Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi there, if you can find out what the make is and who manufactures it I would appreciate it as I did find using a pad useful in the beginning and as worse may try it again....thanks ... View more

Hi Bonny. I hope your surgery went well. I have had 2 diferent ops to get fat for my first reconstruction which shrunk after radiotherapy, to get it the same size as my second reconstruction and to 'soften' it a bit. i stayed the night of the op on both occasions and had a general aneasthetic. It is not pleasant but i have been very pleased with the result and am contemplating a third amount so the cup sizes are more a match as my bras still pucker on the first side. i found pressure garments essential and if you need advice re garments for stomach or thigh lipo just let me know. ... View more

Hi there, I found a sheepskin wonderful to sleep on for a few months after my second mastectomy/recon with lat dorsi. I got it on the internet from skyeskins. I took it into hosp as had experienced a lot of discomfort with the drains in my back rubbing against my ribs after my first mastectomy/lat dorsi recon. Oh and my daughter finds a herbal remedy called Quiet Life really good for insomnia. My friend swears by a hop pillow. Buff ... View more

This has been really useful thanks and good to know can be done without touchng the side with lymphoedema! I am thinking about acupuncture to help me with back pain which I am sure is just the result of 2 lat dorsi reconstructions and my back just not coping well without them ... pain round/under shoulder blades, across shoulders, neck, and into my arms which I think is as I tend to tense my shoulders ... i'll let you know if I eventually go for it and how it goes.... Buff ... View more

My pleasure. Has anyone else bought one of the plie bras as I am interested in how you found the sizing as i really should get a bigger one but can't be bothered with all the returns etc if i get it wrong? Buff ... View more

I liked what Val said to the students … people say we are brave to have got through all the treatment partly as they don’t think they could do it as the student said, and I think partly as they admire for the person they say it to for coming through it all and still be standing as they fear they would not fare so well. This is until ‘they’ become ‘us’ and hit something really huge and life-threatening and realise that everyone just gets on with it the best they can. We can all ‘do it’ albeit with the support from our friends, faith, family, sites such as these, medical staff etc etc but often don't realise that till challenged. ... View more

Hi there, I build up any activity that would have used my latisimus dorsi muscles had they still been on my back, as they still often think they are still back muscles and jump or get tight during such activites. They are then bound to get tired and may cause your new boobs to ache ... just a thought! Buff ... View more

My aunt who is about your mum's age had reconstruction a couple of years ago about 15 years post mastectomy ... she loves her new look and cleavage! ... View more

It's me again! Not been on for ages and surprised this still near the top. Be careful when chooosing your size with the plie top as mine is a bit too small .. i got a small and am a 32D / 34C .. am thinking of getting a larger one as trunk oedema worse. Found 2 other soft cup bras I can wear since then that don't pucker with the size difference and don't make my trunk oedema worse although would not wear them all the time: - triumph soft cup amourette - calvin klein perfectly fit soft cup. Buff ... View more

Hi Aroma I attend a lymphoedema clinic when I need to. I think it is important to get a proper diagnosis and advice and pressure garments if you require them for a specialist. I don't think regular appointments are necessary at a lymphoedema clinic once you know what you are doing as this is a long term condition and once we know what to do to manage it, just need to call for a n appointmaent when something changes or we are worried about something. From what you say I don't think you attend a lymphoedema clinic and if you think you may have lymphoedema please ask your GP or oncologist to refer you to your nearest clinic. You may need to find out where this is yourself so you can tell them!!! The Lymphoedema Support Network may be able to help you and google will lead you to the site for contact details. Good luck ... View more

Hi there, yes my hubby is a sweetheart if not a bit eccentric! I had lipo to my stomach last year with fat put into my first recon which was hardened by radio and had dent at cleavage. Could not put enough in on the first go as skin tight due to radio so did a second lipomodelling a few weeks ago. This time she took fat from my thighs. I am 7 weeks post-op now and I think my boob is still smaller than my other recon but the dent from my cleavage is much less and quite acceptable now and the boob feels much softer due to the nice fat on top. It used to feel uncomfortable if squeezed and made me cringe ..eg by doc! but ok now which is a real bonus. I needed 3 weeks off work after my lipo from stomach but took 5 weeks this time as I was in a lot of sever discomfort and I must say, pain when I walked ... I looked totally ridiculous walking for a few weeks, was VERY slow and could not go far. Am feeling fine now. You have to supply your own pressure garments and I got an all-in-one granny type of corset form M&S when stomach done which opened at the crotch (essential) and a Spanx high wasted pant. This time I struggled to get shapewear that went to my knees (my M&S shorts not long enough and my legs swelled up below them). I first of all got some pressure baselayer leggings from Wiggle but as the swelling went down I needed more pressure on my upper thigh and I found Brazilian lingerie (put those words in on google). These are totally fab and I love the plie control bermudas. I got my usual size which were horrendously tight at first but as the swelling went down are still suitable which is a good thing when you consider they cost about £26. They were comfy in hot weather too and in bed at night although I do wear cotton knickers under them as need to be on 24hrs a day for 8 weeks. hope that is of help.... Buff ... View more

Hi there Won't be seeing Eva as expect it will be her registrar but will try to assist..... I have just had my second lot of lipomodelling to a radio-hardened lat-dorsi recon which was dented and smaller than my second recon. This has significanlty softened the breast. I expect the answer to your next question is it needs to be you own tissue (My hubby asked Eva if he could donate his nipples to me, very sweet of him!?, but she said it not anoption as body would reject his tissue) - I didn't have a lot to lipiosuct but it worked ok .... I am 5ft 4 and weigh about 9 1/2 stone. Buff ... View more

Hi there A brief word re lipomodelling. I had mastectomy and LD recon in 05 followed by radiotherapy, then second mastectomy and LD recon in 06. First one was small and went hard after radio with dents so had first lipomodelling last year when took fat from stomach and injected into recon. They could not put enough fat in as radio makes skin less elastic so I knew I would need more and have just had liposuction to my thighs and fat injected into recon. I think it is a great way to get your recons looking better....it seems to even out dents, fill gaps, soften hard recon etc. I have found lipo to thighs is much more painful than to stomach but I am a weekpost op and feeling much more human and it was worth it as even though my thighs are still swollen they are flatter and my stomach is good too from last year!!! Every cloud has a silver lining! Having this has meant I did not have to have an implant...I met a lady in hosp who had had an implant removed and then this type or treatment done to even out her boobs.... I take 3 weeks off work, wear a pressure garment for 8 and massage to soften the fat up and keep skin moisturised ... and although a hassle I could do without ... it's worth it to get your bod more as you want it.... Oh, my plastic surgeon is Eva Mithoff, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow - I think she is the first to do this and my last op was videoed to train others. good luck Buff ... View more

Hi Max I had a firth mastectomy and LD recon in 2005, then the same on my left in 2006. One side at a time was one thing but my heart goes out to you having both at once. Please do call the BCC helpline as I found it most helpful to talk through all these things with trained staff who were always very knowledgeable and helpful. My recollection at 3 weeks post-op was that I felt miserable. I had a lot of fluid build up under my arm and round my back which needed to be drained off weekly for the first few weeks. This is quite normal and is part of the healing process. When you were in hospital it would be taken away through your drains but can still build up once these are out … the surgeon called it wobble and it felt like lieing on a waterbed. I wonder if this might be what is causing the swelling on one side of your back … Numbness in you back is normal and I am still numb in a large part of my back but this does not cause me any problems and I still enjoy a massage. I also have a hollows on each side of my spine where the LD muscle used to be …. The muscle is a very large one and goes from under your shoulder blades down to your pelvis/hip bone…I found sitting on hard backed chairs very uncomfortable for a long time due to the numbness/odd sensations and bony hollows … I wore a padded gilet or took an extra jumper over my shoulders to put between me and the chair. I found the triumph tri-action bra the best but needed a bigger size and also used a bra extended … a small piece of material with hooks that increases the size of the bra round your chest … la senza used to have them. Wearing a firm bra helps to soften and mould your reconstructions but you need to be as comfy as possible too. Funny you should say that about looking pregnant….i was the same after my second operation and think it may be partly due to the change in your posture now that those muscles have been moved. I started pilates recently to work on my posture. You may also feel your shoulder blades are sticking out away from your body, again due to the relocation of LD muscles but you can work on this when you feel better by rolling your shoulder back one at a time and trying to pull you shoulder blade towards you spine … this will get other muscles working to hold you shoulder blades against your ribs. This is a totally huge operation and you are bound to feel miserable just now …. It is really important to get the help you need so don’t feel bad about calling the oncology nurse, or the physio, or ward or whoever will get you help and give you support! I look back on the operations as being a bit of a nightmare but it does get better. Be good to yourself and rest! Buff ... View more

Just signed and hubby in process of dong so too....thanks. As the PM has no influence in devolved matters such a Health and thus can only influence the NHS in England, do you know of any lobbying taking place in the Scottish Parliament? ... View more

hi there i wonder if it might help to ask your GP to put on your return to work sick note that you should return on reduced hours in a phased return.....some GPs are happy to do this although won't go any further with advice to you employer. They may know where you an access a vocational rehabilitation team with an occupational therapsit who can support you in a phased return increasing your work in a graded way that helps you regain strenght and confidence. Also, perhaps you might wish to send a letter to your employer formally requesting a graded return to work, suggesting what this might be, timescales etc. I was exhausted after rads and my GP suggested I went back for half days Mon, Wed and Fri for a couple of weeks, then full M. W, F for couple of weeks before doing a 5 day week...you could point out that this would get you back to the workplace earlier as you are not fit for full-time work just now, assist you in regaining your strength and getting up to speed on any changes etc, and you would hope to be fit for fulltime work again in 4 to 6 weeks. If you are unable to do this I would suggest your GP sign you off for a few weeks more and you get in touch with your Access to Work team at your jobcentre plus who may be able to advise you as you are 'covered' by the Disability Discrimination Act. If for example they might do a phased return to work for someone else then you might feel they are discriminating against you......or, if they fail to make a reasonable adjustment for you in terms of your condition, and i think that a phased return to work is not an unreasonable thing to ask, nor is no phone calls at home until you are filly recovered, you could take out a grievance. Good luck and please do let us know how things go and what resources you find help. Buff ... View more

I too had this and struggled for info....Prof Neil Pillar, Australia has a booklet on breast lymphoedema which is very useful and sure you will get his detaisl from a serach engine....or BCC. A special pressure garment helped me but a firm bra top with a piece of foam against the swollen area to increase pressure there, not to cut off circulation though, helped night and day. Also, kinesiotape from my underarm or breast, to my groin helped drain it to lymph nodes in my groin. You can be shown the technique at the clinic then do this yourself. I found it got worse as the day went on and my range of movement in my shoulder r educed as it felt tethered by the swollen tissue. I unfortunately developed lynphoedema in my arm and hand too and really struggle with this as can't get the 25% difference in size down even now I have decent pressure garments (which took a year and many,many wasted garments to find as they all made my hand worse). I have been to two different clinics which seem ok for treating straightforward cases but when in trunk, breast or hand this is not so straightforward and i found a regional clinic which was the only one to manage to sort me out with decent pressure garments. Good luck Buff ... View more

Yup....I need to take care as have had two recons with lat dorsi and I sit at a pc for many hours a few days a week or on the phone. If I carry heavy bags or do too much gardening or changing beds etc I am in a lo of discomfort. My discomfort is around the scapula/shoulder blade but a change in posture can cause problems in different parts of the body and certainly your neck Funnily enough I had thought of going back to a mactimoney (that doesnlt look right spelling) chiropractic....very gentle and no bone cruncing so he can get me straightened out again as i am getting hip pain which again, is due to the changes in my back. Hope the treatment helps.....good idea to think about what you do everyday, how you sit etc and discuss with your osteopath so you can make changes to reduce the risk of pain returning. Also some good relaxation techniques may help you. Good luck Buff ... View more