Not sure what's to come...

Good luck with your decision. We are all different and we need to do what we feel most comfortable with. I also wanted to feel symmetrical with my reconstruction and knew I would get a much better result with a bilateral mastectomy. My chances of recurrence to the other side was slightly increased and this was enough to prompt me to chose a double mastectomy.

All the best for your surgery in October!

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to answer x

I have definitely decided to go with the bi-lateral mastectomy. I have wieghed up all the pros and cons, and more importantly, spoken to 2 friends who have had singles. I also met with my breast care nurse from my last 2 surgeries. All of these people agreed that I was making the correct decision. I am very large busted and the task of 'balancing' my remaining breast with a prosthesis means that I would have quite a heavy prosthesis.

Plus, I live in Qld, so my two friends that use a prosthesis have indicated that it is very hot to wear, and very sweaty in our climate. As I do not work in aircon, I took this on board.

I am not 'precious' about my breasts. They are very uneven now because of my previous surgeries. I know that everyone is different, but I think that my choice is right for me. My husband aggrees that I am making the right decision.

If I decide to reconstruct...I'm not even sure if I can...or will want to... I'll be doing the two together, and not dealing with a massive size difference to rectify.

I can only do what feels right. so, wish me luck...I'm booked for Oct 8th...scary, but I'll keep my fingers and toes crossed that my sentinal node/s come back clear, or I'll have a different battle to fight.

Janet xx

When I first went to see the oncologist after my mastectomy last May, my husband (after talking this over with me) asked for the facts about my situation to help us decide on the best treatment options. I was given the odds for not having a recurrence for each treatment option. If I chose to have just the surgery (I had had a mastectomy remember) and radiation my chance of NOT having a recurrence was just 33%. Removing the other breast would do absolutely NOTHING to improve this chance. My best chance of not having a recurrence was to have chemo, radiation and start hormone therapy. As well as this I do everything I can to be as healthy as possible. It is very, very difficult to continually read other ladies giving people advice (with the best of intentions I am sure) about removing both breasts to give peace of mind about recurrence. For those of us with more advanced stage disease and higher chances of recurrence (and that recurrence cannot happen in the other breast, my chance of getting a new primary cancer in the healthy breast is more like 3%). Removing my healthy breast would not give me peace of mind. Please consider how women in my situation and their families feel when they hear others promoting the idea that if more women took the drastic action of removing both breasts that they could avoid a recurrence. THIS IS NOT TRUE AND IT HURTS! I wish that removing my other breast could give me peace of mind but that is not the case, and my quality of life is better with it. I know that some women are at a higher risk of having cancer occur in both breasts but this is not the case for the majority of women and your doctor is the best person to give you the statistics for your situation. Choosing to remove your healthy breast should be based on accurate information. It is a choice that many women feel more comfortable with and they should have that choice. I simple ask that they are thoughtful and accurate with what they tell others about the situation. Deanne x

When I first went to see the oncologist after my mastectomy last May, my husband (after talking this over with me) asked for the facts about my situation to help us decide on the best treatment options. I was given the odds for not having a recurrence for each treatment option. If I chose to have just the surgery (I had had a mastectomy remember) and radiation my chance of NOT having a recurrence was just 33%. Removing the other breast would do absolutely NOTHING to improve this chance. My best chance of not having a recurrence was to have chemo, radiation and start hormone therapy. As well as this I do everything I can to be as healthy as possible. It is very, very difficult to continually read other ladies giving people advice (with the best of intentions I am sure) about removing both breasts to give peace of mind about recurrence. For those of us with more advanced stage disease and higher chances of recurrence (and that recurrence cannot happen in the other breast, my chance of getting a new primary cancer in the healthy breast is more like 3%). Removing my healthy breast would not give me peace of mind. Please consider how women in my situation and their families feel when they hear others promoting the idea that if more women took the drastic action of removing both breasts that they could avoid a recurrence. THIS IS NOT TRUE AND IT HURTS! I wish that removing my other breast could give me peace of mind but that is not the case, and my quality of life is better with it. I know that some women are at a higher risk of having cancer occur in both breasts but this is not the case for the majority of women and your doctor is the best person to give you the statistics for your situation. Choosing to remove your healthy breast should be based on accurate information. It is a choice that many women feel more comfortable with and they should have that choice. I simple ask that they are thoughtful and accurate with what they tell others about the situation. Deanne x

I am sorry to hear of your situation at the moment but will fill you in on what I went through.  At the end of July this year after a routine mammo/ultrasound they located a very small IDC which intiially required a lumpectomy followed with 6 wks of radiation.  I was then sent for an MRI which then showed an area of DCIS.  I was advised that now that there are 2 areas of concern in the one breast it was necessary for me to have a mastectomy. As it is apparently difficult to detect changes in my dense breasts I decided on a bilateral mastectomy and concurrent reconstruction.  The surgeon did not try to talk me out of it and I think he was somewhat agreeing with me, though these days the drs are all for breast conservation.  After being sent to a psychologist by the dr to assess my mind set, he was satisfied that I was ready for this mammoth surgery. 

Let me tell you that it was the best decision I have ever made.  At no time have I ever thought that a wrong decision was being made and I am thrilled that I made the right decision for me. 

No longer will I need any mammograms, ultrasounds and MRI's as this would have been the story for me on a regular bases to keep an eye on the other breast. 

I want to live my life without fear and not have to go through the worry of waiting on results for each future scan.  I was a double D and would have needed extensive surgery on the other side to match the newly constructed breast.  So off they both came and have not looked back. 

I am currently undergoing the reconstruction process with the expanders which are not a piece of cake but it's only for 3 months (which seems a lifetime, but will be behind me before I know it).  Then will drop a couple of sizes and become a C cup.  Something I am really looking forward to!! 

When I read and hear stories from others who have had recurrences I wonder whether they would all be in the same boat had they had a more drastic approach.

  I am one of the luckier ones who did not need any chemo, radio or hormone therapy due to the drastic measure of removing both breasts when I did.  I would recommend it to anyone who asked me and though it is not a walk in the park, it is a comforting feeling that all will be well soon and the cancer has gone!

Good luck with your decision and let us know what you decide.

 

Thanks Tonya.

I had radiation on the side that is to be removed in 2004...so not much different to you.

I supppose that I'll just go with what my Dr suggests as 'the best thing' as he sees it, and go from there...ugghh, so much to think about, I feel like my head is numb and exploding all at the same time. 

You're right, I'll make my decision after a few more answers, and a lot more reading.

:-) Janet

Thank you to everyone for your replies. I am pleasantly shocked at how many messages were in my inbox today...it is such a great feeling to be connected.

My appointment is tomorrow (Monday) and I will post an update of the suggestions / treatment options (if any) and my plan of attack!.

Thanks so much again,

Janet x 

Thanks Tonya.

My appointment is tomorrow, so will discuss all the options (if there are any) with my Dr. I trust him, so thats a good start.

x Janet

I had a mastectomy on my right breast in 2008 and felt good about everything then had a few scares with lumps in my left breast so decided to have it off on 1st of April 2010 and have felt comfortable since not lopsided only have to be aware of the shirts I buy. I now have secondary breast cancer on my lungs and liver and am having treatment which seems to be going slowly but working. Hope you keep well. Maxine

So sorry you are facing this again. I had a single mastectomy in May last year. I was not able to have immediate reconstruction and did think initially that I would have the other breast off and double reconstruction after chemo and radiation. But at this stage I have made lots of changes to my life and I am satisfied with using a prosthesis and keeping my 'good' breast. I recently had to be refitted for a prosthesis as I had lost about 9 kilos. I had gone down 2 sizes and it did run through my head that this would have been a problem with a single implant reconstruction. You can always do further surgery later on but make sure whatever you decide is what you really want. Things can change. Take care. Deanne xxx