Hi all, I seen to have had a very unusual type of surgery. I was quite Big boobed before bc (F cups) and had quite a big tumor (4.2 cm with all the side bits attached to it). My surgeon said I would need a full mastectomy due to the size of tumour unless I had chemo first to try and shrink it a bit. So I opted for that. However it didn’t shrink much do he said the only way I could save my breast was to have a partial mastectomy where he would do something like a breast reduction and uplift surgery once he had got rid of the tumor. Then he said I could at some later stage have the other one reduced and uplifted to match. All this was possible because the Boob’s were Big enough in the first place to be able to take the reduction s. However due to many complications from treatment I was unable to wear a bra for pretty much most of last year and the good Boob has now sagged so badly I have one large Boob approaching the floor and the other small boob pointing up. The other thing is I think the surgeon made a bit of a mistake in that the nipple on the operated Boob is too high up. My dilemmas are these: do I go ahead with getting the droopy boob lifted and reduced to match the cancer boob, but then in order to match them both will have freakishly high nipples? I have also developed severe anxiety regarding hospital procedures, needless etc so am too scared to enquire about surgery cos I don’t know if I can face intervention like this again, finally, and I know this is silly, what if it comes back and I have had the good boob mangled to match the bad Boob? Hope this all makes sense! It’s just that I have not come across anyone who had their treatment this way round or hadthis weird type of surgery. Xxxx
Hi
I am not in the same situation as you are but can totally understand where you are coming from. From what I have read it is not unusual for ladies to end up having a reduction on their good side to match the bad booby.
Would it be a good idea to get an appointment with a plastic surgeon just to discuss your options? You could find out what was possible without making any commitments to having anything done? You may end up reassured or decide you do not want any further surgery, but at least you would then be making an informed decision?
Take care.
Mary
Thanks Mary, I have already had several discussions with him about it, he can’t seen to wait to get his hands on the other one! I just wanted to see if anyoneelse had the same situation and whether they had this surgery and what it was like. I JJoe I haven’t pee’d off all the mastectomy ladies by moaning about my boob, when at least I have somethings on that Side. I. Know I should be grateful for this. It’s just that even though there is a boob there it is a total train wreck in the chest area and I need to know that if I put myself through the ordeal of further surgery it will be worth it and not make matters worse. The thing is if I have a good day, and can get a bra on, it’s not too bad as I can whee the insert and no one is any the wise, buta lot of the time it’s just to sore, even now, 18 months after surgery. I also worry that no one else seems to have had this procedure and whether it’s been done properly cos it’s obviously not done a lot! Just wish I could compare notes with some one!! Xxxx
Hi Nurse MYW
I had a not too dissimilar op 3-4 yrs ago. I had a large lump 4.4 in my breast,After chemo to hopefully reduce this ( not entirely successfully according to MRI ) I had a quadrenectomy according to my Onc or extremely generous wide local excision according to my surgeon. Either way I was able to wear a bra with difficulty as diff sizes much smaller size and nipple pointing SE on op side, but still FF and droopy on ‘good’ side. I had not found anyone else who had had this done either. After some thought and discussion with my BCN I had an appt with a PS. I thought I knew what was going to be available and what I wanted but he threw other suggestions into the pot and sent me away to return in 4 wks to discuss again.He was very clear that he could give me a good shape on my affected side and lift and reduce the good side to match. In Jan 13 I had a bilateral mastopexy/mammoplasty.I haven’t got 'freakishly high nipples they are both mid-line I have to say I am delighted with the results. . He did exactly what he said he would. I have a better shape now than before!!! Have you thought about a second PS opinion just to be clear about what can be achieved.A big decision I know as with this op we ‘choose’ to have it done not like for cancerremoval where there isn’t much choice.J xxx
Wow Libby! Thank you so much for taking the time to reply. You have really put my mind at rest that I am not the only one who had this done! And yes! That is what he called the op when he was explaining it to me-a quadrantectomy! The only thing that’s different is that I had the mastoplexy on the bc side done at the same time as the cancer removal, hence him moving the nipple up. Maybe I should have a chat with my bcn about my options and maybe go to a place where they just do plastic surgery. Food for thought! Thanks again!
He Libby, me again. I have just one more question. Addi mentioned before due to post treatment complications I still get lots of pain and soreness in the bc side. This is due to nerve damage which gives me sharp stabbing pains and burning and also a chronic form of radiation dermatitis which they have told me May never go. Because i have had so much pain and discomfort from this boob I have been put off having the other one messed with.
Sorry, pressed post before I got to the point! So my question is, how much did it hurt? And how long did it take to get over? And how do they feel now? Please be honest, I really need to know what to expect from someone who had actually had it done. I know it shouldn’t be as bad add there is no axillary clearence and no rads to mess with nerves and make it sore, so hopefully shouldn’t be as bad on the non bc side. And 1 more thing, did you have rads on your bc side? And if so what was it like having a second op on top of that? So sorry to bombard you, really appreciate your help!!! Jo x
Thanks so much! Sorry I am New to all this forum malarkey so please forgive me if I asked to many questions or if I should have done it throughpm! I am not familiar with the etiquette!!!
It has definitely given me food for thought. I am not a very stoic person and I really need to give putting myself through major surgery serious thought as I am a total wimp but you have really made me want to pursue it further and find out more. I finished rads 16 months ago and still have lots of pain and this weird chronic dermatitis so not even sure if further corrective surgery is even possible on the bc side but I might enquire about the other one.
So thanks once again for all your info and for taking the time to write. Really appreciate it.
Xxxxxjo