DIEP undecided double mastectomy
Hi
I am just wondering how other ladies came to make the decision for having a double mastectomy - one side being prophylactic.
I was diagnosed with high grade DCIS mid November 2014. I have had 2 w...
Forum Discussion
Hi Natasha. . I saw my surgeon today and she told me that my pathology and lymph node was clear. I will need nil further treatment. She told me I had a 10% chance that I may get cancer in the other breast and that it would be purely a personal preference to whether I wanted a prophylactic mastectomy. At the end of last year, if I was able to have the reconstruction and the same time as the mastectomy in January I would have had a double mastectomy/reconstruction. . However as things turned out ,this was not possible and now I feel that it may have been for the best. I have not posted a blog until last night but just seeing what I had written gave me some clarity into my thoughts and ambivalence. As for the pain I am experiencing over night, my surgeon said it would be from the suture in the muscle stablising the expander. I have a large expander and the weight of breast tissue removed was replaced with same weight in fluid in the expander. The more I think about it, it is far easier for me to cope with pain in one breast rather than both. After you saying that in retrospect that you are glad you have one natural breast, I am now feeling the same. As I am so ambivalent, I have decided not to have a prophylactic mastectomy as I did not want to have any regrets. If I do get cancer in the other breast I will just have to deal with it then, so in the meantime I will look on the bright side of life and say that I have a 90% chance of NOT getting breast cancer in the other breast. Thanks once again for your support and tips. It has been very helpful. I hope all goes well with your treatment and that you have a speedy recovery. Ro.