Breast Cancer Now Forum

Hi , I did try this method fo mild trunkle lymphodema ,i was treated by a specialist nurse at the local hospice ,she cut the tape to octopus shape and stuck it to my mx side to try and move the fluid to the stomoch lymph nodes ,the only time Ive ever posed topless !and it was so that after a few days we could remove the tape rest for a few days and apply them again our selves ,the nurse also showed me how to minipulate the collar bone lymph nodes .The tape did work for me ,but a good massage with e 45 works just as well ,If ever i fill up as i call it my husband massages with the cream and i also find that a good wide side bra strap also helps . lizzy ... View more

Hi Heaney 69 I had a 5 cm tumour removed ,the scar was nice and neat they went in from the side of the boob and there was no evidence of the op barring a very neat 2inch scar . good luck with the op lizzy c ... View more

Yes my results for both lumpectomy and mx were 2 weekend later lizzy ... View more

You might find a v shape pillow Wll give you the ability to sleep on your side and Also a sports bra for comfort lizzy ... View more

Hi I had a fibro that was found when I was 50 and decided to leave it it started to grow and was removed at 5 cm the surgeon led me to believe that anything over 3 cm shoul be removed . hope this helps Lizzy ... View more

Hi there, I had an emergency mx and because of the rarity of my cancer i was told that I woul have to wait for a year before I could be offered a recon so therefore I had no choice but to come away with a comfiest. I am also a 36 G so the comfy wasn't ideal as it was to light but it was only temp and I used scarves to hide lopsided ness ,If you do gofor a prosthesis make sure your breast nurse takes time to make sure you have the correct shape and size ,I appear to have pert boobs for a lady of my age ( so everyone kept telling me )and a fullness to the side so they ordered a few in for me to try over 1.5 hours later we got the best match then there is the nightmare of bras and I'm mean I still want pretty underwear ,I went to debs hams and seen a lovely lady who again took loads of time brought all sorts of bras and we found Freya fantasy perfect for me in the blue x cross sale they only work out at 20.00 each or 22.50 .so now I pop my bra on pop the boob in and sorted ,the bra holds it all in place,it will feel uncomfortable when you are hot but not unbearable . i also have a stick on boob which works well and a swim form. There are days where I think I would like the recon done my husband will support what ever I decide. But is it worth the risk of another 6 ops minimum (I would need a lot of fat filling ops to fill in the dent as I lost most of my Chet muscle ),so a free tummy tuck and free lipo and I don't think even that can persuade me ,but. T the end of the day it is your choice I hope whatever you decide that it all ill go well for you take care lizzy ... View more

Hi everyone , I think the rule is anything over 3cm shoud be removed regardless (so i was told by my surgeon)for me personally I would have a lump removed as I was unfortunate enough to have what they thought was a benign fibro removed in oct 2011 and after patholgy they found a very rare cancer hidden inside (this is a rare case )so 1 month later I lost my breast (never did like it anyway )my chest wall muscle and had level 3 clearence I think the older you get the higher the risk of breast cancer so if you have a lump maybe this highers that chances of it turning cancerouse ?? who knows .If I knew then what I know now I would have opted for the lump to come out especially as the the 5th decade is the normal sort of age for a fibro to change to my type of cancer after all a firodenoma is supposed to be a younger ladies complaint . hope this helps lizzy c ... View more

Ladies get your hubby /partner to masage the affected area with e 45 lotion it is very important to keep the area moist so that the skin dosnt crack ,if you do break the skin use an antiseptic wipe to clense it ,dont get sunburnt and use a high suncream .dont forget to do the arm excersises they dont take long I do it a couple of times a day and if doing anything repetative wear your sleeve and glove ,when in the garden wear gloves even when doing the dishes wear gloves ,dont forget that when the area is swollen its stagnent lymph fluid under the skin so if the skin breaks its a fast way for infection to travel through the body . oh almost forgot dont have hot baths and dont soak in the bath . take care lizzy c ... View more

Hi twilight , I was told that Ihad a fibro and told to just forget about it which I did ,mine started to grow and on furthur investigations they deceided to remove as it was over 3cm ,(the rule is anything over 3cm should be removed so I believe)I was 50 when mine was discovered (1.2cm )and 52 when removed( then 5cm),I was unlucky when removed they found a nasty hidden inside and ended up having an emergency mx .I think size of lump patients age etc shoud all be taken in to account when deceiding on what action should be taken ,I know if I had a bit more knowledge 5 years back I would have opted for the minor surgery at the time as opposed to the major surgery and the life change I ended up with. good luck I hope your ends up to be just benign lumps take care lizzy ... View more

Hi your surgeon will have told you what the naked eye could see ,the pathologist will tell if there was sufficent clear margins and what thoose margins are mine for example were 5cm clear margins after they had taken most of my chest wall muscle away.mine also described all the details of the type of tumour I had lizzy ... View more

Hi I had shooting pains in my breast ,my tumour grew very fast (the nature of my type of cancer ) and was pressing on nerves hence the pain . so it could just be that you lump is pressing on nerves. lizzy ... View more

lucy ,what size is yours ,trust me there is nothing to the surgery side I had 1 removed in oct 2011 5 cm in size i had it done wed 13.30 home same day a small neat scar and the odd twinge and a colourful bruise i was back at work on the monday , Its safer to have the surgery than to leave a lump inside of you (depending on your age ). lizzy ... View more

Hi I had a fibro removed in oct 2011 it was 5cm in size they did a very neat scar appox 2 inch long had it done wed lunch appox 13.30 home by 16.00 and back to work the monday just had the odd twinge and a clourful bruise , it all healed up lovely . dont worry and good luck ladies lizzy ... View more

Hi there , I had my mx nov 2011 again im a little older than you 54yrs I have come to terms with my mx ,It all takes time i think i turned the corner at my first anniversary .I was never ever happy with my left boob and was glad to see it and my cancer gone .The surgeon that did my radical mx did a wonderful job i have a very neat scar no lumps or bumps nurses etc have all commented on how neat it is for a mx scar .As for reconstruction I have now deceided not to go for it at the moment the reasons for this I am /was ample busted 34g they cant use my back muscle as i have no fat to the back they cant use an implant as i have minimal chest muscle left so that leaves my belly now there is almont enough of that UMMMM in order to do the mx i have to have a tummy tuc not a bad idea but then i would have 2 wounds i would then need lipo and several appointment to fill in my dent as i call it appox 7 to 8 infill s(so deep that i can watch my hear beat )so more wounds and anesetic i would then also need a reduction on my left breast ,there is only so much a body can take . just views from my own experience .I have a friend that had a mx 10 yrs ago went withot recon for the 10 yrs and then deceided to have it done . so who knows take care Lizzy ... View more

Hi Elliedog , I was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer after having what eveyone thought was a benign fibrodenoma removed ,when the hsytology came back and the cancer was found (my appointment was thursday) the immediatley started to move other surgery to later dates to get me in on the wednesday for emergency mx they also started to arrange for an emergency ct scan to see had it spread any where else ,i had this done the same day in the afternoon results were in next day called to the hospital friday 11am less than 24 hours after being diagnosed to be told one suspected lymph node and that i would need a bone scan ,this was done tuesday told everything looked ok straight away radical mx was performed wed lunchtime .hystology came back lymph node all clear and 5cm clear margins . so depending what they find they will and can move all goal posts to give you what you need ,By the way I in the Isle Of Man and cannot have chemo or radiotherapy they are not proven to work on the cancer I had .I Think each case is considered as to what is required at the time to assist the best course of treatment for the patient ,I havnt been appointed an onc although I know my case was dicussed with one . I wish you all the luck in the world try not to worry (Easier said than done ) and you will be supprised as to how strong you will be when once treatment ,surgery etc begins. take care lizzy ... View more

Hi I had a radical mx after being diagnosed with a very rare case of cancer (300 cases world wide ) i had my op on the 23rd nov 2011 and returned to work the start of he new year fetl very tired and would nap or just sit for a good hour at home resting i was told i could not drive and would not be insured until i could do an emergency stop with out it hurting !! you say your doctor has not seen many cancers of your sort can I ask what sort it was ? I know how you feel I feel isolated as I am up to now the only one on the books in the isle of man with my type of cancer there are some ladies that have the benign type but no one else with the malignant type !!! talk about wanting to be differant . lizzy c ... View more

Hi Alice , I was in the local post office on friday in a q when I spotted a will pack think it was 9.99 hope this helps lizzy c ... View more

hi super trouper start with some fist clenching and stretch the hand out appox 15 do it 3 or 4 times a day do some rotating of the wrist (hard to explain )hand out in front hand down twist to right all the way round to left and back to in front oneway then the other again 15 times then rest the arm and raise the wrist upward hold and release again 15 times as often as you can when walking swing the arm swim if you can all this will help i no longer wear a sleeve or glove but i know they are ther if needed and that is in 6 months good luck lizzy ... View more

hi Janice, I have a touch of trunkal lymphdema the nurse put tapes running from where my boob was down to my stomach ,and showed me how to massage the trunk and then to stimulate the collar bone lymph nodes to get them to work extra ,funny when i asked my husband to take a photo of me topless his face was a picture ,it was so the we could see how to do the tapes when they needed changing !! this with exercise ,swimming massage and creaming every day twice a day to keep the skin moist worked for me i no loger wear sleeve or my glove all day as it is all under control in fact my good arm is now bigger than my lympho arm .good luck and speak to your lymphodema nurse . lizzy ... View more

hi notvalerie sounds similar to my story diagnosed with a fibrodenoma 5yrs ago was told to leave it sudden growth had a lumpectomy and was told 99.9 % sure fibro went on holiday came back to have scar checked so i thought to be told sorry to tell you you have a very rare aggresive cancer and need an emergency mx ,the one good thing to come out of it was there was no waiting all done and dusted within 5 days ,but it is one heck of a shock . now you have to stay positive and take each day as it comes ,there will be good times and bad times but im sure once you have your treatment plan the other ladies say it is a bit easier . I dont have any treatment there is surgery and if it raises its ugly head again then there is more surgery radio thearapy dosnt work chemo dosnt work and hormone traetment dosnt work ,but i am alive and kicking and no evidence of disease for now ,so far so good take care xx lizzy ... View more