Newly Diagnosis

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  • Decisions
    Decisions Member Posts: 9 ✭
    Hi @kezmusc @Barney74 @Afraser @Sister
    Thank you for replying.
    Surgeon was happy to do either.  Said my decision. Finally met with my GP last week (he was away when I was diagnosed). I wanted to chat to him about it. He queried my choice of double mastectomy. He feels lumpectomy and radiotherapy is best. After explaining my reasons to him he understands why. I am a very practical person and my decision is based on that. I don't want radiotherapy and I don't want the stress associated with yearly mammograms worried about it coming back. 
    I guess that just made me query my decision. It is only 15mm from my nipple. They have already said nipple sparing mastectomy isn't possible. Lumpectomy is possibly going to leave me disfigured (I am a 12b). Surgeon has said there could be an invasive but won't know till pathology done. A second lumpectomy won't be possible, I will lose the breast. If one breast goes,  so does the other in my eyes.  At least they will look the same. 
    I don't want it coming back in years to come only to lose the breast anyway. Plus the stress and anxiety of each check up. 
    I just worry my decision is excessive for 3cm intermediate DCIS. 
    Sorry to ramble.  It late and I tired. 

  • Barney74
    Barney74 Member Posts: 89 ✭
    You do whats best 
    Very hard decision 
    Lets us know on your decision if you like sending hugs 
  • Sister
    Sister Member Posts: 4,961 ✭
    It is extreme but doesn't sound excessive, if that makes sense.  I went down the path of lumpectomy and when the path report came back, I needed to have a mastectomy.  On the cosmetic side, being lop-sided means wearing a prosthetic, which I don't like, as it's quite obvious that the breast is missing and looks very odd (I'm on the small side, too).  More seriously, I'm not sure how much I can rely on the scans picking up cancer in the other breast.  It is something that I still don't feel reassured about and I don't know how I would get through another year like this one.


  • Doin'it
    Doin'it Member Posts: 377 ✭
    I had a lumpectomy but do wonder if I’d be better off going the full hog (mastectomy). It wasn’t offered, but the thought of no more mammograms & worries down the track sounds tempting. I did have *it* in one lymph node though......
  • Glemmis
    Glemmis Member Posts: 343 ✭
    Hi @Decisions, when I was diagnosed in July 2016 I wanted to have a mastectomy but surgeon said it wasn't necessary so had lumpectomy. Didn't get clear margins so had to have mastectomy anyway. I am a 12B too & was left with half a breast after lumpectomy so wouldn't have been happy long term. I had chemo & radiation & in November this year I am having a skin sparing mastectomy on other side & double reconstruction. My surgeon won't leave the nipple as she said it is where the milk ducts end & potentially cancer could start there. My oncologist is against the prophylactic mastectomy but understands the anxiety around mammograms. It is a huge operation but I have been thinking about it for a long time.  Good luck with your decisions & let us know what you decide. 

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