Hi everyone,
I have just finished chemo and am having a single skin sparing mastectomy, with temporising implant, in June. Any handy hints on getting oneself mentally prepared? I am anxious, scared and all the emotions in between. Thanks in advance
Thanks Christine
Hi Penonce
Sorry to hear you are anxious, but totally understand it.
I too had neoadjuvant chemo and then I followed up with a bilateral skin sparing mastectomy, direct to implants.
It was a large surgery (took 4 hours) and I was also very anxious beforehand. I hadn't had an operation since my wisdom teeth removal as a teenager, so not knowing how I would cope with going under a general anasthetic and whether my movement would be restricted permanently at 47 years old was stressful.
Post-op, I can definitely say that chemo was the harder part and surgery was much better! Pain was well controlled by meds in hospital and I woke up from successful surgery feeling ok. I looked different (which is shocking at first and takes time to get used to), but now I am very used to my appearance and actually see positives - no cold nipples showing through my T-shirt!
Post surgery rehab has gone well and I have full movement in my arms plus quite a lot of feeling in the skin of my breasts. I still have scars, but they are slowly fading.
Definitely seek reassurance from your surgeon and BC nurse about your anxiety. All the best and feel free to ask any questions. xx
Thanks Suki, I am anxious about appearance after the operation, but you have eased my mind.
I have to have radiation as well, and hoping that it doesnt effect the implant too much! Fingers crossed
Hi Penonce , thanks for reaching out so we can help ease some of those nerves for you. As we wait for others to respond with their tips, I thought I would share some useful resources you can look at in the meantime to prepare for your upcoming surgery. Some people find that feeling 'mentally prepared' can come from a deeper understanding of the process and each step along the way which your treating team can discuss with you, as well as physically preparing things such as a hospital bag. I hope the below info helps, and please reach out again at anytime as you navigate this.
Article - Your hospital stay for breast cancer surgery
Article - Tips to be more comfortable after surgery
Forum Thread - Pre mastectomy tips please
And don't forget to ask your healthcare team to order My Care Kit to get your post-surgery comfort bra ❤️
