Mastectomy and Reconstruction

Hi Susanne

Sorry to hear about your BRCA1 diagnosis :(

I had my last chemo yesterday, yippy !!!!! I am choosing to have mastectomy and therefore will avoid radiotherapy.

I have now met with both my breast surgeon and my reconstructive surgeon.  I feel that having the BRCA1 gene mutation leaves me with no option but to have mastectomy as I really don't want the constant worry of getting another breast cancer, but this is a very personal choice and really about what you can live with.

I don't have enough fat to reconstruct my breasts so will need to go with cohesive gel implants. Was a bit overwhelmed seeing the implant sitting on her desk and thinking this was going to be put inside my body and also a bit put off by some of the scary stories I have read so then started looking at breast forms. But as time is passing I am getting more used to the idea of implants, but probably not comfortable yet. I have spoken to a friend of a friend who has had mastectomy and cohesive gel implants and is happy with them. I don't think the decision is easy and could ponder on it for a year and still not know if I am making the right decision. I have decided that i will remove the nipples as I would kick myself if  it returned because I didn't.

This is where I'm at, at the moment, but my state of mind changes constantly. Good luck with your decisions, happy to discuss further if you like

Cheers, Anna (username Kiki)

Hi Kiki,

I am in exactly the same boat as you but I haven't spoken to my surgeon in detail yet about mastectomy/reconstruction. I only found out yesterday that I have BRCA1. Will get through my last round of chemo and then tackle the next stage. Happy to compare notes :)

Cheers,

Susanne

Hi Kiki,

I am in exactly the same boat as you but I haven't spoken to my surgeon in detail yet about mastectomy/reconstruction. I only found out yesterday that I have BRCA1. Will get through my last round of chemo and then tackle the next stage. Happy to compare notes :)

Cheers,

Susanne

Sounds as though you've got some big decisions to make, so it is definitely understandable if you are feeling a bit overwhelmed :-)

I think it helps if you've had the time to really think about the options available and so I found all the information and stories in the Reconstruction Group really helpful when I was looking at reconstruction following my mastectomy. I would encourage you to join the group if you haven't already done so. Lots of women have posted questions as well as tips, hints and advice about the various reconstructive processes available and I have learnt a lot from reading about their experiences.

The information from the recon group, combined with the advice from my breast and plastic surgeons, and chatting with others who were considering the same path helped me to understand what was the best choice for me.

I wish you all the best in finding the right choice for you. Jane xx

 

Sounds as though you've got some big decisions to make, so it is definitely understandable if you are feeling a bit overwhelmed :-)

I think it helps if you've had the time to really think about the options available and so I found all the information and stories in the Reconstruction Group really helpful when I was looking at reconstruction following my mastectomy. I would encourage you to join the group if you haven't already done so. Lots of women have posted questions as well as tips, hints and advice about the various reconstructive processes available and I have learnt a lot from reading about their experiences.

The information from the recon group, combined with the advice from my breast and plastic surgeons, and chatting with others who were considering the same path helped me to understand what was the best choice for me.

I wish you all the best in finding the right choice for you. Jane xx