Lumpectomy - NHS or private?

NHS have done a fab job for me. Same op. 

Hi Mary

I had lumpectomy and full node clearance 2 years ago. NHS treatment was fantastic my surgeon was a lovely registrar, she did a brilliant job. No issues since just some tingling and numbness from node clearance but that's normal. 

Xxx

Thank you all. The breast nurse tells me to go that way too - says they're all brilliant. Thanks for your reassurance.

I hope after this is all done I can be as positive to all our fellow sufferers who come after us on this BC journey! xxx

My NHS treatment was fantastic. I changed surgeon at the last minute which threw me a bit - they wanted me to have the operation earlier and as my surgeon was on holiday, the oncologist didn't want to wait until they were back as that would have been too long between chemo and surgery.

I went from knowing about my surgeon - who also practiced in private health care so was easy to find reviews of- to knowing nothing about my NHS surgeon, who didn't do anything private, but had been practicing for many many years.

I am delighted with the results of my lumpectomy and shouldn't have worried about which surgeon it was - they all want to do a good job and give you the best results.

Beatthebreast - Thank you so much for that.

I am swaying that way too. Everyone who has gone down that route is so happy with their outcome - and it would be lovely to feel looked after. At the moment I am scrabbling about, not in either camp, and not having a planned way forward which is causing me enormous stress! After ANOTHER sleepless night.....

Hi Mary

My treatment was all by the NHS. My surgeon also works in the private sector but I couldn't have asked for better care or outcome in their hands, despite the fact that I only met the surgeon before I went into theatre.

Also, as a patient you are within your rights to ask about the registrar and what experience they have

Best wishes x

That's very reassuring. Was yours done by a registar too?

Hi Mary

You’ll invariably find that most private docs also do NHS work anyway so there’s not the ‘real’ distinction that many think there is.  I had a lumpectomy one side and mx with SNB followed by ANC on the other side, all on the NHS and it was fine, very tidy, no significant problems and very speedy recovery.

I did develop  lymphoedema maybe 6 months after my op but that was all my fault as I didn’t look after my arm very well!  And having lymphoedema is fine btw, doesn’t interfere with my life at all.  I also had cording after my op but with massage (as recommended by physio & BCN) it went, as it often does.

Sam

You can ask the hospital how much experience the Registrar has in doing the op you are due to have. You could ask a BCN who should be able to give you an idea, if you don't want to bring this up with Consultant. Consultant would tell you too. It's a reasonable question to ask, though I must admit I had one help in my op and didn't think to ask this question, which actually is well worth asking.

I know that the consultant surgeon also had their registrar present at my surgery, obviously I don't know how much "hands on" involvement the registrar had in my op, however I did find out later that this registrar was a senior surgical doctor and training to be a breast cancer surgeon.