CONFUSED ABOUT RECONSTRUCTION?
CONFUSED ABOUT RECONSTRUCTION? HI,
Please if anyone can help or give me your personal experience i would be very very grateful!
My mum is 55 and was dianosed with grade 3c breast cancer and had a mastectomy & 11 nodes removed in april 05, she finished her chemo in dec 05 then was prescribed Tamoxifen (not sure of brand).
She went for her first check up with consultant last week and now is very unsure of what to do with regard to reconstruction. I know she is worried and confused as she is not herself since, which is understandable but would like advice/help from yourselves than a male surgeon, who is male and does not understand a women (her words exactly!)
Before seeing the surgeon last week, she had it in her own head what is wanted to do which was to have her other breast removed - part of this being that she would not have to go through this again should it return in the other breast, then reconstruct and have a nice pair of 34B’s (she still has her sense of humour), she was 36C. The consultant told her that they would not do that on the NHS they would either reconsruct her breast or they would remove the other breast. She is very worried should she just have reconstruction that they would not be able to get them the same as her other breast, (she has very full breast, high clevage) then has the chance it could return. I dont know if anyone had same doubts or any advice they could give. i thought the hard part was over after op then chemo then getting back to so called normality but all her fears/worries have returned as before and i cannot say "mum why dont you do this or that way, and i feel this way i can give others experience or advice.
Thank you to you all and wish everyone well
rosey
Hi Rosey Hi Rosey,
I’m a bit confused myself after reading your posting. Am I to understand that they are saying if she has the other breast removed, she can’t have any reconstruction? That doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense to me.
I opted for a bilateral mastectomy and as far as I am concerned it is the best thing I have ever done.
IF my understanding of your posting is correct may I recommend that your mother sees a different (private) surgeon who works in the NHS but pay for a private consultation. It will set her back about £150, a small price to pay for finding a surgeon who is at least more sympathetic. She will find out what her full range of options are, and that if she makes it clear that she can not continue down the private route, the chances are the surgeon will find room for her on the NHS list. Sneeky but effective.
I was fortunately insured, however I switched surgeons because my first one told me it was impossible to keep my nipples, which I knew from my research simply wasn’t true. What she should have said was ’ I’m not skilled enough to keep your nipples.’
It is her body and she is the one who has to deal with her own reflection for the rest of her life, so she should not just except something because a dr has told her that is how it is. They are not gods.
Good luck sweetpea. If you need a good recommendation get in touch and I’ll ask my chap, who is fab.
All the best
PS Rosey ,
I thought I should tell you that I know from my itemised medical bills that the cost of the surgery (bilateral skin sparing mastectomy, implants etc) was not as much as you might think it would be. It was about £9000. I realise that this is a huge sum of money but if put in perpective, less than most cars, and the implants themselves are likely to last 25 years, so more durable too.
All the best
xxx
Hi
I too am confused,
When I had my mastectomy and immediate reconstruction I was told if it didnt match the other breast then they could do that on the NHS to match it up, I have a lovely male surgeon/consultant I think maybe you should try to get a second opinion…
I don’t think they would remove the other breast unless you had the gene’s that cause breast cancer the BCR1 & 2 or whatever they are…
hope you sort it out it is a worry and you dont take everything on board you are told at a time like this it’s too much information really…
good luck and best wishes
Lucy
breast reduction on the NHS! All I am due to have is a lumpectomy in one breast and I was dumbfounded when - because I have large breasts - the consultant offered me breast reduction of both of 'em on the NHS!!!
What was he thinking of?!
But if they can offer that on the NHS, it sounds like your mother’s surgeon has got a problem!! It’s difficult (emotionally) getting a second opinion but I think she should.
Maybe he doesn’t like ‘interfering’ with healthy breasts but what you’ve described sounds like a valid option that many surgeons would listen to.
Reconstruction on the ‘other breast’ Hi I also think your mum should ask around. One woman I spoke to said two surgoens in the same department had different attitudes. One said no that’s cosmentic surgery and one said yes of course.
Hi Rosey He sounds a little insensitive to me. I discussed immediate reconstruction of right breast today and the nurse said “we will inflate to what ever size you want and the put in an implant in the good boob to match” so I can go up a size or 2 if I want. I dont, but my point is a bit of cosmetic surgery thrown in too.
The same is with reduction to please the patient. Your mother has a valid desire to remove the good breast if she fears it will come back in that breast, so should automatically be entitled to have that reconstructed and the pair made how she wants. I often hear stories on this site where girls look better than when they started because they’ve had a little lift up or reduction.or boob job courtesy of NHS
I also think surgeons feels this is well spent nhs money especially as they have seen us as jibbering wrecks at the grief of losing a breast. I’m not sure why her surgeon is holding back. If he is thinking of NHS cost he is in the wrong job. It could be that he can match them so perfectly and is confident of this, he may think she is being irrational especially if he thinks there is so little chance the cancer comes back in her good breast.
He should have a portfolio of pictures that he can show her,
They are her breasts she decides.
Hi Just wanted to add my bit. I too would ask for a second opinion. I had bc grade 3 node positive and although was told the risk of it
returning in my other breast was small I still wanted the other one
removed. They gave me 12 months to think about this as I was only 36. I still thought the same so 18 months later 2nd mastectomy and
reconstruction took place. Although I had slightly different recons
on each side was happy with result. Unfortunately I had infection
in one side and op was reversed, but have just had reconstrction again and I was 34d 3 years ago and now a 34 f. They sound rather
large but they arent just very full. My cleveage fantastic so pleased with result.
Please tell your mum to keep going and get her referred to another district if needed. My consultant is a prviate plastic surgeon but works for the nhs 1 day a week. I didnt have to pay either.
Hopes this helps.
karen