Hi there, it’s taken me a few weeks to post on here. I’m not in denial but I’ve had a hard time getting my head around this diagnosis, still don’t know that I have. I have been diagnosed with Breast cancer from a routine mammogram, my surgery is next Tuesday. What I’d like to ask, and this may be a silly question, but my surgery is on my right breast and I sleep on my right side, would it help to support me if I put a soft pillow underneath, or should I get a V shaped pillow to help me sleep on my back? Also I have no idea what my breast will look like after, who is the best person to ask?
Sorry for the essay, but thank you xx
Hi Dusty12
Welcome to the MacMillan community. I am sorry you are facing breast cancer surgery. The answer may depend on what sort of surgery you are having. I had a wide local excision plus sentinel node biopsy. They made a single incision along the area where a bra wire would sit and then tunnelled from there into the breast for the tumour and out for the sampled lymph nodes. The wound was sealed up with glue and dressed. I slept in a sports bra for a number of weeks and had no difficulty with any sleeping positions. I know of people who have had the same surgery with 2 incisions rather than one, it may depend on tumour location. It left me with a slight dent on the side in the area where the tumour was, but the scar faded to white.
If you are having a bigger operation such as a mammoplasty or mastectomy then it’s more likely you would need to sleep on your back for a while, and drains might also be involved. I have had both my hips replaced and had to spend 6 weeks sleeping on my back after each of those. I bought a shaped pillow specifically designed to support the neck when back sleeping and that was great. I had previously experimented with v shaped pillows and found them really uncomfortable.
The best person to talk to about how the surgery will be done and what it will look like is your actual surgeon. You will probably see them on the day of surgery before you go to theatre. Before that your breast cancer nurse may be able to help.
I can see you have joined our Breast cancer forum That’s a great place to get support. I am one of the community champions there.
Macmillan Support Line - 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week between 8am-8pm
I am a Macmillan volunteer.
I have metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer, in remission
Hi Coddfish,
Thank you so much for your reply. I’m having a lumpectomy and lymph nodes removed, but I’m a terrible overthinker, and as it’s getting closer I’m becoming more anxious. I’m so sorry for what you wet through, I will ask my surgeon and the nurse, I’m not vain or anything and too old to go topless on the beach! 
but because I get anxious I’m just curious.
Thank you again xx
