How soon after mastectomy can unusual scar be "tidied"
It is 9 weeks since my mastectomy. My scar has healed well, so far, with intermittent swelling in my armpit. My main concern is my "triple" cleavage with a fairly hard "knob" between two of the "valleys" and at the outer end another fairly pointy lump which doesn't "stretch out" when I lift my arm. Most bras, needed to manage the remaining 14DD boob, dig into the outer end of scar, which has a reasonably firm, elongated lump below, where bra bands go. I feel like I have a mini " bagpipe" in my left axilla and below. Going to see surgeon who did my 3 surgeries later this month, I just wonder if I am worrying over not much, although discomfort is a constant reminder.Predict - Breast Cancer app
I’ve just discovered an app called ‘Predict - Breast Cancer’. I may be late to the party on this one and you might all know about it but I’d like to know your opinions if you’ve used it and if you’ve discussed it with your oncologists. It strongly recommends that patients use this tool in consultation with their doctor. The app’s blurb says: “This tool applies to women who have had surgery for early invasive breast cancer and are deciding which other treatments to have.” ”Predict is a tool that helps show how breast cancer treatments after surgery might improve survival rates. Once details about the patient and their cancer have been entered, the tool will show how different treatments would be expected to improve survival rates up to 15 years after diagnosis. This is based on data from similar women in the past. It is important to note that these treatments have side effects which should also be considered when deciding on a treatment.” It claims: ”Development of the model was a collaborative project between the Cambridge Breast Unit, University of Cambridge Department of Oncology and the UK's Eastern Cancer Information and Registration Centre (ECRIC) (now part of the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service) and was supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Pfizer Limited (the company had no input into the model at all). The website has been built by the Winton Centre for Risk & Evidence Communication at the University of Cambridge who are funded by a generous donation from the David and Claudia Harding Foundation and the Winton Charitable Foundation. Predict has been endorsed by the American Joint Committee on Cancer.” This is a link to the app: https://breast.v3.predict.cam/toolInfection near incision site - anyone else?
Hi, I had a lumpectomy almost a month ago and today I noticed a wound site on my breast about 2 or 3 cm from the incision near my nipple. it appears to maybe be an infection and had to happen on a long weekend - unable to get hold of the surgical team. Went to ED and I have antibiotics, they took a swab and have set me up to get an ultrasound. I’m scheduled to have a second surgery to remove a further lump/cancerous area and finalise breast conserving surgery this week - Thursday. Has anyone else been in a similar situation at all? I guess as I have a wait to speak to my surgeon on Tuesday, I’m trying to get an idea of whether the surgery may be delayed. Each case is different I know…I guess I’ve been waiting and hoped that it would all still go ahead
Flying with a seroma
Hi peeps I have a seroma on my chest wall, following mastectomy with flat closure just over 12 months ago. The seroma has been drained multiple times but keeps coming back - the saga continues... I'll be going on a flight (for a holiday - yay!) on Saturday, and it's just occurred to me that I might have some additional pain or discomfort with the seroma due to the cabin pressure. Does anyone have experience with this? Many thanks Bec
Post surgery / cancer follow up.
Not sure where to write this one! If anyone has suggestion on where please let me know and I'll put it in there. So I have had a shockingly bad journey. TNBC. Stage 2-3 when started...so they said. Long story....Finally culminating in a Left Mastectomy. Histology shows they definitely got it all and there was NO lymph node involvement. But I can never have Chemo again. And I can't have Radium anywhere on my left side as I had to have a ICD Internal Cardiac defibrillator implanted. SO...in terms of cancers? No more treatment options for me really. And according to what they say? I have no greater chance of my cancer reoccurring than risk of cancer generally. Don't really believe this, but they got it as well as it can be done. Because of my Heart problems and Sarcoidosis. I will have another PET scan end of Feb 2026. Ordered by my Immunologist. Then hopefully if all is well? That should be it. Probably yearly visit to Cardiologist for a few years with him doing Cardiac Echo's. I have a good GP. So...I see no point in going back and seeing the Oncologist. There's nothing more the oncologist needs to do for me that I can think of. And I'm very pissed off at her. I think she was negligent and all that happened is because she was not monitoring my Chemo closely enough. I should not have gotten to where I got to and I should not have nearly died. So, I'm wondering? What is the usual post cancer follow up process? Who do people see and what tests in what time frame is done? Do you have regular PET Scans? MRIs or what? And who generally orders these tests? How often do you have follow up appts and with whom? I am wondering if I just find another Oncologist if it's the oncologist I am supposed to continue to follow up with. Anyone shed any light on this?
Heavy lifting after surgery
Hi all Im 17 days post bilateral mastectomy and recon. I have a 3 yr old and a 1 year old. My husband is doing all the lifting etc but today I forgot myself and picked up my 3 year old. I instantly remembered and went to sit down with her. Im not in any pain and nothing on the outside seems to be affected. has anyone done this and if so, what signs do I need to watch out for with messing up recovery? thank you
Preparing for DMX and DIEP Flap reconstruction
Hello and first of all I’m sorry that any of us are on this forum and going through the Sh-t Show…. I have surgery end of Jan 2026. I’m going to hire a recliner chair, I’ll purchase button up pjs and shirts. What else can I do? Does anyone have handy tips? High protein recipes that help with recovery? If you have a website of recipes that you can recommend that would be much appreciated. Is there any exercise I should be doing? With a month to go I’d like to do anything I can. Thank you all and with my kindest regards.Best Bra's post surgery
Hi. So I had a Left Mastectomy 3 weeks ago now. My breasts are DD. So it's hard to not wear a bra as my remaining boob is too big. So I have to wear something. It's been difficult as under my arm is SO sore. I didn't have lymph nodes removed. But it's just really sore right around to my back. So I've been experimenting with all the different bra's I have to see what's most comfortable. The Berlei Post mastectomy bra is okay with the pad in it...but I don't actually like wearing the pad. It feels weird and is different shape to my ordinary boob anyway. I feel self conscious. The bra without the pad in it rides up all the time on the operation side. Really annoying. And the sides are NOT wide enough. Too narrow and it cuts into where my wound is. So hurts. It probably will be better in a few months. Then I have the Amoena Frances bra. It's pretty good. But it's not really good fit. Too big on the actual boob size, but I'm sure the size smaller would be too small. But it is okay. The best seems to be plain ole Bonds Seamless Crop top. Looks similar to Amoena Becky bra. I like the the sides are wide. Cause I need to be able to pull it down and have it cover the entire scar area - not cut me on my wound line. So it's funny cause I have half a dozen Bonds Seamless crop tops anyway! I've worn them around home for years. Comfy. So this is what I have found. Anyone else found different bras that are good?
