Profilatic mascetomy

Hi Sarah ;) do u have to have expanders in for over a year ?? :/

Hi Kel

I haven't been on the site for a while and have just seen your post.  My experience after having had precursors to cancer, first in one breast then the other (and a strong family history) was that having both boobs removed and expanders placed and finally (a year and a half lafter the expanders) implants was really a HUGE relief.  Now I see the surgeon once a year for a quick exam, no more mammograms.  I waited a year for the initial surgery and as the time drew close to my BMX I tried to keep really busy and not to think about it.  I knew I had made the right decision for me. So please try not to worry too much, I think you're doing the best thing by doing all you can to make sure you are free of disease. Will be thinking of you on July 23.  Best wishes, Sarah

I'm terrified :/ I wish that it wasn't such a long wait , 16 weeks all up. I don't care about losing my other one it will head south soon anyway.if when I woke that was it I think it wouldn't feel so big. But it's really the start of it all. My breast is to dense to see through it so the docs would have to do a MRI every yr instead of a mammogram.im not sure how real they will look , I've read about having fat injections at the end to make them appear more like a real breast.i did read a great quote a few mths ago from a lady that went through the same thing. She had a tee shirt made that said " Yes they r fake my real ones tried to kill me" I thought that was funny. Keep in touch girls xxxxxxx can't really end with " save the Ta Ta's " ;)

Hi Ladies, I too have had a prophylactic mastectomy and reconstruction at the same time. Because a mammogram failed to pick up my BC, I felt it would be hard to fully trust a mammogram in the future, so after one mastectomy, and chemo, I went back 9 months later to have the second one off and have tissue expanders added. I never had genetic testing, as there is no breast cancer in our family, but still didn't want the risk of getting BC twice. You only have to read these blogs to know that many, many women get BC more than once. I am very happy with my decision, and the results of my reconstruction. Love Chris xx

Hi Ladies, I too have had a prophylactic mastectomy and reconstruction at the same time. Because a mammogram failed to pick up my BC, I felt it would be hard to fully trust a mammogram in the future, so after one mastectomy, and chemo, I went back 9 months later to have the second one off and have tissue expanders added. I never had genetic testing, as there is no breast cancer in our family, but still didn't want the risk of getting BC twice. You only have to read these blogs to know that many, many women get BC more than once. I am very happy with my decision, and the results of my reconstruction. Love Chris xx

Hi girls, I go back to plastic surgeon (Dr rod cooter who was on the project tonight talking bout the implants that have the industrial grade silicon) on Fri this week 1st June to tell him that I want to go ahead with left prophylactic mastectomy and immediate bilateral recon. Am going to do the expanders and implants option and not the lat dorsi as he suggested. Hope I am making the right decision! How does it feel Kell that you now have a date for the surgery? I am nervous about it all actually...not looking forward to losing my last original boob...I quite liked them! Goodluck for the surgery. Love Sam xxx

Hi heather, I'm 39 now sounds the same re left mastectomy chemo and rads. I'm booked in on the 23rd of July to have second mastectomy and expanders put in on both sides.i thought I would have to have a lat dorsi but he feels enough skin has been left to use implants , so of we go. Keep in touch :) kell xx

Hi Ladies,

It's encouraging to read from you as I am in the same boat too (I think it must be a very big boat!). I was diagonsed in August last year and have had a mastectomy of my left and chemo and radio and am now on Tamoxifen. My mum died from secondary breast cancer two years ago and my grandma 10 years before that from cancer too. I have had the genetic testing and came up clear for the two they test for but it's my gut feeling that theres some sore of familial link.

I have decided to have the right one removed too. It'll reduce my risk to zero, and I don't see much point in it hanging around if the other side doesn't match. I currently have an expancer in the left and it get pretty uncomfortable. Consequently I am booked reconstructive surgery on 16th July with Dr Pennington in Sydney. He will do a DIEP for the left but I don't have enough fat for him to do the right too. I will need to have an implant on the right. I feel funny having different techniques on both sides but at least I will minimise possible risk of capsular contracture on the left. 

 

I'd love to hear how you all are. I am 38 and have four young children.

Heather

 

Hi Ladies,

It's encouraging to read from you as I am in the same boat too (I think it must be a very big boat!). I was diagonsed in August last year and have had a mastectomy of my left and chemo and radio and am now on Tamoxifen. My mum died from secondary breast cancer two years ago and my grandma 10 years before that from cancer too. I have had the genetic testing and came up clear for the two they test for but it's my gut feeling that theres some sore of familial link.

I have decided to have the right one removed too. It'll reduce my risk to zero, and I don't see much point in it hanging around if the other side doesn't match. I currently have an expancer in the left and it get pretty uncomfortable. Consequently I am booked reconstructive surgery on 16th July with Dr Pennington in Sydney. He will do a DIEP for the left but I don't have enough fat for him to do the right too. I will need to have an implant on the right. I feel funny having different techniques on both sides but at least I will minimise possible risk of capsular contracture on the left. 

 

I'd love to hear how you all are. I am 38 and have four young children.

Heather

 

Hi Sam , thanks for your thoughts I just love reading what other women in similar situation are thinking. I have to have a lat lorsi dru to the rays. Unfortunately I was asking to have ultrasounds for quite a few yrs as I felt there was something off. The machines didn't pick it up as it was in situ and they couldn't see it. Even up till my diagnosis they were saying 98% sure it was no. When I was in my 20's and 30's I used to say to my girlfriends, if they ever find anything I'm getting them cut off!!! Never really believing it would come to this.i know if I can go through with it I will be able to " take a breath" I'm sure u know what I mean. It will also give me the opportunity when my kids a much older, to tell them that I done every I possibly could to make sure it wasn't coming back. Love kel xxxxxx