What to do after a mastectomy?

Hi @Hulos it is the most difficult decision to make, because there is no right or wrong, better or worse choice. I am in the same boat with you at the moment. I was diagnosed with BC late last year, I was a very healthy 40 years old, shock upset and lots of tears. I had lumpectomy with two lumps removed in one breast . I was given the option of radiotherapy or mastectomy, because I had lobula carcinoma in situ through the specimen of my lumpectomy. When I went to see a plastic surgeon, I was offered flap or implant. The surgeon said the flap procedure will use half of my tummy fat to reconstruct my breast, another half will be thrown away,  it's only once in a life chance to have the procedure done. I started to worry if something come up with my another breast, I will have no choice, but have implant for reconstruction. So I expressed my concerns to my breast surgeon, he actually referred me to have MRI done, the MRI discovered another lump in my another breast. This lump wasn't picked up by previous ultrasound and mammograms. It was a total surprise for everyone. I just had biopsy done a few days ago. Now I am waiting for double mastectomy and reconstruction. I am in the process deciding what type of reconstruction is best for me. I am thinking more of implants at the moment. 

Good luck with your treatment and decision making. 

Lots of love and hugs for you! 

Hi, you ladies are so lovely, i thank you for all your  advice and information. 
I have recieved the berlie bra and inserts, not gaim enough to put on or try it.
This is going to sound weird but i find iam looking at women and thinking 
how lucky  they to have their boobs, I just cant help think it. As i know i will never be the same after the op.  Maybe time will heal things and as long as i am alive...who cares about not having both...
I am also on Letrozole plus chemo,  and it has reduced the size of my tumours which was 3.8cm and couple smaller ones at 5pm, including the lymp nodes being reduced in size. So i guess that is positive thing. .....waiting to finish the 12 weeks of chemo, only 5 to go.
Thank you and big hugs to all...:)

HI hulos, I really empathize with you ie looking down and wondering what it will look like with one boob. Im having mine off in a couple of weeks and it is daunting. I am only a few years younger than you so I get it. I have even found myself holding my breast!! its almost like starting to grieve before the event and that is why I would personally advise, dont rush into a reconstruction, it can be done at any time down the track ok. Its really likely that any decision you make now will be effected by emotions only.
I have tried to mentally prepare myself by looking at photos, but that too I dont think is very helpful.  Once its your own body, in my experience getting a stoma 10 years ago, there is no such thing as mentally preparing yourself for this type of thing. Maybe im alone there with that idea, but it really is different when its your own body. Try to relax, go with the flow, dont make too many decisions too quickly. Just get past the first part and try not to think beyond that at the moment, thats what I am trying to do, sometimes it helps and sometimes not. Just do what you can do and get online like I do when you need a shoulder. Your experience is your own. Do you have the my journey kit and the my care kit?? I received my journey kit about a week ago and the my care kit yesterday. A beautiful bra from Berlei and two soft form prosthesis. You can even remove and easily re-add stuffing for early swelling etc...

Hi Hulos, the beauty of reconstruction is you don't need to do it right away.  I had mine 2 1/2 years post mastectomy.  For me living in the tropical heat of FNQ saw me struggling not to be able to wear the singlet tops etc that I loved and the prosthesis was hot! Having said that, I am not sure what I would have done had I not decided to remove my other breast.  At that time I thought well i'm having surgery so why not do the recon at the same time.There is no right or wrong, just what is right for you.
I wish you all the best.
Paula xx

And they even do singlets with prostheses pockets and camisole tops so even in bed you can pop a softee in if you want. It is a lot to think about and 80% of women do not reconstruct. Great you have had time to consider. 

Thank you so much for all your input, i was a very  healthy 58 year old  till the diagnosis,  so you can imagine the shock this has been for me and my family.
I have checked the website on reconstructions, i have to say that the end results may look good but what one has to go thru is very confronting.  I dont know whether I want that  and have other parts of my body also affected whilst trying fix one boob....a lot to think about.
Sometimes i look down in my nightie  and think what it would look like just having one boob. How will it affect me physocologickly...i am prepared to go with a prosthetic only so that my body is not traumatized any more,,,again so much to consider. ..good luck to all of us and thank you all once again.
:):):)

further to above, if you have not received your my care kit, you can ask your breast nurse to refer you or simply refer yourself n this site.  

HI Im booked for a mastectomy in 3 weeks for IDC plus nodes. Its really your choice. Personally I am opting, at this stage anyway, not to have a reconstruction, I do not have very large breasts and they a nice and firm, so Im thinking it may not be very noticable and really, who cares or should care but me. Its a very personal decision that I looked into. Some have it done at the same time as the mastectomy. Some surgeons advise to allow healing. Mine brought it up but did say that it can prolong your initial admission and discomfort......I just got the My Care Kit from BCNA and it came with a lovely bra from Berlei and two soft form prostheses that are for the first 12 weeks. They then say you can get fitted for a permanent one, this also has a $400 rebate from medicare, and can be claimed every two years. Dont be forced into thinking either way is the best, go by what you want and surgeons advise on when is best. Im not rushing in, I just want to get past surgery, both physically and psychologically first.

I had single mastectomy and didn't bother with any recon or wearing of falsies. I don't even wear a bra any more. If I wear shirts with pockets in the front you don't really notice one sides not full like the other.