Hi LyndaP

I had a mastectomy last year without reconstruction and it's perfectly normal for you to feel this way.  A year on, I still haven't fully come to terms with what happened and the fear of recurrence but you learn to live with it.  It takes a bit of time.

Only 3 weeks post mastectomy is no time at all.  You will still be healing and probably still have a lot of swelling and bruising.  I went through some amazing colours of bruising ranging from black, orange, green and yellow and also had orange peel skin.  I think this is due to swelling.  I still had fluid from a seroma 5 months on that showed up on ultrasound.  You can also get all sorts of lumps and bumps which is usually fat necrosis and harmless, but it doesn't half give you a scare.  Speak to your nurse with any worries straight away, they will help and reassure you.   
 

My nurse told me to massage my scar every day.  You can only do this after it's healed (check with your nurse first), but it really improves the scar, keeps it smooth, less ropey and lumpy.

It's great news that your team are so positive about outcomes.  You will worry, but try to rationalise that they know best and if they say things are good then they are!  It's a difficult time once you're nearing the end and then through treatment and they send you on your way.  You will need time to process what just happened.  A bit of counselling can help if anxiety is debilitating and you can get access to phone counselling via Macmillan.  There is also a lot of great support on here.

Wishing you all the best.

Mary 

Hi Mary

Thank you for your reply. I know deep down that this is just me processing everything now that I'm coming out the other side so to speak. I was actually fine going through the chemo, maybe too good. I knew myself that I hadn't really dealt with it just got on with it. When I'm really frightened about something I get sort of calm. It sounds strange but I just felt it was such a big thing there was no point in worrying. I've never had any type of surgery at all - I have never really had any major health issues, so healing after major surgery is new to me. I'm going to ring my Cancef nurse today. She did say she has information on surviving cancer she wants to give me and I can ring for a chat anytime. Thank you again for taking the time to respond. 
 

Lynda

Hi Lynda,

I am glad that you are recovering well post-mastectomy. As someone who has had two bouts of breast cancer within a year of each other, I underwent a lumpectomy and then a double mastectomy. It is scary when you first see your scarring, shortly after surgery and it will take about a year for the redness to go completely.

Anyone who has had a cancer diagnosis worries about recurrence, but this is something that we have to learn to live with. You will be monitored for some years post-surgery, so, if there were any re-growth, it would be found quickly. I have found the most dificult part in coping was when my monitoring and treatment stopped. Still I've been fortunate enough to still be here 13 years after my diagnosis.

It sounds as if your consultant and oncologist are happy with you so far and feel that they have got it all away. Don't let cancer spoil your life. 

Please keep in touch and let us know how you're getting on. We are always here for you.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I met with the Radiology Oncologist this week. She went through the pathology report in more detail and was very reassuring and in fact seemed to emphasise that they were doing everything to give me the best chance of not having a recurrance. I'm having four weeks of daily radiation. I go back tomorrow for preperation for that. I know I can do this last bit of the intensive treatment. I had imflammatory, triple negative breast cancer so I understand that it can be more difficult to treat. She said she has treated a lot of inflammatory breast cancer so I feel that I am in good hands. I have been very well looked after so far and I'm very grateful for that.