Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi Helen, it is really normal to feel like you do, you've been through an awful lot to get to this point I'm sure.The first one is really hard as you don't know what to expect. I found that each cycle fell into a very similar pattern , so while still pretty horrid, the SE's were generally the same and therefore not so scary.Day 4 was my weepy day and in a few days you will start to feel more like yourself. Everyone is different, but I'd say go with the flow and if you feel like a day in bed, just do it! You sound a very caring person and its natural to protect your other half but this is perhaps one of those times in your life when you can be a bit selfish and I'm sure he'll understand if you need to have a good cry. If you haven't already done so, join a chemo thread where you are all going through it together. 4 years on and I am still in contact with a wonderful group of women who supported each other through treatment on BCC forum (April 2012). It's good to be able to run things by each other and when some people are up, others might be down and offering support. And you will do it another 5 times but just remember to cross off one at a time. You will have ups and downs but you will get through it and remember to be kind to yourself. It's ok to feel c****y! All the very best, sending you a big hug  Gaynor xxx ... View more

Hi, you might have met with your surgeon and made your final decision but thought I'd post. You might want to have a look at Flat Friends which is a site set up by a lady who couldn't find any support for people who had chosen not to have reconstruction. (I had recon, something I regret to a point as I've had lots of problems but not something I can do much about now, so just get on with it. ) A lovely friend I met through BCC forum has had a double mastectomy (one elective surgery) and she is really pleased with her choice. She has modelled at the BCC fashion show and sometimes chooses to be flat, sometimes wears her prothseses ( not sure if that's spelt right!) If you have a look at the Flat Friends site you'll see an article from Sally Anne on their home page, it's worth a read, she's a very inspirational lady. Do stick to your guns if that's what you want. Good luck with what ever you decide.  Gaynor ... View more

I had abdominal seroma in Nov 14 following a hernia repair from my tram flap recon in Aug 13. I had it drained weekly for a month. I wore compression pants in line with surgeons advice, even wearing them in bed, which was particularly uncomfortable! They also gave me a bodysize piece of tubigrip to wear after the first draining. I was just wondering Molliana if something like that would help to compress your seroma as its on your back and even my big hernia pants don't stretch that far!! You could ask hospital if something like that would help. Hoping you don't have to go back again, but if you do, it does settle in time. I'm still having to wear compression pants but that's due to preventing hernia recurrence. They are becoming a way of life however as been wearing since August 13. Think my innards will fall out if I wear an ordinary pair of pants!! Xx ... View more

Hi, been for dressings appt., had some fluid aspirated, I was starting to resemble a water bed! As well as my pants , I've now got a very large piece of tubigrip on. Oh and a nipple splint to stop the new nipple collapsing ! Such a glamorous business. The incision was about 6 inches, right in the middle of my old scar. I was thinking about where you said yours was, it seems quite a distance from your Diep tummy scar and if it was an incisional hernia I would have thought it would be nearer the incision. That said, I'd never heard of an incisional hernia till I got this, so I'm certainly no expert! Just hoping for you it's a capsulated seroma. Fingers crossed it turns out to be the lesser in terms of your recovery and getting back to normal. My ps suggested I'd been doing too much exercise but told him due to having been like this since last November I had not returned to pilates etc for fear of making it worse. I walk quite a lot and fairly quickly but my running days are well and truly over. All the best, Gaynor x ... View more

Hi, my plastic surgeon did the hernia repair and put new mesh in. Like you, I feel it just goes on and on. I was diagnosed in Feb 2012 so would like it all to end now. I did have my nipple done as well last week so at least that felt like I was getting something out of the ops! I ordered some hernia pants once I was diagnosed with the hernia. They were from a company called Supportx and you can get them on the NHS. You can have up to 3 prescriptions and my gp let me have the 3. They are like shape wear pants, just a bit firmer. They come out and do a fitting so they can custom make them. My op was also cancelled the week before, I waited in the admissions lounge for 5 hours before they cancelled me. I had gone to the wire of the 18 week target to get op done so they had to do it last week. If your consultant suggests you try compression garments or binder as you are doing at the moment before he puts you on the list, ask him if it will realistically make any difference. I feel I've waited nearly a year for something that didn't get any better on its own. For the last few months I have had to wear my pants as it was uncomfortable not to. I've got some fluid build up now as didn't have a drain this time, but it is quite soft and wobbly so think it is just fluid and not something he couldn't get back in! Don't know if this helps but my belly looked a bit like a frog belly! Most of the swelling seemed below my scar but I had quite a high scar but it was also putting pressure higher up and I seemed to get pain by my new tummy button.Hope you get it sorted soon. Let me know how you get on. I've got a dressings appt on Thursday so will see incision for the first time, at this point not sure how long it is. I'll keep you posted! Gaynor x ... View more

I'm intrigued, I've never received a letter from my consultants, oncologists, plastic surgeon etc. Perhaps ignorance is bliss. It might have been interesting to see how others perceived me when going through all this crappy treatment. Interesting post x ... View more

Not sure if this will help or not. I had a tram flap recon last August and noticed that my stomach had started to bulge by November. Consultant saw more in December but said it was still settling down. In March I asked to see him again and he thought it was perhaps a hernia and should wear compression pants for 3 months. Finally on 15th July he said it was a hernia and put me on the list. I had my op last Wednesday, an incisional hernia and had come on here today to see if anyone else had experienced this. I didn't have a seroma after original op and I did everything I was supposed to do. My stomach felt quite hard and felt like I could push my insides back in. When I lay down the bulge would go but if lifted my head could see my insides push out. My recon was different from yours in that I had one half of my 'six pack ' muscle removed which does cause a weakness and can lead to a hernia. I feel I've had to wait a long time to get to this point and things did not really change from December, except only get bigger. Hope this helps. X ... View more

Hi, I've been on letrozole for 12 months now. I had flushes for 2 or 3 months and now only have the occasional one. At first joint pains in hands were dreadful and I developed trigger finger in ring finger on right hand. But after about 10 months majority of aches and pains stopped. Had cortisone injection in finger and an aching shoulder joint and all has been well since. So another positive story for those of you about to embark. Gaynor x ... View more

Just looked at the date of the guideline thread, it's sometime in 2012. I then looked at the dates of the other threads that had not had replies, highlighted in a box on the right. Why are they being highlighted when the majority are very old? I can't believe the original posters will be checking in for a reply after, in some cases , years have passed. GMT ... View more

Hi, Couldn't access the link 'summary of the guidelines for patients' when clicked on it . Could it be cos I'm using an iPad.? So can't say if would have been useful. Had my recon last week. Gaynor ... View more

I had a pedicled tram flap last week, 20/8/13 and came home on Bank holiday Monday. Since being home I've worn jogging bottoms and tshirt mainly for comfort. havent tried anything else yet but it is very early days and apart from going to hospital this morning for drain and dressing check, I'm not going very far. I've also been advised to wear compression /shape wear type pants. I bought some cheap ones from Primark, £5. They come right up to under bra line and managed to keep them on yesterday till 6 pm! I didn't wear them in hospital. A lady I met at a local reconstruction group recommended Primarks sports bras £4, soft cotton and these are really comfy. I usually have a 36 D but bought 38 D and these have been great. PS said bra should not be constricting so Genie type bras may not be a good idea as I find they can latch onto you.The pants I bought in my usual size. I took short sleeved pj's with me in hospital but wore their gowns for most of the time. It made it easy for them to get to my new boob and stomach and I left mine open most of the time as it made it easier to move in bed. Wore my pj's on day 6 when started to feel more like myself. A nightie may be better than pj's but as I say I didn't really wear much of my own stuff. All the very best for next week. Gaynor x ... View more

Done xx ... View more

Hi Jo, have had written confirmation of op on 20th August. Got pre op stuff on Tues, so it is starting to feel real! Will keep you posted on how it goes and fingers crossed yours ( and mine) go ahead as scheduled! Take care, Gaynor xx ... View more

Hi, I'm nearly a year on from my last chemo but I found my SE's followed a pattern each time. I had mine on a Thursday and my weepy days were Monday and Tuesday after I'd finished my 3 days of steroids. I clearly remember feeling very very low and generally didn't contact many people because I knew I'd be a jibbering wreck. But by the Wednesday I felt so much better, just had to keep rushing to the loo but at least this alleviated the constipation from the anti sicks. Oh it's such good fun! Dont worry, just go with the flow and while it seems along time off now, it will all be over in a few months. If you want to have a good cry then I think you are quite entitled. take care, Gaynor xxx ... View more

Hi Jo, I was a SENCO in a high school before dx Feb 2012, so know how incredibly hard you work. I know I said it in my last post but you really must take the time to get fully better. Even if your school is very good, once you are back they think you are fine. And the kids, through no fault of their own, expect you to be you once your're back! I really wasn't enjoying my job so decided to resign and hoped to have had my recon by now with a view to going back to work this Sept! Never mind, hopefully I'll find work after my recon. All the best, Gaynor xx ... View more

Hi Jube, On the work front I think schools think they're the only places which have to juggle people being off and the inconvenience it causes. Your previous ops would have been in school holidays, as you say you have to grab the slot you're given, it can't be helped. I have always worked in schools as a teacher and there is always this pressure to get things done in holidays and rush back as quickly as possible. Fingers crossed it happens on the 9th and make sure you take the time to fully recover. I've just been given my date verbally over the phone for 20th August. I'm not working at the moment but will be looking for something for January. Again consultants etc dont really understand that in education on the teaching side, there are only certain windows of opportunity where you can apply for jobs. I'd been told originally my op would be around March, then June ( these were not actual dates just possible timings) so I really hope it goes ahead as scheduled. All the very best and if I forget to post nearer the time, hopefully it's because I'm recovering from my tram flap ! Gaynor xxx ... View more

Hi, like many others hair started coming out about 14 days past first chemo (6 x FEC) and had it shaved soon after as it was so uncomfortable. Slept on my forehead for 3 days!! I lost some eyelashes and eyebrows became sparse but never lost the whole lot. 9 and a half months since last chemo, eyelashes all back but eyebrows a little patchy. On the plus side, I rarely have to shave armpits ( could be effects of rads, but only had single mx not double) only a few hairs on each armpit and forearms not as hairy! Always like to look for a silver lining in all this!! Good luck with everything, Gaynor xx ... View more

Sorry me again, it was my oncologist who sent me to rheumatologist, perhaps your mum could ask to be referred. Gaynor x ... View more