scars

Hi Ania,

I think it depends on how accessible your nodes are. In my case there were some nodes pretty high up under my arm. My lumpectomy scar runs accross the top of my breast and up under my arm. One scar but it's pretty long, maybe 8-9 inches.

All the best

Kathleen

Hi Ania!

I was wondering how you got on! Glad you're out the other side!
I have two separate scars on the side of my mastectomy- one on my breast and one under my arm.

I hope that helps

Xx

Thanks Neadi and Kathleen, that does help, I just wonder why my surgeon never said there would be 2 scars, I don't like surprises and that was the last thing I needed to find after such a surgery. I am still suffering a bit from all the pain killers (tablets don't really suit me) and i feel quite ill and i have some hyper sensitivity around the wound sites and under the left arm. Did this sensitivity happen to you neadi?

Yeah, tingly, numb and pain all at the same time!!! That will settle! I keep doing the exercises. My nurse told me today that this could go on for ages as the nerve cells under our arms are damaged and those cells take the longest to renew if ever! Deadly eh???

I'm moving my arm as much as poss and I'm massaging it as much as I can......

If you're really worried ring the nurse- mine are really helpful with questions!!!!

Xx

Hi Ania
I had mastectomy and nodes out too and have the breast scar and another one under my arm.
The pain and tingling will go away but the numbness doesn't I think. I still have it 6 months after op. But I don't notice it unless i think about it.
Did you choose to go for double? I seriously wanted it in the beginning but was talked out of it.
Well done so far, great you have op over with.
Jo x

No they were originally only talking about single mastectomy, but I had seem similar signs in the other breast of early stages, so I had to talk them into doing a biopsy on the right side as well. Which was a bit of a mess cos when they confirmed cancer on the right they hadn't really taken a big enough sample because they were just doing it to humour me, so ended up repeating biopsies too many times! In the end I was going for the double because even though it was really small in the right better to get rid of the risk of reoccurance as well.
They didn't put up much of a fight then. I have expanders in now and will have these replaced by implant in a few months. Expansion starts n Monday and I am not looking forward to the pain involved, fingers crossed its not as bad as I think it will be!!!

The worst thing I find is this "cording", I had good movement in the left after the surgery but a week later couldnt straighten my left arm and still can't, it's way too tight. I do my best with the excerises but I just can't straighten it at all, and then because it's shorter I find myself using the other arm more, which is bad but it seems to be a natural reflex!!!

I found that too! I was going great guns then about two weeks into it, I had pains and tightness (thought was going backwards). It's a little better now- I kept making myself stretch and massaged the arm as best I could. Not 100% but getting there.... I find the expander a bit of a pain tho- mine hasn't been inflated yet and I've developed fluid at the top- ouch!! They won't go near it!!! My boob is inflating all by itself!!!!

Neadi, I am starting the expansion process tomorrow, I am really worried about it. I experienced really bad pain for a day when I was in hosp, they thought i might have had a clot in my lung the pain was so bad but it was just the expanders putting pressure on my lungs. I am terrified about experiencing that kind of pain again. Hopefully it won't be as bad as I think. When are you starting the expansion process?

Hi Ania!
I sent you a pm, but am meeting my plastic friend on Wednesday to have a check up so we'll see what happens then!!!

Hi Ania
I hope you are doing ok with the expansion. It sounds gruesome. I don't know why I didn't have it as I am supposed to be for reconstruction in the future.
Gosh your story about how you ended up with double mast is scary. I was really worried about my other side as the mammo , ultrasound and MRI didn't show the extent of the problem on the bad side. It was only the final pathology tests that found the whole picture. I suppose I'm still worried if truth be told. Prob why I can't sleep tonight!
Well done for being so brave and strong insisting on the biopsy.
Jo x