Good morning,
I have now been told by my surgeon that i have to have a simple mastectomy due to my BMI, i was led to believe all along that it was going to be reconstruction. I feel lost now with my thoughts, he related it to doing an amputation, which freaked me out lots. Also do you still need to take tamoxifen or similar after a mastectomy with sentinal lymph node removal? My breast care nurse isn’t responding to my messages, as she promised she would, so am feeling alone and my thought are running wild with me. Have my pre op on 11th June in the hospital. So it won’t be that long now, I am just scared.
I had a single mastectomy without reconstruction and all my lymph nodes removed. For me I had to have more treatment after which will include hormone treatment. It depends on what they find following the surgery and whether there’s any cancer in the lymph nodes. If it’s all clear then they may not need to offer you more treatment.
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Hi rosa1,
Thank you for your reply. I am just petrified of all what lies ahead. Xx
I was not offered a reconstruction, I thought it was because I will need radio after but I’m not really 100%. I go in on Monday and I’m pretty terrified to be honest.
Hello sh18
Thank you for posting. It is natural that you are feeling scared and freaked out after being told that you need a mastectomy and are unable to have a reconstruction as you had expected. It can be confusing when treatment plans change, and it is understandable that you are upset. Some people are advised not to have a reconstruction because of certain medical conditions including a high BMI which can increase the risk of complications after surgery.
It may be possible to have a delayed reconstruction after your treatment, and it can be helpful to talk to your treatment team about this option in the future. As reconstruction is not available to you at present you may find it helpful to look at the charity Flat Friends who provide support and advice to women who have had, or are having a mastectomy.
You also ask if you will need to take tamoxifen after a mastectomy and sentinel node biopsy. If your cancer is hormone receptor positive you are usually offered a form of hormone therapy, but which type will depend on a number of factors including your age and medical history. Your treatment team will be able to give you more information about which treatments may be recommended for you after your operation, as @rosa1 also says.
Coping with a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment can be difficult. You may find our information on managing stress and anxiety helpful.
We offer a range of free supportive services for anyone who has had a diagnosis of breast cancer which you may be interested in. They include face to face and online courses and events.
Talking to someone who has had a similar experience can often be helpful. Our Someone Like Me service can match you with a trained volunteer who’s had a similar experience to you. You can be in touch with your volunteer by phone or email and they can share their personal experiences to answer your questions, offer support or simply listen to how you are feeling.
You can ring the Someone Like Me team on 0114 263 6490 or email them at someone.likeme@breastcancernow.org, so they can then match you to your volunteer.
For more details about all of these services, please see the information on the link, or call our helpline if you would like to talk this through or have any further questions. The helpline team have time to listen, talk things through and signpost you to more support and information if necessary. Your call will be confidential, and the number is free from UK landlines and all mobile networks. The number is 0808 800 6000, (Relay UK - prefix 18001).
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Best wishes
Katy
Breast Care Nurse
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