Hi there maggie, so so sorry your feeling like you do, I've had total mastectomy too last July... and was dreading looking at my scar ... but I kept thinking,, if it means the cancer has been taken away, then I can live with it ... and it made it a lot more liveable with and I too have extra skin under arm, but it's the price I pay to have that nasty cancer lump taken out ... but mine has reduced over the months .. and I got an infection in scar after where it turned blueish and swelled to where it looked like my breast was growing back... had it drained twice and 're stitched (Sorry bout details) 

But kept in mind, I'm on this cancer roller coaster so got no choice but to hold on tight and go with it .. I think my age helped me, I'm 63, but 20 or so years ago, i would be in a different frame of mind ..

So hold on tight maggie, it's a bumpy ride ... but try to think, good riddance cancer, your out ... and if that spare skin is still troubling you, have a word with your oncologist and the nurses and see if they can 're do it later ... take care ... Chrissie xx 

Thank you Chrissie, my Macmillan nurse phoned today & that helped, its good to hear from someone further down line as you are, I am just so shocked at whats been done to me thank

you Maggy xx

Dear Maggy

Im so sorry to hear of your experience - Ive just posted something myself called 'Feeling Disfigured' as i feel exactly the same - Im devastated and dont feel i can get past it - i also feel guilty as there are of course people with terminal illnesses - where as this is supposedly about something more 'superficial'.

Please do read my post - & do let me know how you are now ... I had my initial mastectomy in February of this year

very best 

Krissi 

A colleague at work has had her mastectomy scar sorted out recently. She had what she called a ball of skin on her back where the flap was taken from, she doesn’t anymore. She has had her boobs evened up as well so they look the same size again. When you have your next appointment, your consultant and breast care nurse will probably talk to you about how you feel about your appearance. 

I had a lumpectomy last year and the bcn made a point of saying that even after lumpectomies, a lot of women are quite self conscious about how their breasts look post surgery. She said that if I wasn’t happy with how mine looked, there could be things that could be done to improve the appearance.

As Chriss says, you could still be swollen after the surgery and that needs time to subside and heal.