Forum Discussion
Dates been set!
Ok so after 4 weeks of being diagnosed a date for surgery has been set. 27th November is D day. I have decided to do a bilateral mastectomy with saline implant reconstruction. Very happy with my plastic surgeon, he made me feel like I was just going in for cosmetic surgery rather than a mastectomy with reconstruction. I am nervous now that the dates has been set, as it is all becoming very real. I will be glad when it is all over and I can get on with LIFE. I cannot be greatful enough that we found this so early and I have such an easy outcome. Its funny how life works, if my mum and my sister wernt diagnosed with breast cancer in the last 12months I would never have gone for the mammogram and today I would be walking around unaware that I had breat cancer, the outcome would have been a lot worse 6 years down the track, if I waited till I was 50. I have encouraged all my over 40 friends to go get a mammogram, its 10 minutes that could save your life. It did mine!!
23 Replies
As I have DCIS , I wont need any other treatment if I have a mastectomy. I worry about the radiation treatment because if I later decide to have a mastectomy, the skin doesnt heal as well and reduces the likelihood of having a successful reconstruction. The new gene test results wont be out for 5 years and I am worried that if they are bad I will wish I had a mastectomy right at the beginning. From what I have read if you have DCIS and you have a relapse 60% of the time it will be invasive. Both of my sisters had really nasty aggressive cancers.
How do you decide on saline versus silicone implants?
I think I might be in same boat as you size wise. I have battled to lose the baby weight for 10years! Now I have dropped 6kg since this started and now am the perfect weight I wanted to be. Just shows you should watch what you wish for.
Good Luck for the 27th Anne , I willl be thinking of you. Jen X
- My right nipple had to go because of where the cancer is so we decided to remove the left to make them look the same. Saline implants under the skin over the muscle. I originally wanted to use diep flap but the PS said I didn't have enough unless I wanted an A cup I'm a size 12 so I thought that would be a bit small. The PS helped me make the final decision he was great showed me lots of photos of his work with both implants and diep, the implants looked the best but they will have no feeling. The op is significantly shorter 4 hrs opposed to 9hrs. Recovery is quicker, less chance of infection too. I have my own business so I would really like to be able to get back in the Christmas week, not sure if this will happen but that's what I'm hoping for. If you have a mastectomy will you still have to have treatment. I don't need to have any treatment and that I'm happy about, it just means I can put it all behind me. Talk to your surgeon, see if you can talk to a Plastic Surgeon too just make sure you are comfortable with the decision. Xx
Why did you decide to have the nipples removed? What implant will you have saline or silicone? Implant under the chest wall muscle or over the top? Will you tattoo the nipples on or have them reconstructed later?. ( sorry so many questions). What helped you make your choices?
It's really confusing! The more I read about Tram and Deip flaps etc I think the recovery would be much longer and really you just want to get on with life, so am leaning towards total skin sparing mastectomy and implants. I have made an early appointment to see my breast surgeon on monday to discuss options . I think he wants me do further lumpectomy and radiation.
- I feel like that's all I've spoken about for the last 6 weeks! They will be removing my nipples and reconstructing at a later date. I'm not using any back or tummy muscle I chose not to, I didn't want my body to look like a patch work quilt. :)
Will they be taking any muscle from your back to cover the implants or will the implant just go straight under the skin? Are they leaving your nipples or do you get them reconstructed later? I can not believe I am having a conversation about nipples!
- I totally understand where you are coming from. I had my biopsy mid September, got the results 5th October and I'm almost insane, I said to my surgeon physically we have time but mentally it's no good. I am now so comfortable with my decision to do a double mastectomy, it took a while to come to that conclusion but here I am. I am have a skin sparing mastectomy with implants, my PS showed me his work and to be honest they look pretty good. Once this is over I don't even have to ever have a mammogram again. Have a good think about it because it needs to be your decision but you're not much older than me and we have a lot of living left. I'll give you my verdict post op! ;)
As mine is DCIS, my specialist says I have time to think about everything. Brca gene test results back on the 7th of december and I initially said lumpectomy and radiotherapy if brca negative. Now I'm not sure. The more I read the more nervous I get. 10% chance of recurrence in other breast and 50% of the time invasive cancer. Also I thought I would have the radiotherapy and when the other gene tests are available in 5 years then think about mastectomy but apparently mastectomy and reconstruction after radiotherapy has a a higher failure rate. Apparently the skin damage from radiation doesnt heal as well.
Also the waiting is driving me insane ! I think I do want the mastectomy and read on the net about total skin sparing mastectomy and reconstruction. I think I will ring the surgeon. I will be stark raving mad if I dont sort this out before christmas.
- Glad to hear your mum took the news well. I think staying calm is the key although my mum told my Aunty that I'm just putting on a brave face for her, some what true I suppose!! My surgery is on the 27th so one week tomorrow, not going to lie I'm feeling very anxious at the moment. My breast surgeon is Caroline Baker and my plastic surgeon is Hamish Farrow, both I would recommend they have been wonderful. I have just had another aunty that has just had a call back from breast screen to review her mammogram, if this shows cancer we can go get further genetic testing done! It's been a horrible year one I'll be glad to get rid of. Where are you at at the moment?
- I guess you can understand her thinking, as a mother you just want to protect your children, so the thought that you may have passed down this terrible disease would terrify me too. The genetic research is great, my first thought went to my daughter and what this meant for her, they tell me she's not at high risk but I'll be making sure she is getting screened from an early age. Good luck with your mum, I hope she's not too distressed with the news. Keep in touch. Xx
- I guess you can understand her thinking, as a mother you just want to protect your children, so the thought that you may have passed down this terrible disease would terrify me too. The genetic research is great, my first thought went to my daughter and what this meant for her, they tell me she's not at high risk but I'll be making sure she is getting screened from an early age. Good luck with your mum, I hope she's not too distressed with the news. Keep in touch. Xx
