Am I odd?

You are definitely not odd :)

I chose to have a bilateral mastectomy rather than just one. I have found the prostheses fine to wear and don't wear any to exercise.

The reclaim your curves website and fb group is great, with lots of hints and options as well as photos which ladies have generously shared.

Take your time to make the right decision for you 

Hi Connie

I was not offered reconstruction following my mastectomy but found out a year later that was because he does not do them !  Men !!

Anyway, I was fitted for an Amoena prosthesis first and after some weight gain I was fitted by a lady who sells the Trulife ones.  This new one is amazing as it is far more comfortable than the Amoena in the warm climate and it has it's own little bag so you can wear it outside the bra's pocket or in a normal bra (this is a real bonus).  It is called 'silk' and has a fine pocket layer which takes the heat and fluid away from the body.

Did you get professionally fitted ?  It is important to do so and important that the bra is the correct fit - i.e. is firm enough to hold the prosthesis comfortably.  Also, as the bra is washed they all stretch a bit so you have to move to the next set of clips on the back.

As the Trulife lady said to me "the best prosthesis is the one you do not know you are wearing" AND SHE IS CORRECT as my new one feels like I am not wearing one.

Like you, I am not keen on further surgery unless realy necessary.

Hope this info helps - good luck.

Summer  :-)

Oh Connie I can relate to that sense of symmetry! I was diagnosed in September and after a few core biopsies, it was recommended that I have right mastectomy and lumpectomy on left with follow up radiation. However, when I found out that I most likely wouldn’t need radiation if I had both off, well for me it was a no brainer. I had a bilateral mastectomy in November. I can remember saying to my breast surgeon that I always did like symmetry! 

I explored the recon options but decided against it. I understand it’s a very personal decision and I hope your decision comes easily to you. All the best with this!

Hi Connie,

Welcome to the Online Network. Ask as many questions as you need to both here and with your surgeon and like Tracy and Jane have mentioned it's really about what you are comfortable with in the end. 

Here is a link to the Breast Reconstruction group Jane has mentioned.

Ann-Marie x

 

Hi Connie, not wanting to reconstruct but wanting to have symmetry isn't odd in my books (I was odd too (!) after my right mastectomy, but I did choose to reconstruct that breast). It's great that your surgeon is having the reconstruction conversation with you though, as surprisingly quite a few don't, but it is a huge decision to go down that path and it doesn't sounds as though you are keen, so don't feel pressured. At the end of the day you have to live with the choice and so you need to be completely on-board with it all.

Don't know if you're a member of the Breast Reconstruction group, but if you want to join to discuss the pros and cons of the various options and find out more, you would be welcome to join us - just click on the group icon and request to join. There are a number of ladies in that group who have decided against reconstruction and may be willing to share their experiences and thoughts with you.

Best of luck with whatever you choose to do. Jane xx

 

 

 

You're definitely NOT crazy! I think it's a very personal choice Connie....

I am to have a mastectomy after chemo, but I have 14HH cup sized breasts and I doubt I'll get a prosthesis to match my other! But because of the size of my tumor (70mm) and family history of BC, my surgeon has discussed the probability of a bi lateral mastectomy further down the track....i have thought long and hard about it, so I will probably go for a bilateral with reconstruction in a much smaller cup! Don't get me started on the struggle of getting bras and clothes to accommodate my current size! 

It really is what YOU are comfortable with in the end....

Do your research and ask, ask, ask!

Good Luck with our decision!

-Tracy