Hi Michelle
My story started with minute calcification found on a mammogram, I had a vacuum assisted biopsy - not much fun, (have had core biopsies and needle biopsies done in the past - these are way nicer) So the results showed DCIS and I had a lumpectomy. The pathology from the lumpectomy - which was done just to get clear margins as theoretically the biopsy had removed the cancer (a wire is placed near the tag left in during the biopsy so the surgeon knows where to cut) - showed a 5.0cm tumour - a shocking result for surgeon and obviously myself as the mammogram and ultrasounds I had been having for nearly twenty years showed nothing of this. As the tumour was so large the only option was a left mastectomy ( I was a 16D) I then had an MRI ($706 out of pocket as there is no medicare rebate) to check the right breast - it was clear but even through the obvious area of surgery the MRI could still discern the remainder of the left DCIS tumour.
So then I had to decide single or double, my breast size meant that I would need surgery to reduce the remaining breast and it would be a different 'consistency' to the fake one. It is a personal decision but for me it was the thought of going through the whole process again if anything was later found in the right breast - as I had what were called 'busy' breasts - lots of fibroids and cysts, it was clear I would be having an MRI every year to check. I read a lot of stuff online and found no one unhappy they had had a double - perhaps because there is no going back anyway, but quite a few that had had a single and then gone back for remove the remaining breast - also lots happy with a single mastectomy. I think my size was a factor, symmetry etc, being smaller I think would have influenced my decision the other way.
So really my decision was not mastectomy or not because the size of the tumour meant that was a definite, my decision making was around bilteral or unillateral.
The up side of double is very little breast tissue so minute chance of getting breast cancer again, some stats on DCIS show it comes back so that decision was taken out of my hands, no ongoing drugs and side effects as there is no breast tissue, ditto radiation. As the DCIS wasn't invasive - more pathology after mastectomy and sentinal node biopsy, no chemo. I am happy to share the reconstruction process - my family and I decided going from 16D to nothing would be difficult and at 47 I wanted a shape under my clothes.
Hope this helps, just take things a bit at a time, everyone has a different journey.
Cheers
Fiona
