Hi Kaye, Thank you for your reply. I assumed I would have a choice too but Breastscreen QLD said that to get a double without cancer in the second breast, I'd need to get a positive gene test. I tried to get one done this morning with a GP referral to pathology, but the pathologist said that even though I clearly meet the medicare criteria for a free test (2 cancers with the first before 50yrs - I have 3 separate cancers) they need a specialist referral. Apparently Breastscreen QLD used to do these referrals but now don't. So I'll ask for a referral on monday when I have my initial consultation with a surgeon. The issue with this is that apparently the gene tests can take a long time to do. Not really sure but I was trying to make sure I had the gene test results back before surgery so that I don't have 2 separate operations (assuming a positive test result) for efficiency and to minimise recovery time. I was told it costs about $900 to get the gene test done without a specialist referral.
Otherwise apparently we have to pay to get the second one removed. There was an article on ABC news recently that mentions this: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-18/going-flat-after-breast-cancer-perspective/105627758 The lady interviewed for this article paid to have her second breast removed.
Of course if money was no object, I wouldn't be having these issues and could just choose what happens to my body.
