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Hi there. Saw my plastic surgeon again this week. It appears I have not enough fat on my tummy for the DIEP flap recon I was looking for (He says it looks like a tummy because I have lazy muscles!!) So have agreed to have the (double) recon done with flaps from my thighs. Has anyone had this procedure? any helpful hints on what to expect as I prepare for it? Karen

Hi Ladies Had mastectomy last September right hand side and am due to have left mastectomy next month. Anyone in this situation not have Reconstruction done? Thanks Dane

Ladies, I desperately need your advice cos no one else understands!! I am 12 months into my cancer treatment, had chemo, surgery, rads and tamoxifen and I have just had enough! I'm done. I have had severe reactions consistently throughout my treatment and because I was so young I was just told I was stressed out. During chemo at varying stages I lost the ability to speak and walk, my head has been melted from all the drugs and I am just not able to make decisions, or be independent essentially, my head is just so badly fogged from everything. Anyway tamoxifen was suppose to be my last treatment, I was on it and due to severe reactions it was stopped for 6 wks and I felt great, then tried it again and only lasted 4 wks on it and my tremor came back (started with chemo but faded slowly after 6months) so it has now been stopped again. I just can't take it anymore, I seem to be really sensitive to drugs and no matter what, I suffer side effects. I just want to be normal and get back to some sort of life but I can't do that on drugs. I am going to tell my oncologist I have had enough and am refusing further treatment cos I can't take it anymore. I have had to give up my life for the last yr and am still waiting for final reconstruction in early oct but then I am off to aus to start again. As far as I am aware the tamoxifen reduces my personal risk of reoccurrence from 15% to 10% which I personally think is useless to me cos if u get cancer in ur 20's there is no way I will get a forty year free pass, if its going to come back it will and I have a tried everything to give myself the best chance but enough is enough! Ye know the pains associated with all the different medications and know that it's not easyi would like to hear your thought before I make radical decisions, any advice really appreciated!!!!

Hi Ladies So sorry have not been on for AGES!!!! last time I think I posted was when had finished final chemo. Due mascetomy on Tuesday week in Vinnies. Just wanted to let you know if any ladies are interested am having a post chemo booze up this Saturday in the Goat Grill in Goatstown will be a good crowd and having a DJ to celebrate getting this far. If any of you around and would like to come please feel free. I will be back soon to read all new posts life has been hectic! Dee XX

Did anyone else have an expander implant fitted when they had their mastectomy and then have a Diep reconstruction later? just wondering how it turned out as I was recommended to have the expander to preserve my skin, but the plastic surgeon says it might make recon more difficult and he would not have recommended it! I was reluctant to have any implant but thought it would give the best end result, now I'm not so sure! Karen

Hi ladies Just wondering if anyone has had to have their tendon seperated following Latissimus Dorsi reconstruction? It looks like this is on the cards for me. I blocked my ears when the surgeon started talking about it the other day & told her we might talk about it over a cup of tea in a few months! But of course now I'm curious and keeping true to myself, I haven't been able to see much about it on the normal, reliable websites. Anyone been through this?

Hi all Just had mastectomy following 6 cycles of chemotherapy Taxotere and Cyclophosphamide. The team have now told me I need CMF chemotherapy to sensetise before radiotherapy. Did anyone else have this? If so how many cycles were done and how many months did it take? Thanks Dane

Hi is there anyone out there with breast to bone? I'd love to talk to someone about Femara and Zometa and just generally coping with the unknown. cheers lolo

FYI everyone, looks like the results of the trial please the HSE and they will now be offering this test to see if chemo is beneficial for early stage sufferers. ------------------------------------------------ A new breast cancer test will be available to to all public patients who require it from this week onwards. The HSE National Cancer Control Programme has today approved the use of the Oncotype DX test. The test determines whether chemotherapy would be a suitable treatment for breast cancer patients. The genetics-based test means that about 30% of women who would otherwise have had chemotheraphy will be spared the toxicity and long-term side effects of the treatment. There had been speculation that the test would be deemed too expensive for the HSE to provide, however the National Cancer Control Programme has concluded that the test represents value for money and so will be available to all suitable public patients. The test is suitable for early stage breast cancer and so about 300 women in Ireland will be able to avail of it each year. ------------------------------------------------ (From RTE News website)

After a pretty shocking start to the day when hair started to go,(pubic hair coming out in bunches in the shower, big surprise)- I just wanted to let anyone in Dublin know that Roches in Kimmage are completely utterly brilliant. Tonight, I have a new wig, and I love it! I feel confident that I can face the world and work and, well just about anything. I hope no-one is going to tick me off for plugging them, but the people there could not have been more professional, kind, caring and utterly utterly experienced in getting the right style for me. (In fact it was a bit of a weird thing to learn my natural style was messy (my partner agreed), when I thought I was very neat and well groomed. But just shows, again, they read me right. I'd been in a week ago but I was too dazed from chemo to take it all in and my partner and Roches guided me, but I wasn't really all there , today I was more on the ball but by then they'd everything sorted anyway. If you have any fear of this whole hair loss thing- go. These people will just make all the fear melt away. xx Very Happy