Thanks Jolamine - really appreciate your reply. I contacted the macmillan nurse and feel a little less worried now. I think I was overthinking it. Dressing now off and can finally see the scar . I think have been fortunate as looks like they cut me around the nipple . Sterastrips on for  another week . 
 Had a group physio appointment yesterday where they went through lymphoedema- sorry you got that. They suggested exercises and massage daily as a means of avoiding it . Said could get E45 on prescription to use .

Like you watching  my mum at the end was hard and following her journey from when she diagnosed in 2001 to when she died in 2013 has of course impacted on how I see things and my level of anxiety. 
 

Get my results in mid March.

thanks so much for your replies 

Thank you so much for your reply. Glad you are doing well . Your journey Sounds similar to me . I will get my results mid March and am hoping all will be ok. I heard that nine out of ten come back fine with my type of cancer. The marker and the magseed were I th k removed in the op. Am hoping all will be ok at the follow up and like you have been told leterozole and radiotherapy likely to follow. 
How are you getting on with leterozole ? Have heard some have had issues and the Macmillan nurse said it doesn't suit some . 
 

Hi Nims. Just a quick note to forewarn you that you may be the proud owner of a blue boob for quite some time. I had a lumpectomy and lymph nodes removed two years ago this March and my boob is still very much a fetching shade of "swimming pool" blue. It has faded a little but still blue. I have a friend who still has faint residues of blue 3 years after her op. Just thought I'd let you know.

Wishing you all the best for your results. Try not to stress, easier said than done I know. My cancer was sent to the USA for oncotyping which took 16 days to come back. If your samples are staying in this country your results may be quicker. 

Thinking of you and fingers crossed. Whatever the results remember you are stronger than you think. You will get through it, just take one day at a time - and don't forget to breathe!

All best wishes, Mog, xx

Thanks Mog recently appreciate your reply.  Had dressing taken off yesterday and all looks ok . I don't know what I was expecting . No blue boob though although boob seems to be just one giant yellow bruise at the moment .

Hopefully I am just over thinking everything and my anxiety levels I think have been off the scale. Get results in a about 5 weeks and am focusing on fact consulatant said that in nine out of ten cases there is no issue with nodes. Ie no cancer found. So fingers and toes crossed. 
 

Hi Nims,

I'm glad that you feel a little less worried now having spoken to the  Macmillan nurse. What did the say about the different tests? It must be great to be down to just sterastrips on your wound now. It is so important to keep up with your exercises post-surgery. I did mine regularly and was still unlucky. Yes, you can get an emollient prescribed on prescriptioon - there are several different types.

Do you know what type of breast cancer you have?

So far, I have found my cancer journey totally different from my mum's and I hope that you will find the same. 

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

IHi Jolamine

thanks for your reply.  What cream did you get prescribed ? E45 was suggested and Aveeno? What did you ask for ? I think with the exercises that it's easy to let them go after a few days and I haven't been as disciplined as I should be. So thanks for the prompt. When did your lymphoedema happen - and is it all along your arm or just the top. Do you get regular treatment for it ?

I have Invasive Ductal BC which I think is the most common type. I don't know what my mum had but like you said more is known now than 22 years ago when she was first diagnosed . We are about the same age when we were diagnosed .
 

BW x

Hi Nims. My oncologist prescribed me Udderly Smooth moisturiser. As the name suggests it was originally developed by a dairy farmer for use on his cows udders when they had mastitis. It's the best moisturiser I have ever used. When I started on it 2 years ago only oncologists were able to prescribe it but now my GP can do it for me. Give it a try. If you can't get it prescribed you can buy it on amazon. It comes in black and white friesan cow packaging so you can't really miss it. Hope it helps you.

Best wishes, Mog, xx

Hi Nims, 

I didn't have radiotherapy or chemo, but my skin is very dry. I have used various creams throughout the years. Like Mog, I found Udderly Smooth good. At present I am using Hydromel body wash and cream, along with QV cream. I use the Hydromol cream and ointment when my skin is especially dry and use the QV cream at other times, as it is non-creasy, non-perfumed and pleasant to use, as well as being very effective.

E45 is a lanolin base, which didn't work for me, although some people are happy with it. a lot of people on this site are recommended to use Aveeno too. I first noticed my fingers swelling up about 2 years into my treatment. Eventually, I couldn't get my rings on and I can only now wear them on my other hand. Once I started attending the Lymphoedema clinic, the nurses measured  my hand and all along my arm at 1" intervals, at every visit. They can compare them, to see whether they are better or worse. They also supply me with compression bras and compression sleeves from my fingertips to my shoulders. They have also supplied me with thicker, waffle-type sleeves to wear at night.

I started attending the clinic shortly after I discovered the swelling. At first, I attended every month, but now it is every 3 months. The staff in the clinic are marvellous, but my arms are up one visit and down the next. Wearing sleeves day and night on both hands, is not the most comfortable and it makes certain jobs quite tricky, but I try to perservere.

I was about the same age as my mum when I was diagnosed too.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx