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I found my lump in my left breast last October & was given the same choice as you. It was a tough couple of days while I made this decision. I was 47 and found that I wasn't ready to have the full breast off. Late November I had surgery & a 2cm lump was removed with extra margin to be tested. The surgeon removed 2 sentinal nodes & 7 lymph glands for testing. The lump was Grade 2 cancer & the lymph nodes came back clear. After testing of the lump, I was told it was HER2+ & that I would need chemotherapy, herceptin, radiotherapy & hormontherapy. I have just had round 4 of chemo & am doing pretty well. If I had the choice again, I don't know if I would have made the same decision. The surgeon has done a fantastic job of the surgery & it's healing well & is very similar size & shape to my other breast. So that's not the problem, it's the wondering if it's going to come back in that same breast & what will be the side affects of all the treatments further down the track?
It's such a tough decision to make, so take your time.
Wendyxoxo
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I am having my breast off on Wednesday , and have just been reading some stories regarding tissue expander which is put in at the time of the operation for later reconstruction.Is this done by the surgeon without being asked or do you have to request it.?. I did not know about it till today.
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Hi Debbie,
You need to talk it over with your surgeon well beforehand.Not all surgeons do it- usually team up with a plastic surgeon.Some surgeons prefer you to wait incase you need radiation as well or depending on cancer stage.Try and see or talk to him on Monday -you need all the facts.
Tonya xx
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HI Debbie, Me again. My story is my lumps totalled over 3cm+ and I chose to have mastectomy and axillary node clearance. The surgeon removed 17 nodes and only 2 had cancer cells. I had heard alot of women only having lumpectomys a and sential node dye only to have to go back a week later and have mastectomy and more nodes taken. Also I didnt want radiation as i would have had to go to brisbane for 6 weeks and i refused. It all depends the way I looked at it was, i have no need for my breast anymore, i saw no reason for two lots of surgery if not necessary, and many women having lumpectomy's got secondaries cancers down the track and had to have mastectomy's anyway. But it is your decision and yours alone. Getting others stories helps i think. But i just wanted the whole breast gone with the cancers asap. I dont want reconstruction. I want the other breast removed if possible so I'm more balanced. Happy to have no boobs or bras.
I hop this was a help, you may have already made your decision.
Chrissy D
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Hi Debbie
I had what was called a subcutaneous mastectomy, axilla clearance and insertion of tissue expander! He said at the time that if I needed radio it would be fine with the tissue expander (at the time we didn't know the status of my lymph nodes).
I had never heard of it and asked if it was new and he said he had been doing it for 10 years. He was not happy with me having a reconstruction at the time of the surgery as the recovery was longer and the risk of infection was higher thereby delaying the start of chemotherapy (something he didn't think we should do). I was happy with a radical mastectomy as I just wanted the cancer out but he felt that the benefits of the skin expander outweighed any potential negatives. I did ask after how it was done and what if they hadn't got everything and he said that during the surgery had things looked worse (like the cancer leading up into the skin or in the blood vessels) they would have changed their strategy. The pathology checks that everything is out with a clear margin anyway.
Essentially at the moment, 2 1/2 weeks post op I look like I have a boob - though there is not an ounce of breast tissue in there. I have no nipple and the expander is only half full. The expander is inserted under my chest muscle - it is uncomfortable but getting better every day. This week I imagine I will have a fill up! there is a lot of saggy skin puckering around where my nipple used to be. My surgeon said some women are happy with the expander (It's basically a silicon and saline implant) and never have a tissue reconstruction - but when I decide much further down the track on reconstruction I have my own skin to work with for the reconstruction and my scar is very small - about 5cm across where my nipple was. I am happy with this and the options that it leaves me. I actually have no idea why it is not more common but I am sure that there are reasons. My cancer was a grade 3 (aggressive) but the largest tumor was 2.2 and there was no sign of it leading up to the skin.
I don't think that a plastic surgeon was involved in the surgery (I haven't got a bill for one! lol - there was an assistant surgeon). I am so happy with my surgeon, he has not only considered eradicating the disease but how I will feel about my body when I have this disease beaten. I will see a plastic surgeon further down the track regarding reconstruction but for now, the outside world wouldn't know I've had a mastectomy. Today I wore a t-shirt and while I'm lopsided I felt no need to top up with the prosthesis and come Wednesday I imagine I will be more even when the expander gets filled up a little more. I think one of the main downsides is how tight you feel in your chest while everything is stretching - I won't lie and say its a walk in the park but it is not too hard to endure. We did laugh about how "pert" that boobie will be while my other one has a natural "droop" - again something that can be dealt with at reconstruction time.
They did tell me how the surgery was done if you want to know - let me know - perhaps not for everyone - I just wanted to be sure they got everything.
It is so hard making these decisions - ask questions and get your answers it's your body afterall!
Good Luck,
Amanda
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Hi Debbie
I had what was called a subcutaneous mastectomy, axilla clearance and insertion of tissue expander! He said at the time that if I needed radio it would be fine with the tissue expander (at the time we didn't know the status of my lymph nodes).
I had never heard of it and asked if it was new and he said he had been doing it for 10 years. He was not happy with me having a reconstruction at the time of the surgery as the recovery was longer and the risk of infection was higher thereby delaying the start of chemotherapy (something he didn't think we should do). I was happy with a radical mastectomy as I just wanted the cancer out but he felt that the benefits of the skin expander outweighed any potential negatives. I did ask after how it was done and what if they hadn't got everything and he said that during the surgery had things looked worse (like the cancer leading up into the skin or in the blood vessels) they would have changed their strategy. The pathology checks that everything is out with a clear margin anyway.
Essentially at the moment, 2 1/2 weeks post op I look like I have a boob - though there is not an ounce of breast tissue in there. I have no nipple and the expander is only half full. The expander is inserted under my chest muscle - it is uncomfortable but getting better every day. This week I imagine I will have a fill up! there is a lot of saggy skin puckering around where my nipple used to be. My surgeon said some women are happy with the expander (It's basically a silicon and saline implant) and never have a tissue reconstruction - but when I decide much further down the track on reconstruction I have my own skin to work with for the reconstruction and my scar is very small - about 5cm across where my nipple was. I am happy with this and the options that it leaves me. I actually have no idea why it is not more common but I am sure that there are reasons. My cancer was a grade 3 (aggressive) but the largest tumor was 2.2 and there was no sign of it leading up to the skin.
I don't think that a plastic surgeon was involved in the surgery (I haven't got a bill for one! lol - there was an assistant surgeon). I am so happy with my surgeon, he has not only considered eradicating the disease but how I will feel about my body when I have this disease beaten. I will see a plastic surgeon further down the track regarding reconstruction but for now, the outside world wouldn't know I've had a mastectomy. Today I wore a t-shirt and while I'm lopsided I felt no need to top up with the prosthesis and come Wednesday I imagine I will be more even when the expander gets filled up a little more. I think one of the main downsides is how tight you feel in your chest while everything is stretching - I won't lie and say its a walk in the park but it is not too hard to endure. We did laugh about how "pert" that boobie will be while my other one has a natural "droop" - again something that can be dealt with at reconstruction time.
They did tell me how the surgery was done if you want to know - let me know - perhaps not for everyone - I just wanted to be sure they got everything.
It is so hard making these decisions - ask questions and get your answers it's your body afterall!
Good Luck,
Amanda
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Last night just could not sleep , had so many things going round in my head . Thought I was starting to handle it better.Woke up had a good cry and pulled myself together, packed my bag for hospital , ironed all my husbands cloths for the week and here I am with my new friends, just needed to let it out.
Debbie
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Thanks Tonya,
I bought some nighties that button down the front ,but they do have a small sleeve, I hate the feel of cotton and found it hard to get a light weight jersey nightie that does button bown the front very low. Only place I found them was Target. Going tomorrow to try and find some loose tops that button down the front ,do not have any.
Debbie xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Hi Debbie
Please don't laugh but I actually took my husband's pyjamas into hospital with me! They buttoned all the way down the front and were plenty big enough. My husband is quite slight and we are roughly the same size so worked for me but maybe if you are shopping tomorrow you should check out the men's dept. I also ended up wearing a lot of his shirts when I got home again for comfort and ease of getting in and out of them!
I didn't want to spend lots of money on something I never wear, Brian hadn't worn his PJ's since we moved to Australia from NZ 4 years ago.
Check out your husband's wardrobe first just in case!
Sarah
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Thanks for the tip
Debbie
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I am just at the start of my journey and have such a long way to go. At times I have so many thoughts going around in my head and wish I could just close my eyes and it would all go away. I feel at times I am in control and dealing with it ,then comes the tears and overwhelming fear. Thanks for your support and thoughts.
Debbie xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Thank you for taking the time to help. Wishing you all the best .
Debbie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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I know exactly how you feel - sometimes, I want to just disappear - I make jokes, and that is a good thing - but the private me, is a very different person.......watch funny movies! Trust me, it helps!.......especially if you have seen them before, "the Jerk' with Steve Martin, 'Trains, planes and Automobiles', 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrenls'.........or even the flaky ....'Flying High'.........all worth a laugh!....laughter is THE best medicine!
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Hi jjoy,
You like all the same movies I like! Do you like the vacation movies with Chevy Chase?O and what about Dumb and dumber? Shows you how unsophisticated my humour is - pie in the face style!
Tonya xx
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