📣Have you experienced differences in surgical quotes? We’d love to hear from you.
We’re looking to connect with our members living in Victoria who have received one quoted fee for surgery, and then either secured or discovered a lower cost elsewhere. Your experience can help highlight why greater transparency in healthcare costs is so important. 🌿 These insights will support advocacy efforts around the need for a transparent costs register, a topic very important to us here at BCNA that we will be working towards later this year. If this sounds like you, or someone you know, please comment below "learn more" to share your experience. Every story makes a difference in creating a fairer, more informed system for all. ✨
My reconstruction turned into 4 surgeries, 9 transfusions & a cardiac arrest… I need advice
Hi everyone, I’ve been going back and forth about posting this, but I’m really hoping to connect with anyone who may have experienced something similar or can point me in the right direction. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022 and went through the full treatment journey. In September 2025, I underwent reconstruction surgery. What followed was not what I expected at all. I ended up having four surgeries, required nine blood transfusions, and ultimately had the new breast removed. To make things even more traumatic, I went into cardiac arrest when they were trying to wake me up from surgery. I was told it was due to the anaesthetic drug-but I had previously had that same drug without any complications. I can’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. I’ve since questioned whether my body was already too weak, whether the amount of blood loss and transfusions played a role, or whether something was missed or mismanaged. This whole experience has had a huge impact on me physically and emotionally, and I’m now starting to consider whether I should be looking into this further from a medical and possibly legal perspective. I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who: Has had severe complications after reconstruction or surgery Has experienced cardiac issues related to surgery or anaesthetic Has sought second opinions or independent reviews Has gone down the path of a medical negligence claim Can recommend good lawyers or specialists (especially in Victoria) I’m not looking to place blame unfairly. I just want to understand what happened and whether I should be advocating more strongly for myself. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this 💕
Breast reconstruction
Hi everyone I’m Eleni i live in Adelaide and deciding wether to have double breast reconstruction I would like to know if any of you ladies in Adelaide have had experience with Dr Lodge at the Calvary hospital in North Adelaide I have seen some of her photos and they do look good. I don’t want implants I’m leaning towards a flap reconstruction im just wondering if you are happy with her work and how much did she charge I’m still waiting for her quote( it’s been 2 months) I do have top private health cover
Breast look and feel- one real and on implant
Hi all, I’m deciding between a double or single mastectomy. I’m 48 and single and really want to conserve the look and feel of my boobs as much as possible. I was wondering if I got one with implant and left the other natural (the surgeon said he could lift it up a bit to match my implant side)- will they look similar still? And will they feel (to touch) completely different from one another? Thank you
Exchange Surgery and 4th Cancerversary 💗
Hello to everyone and Happy Easter 🐣🐇🪺. I’ve been a bit quiet on here, just focusing on life after breast cancer I guess, going back to work, trying to get healthier etc. Today I’m posting again because it’s my 4th cancersary 🎉, and I’m also 2 weeks post my third surgery since this whole ride started. This was the surgery I was most excited about though, because it was my recon surgery, i.e. bilateral exchange of expanders to implants (I’ll be posting a picture story soon in the private recon group for those interested). I had my expanders in for a record time, just shy of 4 years 🤦🏻♀️😄 (surgery kept being postponed for various reasons) so I might be able to enter the Guinness Book of Records 😅. The thing is, I’m absolutely terrified of surgery and pretty traumatised too, due to what happened after my DMX. It took a change of surgical teams 4 years ago and lots of counselling to be able to get to this state of being ready for it again. Thanks to all my hard work and my BRILLIANT specialist team, I got there, and I can’t even express how happy I am with the results 😃. My breasts now look like my original ones, albeit perkier 😏😁. They were an absolute mess from the 4 years of expanders, but my surgeon fixed my pockets perfectly and used implants that look very natural. The whole experience, despite stress from my previous trauma, was very easy and smooth sailing. I am beyond thankful and grateful to my team (Dr Eva Nagy ♥️ and Fred 💙) because without them this wouldn’t have been possible 🙏🏻🙌🏻🍀. It might seem like something so simple, but it is so important to healing as anyone going through this (all of you) will know and understand, because it means getting my body back to what it was (or to a new normal for those not choosing recon). Actually, better than what it was because I was going to the gym for a year prior, to prepare myself physically for this, and so I am stronger than I’ve been in a long time. Silver linings everywhere 😁. So now, every year on this day, I do something special for myself, as a thank you to ME for everything I’ve endured. One thing this cancer taught me is that I need to prioritise myself, because I was putting myself last before all this. Well, not anymore. It’s a work in progress for sure, but I’m now putting myself at the top of my list more and more often. My message, especially to all the newbies, is that it does get better. It gets a whole lot better. There will be a day and time when you won’t be thinking about cancer all day, every day - believe me! There will even be a day when you’ll forget you ever had it. You do get reminded again because it’s a bit of a ‘gift that keeps giving’ situation, but you find the strength again and keep moving on. It might not always seem like it and I definitely encourage venting and getting all the anger out, and asking for help when ever you need it!! However, there are lots of beautiful days as well ☺️. One more piece of advice: choose your medical team very carefully, because they will either break you or make you (speaking from experience). You are responsible for your life and wellbeing, but with the right medical team, you will have the support you need to do wonders. So, don’t rush this decision. Do research before choosing, and always seek a second or even third opinion if it doesn’t feel right. *Pictured are myself, the day after my surgery so please don’t judge me for looking so terrible, and my beautiful magician of a surgeon on the right 🌸. Lots of love and fantastic health to all 🧿🪷♥️, M Xxx
Going flat following reconstruction
Hi ladies I was diagnosed with stage 3 her2 + in 2015 with Chemo, radiation and bilateral mastectomy. At the time of my surgery the only option presented to me was reconstruction with implants which I did following expanders etc. now 4 years on I still feel very heavy in the chest and feel like the implants will never be part of me. My question is has anyone removed theirs implants and gone flat? I’d love to hear your stories and if you have any recommendations for surgeons in Sydney. Many thanks and sending lots of love
Trying to cope day to day
the past few weeks have been a true roller coaster for me. I have found in the past few days, my emotions have hit a low with crying, a sense of anger at the unknown of what lays ahead and last night was particularly bad - I told my husband that I was truly afraid that I might not survive and what if this period of time was all I had to enjoy? I have surgery next week and as much as the medical team have given positivity - there is an element of fear which comes from the fact "a bloody lump is growing in me!" I know they will cut it out but who is to say it wont come back or turn up somewhere else that is not visible? My emotions are on hyper drive and I do feel incredibly lonely even with my family doing everything in their power to support me. There is almost a "need" to be positive for them and myself but some days I am so damn tired from doing so. Illogical I know and it is ok to say "Im not doing so well today". for the first time since I was told "It is Breast Cancer" - where my response was to go into "fight mode" and literally almost pretend it was merely a bump in my life. I woke up from a sound sleep - yelling "I have Cancer!" over and over. Then broke into a hysterical bout of crying, sobbing and quietly screaming as it hit me - I have bloody awful frightening Cancer. It is not a bump in my life - this bloody thing growing in me has the capacity to change everything. Some days, I think to myself - I will beat this into submission and the power of positivity thrives but in the quiet of night - a multitude of images and emotions hit me like a ton of bricks and I end up weeping. The pain radiating from the damn lump that has grown dramatically due to its aggressive behaviour is like an endless ache and as much as I know it is "part and parcel" of the cancer - is a constant reminder that this nasty little visitor in my body has taken some of my control. I am sorry this is a long chain of thoughts. I just needed to let it out somewhere. Lois.
Sharing is caring. Thanks ladies
Hi ladies. Thank you for sharing your experiences, ups and downs. I get online and just read a few posts every now and then and it really is encouraging and gives me a good laugh at times. My surgery is in 11 days now...thank goodness, the waiting is the hardest. I'm having a bilateral mastectomy and I'm actually fine with it, especially after joining this group and reading your experiences. You are all wonderful.
