Challenging my perceptions of body image!
I'm new to this group and was keen to hear about other people's experience with how they chose whether to have a reconstruction or not with a mastectomy. And how they felt afterwards. I've just turne...
Forum Discussion
@Toosta
It can be a hard decision, can’t it? And depending on your circumstances and preferences, you may not have to
make a decision straight away. You can see how you feel about being flat.
I never really fancied reconstruction, in spite of the enthusiasm of my surgeon (single mastectomy) But he also preferred to wait which suited me fine. It may have been age (I was 67) but I don’t think so. Being large breasted, I would have an implant, which might have to be replaced in about a decade. None of it appealed much. I didn’t have an aesthetic closure as my surgeon left some provision for reconstruction. I didn’t find any of my new ‘look’ distressing. It was much as I had imagined. A holiday in Iceland and stripping off in the women’s change room for a pre hot tub shower (no cubicle doors) did wonders - Icelanders, like the Japanese, have seen it all, not a sideways glance. I’m increasingly comfortable with my choice. But I know it’s not everyone’s. As @iserbrown says, there’s no right or wrong, just what feels best for you. Best wishes.
It can be a hard decision, can’t it? And depending on your circumstances and preferences, you may not have to
make a decision straight away. You can see how you feel about being flat.
I never really fancied reconstruction, in spite of the enthusiasm of my surgeon (single mastectomy) But he also preferred to wait which suited me fine. It may have been age (I was 67) but I don’t think so. Being large breasted, I would have an implant, which might have to be replaced in about a decade. None of it appealed much. I didn’t have an aesthetic closure as my surgeon left some provision for reconstruction. I didn’t find any of my new ‘look’ distressing. It was much as I had imagined. A holiday in Iceland and stripping off in the women’s change room for a pre hot tub shower (no cubicle doors) did wonders - Icelanders, like the Japanese, have seen it all, not a sideways glance. I’m increasingly comfortable with my choice. But I know it’s not everyone’s. As @iserbrown says, there’s no right or wrong, just what feels best for you. Best wishes.