I was just diagnosed with invasive ducal carcinoma grade 1. I have an MRI Monday and pre-op Wednesday. At this point, my options are lumpectomy, single mastectomy, or double. I have been doing a lot of research, but I was hoping to find real people who could share their thoughts and experiences.
Hi …sorry to hear your news …you will definately find some good advice here…I noticed few ladies take on “us newbies” and give a lot of great support… I can’t sleep its my first sleepless night thinking of cancer sitting in my lovely breasts… and I just want to cry… and I just want it out… and I feel like a cheat as I am not formally diagnosed as yet but I have strong possibility based on symptoms and presentation … good luck with planning your treatment xx
Hi dart, if you call the number on here and speak to the nurses and also the someone like me option it might help you You have to do what feels right for you, it’s your body and when you are faced with having to make the decision as you have been given various choices it’s something that needs to be decided by you alone, discuss with your team what physical outcomes will look like, it’s something to take into account, what are you comfortable with, what are reconstruction options and timeframes if you want to consider those too, operation recovery times depending of which you decide. Most importantly be kind to yourself And do everything your way it’s your journey and do what’s right for you Do read previous surgery threads too they could help. I did google a utube video of the operation I was to have because for me knowing what would be happening while I was under was important and so I knew what to expect when the bandages came off too. That’s not for everyone but helped my head process things. 
Shi xx
Hi Dart, welcome to our lovely forum but sorry you find yourself here. It’s quite daunting at first. If you’re in a position to decide is it due to other risk factors like family history? These are tough decisions and hopefully your MRI will give stronger clues to help you decide. Be steered by your medical teams experience and contact the nurses on this forum or your BCN if you need to talk it through before you decide. There is lots of support here and outside of this forum if you need support with your decision. For example flatfriends online support anyone who has had a mastectomy whether temporary or permanent flat closure. I didn’t have a choice as I was stage 3 locally advanced. I eventually had reconstruction surgery which I’m really pleased with now. I found the mastectomy mentally difficult but it was my best chance of staying alive. Let us know how your MRI goes. Xx
Hi Dart
I’m so sorry to hear of your diagnosis but one encouraging fact is that the recovery rate for breast cancer caught in the early stages is over 90% now.
As regards your options, as others have said, it is a personal choice. You and your breast cancer are unique and what works for one person will not work for another. I’m actually adding to the replies because I had an itch on my chest this morning and lay pondering the fact that I don’t miss my breast one bit. I tend to regard it not as something missing (though it can be a nuisance if you don’t want to wear a prosthesis but you do want to wear a stripy top - wobbly lines!), but simply as something that drew a line under my breast cancer. Surgery removed it, regardless of what treatments followed, and my scars are a constant reassurance.
Much will depend on personal factors - your age, your perception of yourself as a woman, your body image, your family history relating to cancer, in some cases a partner’s preference… To some extent, what is removed can be replaced by reconstruction, but that raises more questions. How much are you willing to put yourself through? Or maybe you are like me - one op is enough thank you (actually I had no choice as I was heavily node positive). A full mastectomy, let alone a double, seems drastic for a stage 1 diagnosis but you may want peace of mind with it all gone. Like I said, so many questions.
You may find that your breast surgeon will have an opinion. Mine didn’t even mention a full mastectomy till my third diagnosis in three weeks - he assumed I would want just a partial mastectomy and radiotherapy. Oh how I wish… Certainly it’s worth asking her/him what other patients have opted for and what the benefits are. You may find one option is surgery and no treatment other than hormone therapy or a different surgery but necessitating other treatments. In the end though, YOU make the decision. It’s your body.
I hope all goes well for you and your MRI results are reassuring x