HI there,
I am booked in for a mastectomy following an unsuccessful lumpectomy in a couple of week’s time and I am not sure which operation to go for. I have small breasts - only A cup and in fact my healthy breast is noticeably smaller than my BC one.
I have never particularly liked the size of my breasts, but would never have considered an augmentation previously - and so I feel quite odd about having an enhancement to it now.
So - I was wondering if there were any other women who have had a small healthy breast enhanced to match their new reconstructed one? I’m not sure how I’ll feel about having to enlarge my healthy breast to match - rather than leaving it has it is - but I really don’t want to be lop-sided! Am in my early 30s.
What to do - have a matching bigger pair? Or keep one natural? The decision I make about this affects the op I have in the first place.
Not sure if any one there has faced a similar decision and come out the other side? Its hard to know how I’ll feel afterward and so am scared of making a decision I’ll regret.
Hi there,
I have been in exactly your position. I was a AA cup, and had a delayed reconstruction last year (mx in 2007). My PS suggested having an implant in my good side, otherwise I think he was wondering why I was bothering with the recon, being so small!
I have mixed feelings about the result. It looks good, and on a practical level so many things are so much easier now - clothes & underwear buying, changing in the gym, swimwear. And I feel so much more confident about my shape. But it doesn’t feel like me, and I have lost some sensation - I can feel touch, but my implanted good boob is no longer an erogenous zone for me. Before, I may not have had much, but it was a major erogenous zone for me, and so far I have lost that. I understand that nerve endings can regrow up to two years after surgery, and I am only 8 months post implant op so this may yet change.
On balance I am pleased, but there is a definite down side for me.
Yes I had this done a couple of months ago. I had a reconstruction on the right side back in February 2010 which made my healthy boob look really small. (I was an A cup - being generous!) In fact as time went on the mismatch became more and more pronounced so in March this year I finally agreed to have the healthy boob enhanced. I must admit I resisted for a long time because I didn’t fancy having ‘unnecessary’ surgery to a healthy breast. However, I am pleased with the result so far. I am now a B cup which makes bra buying SOOOO much easier! And dressed it all looks very natural. There is still a bit of a mismatch when I am undressed. The reconstruction sits higher and is more rounded but it is a definite improvement. I haven’t lost any sensation in the healthy boob but I at the moment I have to admit that the nipple is rather painful; I’m hoping that will wear off though.
It is a big decision but for me being lopsided and being two very obvious different sizes was sapping my confidence. Overall I’m glad I took the plunge and went for it.
Good luck with your decision.
Val x
I am interested in this thread as am in the same situation.
Am booked to have a delayed reconstruction on 13th June, but the plan is to have an uplift and implant to match on the ‘good’ side a few months later. I am currently an A cup and keep wondering if its the right thing to do. I have a lot of faith in my surgeon, but you do still think am I mad to operate on a healthy breast dont you?
Will let you know how it goes.
My other question is…how do you decide what siza bra to waer btween the two lots of surgery? I assume you have to go with the size of the reconstructed breat, but then will be too big on the other side?? Any advice welcome
Thanks
Janey x
Hi all, I’m also not wanting to have surgery to a healthy breast, but this would be a reduction from my 42D size. I wouldn’t mind smaller boobs but really don’t want them to mess with my healthy boob. I had to have a delayed recon due to RADs, so at the moment I have a prothesis by day and look like a freak by night.
Hi Janey123, with regard to bras in the interim period - yes, I had to go with the size of the reconstructed side and then had a gap on the ‘good’ side. I did used to put tissues or a ‘chicken fillet’ in the bra to fill it out. That sort of did the trick but they had a habit of working their way out of the bra so I had to be a bit careful.(Not sure Year 11 boys could have coped with that dropping into their lap!!
It was that and as Nottsgal said about looking a freak at night, that finally pushed me to the decision to go for the extra surgery. I found it depressing and I hated to see myself in a mirror. Although other people said they couldn’t tell, I KNEW, and as I said before, I am so glad I did it in the end because now I feel normal. There is still a difference in shape but it is tons better than it was and once the nipple is added to the recon then I might feel human again! You’re not mad to consider surgery to the healthy breast - it’s how you will feel afterwards that matters.
Regards Val x
Hi Holloway, I had bilateral mx in March and no recon. I think it’s a very difficult decision at the best of times, but when you’re in a whirl over the bc to start with and there’s no time to think and mull it over slowly, it’s easy to make the wrong choice, or to regret what you decide. It’s down to you in the end, but I would personally delay your recon decision till you’ve had time to live with the mx and to come to terms with it. There is also the point that recons and other surgery can fail, and you don’t really know what result you’ll get even if it goes to plan (thinking about size and shape here in particular).
Sending you lots of love, and I hope you are able to reach a decision you’re happy with xx
Hi Everyone, Thank you so much for your responses. It is very good to know that I am not the only one agonising over such decisions. There are so many emotions tied up with this decision.
It is really really useful to hear your experiences.
Can I ask for those who have had surgery - did you go for implant only or flap with or without implant? How you made the decision and whether you are happy with it.
I think on balance the surgery that allows me to be flexible to change my appearance on the other side IF I want to is the best. I don’t know now how I will feel, but my priority is to feel confident and normal!
I have had different advice from different medics. My PS initially gave me the impression that the back flap would be best because I would not need implants at all. My cancer surgeon thinks implants are a better option because the trauma is less and because my breasts are small anyway - but this would definitely involve an implant on the other side if I wanted to look balanced.
Keen to know what you decided… also can any one recommend any good resources to look at the results of these various options?
Thanks again - this is a great help.
Hollowayx
hi all
i am having a bilateral tram bnext month and im really glad to be taking control. all this crappy bc stuff has had enough of me we may as well have a few benifits hxx
Hi,I had implant only because I was so small and also because I didn’t have enough padding to be able to use tissue from the back or tummy. I was told by my PS all along though that the best result generally came from the back flap and having seen my friend’s reconstruction using muscle from the back - I have to agree it looks far more natural than mine. Mine looks ok mind you - it is soft but it is more round and pert than would be natural. But it depends on how invasive the surgery you are prepared to have and the effect you want as well. Personally I wanted the absolute minimum of intervention because to be honest, I was so shocked at having BC I wanted the whole thing over with as quickly as possible. What it would actually look like wasn’t an issue at that stage. However, once it was all over and I had to live with my new shape - then I began to seriously consider more surgery. Like you I wanted to feel confident and normal. It took me over a year of indecision though and I think my PS was getting a bit exasperated. His only issue was to make me look good but my issue was the wisdom of needless fiddling with a healthy breast. Certainly implants are easier and it is less trauma to the body.I recovered from both ops very quickly and I am able to do everything I did before.
You know, before all of this, I rarely gave my boobs a second glance. Nowadays I seem to spend so much time studying them in the mirror to see how they look in different bras and tops. I’m sure I’m imagining some of the flaws.
Anyway,I hope that helps a bit. Just a thought, have you asked your PS for photos of his past work. That might help you decide.
Val x
im oppsite to you all and i have only had a wle but the out come has left my left breast much smaller than my right infact i have to wear a falsey to bring it up to right size so i am going to ask for the right to be made smaller once all treatment has ended im lucky that i will still have a good sized breast but walking round with 1 dd cup and the other a c cup is so not right
That does help thanks so much Val. & very interesting to hear everyone else’s experiences.
Similarly to you, I have not really spent much time thinking about my boobs until now! I have just composed a long list of questions for the PS and will see what he says this week when I see him. I hope this makes things clearer.
Will report back!
breastclinic.co.uk/reconstruction_gallery.php
There are several pages of photos here with lots of different types of recon including just the expander. Hope it helps, some really good results there x
Hi all,
I too am in a similar situation, only got diagnosed 5 days ago, surgery booked for 24th May for a mx, im only a 34aa and when i asked my consultant and bcn about imediate reconstruction they said that it will be discussed again.
I feel really shallow for thinking should I ask for an implant on my healthy boob as ive always hated my small breasts, or should I just be grateful that bc has been caught early?
My OH thinks that I should ask on Friday as ive got another appointment but I feel like im asking for advice on something trivial.
Really dont know if I should wait for months or just get the whole thing over and done with in one go.
Any Advice?
Michelle
Hi Michelle, it really isn’t trivial - how you look and feel about yourself has such an impact on everything. You really should speak to your consultant about it. However, I’m inclined to think that they probably wouldn’t do the surgery on the healthy breast at the same time as the Mx. They do the reconstruction first generally, see how it sits and settles, then match the healthy breast to it. (at least that is how it worked with me.) I must say though that now being a B cup has made bra buying a whole lot easier.So no, it definitely isn’t trivial.
Regards and good luck
Val x
Hi Val,
Its so reassuring that you’ve gone through this and when you replied I read your post out loud to my OH as if Santa had just visited!
Im going to ask about what choices I have and then make a decision, can you let me know how long did it take you to recover from both op’s as you said quite quickly.
Ive told my work that i’ll be off for 6 weeks but they have said more like 8 weeks.
Thank you agin
Michelle
Hi Michelle, definitely ask about it all, as Val says it’s very important, and a big part of your recovery is how you feel. The immediate recon isn’t necessarily a good thing, especially as you can never be totally sure you won’t need more treatment afterwards and recon will hamper it (I think some places will do some recon, some won’t do it at all till they’re sure you don’t need further tx). Really do think about it though, there’s no rush but it’s good to research and find out all your options. The longer you have to think the better. As for matching - that’s quite common and pretty much the usual way to deal with any problems. You get the recon and then they match up the other breast. I know someone who had a big reduction without a recon, to make it easier to wear a breast form of less weight.
Lots of luck, and big hugs xx
Hi Michelle, I’m glad my reply helped although I don’t think I’ve ever been likened to Santa before lol. When I had the mastectomy and recon I was off work for 6 weeks and the second time back in March when I had the expander taken out, new implant in and the implant in the healthy side put in, I was off work for 2 weeks. Obviously it’s going to depend on what job you do. I work in a secondary school so my main issue was being knocked or bumped. As far as driving went I took 3 weeks the first time and just over a week the second. Again though, you do what feels right for you. I was lucky as I did recover quite quickly both times. (although I think I must have walked for Britain while I was recovering!!) I’m able to do everything I could before BC, which is a huge relief I must say.
I had immediate recon after my mx in 2010 because I wasn’t having any further treatment - radiotherapy etc; that can sometimes make a difference to what is offered.
I’m so sorry that you’ve found yourself in this situation, it is just horrible I know. Make sure you ask everything on Friday when you see your consultant and as I said before it isn’t trivial at all. It is very important that you feel you have all the information you need. My PS was lovely and seemed to completely understand the importance of self image.
I wish you good luck for 24th too and a speedy recovery!!
best regards
Val x
Hi MIchelle, I have my appointment with my surgeon again today to discuss everything. But, just wanted to say - don’t feel like its trivial. You have probably spent most of your life telling yourself that you don’t mind having small boobs, so thinking about this is a really strange thing and you might be inclined to be telling yourself its nothing. It really isn’t at all. I wanted to get everything done really quickly but in reality you do need a little time to think about it, if only to get your head around what is happening.
What helped me is writing down all the pros and cons of different routes. I worked out my worse case scenario and my best case and then you can talk to the surgeon about it and he can advise what he thinks the best route is.
Holloway x
Hi Holloway,
Hpe everything went ok today, do you feel reassured more today that youve spoken to the surgeon?
I have got a book to write down things but I keep coming to a blank, i too like you wanted the quickest option as i wanted it all over and done with but after speaking on here to others i now know that is not going to be the case.
Vallee has answered loads of questions for me and im a bit more in the picture now.
Had MRI yesterday and they found another suspicious lump so had biopsy and will get results next week. MX booked for 24th May, so will ask everything before then.
Hope everything goes ok with yourself and take care.
Michelle