I am due to have a single mastectomy later this year followed by radiotherapy. Has anyone had similar and if so when did you have reconstructive surgery? Just trying to get time lines into my head.
I am due a chat with my surgeon in July, just keen to see how it went for others.
My surgeon wouldn’t allow a reconstruction until after radiotherapy because it will likely mangle the reconstruction or cause issues. I’ve done flat closure and will deal with the boob next year when I’m not physically broken from chemo and radio. X
@msizzle160 I was advised against reconstructing as radiotherapy may affect the new breast! I wasn’t going to put myself through a big operation to not have it 100% after! I’m going to get through treatment, have a long break to recover and reset (work out who I am after all this!) then decide on reconstruction next year x
100%! That’s exactly how I feel. The reconstruction used to feel like the end goal. Now it’s just a “When I’m ready!” after chemo and radiotherapy. I never imagined I’d feel so patient about it and in no rush to wrap it all all and be done. Strangely liberating to have been relieved of the pressure to be exactly who I was before. I’m only young but the aesthetic side feels so unimportant compared to physical health and feeling strong again! X
Thanks for the replies. Interesting how you feel about the reconstruction now. I guess it changes as you navigate through it all!
x
I had the reconstruction at the time of the surgery (silicon implant) and then chemo and radiotherapy. I have a 30% risk for capsular contracture (plastic surgeon said the risk is 15% if you have implant after radiotherapy). I learnt later about the fact that radiotherapy affect your new breast… those are the questions I had no idea to ask and I don’t remember being advised against… I’m happy right now (1 y post op) but let see what happens in the next year. My plan is, if I need to replace the implant bc of capsular contracture, then go for a diep reconstruction…
My surgeon gave me an immediate reconstruction using a tissue expander and she will replace this in a year or so after radiotherapy. Not sure what’s the “normal” thing to do but I’m 28 and that’s what she suggested so that’s what I went with! The expander isn’t perfect but for me, it’s better than being completely flat! Full admiration for those ladies who embrace the flatness!
It’s very interesting reading the different approaches to this. I had opted for a mastectomy when diagnosed and then was offered immediate reconstruction using the diep flap method. I was told it’s easier to have immediate recon because of tension in the skin if delaying later? That said though I do have some firmness or thickening in my reconstructed breast due to radiotherapy damage. I was warned that was possble so I’m not really bothered by it although it might mean longer delay for nipple recon if I choose to have that.
If I had to make the decision again I’m not really sure I’d make a different choice BUT I would push for my surgery date more than I did because it was quite a wait between diagnosis and diep-day
I think at this time my preference is to have mastectomy and reconstruction all at the same time. I am having chemo pre surgery so would love to just get that all out of the way on one go and move onto the next thing…although I will see what they advise of course.