Prep for surgery

Good luck hulos. I think i will be facing the same. Only two more chemo then surgery and my tumor is still large.

Good luck@Hulos . Sorry the news isn't leading you down an easier path but you've come a long way since you joined our reluctant crew, keep going. Marg. Xxx

Hi, well i saw  all 3 drs (spec,onc,radition dr) this morning , yep its mastectomy  on Wednesday  14/6, the chemo of 6 months and oral meds have reduced the tumour to have lumpectomy,  but not totally clear.... hence now the mastectomy.
When i asked about the other breast,  they said the same as above and that my chancess are no different to anyone else...the breasts are totally different,  not linked.
They said i could have an mri, but that would only delay  the op. So it will be done at a later date for peace of mind. I am happy with the drs advise with both being females. (Not breast surgeon)
Furthermore,  my onc is putting me down for a trial called PenelopeB, there is a medical term for it......just cant recallthe name.
With lymp  nodes done, its simple mastectomy only. Not sure  how long the op takes as i forgot to ask inbetween everything  else happening..
Thank you all for your comments and advice,  it has been so valuable to me, cant thank you enough...xxx

Thought you might like this previous discussion link.

http://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/discussion/16239/decision-time-bilateral-mastectomy-with-recon-or-radiotherapy

I have to agree with @Hopes_and_Dreams very similar situation to mine, and I have to say Jane...in hindsight in 2011 at first diagnosis I wish I had of had the single mastectomy then, as I would have avoided the recurrence and Chemo. My Mum also had a single mastectomy at 40 and NO TREATMENT and was fine for 26 years, she passed away unrelated they said. @kat09 also I can relate to your situation, I'm lucky I guess in that it was the mastectomy/diep recon in 1 hit, so I havent had the lopsided issue, and in the coming months I get to have my revision surgery, where they fix the reconstruction a little more add a nipple and do a lift of my right breast to match, this is all a part of the reconstruction, the lift is. I'll post in reconstruction when I have the revision done to see the difference, but Im so happy so far. x 

Hi @Hulos, Similar story for me as @melclarity and @Kat09.  I had a left nipple sparing mastectomy last August. My cancer was small (100% ER/PR) but so are my breasts so I had much more peace of mind with a mastectomy than a lumpectomy.  As my lymph nodes were clear I was lucky enough to avoid radiation and chemo.  My GP recommended I have an MRI to check that the other breast was completely healthy, which it was.  So I had peace of mind in only having the one breast removed. My surgeon explained that I would have the same risk as the general population in getting cancer in my right breast, 7% I think. But, because I am taking Arimidex to block my hormones that risk reduces to around 2-3%.
All our situations are different It has to be right for you. You need to be able to sleep at night and be happy with your choice. Sending my best wishes to you and all the ladies making a similar decision.  Jane xx

Sorry there should be a disclaimer for posts from those of us that have chemo brain. I meant to add that I am considering reconstruction at some stage through this process and that my Mum never felt the need to have reconstruction and has been more than happy with a prosthesis. She is a fit and active person and it has never stopped her doing any of the things she loves nor can you tell by looking at her. Again purely personal choice

@hulos, I'm with @melclarity on it being an entirely personal decision weather to opt for a single or double mastectomy. I was diagnosed with stage 3, grade 3 triple positive BC in Dec 2016 and am almost through 6 months of Chemo, AC and now Taxol ( 1 more to go ). My tumour had to be shrunk so that I could have surgery and like you I am now weighing up what that may look like. When I mentioned that perhaps I might opt for a double mastectomy my Oncologist couldn't understand why I might be considering that as an option. Her reasoning was I don't have the BRACA gene, each breast is a separate entity and there is as Mel said just as much chance as it coming back in the remaining breast as the next person. I get the thought of you feeling lopsided if you only opt for a single but there's always a 'lift' for the other side available. I am continuing to research and discuss my options and will in the end be guided by my specialists but will ultimately do what is right for me. My Mum had a single mastectomy 20 years ago and has not looked back, but then I have a close girlfriend who opted for a double mastectomy even though her BC was early stage. This is an entirely personal choice and I figure the only right answer is the one that is right for you.

@hulos It is such an individual decision, one thing Ive learnt after 6yrs and been through it twice is, I'd never opt for a biopsy again, as only surgery gives a correct pathology. I had a 2nd major lumpectomy in 2015 to remove my 2.5cm tumor Grade 3 Stage 2 ER+. As I had a recurrence, once I finished Chemo in December 2015 both my Surgeon and Oncologist said to think about a Mastectomy just in case it came back again. So it took me a year to think about it LOL, I'm actually 2 years clear now, but I did have a single mastectomy/diep flap reconstruction done in February this year. I don't feel like I lost a breast at all as its still my tissue, just my tummy LOL and most of the breast skin, lost the nipple but I was amazed how the panic I had prior dissipated after. As far as taking my right off, NOPE, I did genetic testing and it was negative, they said the odds on my diagnosis of it in the right was random as much as the normal population. So I figured why get rid of something that's not broken I guess. My pathology of course of mastectomy was perfect, so realistically? I got rid of a perfectly good boob. It's a tough one, its so INDIVIDUAL honestly, its what you want, nobody else. I had heaps say to me get them both off like it was a sore toenail...ummm piss off!!! usually people who have no clue of the complexity of it. So I learnt to be true to me, and do what I wanted to do. Of course be guided by your specialists and their recommendations, I did and have followed what they wanted and their happy too in that they didnt feel it necessary to take my right side.So I'm healthy, getting on with life as best I can with side effects and changed quality of life. Its super personal, if it gives you more peace of mind to do the double, honestly do it. Hugs Melinda

I am going through the same decision process, Hulos, as after my lumpectomy the pathology was worse too.
Various friends tell me to get the other one off to prevent worrying about it.
If I hadn't already gone through a reduction on the good side, I think I would just have got them both off after the pathology showed that the mammograms and ultrasounds had not picked up the extent of my cancer. 
I am thinking of having an MRI to check the good breast and then make my decision.
It is hard to decide.
I don't like the idea of being lopsided.
Such a personal decision, just go with your gut feeling.