Thank you x
Hi Katie
i know exactly what you mean about the skin and how it has affected the radiotherapy planning. I was in 3x last week for them to drain my breast, although third time it was basically the nurse squeezing it for ages - can’t believe how much gunk came out. She told me to get in the shower and do it myself over the weekend, which I’ve done every morning and night, still waking up soaked - not pleasant. Going back in to see the team again tomorrow, but glad I feel so much better than last week.
I haven’t read the radio section yet as was trying to deal with one day at a time, but yes my poor boob is bruised again, sore and the skin peeling from all the pummelling and dressing changes. Will see what they say tomorrow. I just wanted it all done and dusted by Christmas so still hopeful!
Good luck with yours! Feel free to chat if you want to!
Eff
Elf
Just wanted to welcome you to the forum and to wish you all the very best for your results tomorrow.
Sending you hugs
helena xx
Hi ladies
First post - have found the forum so useful so far thank you. Thought I’d share my experience so far in case others going through it are worried. So I was diagnosed with Stage 0 Grade 2 invasive ducal carcinoma a few weeks back and had op to remove the relevant tissue and margin, plus sentinel lymph node biopsy. Felt fine after op for first few days, first week in fact then started feeling a bit poorly. Not really knowing what was normal pain, I started taking the co-codamol that I’d been prescribed, but still very uncomfortable and felt like I was getting flu. Whole body ached, shivering, then sweating you know the sort of thing. Considered whether it might be infection but breast didn’t feel any hotter than other one, and hadn’t swelled anymore. But then this monday (so 2 weeks post op) I woke up and the breast wound area was red hot and I was more like a double K than a DD 😬. So went into breast clinic and sure enough it was infected. They drained about 150ml yucky liquid off and I was put on ABs for a week, said to monitor it and come in again if worried, but as I was due in on the Friday I thought it would be ok. Anyway felt rotten rest of day and all day Tuesday, but thought well ABs need time to kick in. Yesterday (Wednesday) woke up after fitful sleep and breast had swelled right back up again and very hot, unsure of what to do I rang the breast care nurses who said come in. So glad I did, another 340ml of liquid drained off, breast like a popped balloon! The nurse said I was absolutely right to go in. So today I feel a lot more ‘normal’ so hoping the ABs and my body now having a chance to fight the infection. Back to see consultant tomorrow to see whether need more surgery, whether in sentinel lymph nodes (scans suggested not) and hopefully to plan radiotherapy sessions. He will also check infection and see if more drainage needed (which by the way doesn’t hurt at all - didn’t even feel the needle going in).
So my message is, if in doubt and you think something is not right, do ring your breast care nurses or the office to ask them what they think. Mine have all been brilliant and keep telling me they would rather I ask them and it be nothing than not to ask and it be something. I’ve not read the radiotherapy posts yet, one step at a time!
Fiona