I have decided to go for an elective bilateral mastectomy due to not being able to get on with my life. Every time I undress, I’m reminded of the trauma my body has gone through, so have made my decision. My big problem is which type of reconstruction to go for. There are so many options that my head is in a spin! My mother had breast cancer and had a mastectomy on her right side and had an implant put in, but that was in the 1990s, so things have moved since then. So lovely ladies, can any of you give me advice on reconstruction?
Any replies will be gratefully received.
Thanks for reading and wishing you all well, Ann x x
While you are waiting for replies from your fellow forum users, I have put for you below links to some of BCC’s publications/information regarding breast reconstruction which I hope you find helpful.
Hi Ann I elected for bi mx too as I am well into my 50’s and I wouldn’t want to go through all of this again. The surgeon suggested the best thing for me would be to have tissue expanders put in during the surgery then they would be gently inflated over the coming weeks preparing my body for silocine implants. I have now had the expanders in for 4 months and have found them extremely uncomfortable. I am currently having radiotherapy which is making the skin go even tighter and the radiographers say this is what is making them even more uncomfortable. I just can’t wait to get them out which will be the new year now! Not all ladies experience so much discomfort I am just unlucky! My surgery was done very soon after chemo because of the aggressive nature of my cancer so,I wasn’t in a very good state for the op and I am sure this has made things so difficult for me. There are different types of expanders mine have the port handing down inside me and it feels like a big stone either side when trying to sleep!
Don’t rush into your decision read and ask people about their experiences but above all take the advice of your surgeon!
Good luck!?
Hi Ann
Well this very upbeat message comes from someone on Day 6 after DIEP flap operation who is absolutely over the moon. I just cannot believe how lucky I am to have had the operation. I had a delayed left breast reconstruction (2 years after initial diagnosis) on 11 November and here I am lazily still in bed looking at my lovely new cleavage and feeling so positive about the future. I was in operating theatre for 8 hrs despite it being a single recon but I am told my PS is a perfectionist. It has certainly paid off as I LOVE my new boob. It felt part of me straight away, is a lovely shape and I am lucky enough to have had no stretchmarks on my tummy so it is lovely and smooth and tanned like the rest of my body. I can see it is going to be a bit of a recovery but feel I am already over the worst. I was out of bed on Day 2 and had all drains and catheter out and now gradually increasing walking (hobbling bent over) around and doing all my arm and tummy exercises religiously. The pain has been minimal right from the beginning or perhaps I should say well-controlled as I am now just taking paracetamol but that is not for my surgery scars, it’s for my poor old lower back which is crying out to stand up straight and I’m not allowed to until the surgeon tells me I am healed enough to stand up straight and hopefully that will be next week.
A little background about my physique - I have been more than a stone over my preferred weight since my chemo but in readiness for the diep op I have been keeping all my “belly fat” and once I got my operation date a few weeks ago working really hard to grow it a bit more (extra birthday cakes, second helpings etc). I’m currently a size 14, 5’10" and pretty fit (cycling, golf, walking, yogalates) but I did have a fair bit of flab round belly. Let’s say I could pinch a fair few inches. I have just weighed myself this morning and I’m 12st 3lbs and now I’ve got a lovely flat stomach I want to reduce and tone the rest of the body so I’m more of a 12/14 rather than 14/16.
Psychology, to be quite honest, although I know everyone looks at me and thinks wow she’s just so positive and sailed through all her BC treatment (mastectomy, chemo, rads after Stage 3a IDC with 6cm tumour and 3 nodes involved) I have been a secret hypochondriac and absolutely totally negative about my survival odds. Until now that is! I really do feel the diep op has changed everything.
My oldest friend died of breast cancer just 8 months before my diagnosis when her bc returned 13 years after diagnosis and when she was just thinking of reconstruction. Then five months before my diagnosis another friend died of bc after five years of treatment. To say I have negative experiences of breast cancer and feelings is an understatement. I don’t tell people but I have truly believed that it is only a matter of time. Now however I really do feel I can move on (and that’s just a few days after op before I get my new breast in it’s full glory and matching up work done). I honestly now think “whatever will be, will be”. In the meantime I’m going to get on, live life to the full and enjoy my lovely new body. I can’t wait to put together a new wardrobe that shows off my great boobs and washboard stomach!
If you want any information about the op or any aspect of my recovery so far please do PM me. I’m more than happy to go into details but this is already a pretty long message! Good luck Ann with your decision. I think you need to be guided by the professionals on exactly what options for reconstruction types you have and what you feel happiest about and understand fully the pros of cons of each. I’m a very happy bunny with my decision.
Gay x
Oh sorry I totally forgot to mention one of the most important bits. I’m a 36DD and PS thought he wouldn’t be able to get more than a 36C from my belly fat but, although some of it is probably swelling, my new boob is currently bigger than the other floppy, breast-fed three children one and although he needs to wait a few months to see how it all softens, drops and settles down he thinks I may need liposuction on new boob to get the shape right and just an uplift on right breast. It all sounds good to me . . .
Thank you so much gay & jillybee for your positive posts. It sounds as if the DIEP flap will be the best option for me too. I’ve really struggled with the way my boob looks since the WLE and would like as natural a boob as is humanly poss. I do have a problem with my belly skin because I do have lots of stretch marks due to pregnancy. How I wish I’d looked after my skin better now, but hey ho, far too late for that one. I do hope all continues to go well for you lovely ladies. It’s so nice of both of you to take the time to tell me your experiences. Take care, Ann x x x
Ah thank you Ann. Yes we are survivors (of probably a lot more than what I call Badboy BC!) I do actually now feel able to deal with the BC like other major worries we have in life like, say, when your adult children go travelling across the world and visiting all sorts of potentially dangerous places. The fact is the worst thing you could imagine could definitely happen. But hopefully most of us don’t let that define how we cope with life. If we did we would need some major mental health care. We have to say “Yes it could happen” and then park it on one side and live life positively and looking forward to them coming home safely. I have now managed, at long last, to feel exactly the same about Badboy BC. Yes it could come back but hopefully it won’t and anyway in the meantime I’ve got a whole lot of living to do so I’ll put that thought to one side and get on with it. Gay x
Reading this thread with interest. I’m due to have final chemo on Thursday followed by further surgery. Saw surgeon today and discussed surgery options and I’m now more confused than ever! I asked about double mastectomy as at age of 41 I’m so scared of going through all this again. Said it was an option but not really one he would recommend at this stage. Now need to make decision about implant or DIEP. I’ve put on quite a bit of weight since starting treatment so the thought of the tummy tuck is quite appealing! But scared about the recovery time and discomfort, that and the surgery time, especially if I opt for double. It’s so hard to know what to do!! Sometimes wish the surgeon would just tell me there wasn’t an option!!
On a lighter note Gay, if you need someone to donate fat for a second op, look no further. The way I’m going at the mo, I reckon I could help out more than a few ladies on this site with that problem!!! x x x
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