Woman DENIED breast reconstruction after cancer due to funding cuts.

Billy oh how awful, I'm so glad that's behind you, and that you have seen the benefits of all that devastating surgery.

Was it worth it? abso-fucking-lutely. I have my body back, I have my confidence back. I am back to being ME!
There is nothing cosmetic about these operations, how dare you. You face it and then bloody see!

BillywilliamV

YY my friend had the operation, some difficult complications and says exactly the same as you.
Its a great when you feel that you're back!

Listen to Rowan, for she is wise. Some people just enjoy arguing and don't care about the impact it has on others.

Those of you that think the Diep flap reconstruction is just cosmetic surgery might like to face being left with just a scar where their breast used to be. Might want to consider whether having this operation is just about being pretty, or some kind of bloody vanity.
I underwent 10 hours of surgery, I have a scar across my abdomen that makes it look I have been flipped open, I have a plastic mesh in there somewhere. I have no nipple on the LHS and scarring on my RHS where it was cut to match. I have no feeling around any of the scars and I have Back pain because of the scar pulling. I was off work for a total of 8 weeks. Was it worth it? abso-fucking-lutely. I have my body back, I have my confidence back. I am back to being ME!

There is nothing cosmetic about these operations, how dare you. You face it and then bloody see!

HelenaDove

I think the title mocks men who need this treatment. It makes it seem like a frivolous operation.

The example of the woman being denied reconstructive breast surgery is awful and I suppose an example of the dire straights that the NHS is in but many women are getting this surgery so it's not like the NHS have simply decided that women don't matter.

Surgery to treat erectile dysfunction which you give an example of is also used to treat post op complications as well as diabetic neuropathy. The fact that some men have this surgery doesn't indicate that men get priority over women.

I understand why initial treatment focuses on achieving a cure but much more consideration needs to be given to the patient's quality of life after treatment. They should go hand in hand.

See my comment on page 3:

"I've seen Weetabixandshreddies derail a number of threads in this way by demanding clarifications etc
There's not much point in engaging as they rarely listen to what others have to say and demonstrate little care for women and girls."

So you can refer to prostate cancer surgery but no one else is allowed to comment, despite also whole heartedly supporting the need for better treatment for women?

An article about "bionic boners" is also ok? Despite that mocking a very important treatment for men with conditions such as diabetic neuropathy but again no one can comment?

Your bias and motivation though is clear.

I don't understand why you brought up the comparison between the treatment of men and women if you then don't want a discussion about it?

Please see my previous response to you on this thread when you asked me to help your lack of understanding on other issues:

"I am not required to manage your lack of understanding.
I have responded in good faith to both your misunderstanding of the article re NHS trusts and the reason for my posts.

If you don't understand, that's not my responsibilty."

I am not disagreeing with the research.

Men may well be asked and women not asked. That isn't right - women should be asked.

What I'm asking you is what benefit do men get by being asked?

Where I disagree with you is that men are treated better than women.

You're not disagreeing with me, you are arguing against research conducted by Associate Professor Sarah Blagden and others who are expert in the fields of Gyny Oncology.

Your bias and motivation though is clear.

Yes, you always say that.

You quote some spurious idea that you think proves that men are always treated better than women - if someone points out that actually, in this case, it isn't true you parrot this.

Simply disagreeing with you isn't. DARVO.

No point even trying to discuss with you.

Many of us have people close to us who go through these treatments, male and female. We see the devastating effects they have. Men in our lives will be affected by this. Why shouldn't we all know the truth about the effects of these treatments simply because that doesn't fit with some erroneous statement you want to make?

I don't understand why you brought up the comparison between the treatment of men and women if you then don't want a discussion about it?

Increasing numbers of women recognise attempts to control:
D Deny
A Attack
RVO Reverse Victim & Offender

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3452784-Coercive-Control-a-need-for-better-awareness

I truly don't know why you get so aggressive

R0wantrees

I truly don't know why you get so aggressive.

I am not saying that women are treated well in this respect. They aren't. Much much more needs to be done, and done better.

Where I disagree with you is that men are treated better than women.

Even if men are asked post operatively there is nothing that can be done to help them because the damage is irreparable.

They could offer less destructive treatment but it is too expensive.

What benefit do men get over women, simply by being asked the question?

To be clear, women absolutely should be asked because quality of life after treatment is of huge importance and that should apply to both sexes.

Weetabixandshreddies

I am surprised given your often flouted medical credentials that you seem unable to process information which relates to your claimed experience.

However, this is the conclusion to the study I have linked and I have highlighted the key points:

CONCLUSION:
For the majority of women, treatment for ovarian cancer negatively impacts on their sex lives. Many of the symptoms described by participants are potentially reversible and clinicians should be open to raising the issue of sexual functioning with their patients."

Also FYI I was diagnosed with gynaecological cancer and so do have considerable awareness of the issues.

But what purpose does just asking do if you have already done the damage to the patient?

Too often the focus is on treating the cancer (which absolutely is probably the most important) but little thought is given to life after cancer - this applies to women and men, as we can clearly see in this case. The patient's quality of life seems to be dismissed after treatment.

Weetabix
2015 study
'Sexual activity and functioning in ovarian cancer survivors: an internet-based evaluation.'

OBJECTIVES:
Sexual dysfunction is a known complication of treatment for many cancers, but there have been relatively few studies investigating outcomes for ovarian cancer survivors. We have previously reported that women treated for ovarian cancer experience persistent psychological and physical problems. Sexual functioning was highlighted as a significant factor and we sought to investigate this further.

RESULTS:
Across all responders (n = 102, mean age 51.3 years), 63% of women reported their ovarian cancer diagnosis had negatively changed their sex life. The most common reasons given for an absence of sexual activity were a lack of interest in sex, physical problems that prevented sex or no partner. Of the 46% of responders who stated they were sexually active, 77% reported pain or discomfort during intercourse and 87% described vaginal dryness.

CONCLUSION:
For the majority of women, treatment for ovarian cancer negatively impacts on their sex lives. Many of the symptoms described by participants are potentially reversible and clinicians should be open to raising the issue of sexual functioning with their patients."
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25029389

The point I was making was whether Drs asked about sexual function.

They rarely ask women.

There is a massive disparity in how many Drs ask men who have had treatment for prostate cancer about their sexual function after treatment and how few ask women who have been treated for gyaecological cancers.

They might ask about sexual dysfunction after surgery (once the damage has been done) but they don't offer less damaging treatments because they are far more expensive. So open prostatectomy and trans urethral resection carry risks of incontinence, impotence, virtually guaranteed retrograde ejaculation whilst cyberknife radiotherapy treatment has much lower risks of side effects but is only available in a handful of centres and requires special funding consideration.

I think this is a problem with all genito urinary and gynaecological cancers (and I worked in this specialism for many years).

Experts said demand for the devices, which allow patients to have full intercourse and climax, is being fuelled by older blokes

Dr Geoff Hackett, ex-president of the British Society for Sexual Medicine, said: “This is great news. No doctor wants to tell desperate patients to forget about having a sex life.

There is a massive disparity in how many Drs ask men who have had treatment for prostate cancer about their sexual function after treatment and how few ask women who have been treated for gyaecological cancers.