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Hi All Been a while since I posted. Just to let you know had my operation for reduction on Good Boob (Floppy Fiona) and exchanged my expander for an implant. I am five days post op, am black and blue and to be honest not as sore as I thought I would be - hope I am not tempting fate. I just wanted to let you know for those that maybe wondering if you should go for reconstruction or for those who have expanders but never went and got the implant how I am feeling. I am feeling fecking great about my decision. Floppy Fiona is now upright and pert (I was a size DD or E) now I would say around a D. The new implant is so much for comfortable than the expander I found the pressure on the expander very tough - this is now way more comfortable. I have to have one more operation to make the implant a bit bigger as its not as big as the other one, this will be done with liposuction from tummy and injected into boob. I will also then get the nipple and nipple tatoo. Its been a very long year - but it feels So So So So So wonderful to look down now and see that I have two boobs (albeit not perfect) YET! This has been my Cancer gift after what I have been through, two pert boobs and a smaller tummy as had to have a bit of liposuction too. I feel wonderful about it all. For those considering it I for one would say go for it. The few days being uncomfortable is so worth the results. I feel I can get on wtih things now and body wise I am in a much better place than I was pre cancer. Onwards and Upwards Lots of Love Dancer and Prancer xxx

Hiya, Im looking for help in getting more information or where to go to get tested for the Brac1 and Brac2 gene? My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 49 and passed away when she was 52...it had spread to the bone which she lived a fairly relative good quality of life until the last month or so when we found out it had gone to her liver and unfortunately nothing more could be done. She spent the 3 years going through Chemotherapy in various forms and thank god for her with little side effect apart from losing her hair and a little sickness. She was such an inspiration and showed so much courage throughout. Im 25 and Im really conscious on early detection and definitely a lot more aware of how important it is to get early detection. unfortunately my mother disclosed to us after getting diagnosed that she had noticed a lump nearly a year before getting it seen to...maybe the outcome would still have been the same but the question is always there what if?? I just want to inform myself more of getting tested..im aware that the chance woulkd still be there even if I tested negative but its something I want to look into and I cant seem to find out where I would get tested etc and does it make a difference that my mother has passed can I still get tested?? Any help would be greatly appreciated

Just taking time out of a very very busy day to wish people on this forum a happy Christmas time. I know it can be a difficult time for people but I hope everyone finds a glimmer of light in some way at this time of year. Last year I was bald, tired and so not able for Christmas. This year I've just put in a hectic day and my other half encouraged me to buy that ipad ive been so wanting for over a year now. But better late than never. I find it hard to spend money like that on myself but my other half reminded me 'I'm worth it'....and so I am. So Happy Christmas to all who have found support, advice and a listening ear on this site and wishing you happiness in 2014.

I have found over the last few months that the breast I had the surgery on is very tight. I had the lump and some lymph nodes removed in February. I find sleeping at night very difficult. I try to stay on my back but I am never successful. Every time I turn I feel like I am tearing a scab from my breast. I had an x-ray on my hip also and that came up clear. Anybody with recommendations for sleeping without pain. I have not slept right through the night as I have to wake to turn myself slowly in bed. Any suggestions?

My hair is growing back but it's really frizzy and startin to get curly. I had really straight hair before. Now I love my hair but so don't love the curls

I just want to say what a fantastic website this is. I was diagnosed a few months ago and I'm due to start chemo this week. I log on most days and read over old posts to prepare me for what lies ahead! I don't have a question as such because every query I've had someone else has queried already and people have so generously replied. So thank you to everyone to takes the time to reply, it really helps us who have been newly diagnosed. I feel a bit apprehensive but nothing near like the shock of finding out I had cancer. Those first few weeks of undergoing tests when I feared the worst we're just horrendous. I luckily I have an amazing partner and great family and friends who have helped me out and have been there for me. Hopefully with their help I will come out the other end of this and grateful to be alive.

Hi all, Happy new year to everyone and hope you're all doing well! I finally met the Radiation oncologist today and he said it was basically up to me whether I have radiation or not. I told him I'd think about it and get back to him. I've finished my AC treatment but still have 12 taxol to do. I was also given the option of whether I wanted to have taxol or not. The reason being that all my nodes were negative. I decided to go ahead with the taxol as I'd rather be over-treated than under-treated and I was also told that the most recent recommendation from the US was to have it if you're young and that it should reduce the chances of re-occurrence by 1-2%. However, I'm not sure if I also want to have radiation if I'm not being told that I really NEED it. The RO said that one of the tumours was very close to the skeletal muscle and wouldn't have had the 5mm margin on one side but that he couldn't say radiation would be of any benefit to me or increase my survival rate etc. The only possible benefit is a small unquantifiable reduction in the chance of re-occurrence.....so what would you do? On one side I can't wait for treatment to be finished but on the other I want to do everything possible to reduce the chance of this coming back! Thanks Pamela

Hi Everyone In 2010 I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I was 36, and had a mastectomy, chemo, herceptin, radiation and tamoxofen. I had reconstruction on the mastectomy side and I am now waiting to have my real boob reduced to match my reconstructed boob. I am having this done in the Mater hospital in Dublin. I am on the waiting list now 9 months and would love to know how long were other people waiting to have this done as I will have to wait another 6 months after having this done to have my nipple reconstruction done and I would love at this stage to get my reconstruction sorted and completed. Would love to hear from others

3 months after the end of RT, I am finding my armpit tight(ish) and sore when I stretch it in the last couple of weeks. I had my check up with surgeon on Monday, and he said it's normal reaction after RT, and was generally happy that all was OK. I asked should I exercise it, he said no need it will pass, I said should I NOT exercise it to avoid aggravation, he said no do as normal. I also asked whether massaging would help, and he was ho hum noncommittal. Generally, as far as he's concerned, all's well, so what am I bothered for... Anyway, just wondering whether others here have experience this, and what they might have done to help matters? I must say it is not debilitating, just tight and tender when I stretch, which I feel in the gym, and am concerned I might aggravate. TIA! Catherine

Is it enough to attend for the yearly mammo and to go for the follow up appointment a month or two later.. in other words would I need to continue to see my onc. I was on Herceptin and also only stage 1.