AIBU to expect reconstruction on the NHS

[Welshmaenad]

Probably v outing but never mind.

Last summer I developed a large, rapidly growing breast abscess (it was about the size of an apple under my areola). I was referred to breast clinic and sent for an ultrasound. Ultrasound operator confirmed it was a sealed abscess "full of gunk" and then decided to biopsy it despite no request from the consultant to do so. Consultant then saw me before I left, aware of biopsy. No antibiotic cover offered (have since discovered this is best practice guidelines).

Over the next few days I became very unwell, fever, rifles, vomiting, breast hugely swollen and red/sore, pus leaking from biopsy site which expanded and started going black. On gp advice I presented at a&e. Another ultrasound confirmed biopsy had ruptured abscess and contents had dispersed through my breast tissue. I was admitted.

Following day I had extensive surgery to remove necrotic tissue. The day after that I was taken back to theatre as there was more necrotic tissue, I was then isolated and informed I had necrotising fasciitis. I spent three further days in hospital, then discharged in oral antibiotics, district nurses daily to repack wound. They ended up removing g about 50% of my breast tissue. I was unable to work for four months.

Seven months in and wound us still 2" deep and being packed though I am now in work. Aftercare has not been great from the hospital side - GP surgery nurses have been fab though. Yesterday I was in clinic and saw a registrar, I asked about reconstruction (was told by surgical team at the time this would be done). He "doesn't see there will be a need for it and it looks ok". It is not ok. One breast is about 3 cup sizes smaller than the other, hangs in a sad triangle, folds itself in half if I put an underwire bra on and doesn't fill the cup, half the nipple is gone, a great puckering scar has formed. It looks like an anus. I have a boob anus.

AIBU to expect them to at least try to make it look normal? I'm being made to feel I should be grateful they saved my life. My life would not have been in danger if they hadn't burst the bloody thing. I could have it drained via needle aspiration with no surgery at all. Several people have suggested I sue for med neg. what would you do in my position?

Oh my goodness me OP how horrific. What a terrible thing to go through you poor thing

As a totally outside lay person I'd say you should absolutely be given reconstruction on the NHS

I would sue. Not least because as far as breast cancer is concerned they don’t have a great rep re quality of reconstructions.

Sue. You have been treated negligently and it's totally unacceptable!

The NHS has insurance for exactly this kind of thing. Most likely it will settle out of court and you can use the money to pay for private reconstruction.

What a horrible thing OP - I hope you get the compensation you deserve!

I'd look at sueing them.

Have you tried asking for a referral for a reconstruction via your GP. The registrar you saw would not have been a specialist in reconstruction.

sounds awful, poor you

That is bloody awful, they should be falling over themselves to help you. I would definitely take and act on mayhew's' advice.

Listen to mayhew. This is very serious. Don't accept the word of a registrar. Formal complaint in writing (attached to email is OK though) directly to the chief executive. I did this and had a phone call the next day from the hospital communications team. Don't waste time with PALS. It's designed to put people off making an actual formal complaint with soothing words, and your situation is so severe you can bypass all that.

What a surprise the doctor is a he....
it’s like anything with women’s issues I think some male doctors can be very dismissive.
Sounds very very similar to : I wet myself and have prolapse.... that’s ok everyone does after childbirth.
I really believe that if a man had an injury to his nether regions, or some kind of injury that affected his self confidence/perception of his masculinity, it would be taken far far more seriously.
Or scenario where Man wants to become a woman, they can perform surgery to make them trans women, so how on earth can’t they do this for you.
Please speak to pals. I’m sure they will back down on this.
Good luck to you

Or what previous posters have said, chief exec.

A similar thing happened to me, though nowhere near as bad. I developed a lump while breastfeeding my DD and went for a cancer check where they said they would biopsy it even though it didn't seem worrying on the ultrasound. At the time I actually questioned that, I said that I didn't think putting a hole in my breast was sensible when I was trying to feed a baby and I was totally brushed off and given no real choice in the matter. Two weeks later I still had gunk leaking from the biopsy site and when I rang the hospital for help I was basically told to get lost. Nobody seemed to have a clue what to do. It really shocked me - there was an absolute absence of knowledge around normal breast tissue, breastfeeding, what to do with a weeping biopsy site, the whole shebang. And this was from a so-called 'Breast Institute.' I was fucking livid. In the end I put in a formal complaint and got an apology from the doctor who did the biopsy. I also met with the top surgeon twatface who was incredibly arrogant and made me sit and talk to him with no top on and leaking boobs (I had to insist he get out of my way so I could get my clothes). Luckily with some extremely careful wound care, devised by myself, it cleared up but I have a very visible scar and given that it happened when my DD was tiny, and I also had a toddler and PND, it caused me a huge amount of needless grief and difficulty.

In your shoes I would sue. What they did was totally inexcusable - necrotising fasciitis is a life-threatening condition - you were lucky to survive. The fact that they are now denying you the help to recover from the damage they did is totally unacceptable.

Very sorry you've had such a tough time. You don't deserve any of this and you should fight all the way.

This is horrific.
I would seek resolution. I don’t know if I would want to be treated by them again or if I would trust them.
I would pursue it via the chief exec. My next port of call would be my MP.
You needs to decide what you want.

1. Just the reconstruction?
2. Reconstruction and compensation for loss of earnings and the trauma you’ve gone through (I certainly wouldn’t blame you).
3. The money to go elsewhere as you would have lost trust in that particular hospital?

absolutely awful.

I'd be asking to see the consultant, given that you were previously told you'd be entitled to a reconstruction. Just to add though, reconstructions are intended to make both breasts look the same when wearing a bra, not without.

I work for Nhs of course you sound like you definitely need a reconstruction they are lucky you didn’t pursue medical negligence .

I’m afraid this doesn’t surprise me. I had a completely cocked up episotomoy (vagina partially down shut) and had to push for 18 months to get surgery. They kept saying it had healed up well...well, yes, but I no longer have a vaginal opening...email to PALs in the first instance, then a formal complaint. Don’t take no for an answer. In my experience Regs are the worst for fobbing you off. They’ve grown up with Jeremy Hunt’s do as little as possible attitude and will save money wherever they can.

I’m not one for suing the NHS usually but you really have been treated appallingly. Have you put in a request for your notes that you could have reviewed by an independent party?

Just to add that unfortunately if you do go down the route of complaining or suing you may have to be very persistent - the amount of times I was fobbed off in various different ways was truly astonishing, it would have been far easier for them to just talk to me. There was one nurse who was actually helpful and supportive and I made sure to get her name and let her line manger know that the she was the only person in the whole sorry mess who I considered to have an ounce of courtesy and professionalism.

And I agree misogyny within health is rife , especially ante and post natal regarding pain control and reconstruction of breast and genitals you can be assured of these things happened to men the drugs would be developed and the surgery readily available .

Parenting something similar but not same happened to my mum in the early 70s when she had me.

after they sewed her up she went to the loo a while later and couldnt pee.

it is available when men want to be women!

I'm normally fairly anti sueing the nhs but I think I would here. Certainly sue if they refuse to do it but even if they do the surgery who knows if it Will need repeating down the line. Plus pain and time off work.

Reading that made my blood run cold. You poor, poor love, that's awful. Basically they've destroyed your breast, of course they should carry out a reconstruction. And you shouldn't have to fight for it.

@HelenaDove that’s awful! I just couldn’t believe the audacity of it - just grit your teeth and take lots of painkillers if you want to have sex. Yeah. Right. OK. I’ll get right on that...meanwhile maybe you could sort out this mess?!? It’s outrageous. On the plus side now, post op I feel like a teenager - she’s is great 😂

*sex, not she’s is 🤦‍♀️

"just grit your teeth and take lots of painkillers if you want to have sex"

JESUS WEPT misogynistic dinosaurs. that is disgusting.