Breast Cancer Now Forum

Update -  six days later and a haematoma developed in the breast cavity, swelled up, blood pouring from the drain wound site and I was rushed int hospital and passed out twice on the way.  Overnight in hospital, where I must have seen about 8 doctors, who all decided that it should be left alone and wait to see what happens.  In a lot of pain but rested up at home, five days later the pain and swelling had got a lot worse, so off to A&E only to be admitted and then an emergency operation to remove the haematoma.  Back home and feeling so much better, with fingers and everything crossed.   ... View more

Hello YorkshireJ,  I'm 11 days post mastectomy.  I was absolutely fine until 8 days after when I developed a large haematoma in the breast cavity.  I still had the drain in, which helped a bit, but that became blocked, the blood then seeped out of the drain wound.  I ended up in an ambulance in hospital.  Everything settled overnight and I was allowed to go home the next evening.  Lots of pain and swelling, but it will eventually disperse around my body, or so I'm told. I guess you have spoken to the bcn about the pain in your back, we often talk ourselves out of things and sometimes we overthink, so it's always best to speak to the experts, I'm sure they have been through this with many patients. Update us on here as to how you have got on.  This is such a great forum for discussing issues when you don't know what to do. Big hugs ... View more

Update - it is almost a week since my mastectomy, there are good days and not so good days, but on the whole I'm doing ok.  I do not have any pain but I do have a sensation of needles pricking the back of my upper arm?  I guess it will go eventually.  The exercises that the bcn gave me have helped enormously with good radial movement in my arm and shoulder, I do them three times a day without fail.  I still have the drain in, it is going to be removed tomorrow, most days there is between 70 and 80cl.  The District Nurses come in daily to check and change the dressings and the drain bottle when it becomes too heavy.  I have had a male nurse over the weekend and he has been so lovely, not that the ladies haven't, but this is the first time in my 70 odd years that I have been cared for by a male nurse. Take care everyone, big hugs to you all. x ... View more

Hello Dippy, I'm pleased to hear that your surgery went ok, it's always a worry and within no time it's over.  My surgery went well, three lymph nodes removed and I shall have to wait for about three weeks for the results of the biopsy for those.  The op was at 6pm and I went home, with a drain, the following lunchtime.  Still feel tired, but no pain, the drain is a pest, in terms of you can't move without it, but it's doing its job and for that it's worth putting up with. I'm sleeping for England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland at the moment, which is a novelty for me as I don't usually get more that four hours sleep, I'm making the most of this. The district nurse came in yesterday to change the dressing on the drain and to check the level in the bottle, she will call again later today. I have a friend staying with me who is a wonderful cook so I'm getting great food. She is good company and has been a boon for my morale.  It would be good to have someone to talk this through with, someone who has been through this, but I do find that this site and forum has been a great help. Keep in touch through this forum.  Thinking of you and all those others who are facing this pest that has decided to take up lodgings in our bodies without invite. Big hugs xx ... View more

Hello Dippy, well today is the day for us both to have surgery and I'm thinking of you.  Wishing you a successful and rapid recovery.  Stay positive, remember you can do this, it's another route on a road well traveled. Best wishes xx ... View more

Hello JoJamJan, I'm so sorry to hear that you are going through this.   There is always a positive to find in every difficult situation.  The fact that you are being fast tracked is in your favor, they are not leaving any stoned unturned.  The mind goes into overdrive which is natural, and the unknowing is hard to live with; as you rightly say plans go out of the window and throws everything in the air.  Hang in there, you appear to have a good team dealing with this, things have come a very long way in the treatment of cancer over recent years.  Hold on to those thoughts. Sending you big hugs and positive thoughts x ... View more

Hello Dippy, so we are both having surgery on the 11th Jan, I shall be thinking of you.  It's all so very scary, but necessary, we must do everything in our power to harness this intruder in our bodies, and remain positive.  Of course we will go down the 'what if' route of thinking, and I guess that is normal, but we must also try to be optimistic, because we, and the doctors can sometimes be wrong. I'm trying to live everyday as it comes, I take the hormone pills (I don't even like taking a headache pill normally), keep myself busy, go for a walk when it all becomes too much, sometimes I walk two or three times a day even when it's chucking it down.  I just get out there, it makes me feel good and calms me.  I get home and feel refreshed and ready to tackle this little pest that has decided to invade my body. Stay positive and safe.  Keep in touch on here.   ... View more

I have just received the results of my biopsy and the news was not good, I have an aggressive grade 3 cancer.  The options are to have an MRI scan to see if there are other cancerous cells in the breast, then await a date for a lumpectomy, followed by radio therapy for two weeks, and then hormone therapy for the next ten years.  There was no talk of a mastectomy. I decided to go for a mastectomy and hormone therapy.  The consultant said that many women go down this route, and he gave me the option of changing my mind.  The surgery is booked for 11th January. My decision was based on 1) my age - 73 and 2) supposing they don't see all the possible cancerous cells in the MRI,  I'm then left with going through all this again.  I also felt that the MRI would not show up pre-cancerous cells. This is obviously not something anyone wants to face, but I'm remaining optimistic albeit dreading the surgery and recovery. ... View more