Symmetrising mastectomy

[cathy4]

Hi. I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer on 2 January 2025. Chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery (single mastectomy, no reconstruction as not possible at the time to urgency of surgery), further chemotherapy and radiotherapy mixed up with sepsis and Covid - 2025 and start of 2026 were not the best. Finally got the NED / all clear on 15 June 2026.

Since September 2025 I have used (tolerated) a silicon prosthesis but am now beginning to hate it. A breast care nurse has suggested I consider a contralateral symmetrising mastectomy on the healthy breast. I am 38F so very unbalanced when I put the heavy prosthesis in its box. Would be happy to go flat. Has anyone had experience of the process involved to get this surgery?

[kazaroo]

Hi @cathy4 i had a risk reducing second mastectomy as had already had bc twice and a high family history of bc. I wanted the second mastectomy despite no diagnosis in that side. They still made me jump through hoops for it. The surgeon agreed to do it providing I had a psychological assessment first. Once that was done though, it was pretty straight forward.