Newly diagnosed dcis

Hi DaisyB

Im glad you’re feeling less emotional, I know what a rollercoaster this is!

MRI is good, my Breast Surgeon fought for it for me and it was proven to be worthwhile, and enabled better decision making about treatment options.

I have just completed my radiotherapy, due to backlogs it was 8 weeks after my last surgery. 

It is so good you’re getting support and advice from your BCN, I’ve found their help really good.

All the best for your surgery in October. xx

This time in 2 weeks time (unless there's not a bed free at the hospital) I'll have had my surgery . Now feeling pretty terrified, getting so close!

Took my old boobs for a nice walk/run up a big hill today, thought I'd take them on some days out now I'm off work before I say goodbye to them and get to know my "new" boobs (one of which will be my belly boob). A 26 mile mighty hike sounds like you'd manage plenty of mountains DaisyB!  Let's hope we can all manage a little stroll after a month or two.  I'm going to miss my daily time outdoors. 

Trying to get around what my body will look like/feel like post op. My consultant's letter arrived today and said he would aim to do a C/D cup (I'm currently a 32FF). My body is going to look very different. 

I took a chance today and asked my neighbour if she'd be able to hang out the occasional load of washing for me.  She seemed very happy as I told her it would bring me so much more joy than a card or flowers.. Going to make a list of practical help my friends can help with and be cheeky..

How did the radiotherapy go Karen22?  Has it affected your skin much?

Have a good weekend everyone, hope there's some happy times despite all this stress. xx

Hi Arturoartura I know the feeling of pre op anxiety. I just felt once I’d made my final decision about the surgery I calmed a bit. It’s different for all of us, and I’d been there before too.

I think it’s great you’re venturing out on walks. I walk a lot and did run a bit, hoping to start again soon.

Radiotherapy a breeze, just the travel that’s tiring. It’s bizarre that there isn’t a standard guideline to creams/gels and we all rely on each other to get information. I am now 7 days post treatment and used Flamigel RT every day since start of treatment. So far no problems, I know not out of the woods yet. 

Wishing everyone a happy weekend too. Love life and be as happy as you can xxx

Karen22 thank you. I do still find it a bit confusing the MRI happens after I've already had 2 lots of biopsies and so many mammograms I've lost count! But then I suppose until they get confirmed results that there is something there, there's no point in an MRI. 

I'm glad to hear you are finding the radiotherapy OK, how many weeks are you having to go for?

I hope my radiotherapy wait isn't as long as you've had, waiting 8 weeks must have been rubbish. It's the waiting for everything that's rubbish! In my head this will all be over by Christmas for me... but it's pushing it for me even they start the radio 4 weeks after the surgery!

Arturoartura that will be a big change for you, do they give you any chance to speak to anyone about the mental side of coping with the changes? I'm sure your old boobs are enjoying the fresh air! I love a walk but hate running!

I think writing a specific list of jobs people can help with is a good idea! I might steal it! Although to be fair I am lucky and have my mum and sister who are probably going to take over all that stuff for me (my husband, God bless him, is bound to be useless at all the housework stuff!)

Hi vik_olaf is the licap following a WLE, and is it where they remove alot of tissue, but not a mastectomy, if that makes sense? 

Do you understand why you wouldn't / wouldn't have this done? 

Thinking of you Arturoartura it's alot to feel anxious about. I like the idea of taking your old boobs out! I haven't given mine that luxury, as far as I'm concerned it needs to stay on the naughty step a bit longer 

Hi DaisyB,

I think MRI just helps them identify the area more clearly. So with mine they thought from multiple mammograms and loads of biopsies it was a sausage shape, but after the MRI they saw there was a little chipolata at right angles.  So it helped operation plans. I think they also justified MRI as my previous 2013 diagnosis wasn’t accurate from mammograms and biopsy and the area much larger, so required another operation.

As far as radiotherapy this time only 5 days Monday to Friday. Apparently same dose as I’d had over 4 weeks back in 2013. I think wait times vary throughout the UK, I was given option of going to another hospital to get treatment quicker which I did. That machine was being serviced so ended up one treatment there and rest more local to me. 

Fingers crossed for a quick MRI appointment and results for you. Did I see you’ve got an October date for your surgery? I hope your area hasn’t got a back log for radiotherapy and you get treatment finished before Christmas.

Best wishes, Karen x 

Hi Buzzz, yes the licap is following a WLE. They are removing the top left quarter of my left boob (upper left quadrant, think that's what it means!). They were originally hoping to remove less and just rearrange what's left (mammoplasty?), but because they're having to remove quite a lot of tissue, that won't work. I suppose I could choose not to have the licap, but I get the impression it would look quite weird.

I think the advantage of the licap flap is that it keeps the blood vessels in the tissue, and it doesn't affect the muscle so longer term I'll still have full movement of my arm.

The hospital I'm going to does the WLE and LiCAP flap all in one go, but I know in other places they do it as two separate procedures. It's strange how different the processes seem to be in different areas.

Hope that makes sense, it's all quite new to me, but surgery is only a couple of weeks away...

So I had a long chat with the oncology department of my insurance who thinks it should all be covered but is gathering letters etc before approving the surgery. Hopefully I’ll have my date for surgery in the next two weeks. Yesterday I didn’t cry so that was a bonus. Feeling very low today. Just in bed with my son lying beside me for cuddles and watching tv. Makes things a little better. I’m still struggling with the losing the nipples- I can’t help but think of my husband and how he will see me. Anyway just a little update and rant. 
hope everyone is having a lovely weekend 

Hi MamaH have you been on NHS until now and going private from this point? Or has it been private the whole time?  I understand why you are worried about the loss of nipples, but the macmillan reconstruction talks about prosthesis and nipple tattoos as options further down the line? So hopefully that's something you can discuss with your team.

And I'm sure your husband completely understands what's happening. Open and honest discussions are probably best, I'm sure he'll reassure you

Keep enjoying those cuddles and cry when you need to, it's OK to feel all the feelings xx