Hi
I’m going to ask for my remaining breast removed as my tumour was grade three plus I had widespread dcis and I am also HER2.
Has anyone chosen to have this done? I will have another dorsi flap reconstruction and have already touched the subject with my bcn and plastic surgeon.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Hi,
Not sure I can add any value as I dont know what Im having done just yet. But like you Im HER2 and my tumour was grade 3. I’ve had the works…lumpectomy, chemo, mastectomy and now having rads.
Ive insisted all along that I want the other one removed. They have told me I had to finish my treatment first and then when they do the recon they will take the other one off and do an immediate recon on that one at the same time…ha say it like that it sounds dead easy!
Im having to see a physcologist first to make sure I fully understand what Im having done in removing a healthy breast? Have you had to do the same?
xxx
Hi,
I think im in a simular situation, I was diagnosed with a grade 3 DCIS in Dec 08 with lymphnodes invol, I had chemo, rads, hercep 7 tamoxifen. Now after alot of confussion and delibiration I have decided to have my other breast removed followed by recon, so I am awaiting to see the plastics.
Hope this helps but I know its a huge decision
Take care
Samina xx
I had a second mastectomy… I had the first in Nov 2008 for IBC (most of the most aggressive types of bc…) i said all the way through my treatment for that that i wanted both done… but was told i would have to wait for the second… in the end i started getting changes in the good breast this time last year so after mri and ultrasound showed benign changes (my nipple was becoming inverted etc) they agreed i could have the second op… i also have a really bad family history so i didn’t have to see a physcologist or anything as everyone agreed it was a good idea in my case…
I found the recovery from the second op so much easier as no lymphnodes were removed and i had full arm movement back as soon as the drains were removed… I’ve got lymphodema in the original arm as a result of full lymph removal and really high dose of rads and they also agreed it was best to do the good breast now so i didn’t risk lymphodema in both arms in the future…
Theresa x
I had mastectomy in December and lymph nodes removed after being diagnosed with Stage II Invasive Lobular Cancer and 4 other areas of DCIS. Currently on chemo, then Tamoxifen for 5 years. I had DCIS in 2005 with lumpectomy and radiotherapy and because I’ve had two primary cancers in the same breast,I asked about having the healthy breast removed and the bcn and breast surgeon were in agreeance. It is a big decision but one I feel is the right one for me.
Good luck
Krissy x
HI MNC
Like Salsa I’m also having a mastectomy on the other side. My story is very similar to yours Salsa and just in process of having scans etc before surgery which is in April. MNC my diagnosis was very similar to yours as well hence the original mastectomy plus a 4cm lump which had strayed into my lymph nodes - big lump under my arm. I wanted the other breast taken off right from the start and having SGAP reconstruction - in fact two lots of surgery as too long an operation to do both sides at the same time.
Ruby xx
Hi
I had a double mastectomy in Feb although clinically i only needed the one (I’d had 2 WLEs previously which had failed to get clear margins, & had IDC & DCIS). I opted for the second mastectomy for a variety of reasons. First, I knew that I didn’t want reconstructions and I didn’t want the asymmetry of having one breast. My breasts were quite large & heavy (42E), I have had quite a bit of back pain in past, and had read that breast asymmetry could also cause back pain. Being able to create an balanced frontage/bust of what ever size I chose was really important in the decision - I felt this was a way I could face the future. Also, it drastically reduced the chances of having a recurrence and having to go through the whole process again (no more mammograms!). Psycho/sexually it was a big decision, and if I was younger I may not have done it. However, as a 50 year old grandparent I feel I’m at a different stage in my life, and I want to be freed a bit more from my ‘biology’. I explained my reasons to my BC surgeon and she eventually agreed to do the double op, although to start with she just wanted to do the one, and review the other after a couple of years.
Of course there is a huge downside. I felt very emotional about the op just before, and have done since - less so now. Double or single mastectomy is harsh treatment - and if you opt for no recon, the scar and absence of breast takes some getting used to. The op also leaves you with numbness and tightness across your chest - which may decrease in time, I don’t know. Even though I had to cope with drains both side post-op, and I have also got seromas both sides as well, I’m very glad I had it all done at the same time. I didn’t want to have any more anaesthetic/ops, and I didn’t want to drag it all out over more months/years. I feel I made the right decision for me. I’m using breast forms of different sizes as the mood takes me, and I go form-free when I want to. I discussed it all alot with my kids & hubby before hand, and they have all helped me through it.
It a very personal decision - good luck with it!
Hi Ladies,
I was diagnosed with IDC last May and had 4 surgeries ending with a mx because on the third they found ILC as well. Thank goodness thet kept trying to get that clear margin! Luckily my nodes were clear even though the nasties came to a total of 11cms!!!
I was more than pleased when they told me I was to have a mx in fact I asked for one before that and was told no, they would get the clear margin and as I was a ‘large busted lady’ (34G) I could afford to lose a bit more. I had to have an MRI on the good side to check that there was no lobular there but when I asked for a mx they said no. However I still want the other side removed as I look at it as a time bomb waiting to go off and I don’t want to have to go through chemo again if I don’t need to. I have spoken to my BCN and Onc and they both say it will be no problem if that is what I want, so as soon as rads is finished (only started today), then I shall ask for appt with surgeon. Lobular apparently has slightly higher incidence of appearing the other side and I really don’t want that.
Love the idea of choosing what size I want to be and will probably want recon at some stage but I was def more upset at losing my hair than my breast. Maybe it helped that I wanted to go for breast reduction before I joined this club.
For me it is an easy decision but I do understand that not everybody feels like that.
Love to you all,
Jane xx
Thank you everybody for your responses. I am on my third chemo on Friday and then 3 x tax, herception x 18, rads and tamoxifen.
I am contacting the bcn tomorrow to get an idea of when will be the best time. I will obviously want a mammogram first and even if there is nothing I’d rather be safe than sorry as I don’t want all my lymph nodes removed again. And I feel it is better to be safe against this horrid disease than sorry and have to go through chemo, herceptin, rads and tamoxifen again.
By the way luckily I am a 36a and then found enough muscle on my back to create a perfect new boob without an implant and I will request the same dorsi flap procedure again.
I’m typing this on my iPhone so apologies for the errors.
Best wishes to everyone.
XXXXXXX
Hi mnc
I think you’ve made your decision - and it’s very important that it’s YOUR decision. But just to say that I had bilateral mx and recon in december 09 and am very happy that I did (relatively speaking, of course!). One breast was bad, the other healthy, but I have no regrets whatsoever, and I think I’ll have less stress long term.
River x
Hi everybody
I spoke to my BCN this morning and she said a mastectomy of my remaining breast won’t be discussed until I have finished Chemotherapy which will be end of May 2010. I have an appointment to see my consultant on 30th June 2010.
After seeing the consultant and telling him of my wishes, I will then have a mammogram and go back for the result. By removing my remaining breast I would feel more relaxed knowing that the chances of it coming back would be reduced.
As I said earlier (I think), I was originally diagnosed with DCIS in June 2009 and the consultant did say I’d need a mastectomy. Six months later as well as DCIS I had a grade 3 tumour hence the reasons why I want to get rid of my other breast.
I am due to have a new nipple after all treatment has finished which will be next year.
xxxx