Psychological counselling, healthy breast removal risk reduction

Hi there

I had a right sided Mx in 2017 after 3 lumpectomies and a recurrence after my original diagnosis in 2015. As a big busted person (H) cup I am now struggling with a large prosthetic on one side and large boob on the other side. The imbalance is causing a lot of discomfort in my neck and back and my surgeon is supportive of my wish to have the remaining boob removed, both for physical reasons and for risk reduction. I am quite happy to go completely flat but may consider some implants in the future. I have to receive counselling from a psychologist before I have a healthy breast removed and this is happening next month. I wondered if anyone else has been in this situation? 

Not quite the same, but I was also an H-cup until last week’s first stage of a 2-stage risk reducing mastectomy. I thought I’d have to fight a bit to go bilateral, but they were fine doing both sides. I know from talking to others that often the difference between the real and the reconstructed breast was causing a lot of issues, so I didn’t really think to keep one side. Only downside so far is not having a ‘good’ side to sleep on, or arm that I can use with less worry - but you won’t have that issue!

As an aside, I was also told it was protocol to have counselling first, but that the backlog was so huge in my area that they weren’t willing to wait. So, urm, yeah o.O

Best of luck with it all!

Hi Fuffs123

I had cancer in my right breast. My  breast cancer doctor said it would be in my best interest to have them both removed. I had very large heavy breasts and only taking the right one off would cause much pain in my shoulders, neck and back. Also it would reduce getting the cancer at a later date. I’ve struggled at first with my new body shape but a few months later and large prosthetics I have come to terms with it. I started with softies which did give you a bit of shape but so light they moved around. It wasn’t until i received some heavier prosthetics that I started to feel better because they stayed in place.