"Overall positive experience, but more information needed"

The breast care staff on my initial appointment were brilliant and also at the pre op appointment. Being really worried about the whole process the staff on the day were fantastic, reassuring and gave us all time we needed. I was greeted by the surgeon before I went in and the staff on the op theatre were approachable and again talked me through everything.

The only negative was the drug instructions were given verbally and post general aesthetic. I found it difficult to remember what I had been told and that included the removal of dressings. I was able to contact the breast team who did phone on a Sunday to see how I was getting on as I am on my own.

It would have been good to have been pre warned about the swelling and the possible need for breast feeding cream to help reduce the cracking of skin and potential infection which I then picked up.

On my follow up appointment I was given a massage technique to move fluid into my lymph glands. This would have been really helpful to have had during the 2 week gap, so I could have reduced the swelling during that period.

Overall I was really happy with the service I received (but please check all monitoring pads have been removed, I realised 3 days later I had these on my back as they were irritating my skin and I had to get a neighbour in to remove them!).