Breast Cancer Now Forum

Silly question, i had a lumpectomy and 3 nodes removed. I was told to not shave or wax. I forgot to ask if this was only during treatment or is this long term? ... View more

I just finished radiotherapy today and thankfully my skin is perfect. In Edinburgh they gave me zerobase to use morning and night and betnivate at teatime. I always wash with QV wash anyway as I have psoriasis but they had said simple soap was what they recommend. Not one bit of bother have I had thankfully.  ... View more

Yeah it definitely sounds like a seroma and unless it is causing any problems they tend to leave it and let it re absorb. X ... View more

I was advised to use simple soap. They provided me with zero base cream to apply morning and night and also a steroid cream for tea time. I only have four to go and so far have not had one problem with my skin.  ... View more

No I don’t have to hold my breath and it’s my right side. I was under impression that breath holding was only for left side radiotherapy.  ... View more

Just started radiotherapy on Wednesday. So far so good. Just need to remember to put the creams on as instructed.  ... View more

Thanks. Yeah I’ll give it a couple of months then ease myself back in again.  ... View more

Is it getting any smaller? I think you should get referred to the tissue viability nurses for advice. They are excellent and I certainly credit them with helping me heal mines. I totally feel for you as I was at my wits end too.  ... View more

I would not hold off starting antibiotics if there is a slight chance of infection. Ibuprofen should be fine. And a few days of paracetamol should be ok as long as you don’t have liver problems just now anyway. Ideally you could change to codeine instead. If pain is manageable in ibuprofen alone just go with that until you can get pain relief reviewed but I’d say antibiotics are essential in my opinion  ... View more

I had my critical illness with Royal London. It stated on policy that cancer in situ was not covered. I chanced my arm with a claim having had grade 2 DCIS and next thing I know they paid out in full!!!! Definitely worth putting a claim in even if you don’t think your covered.  ... View more

I find the differences between hospitals amazing. When my wound broke down I was told not to let anyone pack it as the fluid needed to escape. Then when seroma stopped I was still left with the sinus which failed to heal on its own. That’s where I insisted on getting tissue viability to review it. They said that flaminol gel would work a treat on the actual wound and I swear after a week of using the gel it was half the size. The small sinus was still there. They then said to put nothing at all on it and let it close itself which I did last week and so far the wound is now fully healed. so many difference between wound healing and time scales for radiotherapy.  My radiotherapy dept said they would offer rads up to six months esp for folk with wound issues as it is an extremely common problem. My breast surgeon said the evidence is poor to back up having it done within 6-12 weeks. Other people are saying they won’t get it if they go over the 12 weeks. Such a variance in what should be all stream lined care.  ... View more

Sorry to hear that you are having to go through all of this! I had a lumpectomy on June 10th and had initially a haematoma drained ten days post op which then changed to a seroma . The wound over the next three weeks got bigger and wider. After 5 weeks the seroma stopped draining and I was having it dressed daily to let it heal from inside out as I had a 2cm sinus inside. I eventually got tissue viability to come and look at the wound after 9 weeks post op and thankfully got a wound swab sent away which showed there was infection. So between flaminol gel ( can not recommend this enough) and antibiotics my wound has finally healed so I can start my radiotherapy next week which will be twelve weeks post op.  It is so frustrating and depressing when a wound breaks down and like you could not find many reports on here which had similar experiences. I cried many night as I thought it was just me going through this. Thankfully I am seeing light at the end of tunnel again. Never thought it would happen.  ... View more

Got a call today to say that I will hopefully start radiotherapy next Wednesday. It’s been delayed a month due to wound issues. Still have a tiny area on wound not fully healed but the girl on phone said they would check me out next week. Hopefully by then it will be fully healed. Just want to get started now and get life back to normal. I am to get 15 full and 4 boosts . Nice to have others going through it too. I had my CT and planning end of July. I got the three tattoos done then too and I honestly can’t see where they are.  ... View more

Oh dorfy that’s sounds so painful. The tissue viability nurses saw my wound last week and recommended a gel called flaminal forte which I just squeeze onto cavity and put a dressing on top. It’s seems to be granulating and looks slightly smaller. Just hope it keeps going. Might be worth asking for a second opinion from tissue viability?  ... View more

Dorfy I’m sorry your having such a bad time. I totally know what u mean when you say you are ready to explode. I don’t understand how each trust works with radiotherapy as I was told that I would get it right up to six months! I’m actually at the stage now where I hope for the wound to heal so badly just to get my life back and if radiotherapy is a no go well so be it. But I’ll just wait and see.  ... View more

So sinus has returned. Result from swab taken last week shows I have wound infection. I have been telling them that for last four weeks but they kept saying my wound looked clean and only did a swab last week to shut me up! So two weeks of antibiotics start today. Here’s hoping this will help heal it!!!! I am so over this whole journey now. I’m off to Dublin for weekend and plan to enjoy it and forget about cancer and life’s stresses! ... View more

Bloody hell thats crap. Well I was told by radiotherapy centre today that they would offer it up to six months post op as wound issues is a huge problem. She told me to phone them when wound is healed. Yeah I have had this cavity going on eight weeks now. But feel it is slightly smaller this last few days. You should ask your practice nurse to refer you to tissue viability. I’m seeing them on Wednesday for advice on healing this wound. There are so much out there that can be done. I feel the same as you. The surgeons have done their bit and cut it out and not really interested in wound care yet oncology/radiotherapy not interested until wound healed. It’s so hard to stay positive.  ... View more

Small improvement in wound over weekend. Sinus seems to have disappeared but still got an open cavity. Got an ultrasound scan last week which didn’t show any collections at back of wound. Radiotherapy put off till end of month to give it a chance to heal fully. They did re assure me that they have had folk get radiotherapy up to six months post surgery so I don’t feel so stressed about the whole thing now. Hope things are improving for you ladies too?  ... View more