One Lump or Two?

Hi Tanya,

Have made an appointment with the surgeon and am hoping i will not face any arguement as I am pretty sure of my decision.  No way I want to spend another six months on a second breast.  They were great for breast feeding but now are more a cause for concern.

Thanks for the reply.

Helen

Ha- surely the decision should be yours.  Perhaps the reluctance is medicare linked??  Perhaps more a purely meducal view minus the empathy.

Had you had both your could be balanced and worry free at home.  Makes no sense to me.

Thanks for your reply.

Helen

I'm like Di, I wish I had of pushed to have the other breast off so I wasnt lopsided. I would rather be flat chested than lopsided and I have trouble wearing the prosthesis. seems to ride up all the time (coz its numb wear the breast was, I cant feel it rising up. It is very unconfortable to wear for very long, so I go without where ever possible)

I get worried about getting BC in the other breast all the time.

Stick to your guns if you want them both removed...if the surgeon refuses find another surgeon...its your body not theirs. You are the one that has to live with your decision. Go with your gut feeling as its usually right.

Take care and be kind to yourself.

{{{HUGS}}}

Chrissy D :)

I'm like Di, I wish I had of pushed to have the other breast off so I wasnt lopsided. I would rather be flat chested than lopsided and I have trouble wearing the prosthesis. seems to ride up all the time (coz its numb wear the breast was, I cant feel it rising up. It is very unconfortable to wear for very long, so I go without where ever possible)

I get worried about getting BC in the other breast all the time.

Stick to your guns if you want them both removed...if the surgeon refuses find another surgeon...its your body not theirs. You are the one that has to live with your decision. Go with your gut feeling as its usually right.

Take care and be kind to yourself.

{{{HUGS}}}

Chrissy D :)

Hi Helena

I think it is a very personal decision and like Di said some surgeons are opposed to the idea.  I actually pushed to have my healthy breast removed two years later.  I just wanted to look my kids in the eye and know in my heart that I had thrown everything in MY power at this crappy disease.  Maybe it was the wrong decision but it sure felt RIGHT to me.

Ask questions, but dig deep in your heart and you will find what is RIGHT for YOU.

Good luck.

xx

Hi Helena

I think it is a very personal decision and like Di said some surgeons are opposed to the idea.  I actually pushed to have my healthy breast removed two years later.  I just wanted to look my kids in the eye and know in my heart that I had thrown everything in MY power at this crappy disease.  Maybe it was the wrong decision but it sure felt RIGHT to me.

Ask questions, but dig deep in your heart and you will find what is RIGHT for YOU.

Good luck.

xx

Hi Helena

Before my surgery I asked the breast surgeon to remove BOTH breasts, as I didnt want to have to go back for more surgery if I 'got' bc in the other breast.

She looked at me as if I had two heads and refused to remove the other breast.  She said there was no need to take the other one as there was no family history of bc  and not enough evidence to suggest that 'it' would involve the other breast.

Removing the 'good' breast would have been a much easier operation as it would have been less invasive.  I didnt go for a reconstruction, I am quite happy to be boobless - the only thing I dont like is the prothesis, I find it uncomfortable (my opinion only) and quite often go braless when I am home.  To this day, I wish they had taken the other boob, just so that I wouldnt feel lopsided.  I have read that some women have both breasts removed and I have never really understood why my surgeon wouldnt do it, but at the time it was 'all systems go' and I didnt really feel like arguing over it.

Good luck with your surgery and treatment.

Di  :)

Hi Helena

Before my surgery I asked the breast surgeon to remove BOTH breasts, as I didnt want to have to go back for more surgery if I 'got' bc in the other breast.

She looked at me as if I had two heads and refused to remove the other breast.  She said there was no need to take the other one as there was no family history of bc  and not enough evidence to suggest that 'it' would involve the other breast.

Removing the 'good' breast would have been a much easier operation as it would have been less invasive.  I didnt go for a reconstruction, I am quite happy to be boobless - the only thing I dont like is the prothesis, I find it uncomfortable (my opinion only) and quite often go braless when I am home.  To this day, I wish they had taken the other boob, just so that I wouldnt feel lopsided.  I have read that some women have both breasts removed and I have never really understood why my surgeon wouldnt do it, but at the time it was 'all systems go' and I didnt really feel like arguing over it.

Good luck with your surgery and treatment.

Di  :)

Hi Helen,

All the decisions you have to make during this journey are hard ones.Everyone will have a different reason for their choices.I've had breast cancer twice in the same breast.I had a lumpectomy and radiation 7yrs ago,thought I was out of the woods but I was in the unlucky 8%.Last year I had the mastectomy and chemo.At the moment I am ok with the prosthesis.I had 3 operations in the last 3yrs on my ankle and I can't stomach more surgery.Also I would be too worried the cancer might come back along the scar line and I wouldn't know about it if I had reconstruction.At least I have 1 breast with feeling in it.I've heard you lose all sensation with reconstruction. If I get cancer in the other breast then I may think about it and they would be even.It's weird but I have been more upset about losing my hair than my breast.Hope all goes well with your chemo and hard decisions.

                                                           Tonya