Annie had a lot of skin removed due to her inflammatory breast cancer; she was advised to wait 2 years before thinking about reconstruction.

Transcript

No. In my case, in the case of inflammatory cancer, they tell us to wait at least one or two years after the radiotherapy. And in the case of inflammatory cancer, they must remove as much skin as possible because in this case, the skin is affected, which is not necessarily the case of other forms of breast cancer.

Interviewer: Do you want to have a reconstruction after one or two years or you still don’t know?

But right now, I don’t want to have the reconstruction. I found the surgery so difficult and I was told that reconstruction is an even bigger operation. So right now, I don’t have the intention to have it. However, what would, what I liked, and this was confirmed by my surgeon, if let’s say next year or in two years I am not ready, but in five years I change my mind, it will never be too late for me…

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• Reconstruction surgery – Annie
  Annie had a lot of skin removed due to her inflammatory breast cancer; she was advised to wait 2 years before thinking about reconstruction.
• Surgery – Annie
  Annie describes how she felt immediately after having a double mastectomy.
• Relating to health care professionals – Annie
  Annie expected to have to fight to be able to switch healthcare professionals but it was an easy process.
• Testing and diagnosis – Annie
  When Annie heard she needed a follow-up she underwent most testing within a day in a private clinic.
• First symptoms – Annie
  Annie, diagnosed with a rare form of inflammatory breast cancer, noticed that her breast was red, hot, painful, and swollen.
• Work and finances – Annie
  The support from colleagues does not always happen as we would like, explains Annie.
• Recurrent and metastatic (advanced) breast cancer – Annie
  It was difficult for Annie to wait for several weeks for the test results.
• Follow-up care and the risk of recurrence – Annie
  Annie had support through a Facebook group involving women in a similar situation.