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I'm hoping to hear some people's experience with DIEP reconstruction. I have to make a decision quite soon whether to have reconstruction while having a mastectomy. I'm 33 years old, with 2 young children and I'm concerned about the risks and recovery time.

Hi everyone, I hope you’re all doing ok. I had a lumpectomy in November. Everything went well and I am progressing through treatment. Just completed 20 sessions of radiotherapy. My main problem is infections in the breast! Had a bad infection over Christmas - 6 weeks after surgery. Second infection in February during radiotherapy! And now into my third infection. Strong antibiotics each time! Finding recovery very difficult with all these infections! And I’m wondering how many more I’ll encounter! Has anyone else experience of post-op infections please? Thanks for any info.

Hi I am just wondering ,I have done 5/6 chemos (wasn’t given last as side effects were too much) had my first herceptin injection on Tuesday ,which was day after lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy . My question is can herceptin cause oral thrush? I suffered dreadfully with it during chemo and have it again now . Any advise greatly appreciated .

I am due to have a mastectomy next week, and have been given the option of a DIEP bipedicle flap reconstruction. I ride horses for my sport and hobby and it is an important part of my life. I have been advised by the plastic surgeon that my stomach muscles will be weakened by the surgery as they cut through them to perform this surgery. My concern is whether I will be strong enough to continue riding after the surgery. If I can ride, even after several months off, then this is ok. It's the long term that i'm concerned about. Unfortunately the surgeon cannot advise on this, so I was hoping that someone on this group may have had the same procedure done & that they can let me know how they are physically since. Thank you, Olivia

Hi I am a 27 year old woman. I recently found thickening on the top of my breast a few really hard tiny bumps near my arm pit swollen collar bone blue vein sticking out around nipple dip/flattening near armpit which seems more pronounced then the other side I had a small lump on the same side 4 years ago but no mammogram was done all symptoms are on the same side I have absolutely no pain or discharge My grandmother and her grand mother had breast cancer so somewhat of a family history, I went to my GP 15 days ago and they referred me to the Mater breast clinic as urgent. I know pre Covid urgent cases will be seen within two weeks and now it 4-6 . I literally feel like my world has been turned upside down. the feelings I have are totally debilitating. Does anyone know if my age will have an impact on the waiting time for me? I already am finding it extremely hard to cope with the fact it may be a 4-6 week wait. I am trying to convince myself it's nothing serious but with my collection of symptoms I just have a gut feeling. I just feel so overwhelmed right now - whatever it is could be getting worse and I am doing nothing about it.

I have been recently diagnosed with breast cancer. I have to have a mastectomy, I am thinking of having reconstruction on the same day. Has anyone done this? What was your experience?

Hi, I am 46 and was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Last Tuesday I had surgery to remove a 2 little tumours and a big cyst. They also took a sample from the lymph nodes. The breast seems to be healing well, but I find it hard to cope with the pain in the armpit. The area is still numb and swollen. The pain is going into the shoulder and sometimes down the arm. The painkillers don't do much to relieve the pain. And I am only able to sleep about 4-5 hrs before I wake up again. Any advice?

hi all, i found a lump in Dec and had a mammogram 2 weeks ago. I had a follow up appointment this morning where I had a mammogram followed by ultrasound and a lot of biopsies. they confirmed there are two lumps so took biopsies from both as well as from my lymph nodes. I was given an appointment for 10 days time to go back for results. My head is all over the place. i was asked by the dr. taking my biopsies if there was a history of breast problems in my family (there's not), she also asked if i'd recently had my vaccines, which I hadnt. I was told i could bring someone in for my results appointment. So all of that has me in a spin, or do they always tell you to bring someone even if nothing sinister? but then from reading other posts it seems that they try to prepare you if the news will be bad, which I don't think they did, or the rush appointments through - is 10 days considered rushing or is that standard? I'm not really sure what I'm looking for here, I know no one can predict my results but I also know this community will understand how I'm feeling. I'm finding myself emotionally flip flopping from "it will be fine, they didnt rush my follow up" to "they wouldnt have told me to bring someone if it wasnt bad news". Like other posts I've seen, I think the waiting will be the hardest part. If it was good news, grand, if bad news, I'd rather know now and have a plan in place. anyway thanks for reading, like I said I'm not sure what I'm looking for other than needing to write this down.

I recently finished chemotherapy prior to surgery for breast cancer. As the response to chemo wasn’t as good as expected I am now being put on a treatment called Kadcyla instead of herceptin. I’m worried about the side effects of this drug. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Hi I got diagnosed with breast cancer 8 weeks ago and had bilateral mastectomy within four weeks when I got the biopsy done before op there was no cancer in lymnodes then after operation it was in 3 of them 4th was negative I have since had to go in and get another op to remove lymnodes in left arm and get a few tested in right arm. They also had to replace one Implant as it has completely moved I am now at home 3 days afraid to move incase the implant moves again it has been an awful lot to take in in 8 weeks can someone advise me if the implant should be ok as I’m up the walls worrying and my back is killing me because I’m not standing properly due to fear of moving the implant wrong . I know it probably sounds silly but I can’t go through another operation I’ve to start chemo in 6 /8 weeks and I’m trying just to deal with this