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lillekatt's avatar
lillekatt
Member
14 years ago

3rd opperation, mastectomy is an opt

Bad news again at the post operation appointment. I knew that large amount of tissue was taken at 2nd operation and I feel I need reconstruction. In that case maspectomy with expansion insert is an option. That'll make 2 more operation and I'll use synthetic insert rather than my belly. If I go radiotherapy then reconstruction means reducing right breast size as the skin after radiation will be damaged. If I get maspectomy I most probably don't need radio. Cancer was growing big for some years quietly. The locations of them were not the place that I used to check lump..I sometimes had pain in my breast. Similar pain as the one I had when breast feeding. I wonder if it was a symptom. I feel so stupid that I negrected health checkup and cancer screening. I don't know what is the best way to do.

2 Replies

  • lillekatt's avatar
    lillekatt
    Member
    14 years ago
    Thank you Tanya for the reply and telling me your story I'm 52 and quite skiny. But I could not think about giving up breast. At first we thought I had one 1.8 cm cancer. But doctors found out much bigger Involved margin and it's removed at 2nd operation.I feel i cannot trust on imaging incuding MRI and examination done on my breast. As doctors say my breast tissue is dense and difficult to spot cancer. Because of this doubt (not because of re occurance fear) I feel I probably should get mastectomy. I feel strange that I have to make such decision based on detection Incapability..
  • lillekatt's avatar
    lillekatt
    Member
    14 years ago

    Hi, Tonya, thank you for the comment, I took out my ordinary bras and put them on to see if I can live with uneven breast after I came back home. My bras are formed so even there are big gap between my breast and bra they still look sort of OK.

    So I was started to think maybe I don’t do any reconstruction. But after I read your comment I feel I maybe should get mastectomy and reconstruction now. If cancer returns on the same breast after the radiotherapy I don’t have any choice at all for reconstruction… my doctor thinks the risk is very low for me to get cancer on the same breast. She also says the mastectomy can reduce the reoccurring only by some percentage.

    But until now I hit just those small risks….and there is always risk…

    My cancer was said to be 1.8 cm but my doctor took out 7.5 cm at 2nd operation. She also found one more cancer which did not show up in any imaging. They say that my breast is dense and very difficult to find cancer from image.

    I’m still not sure. I feel better keeping my breast but it is hard to live anxiously.  If I get reconstruction I’ll have silicon since my tummy  is too thin. Then when I get really old and healthy breast get smaller, it’ll be again uneven. I’ll see plastic surgeon on Thursday for the consultation. He is a private doctor.

    I have other concern about the incision under armpit, which is really tight and pulling. My skin is tacked at the incision and looks like I tied my body with thin string.. I’m full of complex now.