had mastectomies and are free just paying postage and packaging. Search Jens Friends on the internet as I’m finding them great to support your newly constructed breast but also for emotional support too. I have a follow up appointment in 2 weeks and then I’ll find out what or any follow up treatment is needed. They’ve have said I can have a tattoo and new nipple constructed in 12 months but to be honest I’m not that bothered.  Finally, in terms of recovery it will be a slow process and my surgeon said it would be 3-4 months to get back to full mobility and 12 months to realistically getting back to full health. Finally I have the added complication of my husband having MS with poor mobility and therefore we’ve had to pull on the support of family and friends who are only too happy to help out. My advice to you Anna is that the unknown is much more scary than what you already know. If I had to, I would make the same choice again knowing what I know. Also don’t be afraid to ask questions or to ask for help when you need it no matter how big or small.  Good luck with your operation and treatment going forward, you are strong and you’ll come through it ok. Onwards and upwards. Jan xxx   ... View more

Thank you Ann. The last few weeks were emotional rollecoster and it's just becoming more stressful, the idea of the operation lasting all day just scares me too much ☹️ still going through more tests and appointments to see if I can have the reconstruction I opted for although I am not 100% what I want at the moment, it is all just bit too much but as you advice I looked at the other parts of forum and that always helps to calm the emotions a bit xxx ... View more