Hi everyone Just after some advice please , I feel very confused . I saw the surgeon in Wollongong last week and he said I need to have a mastectomy asap (right breast 2 biopsies dcis , mammogram showed it was full of calcifications) and maybe chemo .Left breast had a few calcifications on mammogram .I saw another dr today in Sydney that specializes in breast cancer and works with a plastic surgeon to do the reconstruction straight after the mastectomy .He booked me in to see the plastic surgeon team next week and told me I have to wait a few months for the procedure as I'm going through medicare .I'm confused , is the surgery urgent or not? How come I need a mastectomy but then they tell me I have to wait a few months? I will give the dr a call tomorrow to clarify how urgent this is but was wondering if anyone else has dealt with a similar situation. Thank you xxx

Hi there im a new membet here too in hospital right now after right mastectomy similar situation i also had calcifications on mammo also 2 biopsied areas high grade dcis. I have also had immediate reconstruction it took 3 months since diagnosis to have surgery its a long story why. I also was going through regional hospital before they finally refered me to briz In fact i got referrals to 2 different briz hospitals to see which one could get me in quicker. I had the surgery within 3 weeks of my first appointment at this one and they have been absolutely awesome throughout but at the other hospital i wouldnt have even had my 1st plastics appointment yet. They couldnt even see me till 11/4. And im already done and a week into recovery. So maybe you can ask the breast nurses at wollongong for another referal to see if you can get in quicker at a different sydney hospital. The waiting is the worst bit if i was still waiting till 11th april i wouldve lost the plot. Having said that if its pure dcis it isnt invasive which is why they dont panic about getting it out. But then they tell you that wont have a final pathology until after the surgery. It is totally confusing i agree. Hang in there . Keep asking the questions. Advocate for yourself and enlist the support of the breast nurses. They are really helpful and caring. This is the group no one ever wanted to join but you will find a lot of support here. Xx hugsVicki

Thanks for your reply @Vallerina I will definitely call the breast nurse tomorrow and the surgeon and ask what the time frame is and if I can get reffered elsewhere. How did everything go? How are you recovering? Sending you lots of positive vibes xxx

Ps just clarifying i was medicare too i had initial referrals at both brisbane hospitals running simultaneously. Im not suggesting cancel the appointment you have already keep it but try for 2nd opinion/timeframe somewhere else. My dcis was high grade so I was category 1 which meant even under medicare u are meant to get treatment within 30 days ???? V

My dcis is high grade too !!!The surgeon in wollongong said I should have the mastectomy asap but the surgeon in Sydney didn't seem to be worried about it as much .So confusing

It went really well. Thanks. The immediate recon isnt a breast its just an air filled xpander they put in to stretch the muscle but it is giving me hope of getting back to normal. Should get implant in a few months depending what other treatments i need. Still dont know. The whole thing is a shock i had all the emotions but now its done im not as devastated as i thought id be. Im glad this has been found and dealt with at this early curable stage. Every doctor and nurse has been so kind and compassionate . I still sometimes think wtf is this really happening to me but im going to b ok and you will too. Back at you with the positive vibes. Thanks xx vicki

Dcis , mastectomy and reconstruction having to wait a few months?

16 Replies

melclarity
Member
9 years ago
@El.mumof2 So glad that you managed to sort it out. Im a bit late jumping in, but yes I was going to say DCIS is not urgent as they deem it as a pre cursor to cancer. I had DCIS in 2011 and OVERKILL treatment, it was taken out, clear margins. Then Radiation treatment and Tamoxifen 4yrs. Its very different to say IDC in which the diagnosis is very different. I had IDC in 2015 and Chemo. So absolutely all ok, just hang in there xo Melinda
primek
Member
9 years ago
Better to have a second opinion and feel right about it. Glad you spoke with the breast care nurse. We all get the feeling "just want it out" that's exactly how I felt, and why so many women have only a mastectomy at the beginning. However planning the reconstruction at the same time can mean a much better asthetic outcome. No guarantees of course. It for me also lessened the grief a tad too. Kath x
Elmumof2
Member
9 years ago
Thanks ladies
I talked to the breast nurse and she said my operation is in the 90 day time frame.The breast surgeon and the plastic surgeon have to be free at the same time the same as finding a theatre room .She said Dcis is serious but not urgent .I am also going to see another dr suggested by Cath , I'm seeing my Gp this arvo to get a referral. I'm extremely worried this cancer is going to spread I just want it out of me as soon as possible . It's good to hear positive outcomes from people that waited a few weeks though , thanks guys xxx
nikkid
Member
9 years ago
Hi,

When I was diagnosed with DCIS and some very early invasive carcinoma last year, I asked the breast surgeon if we could schedule the surgery for 10 weeks from that date (I had a lot of work commitments, and also felt I needed time to get my head around what was going to be right for me etc). Because of the type of cancer it was, and the fact we got it so early, the surgeon was willing to schedule the surgery for that time. Funnily enough, when I met with her she said "I understand, you feel like you need to control this cancer". Mind you, she wouldn't have agreed to the time frame if she felt it was unsafe.

Meantime, she put me on Tamoxifen - so I was on that for the time leading up to mastectomy.

I am happy I did it this way, as it meant I could get most of my ducks in a row. But, again, if she hadn't thought it was safe for me to do so, I wouldn't have.

Nikki
primek
Member
9 years ago
I had IDC stage 1 , grade 3 es+ Het2 +and had immediate recon of bilateral mastectomy done in 3 weeks at the RAH with tissue expanders. The surgeon did say if a flap reconstruction there well may be a delay in my treatment which he didn't feel was worth the risk. At that stage it seemed no nodes and they were ckear after sentinal node biopsy. My breast surgeon did the reconstruction..a fabulous job. A plastic surgeon would be needed for a flap recobstruction.

As DCIS is not yet invasive I gather they take that into account of urgency. It is probably worth another discussion with your breast surgeon. In public hospitals it is a team based decision usually so risks in delays would be discussed etc. And he might be able to explain this further abd any tisjs to yourself. We are often shocked when they give us news and a second discsussion is worthwhile.

Kath x
socoda
Member
9 years ago
Oh @El.mumof2 her clinic opens at 7:00am too!
socoda
Member
9 years ago
@El.mumof2 private messaging you the details. Xx
Elmumof2
Member
9 years ago
Hi @socoda
Could I please have your Dr's details ? I haven't slept all night stressing about how long this operation is going to take.Thank you an ongoplastic sounds like a better choice xxx
socoda
Member
9 years ago
Hi @El.mumof2, I had a left nipple and skin sparing mastectomy with immediate recon using implant last June and it was done within 4 weeks of the visit to the surgeon. I was operated on at Auburn hospital and my surgeon is an oncoplastic so no need to go to see a plastic surgeon she did the whole lot. She doesn't do flap surgeries but is brilliant. If you want her details let me know. Xx Cath
Vallerina
Member
9 years ago
Im glad i can help. This site has been so helpful for me. Of course ur anxious its a shock and seems so unfair but you will get through it. Just remembered something else relevant actually. The plastic part is the long part of the op and i was told in both hospitals the plastic surgeon is the one that sets the timeframe of their availability as their part takes 3 hours and the breast surgeon part only 1 hour . So mayb breast surgeon was just giving worst case scenario plastic may give u a different schedule. I know its hard to wait but try to look after yourself and keep doing the things u enjoy in the meantime so u can heal.