Hi everyone
Hi Every one,
I'm new and nervous. My name is Lou, I'm 41 and married with 3 children in the north east and I am going to the clinic next tuesday in Beaumont.
I had a breast uplift and implant in November 08 for personal reasons. I was delighted with this and it really did make an awful difference to my life as it was something I had always been very self concious about. I had this done abroad and was very happy with the level opf care received.
The implant in the left breast has always given me a bit of bother in that it seemed to settle high and was a bit harder than the other one.I was worried it may have been a thing called capsular contraction [scar tissue that squeezes and distorts the implantr and can cause pain] .I had this checked by a dr and he sad it was ok and best to leave it. He thought it was too early for capsular contarction to form as the implant had been harder a few weeks after surgery and generaly it takes time for scar tissue to build up.
But a few weeks ago I found a lump that wasn't there or that I did not notice before.There actually seems to be a lot of lumpy areas so it is hard to tell what is ne and what is not. 
I am hoping it is this implant. I am so worried as I have had pain in my scapular area in my back recently too but didn't connect the two. And new stabbing pains in the breast on occaision.
I am worried that the Dr's or radiographers might not have the expertise with implants.I'm scared they will miss something or think I'm a nutter for having gone and done this operation the first place.I'm worried because I had my surgery abroad I may not be treated here and told to go back abroad..
I was coping finewith all of this until last night and then it became really scary and overwhelming and i could not stop crying and could not sleep. Now I'm imagining every ache and pain is something dreadful as I have some pain under the breast to the left as if in the chest wall. Could be stress related...I feel my chest is going to explode with nerves and stress and I'm terrified of needles and the tests if I do need them.
Any comments or advice you can give would be great . I have read some of your stories and you are all amazing.
Thanks a milion for reading.
Hope to hear from any of you.you are in mythoughts even tho' I know none of you.
Thanks .
Lou
Comments
Hi Lou,
Just reread your post & may have jumped the gun. Have you been to your Gp regarding the lump/lumps yet? If not make an appt soon to get some reassurance and a plan which may be a mammogram as I mentioned or sometimes an MRI scan is done when implants are insitu. Either way you should get a clearer idea what is going on.
Again as I said earlier may be nothing to worry about!
A
Hi Lou
I just read your post and I think it was a great idea to come on and air your worries. I know what it's like to have your thoughts running away with you!! You've done the right thing though by making the appointment with the hospital for Tuesday, otherwise you would just worry yourself silly. I know...been there!!!For what it's worth, try not to worry til then, keep yourself busy and don't let your mind keep wandering, there's every chance you'll be checked out and it may be something really minor, you will really have to just wait and see. I think we all sound so similar in many ways on here! We always imagine every scenario (mostly the bad ones) and I think this makes you feel worse because we get so stressed!!!
Try to enjoy the weekend with your children and relax as best you can...it's what I plan on trying to do!!
Take care.
Thank you for taking the time to reply!
I have been to the Gp and he referred me immediately to the clinic and I think I'll call the secretary tomorrow to say about the implants/
Thanks for the advice and kind words.
Working all weekend 12 hour shifts so that will keep the mind busy.
Lou
thanks
Hi Lou,
That's great you have an appt soon. Sorry I missed that sentence twice in spite of reading your post twice.
I hope all goes well for you. As Summerbreeze says try and enjoy the Easter weekend, lots of chocolate and distractions to reduce the stress! May even get more snow!
A
Hi Lou,
Sorry you are having to thru this, I hope you can your mind off it and enjoy Easter with the family. Please be assured that the level of care is fantastic and I really dont think they will be the slightest bit bothered about any surgery you undertook, its all so individual. I had the silliest requests and worries and to be honest they have heard it all before so dont worry on the count. Please God its just a complication following surgery and painful as it is, it will pass. My friend had implants for personal reasons and she was surprised it was so painful so its prob just normal.
In the meantime, do try to get some rest and take painkillers, no point in being a martyr eh?
Do pop back in to let us know how you're doing.
Take care,
Celine
Hi lou.
Try not to frighten yourself too much over the next couple of days (easier said than done!)
I wouldnt worry too much about the doctors, im sure they see people who have had implants for personal reasons all the time. You are right to get it checked out. Hopefully the lumps have a simple explaination.
Let us know how you get on!
Hi Again,
Thank you everyone for taking the time to read my post and offer your thoughts . They are great . I am back to being positive today ! I'm hoping it is all to do with the implant...just worried about that niggling shoulder ache...keeps on at me.
I will keep ypu posted .
Have a lovely chocoholic easter
thanks so much again.
Lou
x
Hi Lou
I know exactly where you are the moment. . . I was there early last year and fear of the unknown is the worst part. Your surgery abroad will make NO DIFFERENCE to the way you will be treated so put that out of your mind. As for scans etc they will be used to this (once you tell them) as some people who have reconstruction following mastectomy will have implants.
Try (not bloody easy) to distract yourself till Tuesday. We are all here for you regardless of what news you here.
Evelyn
Hi Lou,
Thinking of you today. I hope your appt went as well as these appts can. Fingers crossed all will turn out ok for you.
Best Wishes
A
Hi Lou
I hope you got good news today however if things did not turn out as you would have wanted, we are all here to support you. Anything you need to know . . . there is usually someone here who has been through the same or similar.
Evelyn
Hi Girls,
First i want to say thank you all so much for all your encouragement. I have never been so nervous in all my life. Today I felt sick going to the clinic.
Had assesment by 3 dr's and Mammogram and u/s and thank goodness it does appear to have been a problem with the implant. I may well be referred to plastics
I am so grateful to you all for welcoming me at short notice and for the advice you gave to make me feel more at ease.
You are an incredible bunch of people.
I may well log on from time to time and see how you are all doin.
I wish each of you the very best from the bottom of my heart.
I can only now try to begin to know what it must feel like going thru all the tests and for the 'wrong' news to come back. The poor woman ahead of me in the Mammogram area came out bawling and at that moment i felt so sad and terrified. Her partner/ husband looked lost ...How quickly our lives can change in a blink
as Robbie Williams say in his new song...
'The morning brings a mystery.......The evening makes it History'
I feel so sad for all those of you who have gotten the 'wrong' news and I now realise the value of my life....kinda... I will start to think about it a bit more, I can assure you.
Thank you so much again... I hope every one of you gets tru this...you will all be deeply set in my thoughts for a long time to come. Thank you so much.
xx
lou
Thats great news lou, Im so pleased for you. Im so glad you arent in our club
Take care of yourself xx
Hi Lou
greastest ever news for you, I am so pleased it has turned out right for you. You can now all the way to the plastic surgeon. Always remember your blog here will help someone that finds themselves in the same situation, so well done for sharing
Best of luck with whatever you face now, and of course drop into us here.
Evelyn x x x
Hi Lou,
So pleased. Fab news! Relax now. Hope the implant problem is easily resolvable.
All the best
A
Thanks everyone!
I feel very strange today..having worried for so long and now today no worry..is this normal...nearly like a guilt thing...weird..Pleas don't get me wrong I'm thrilled that my results are good...it's just a weird feeling.
You could have knocked me over with a feather last night and i could have slept but when i went to bed I couldn't sleep and when I did after 2 hours I then had the wierdest dreams like the whole day again only messier.....Aw well all stress i guess ..
Thanks again everyone.
Lou
x
Lou I am so pleased for you What good news!! Thanks for your lovely kind words to us. Best of luck
Hi Lou,
Well thats great news, so delighted you dont have to share this with us (in a nice way!). Like you intimated in your post, maybe it is a journey that will inspire you in some way. What doesnt kill you makes you stronger eh? Anyway so thrilled for you and take care of yourself. Pop back in to see us by all means.
Celine
Hi Lou,
Try not to panic just yet. I had reconstruction with implants and all the pains you are describing can unfortunately be normal due to scar tissue and contracture. You can get various bumps as well but always best to be safe and have checked out. Having had treatment abroad should not effect your care here. When choosing where you get scanned just make sure to check they have digital mammography facilities and radiographers who are experienced in doing mammograms with implants insitu.
Hopefully all will turn out ok. Let us know how you get on.
All the best
A