User Profile
Poodle_Lady55
Member
Joined 6 years ago
User Widgets
Contributions
Re: DCIS treatments
Hi @Blister, in answer to your original question, having a mastectomy definitely isn't overkill in my opinion. I too had DCIS in my right breast and had a lumpectomy but the surgeon could not get clear margins and so I had another lumpectomy. Pathology showed that the breast was full of micro DCIS, difficult to find and so the best option for me was a mastectomy to ensure that all of the diseased breast was gone and I could stop worrying about the possibility of it spreading around further. What was a difficult decision was whether to have my left breast removed at the same time, i.e. a prophylactic mastectomy. I opted to have both breasts removed as I wanted to keep the cancer risk as low as possible for the future. As it happens, pathology showed lobular cancer in my left breast, the prophylactic one, which had not been picked up on any scans so I'm glad I had the bilateral mastectomy! I'm lucky it was picked up early and no lymph nodes removed or radiation or chemo. Whilst the mastectomy and reconstruction with tissues expanders at the moment is not a walk in the park, it is better than cancer which has spread. However, others may choose to have more conservative treatment and keep their breasts or have a mastectomy and go flat because everyone is on their own personal journey. I'm 56 in a month and didn't hesitate to have the boobs rebuilt and agree with @FLClover that for some people, if it is possible, having your breasts reconstructed is healing no matter what age you are, but for others it's not important. Good luck with everything <3 xRe: Pain after mastectomy/stage one reconstruction
Hi @Ecup2020 I too had a bilateral mastectomy with expanders fitted in July. I am also finding the expanders very uncomfortable and painful. I have been getting through it by taking strong painkillers, mainly tramadol so I understand when you say the pain is awful and you need endone. Its about 13 weeks since my op now and the pain has eased up to the point where I don't need painkillers unless I have had the expanders filled, which gives me quite a lot of pain for about 3 days afterwards and then sometimes I have to take something stronger than a paracetamol or ibuprofen. I have heard that it is much more comfortable when the expanders are swopped for the actual implant so looking forward to that! Wishing you all the best with your healing and rest up as much as you can <3 xRe: Bilateral Mastectomy and no further treatment
Hi @Geordie I feel the same. Recently had bilateral mastectomy, no lymph node removal because it was early and no chemo or radiotheraphy. All so quickly done thankfully but a bit of a whirlwind. I feel lucky it was found but guilty that others have to go through so much more treatment so maybe it is a bit like survivors guilt. I'm sure though that everyone is welcome here to support each other whatever their breast cancer experience. I'm still trying to process it all. Best wishes xrecovering from double mastectomy with Bella's help!
So I had my double mastectomy recently with expanders put in at the same time (photos to follow in 'Choosing breast reconstruction' when I am a bit further along) for reconstruction and when they examined the breast tissue afterwards they found more DCIS, 10cm in total and I was small breasted! and in the other breast which was a prophylactic mastectomy they found lobular cancer so thank goodness I had the double mastectomy. The operation went very well and the Doctors and Nurses were brilliant. This made me laugh :) . My husband took this picture of me and my Poodle Bella sleeping after coming home from the hospital. She stole my lovely Zonta cushion given to me in hospital after my second lumpectomy and much appreciated since <3. I was in hospital for a week in the end after the double mastectomy waiting for one of the drains to ease up. Being diagnosed with breast cancer feels like living in a nightmare so I hope this makes you smile and sending love and strength to all you lovely ladies and men in your breast cancer journey :* <3 xxx
Groups
Choosing breast reconstruction
PRIVATE GROUP. Choosing breast reconstruction after single or double mastectomy can feel overwhelming, and deeply personal. This group is here to connect you through others' stories and images. Please respect everyone’s privacy—do not copy or share content outside this space. Information is based on personal experience and is not medical advice; always consult your healthcare team for guidance. ⚠️CONTENT WARNING⚠️ Members may share photos of breast surgeries. These images or discussions may be distressing or triggering for some. If you need support, please contact the BCNA Helpline - we are here for you.
