I had full mastectomy with delayed reconstruction. My original surgeon was reluctant to do reconstruction as I had a small PE.
Plastics were more than happy to take me on. I had DIEP in February. I had reduction symmetry surgery in September. My surgeon aims for symmetry out of your bra, where most simply aim for symmetry whilst wearing a bra.
I do feel that my reduced/healthy breast is bigger in all directions than my reconstructed breast. Its also slightly higher too.
I was determined not to be fussy about the results. But I feel a bit (pardon the expression) deflated.
This time two years ago I would have killed to look like this. But I feel a bit disappointed and like I’m being ungrateful. At best I’m in two minds…some days I love it. Other days I can’t help noticing the difference. I know that natural breast are equal and I’m not expecting perfection.
Please can others share there experiences. How did you feel?
I also have two more months before I see my surgeon. I’m only one month post surgery, so I’m hoping that the reduced breast will continue to heal and evolve and eventually be more of a similar size and shape. Does anyone have experience of this.
I don’t particularly wanr more surgery…especially if the results are unpredictable. I just would like to put cancer and hospitals behind me. But don’t just want to settle for second best.
Hi Snookie,
Sorry to hear you’re feeling like this. I think if I’d been offered reconstruction I’d have been expecting to look back to normal, I think I was quite naive about what I’d look like post surgery. As it is I opted for lumpectomy but was offered mastectomy without reconstruction as my health board won’t offer reconstruction if BMI is above 35. Mastectomy was too radical for me to deal with as a first option but if the cancer returns I’ll go for it.
I can totally understand how you feel, it is disappointing to see the change in appearance post surgery and recovery, especially when you’ve been through it twice, which I think is brave of you. I’ve been left with half a breast and a horribly sunken nipple/areola where the scar was made which is not only unsightly but actually difficult to keep clean which concerns me. I don’t like touching it or handling it but obviously I have to. At least with plenty of padding in my bra I look ‘normal’ clothed, so that’s good.
I had a mastectomy and reconstruction surgery with an implant and a reduction/uplift on healthy side for symmetry in June this year. It was done all in one surgery. I was warned that the uplifted breast would take a while to heal and final results can often only been seen months later. It’s normal for the breast to have a slightly unusual shape at first as it settles after surgery and look slightly bruised.
I decided to take photos of my recovery every two to three weeks and it’s encouraging to see the progress- scars begin to look less angry and the lines are very slowly fading.
I think after a few more months, you’ll notice a difference and see the symmetry that you’re after too. From my point of view, I know I’ll never be the same as before but learning to like the new me and glad to have kept a bit of me (old breast just a bit smaller and higher) too.
Be gentle on yourself - you’ve been through a lot x
Hi @Snookie
Last year I had four surgeries with the final one being a bilateral mammoplasty. Surgeon reduced one breast to get clear margins and reduced the other side to match at the same time. Both seemed very high and strange at the start but have definitely dropped. The cancer one had a lot of internal scarring and I had radiotherapy. It was slightly larger initially but has shrunk as the surgeon said it would when all the internal swelling went down and the radiotherapy affects.
Hope that helps.
Kx
You’re welcome - it will begin to look different over the next few months, it’s really early days for you being only one month post op.
I had a recent appointment last week to discuss nipple reconstruction and was told that now I can start rubbing some bio oil onto the scars of uplifted breast to help the healing. This was 4 months post op. A friend had given me a little bottle of Neals Yard rose hip oil and I’ve started using that morning and night - gently dapping a little around the area. My incision was a donut so there’s only scarring around the are nipple areaola area but scarring nonetheless and will take time to heal.
I’m hoping that within a year or so, it’ll have settled. I’ve found it also helps to see your scars as a sign of strength, a reminder of what you’ve been through and how you’ve come out the other side.
I actually love my scars! They’re a reminder of what I battled and survived. It’s not the scars that bother me.
My breast are clearly different sizes and shapes. I wanted to know whether the uplifted/reduced one would change and settle and you have confirmed that. And it seems that it’ll take several months to a year. So, I know what to expect.
I liked your idea of taking a photo once a month, so that you can track the progress. If you just see it every day in the mirror you won’t be able to notice the changes. Comparing photos one month to the next will be better and I should notice the changes more.