Hi Meggy, Sorry that the margins still aren't clear. I had two goes and only got clear margins after the second because the outer margin was the one which wasn't clear and they reached a point where I had no tissue left on that side. One of my friends had 3 x WLE and eventually got clear margins on the third, so a third op doesn't necessarily mean an mx, I think it will depend on your preferences, where the lump is, how big a proportion of your breast this represents. We are all different sizes and shapes. The surgeon will give you a view on what they think the best course of action is, or maybe even a choice between two options.
I also wanted to avoid an mx. Had they told me straight away that that was what I needed, I would clearly have done it, many of my friends had an mx and several with immediate or delayed reconstruction. Somehow believing that I didn't need one and then thinking that I did, I was devastated.
In the end it didn't happen, they did say though that I could have had an immediate reconstruction if I had had an mx and maybe even a nipple sparing one as I didn't have spread to lymph. I have an almighty chunk missing and a fairly large scar, so I sometimes wonder if it wouldn't have been easier just to have the mx. Apparently then I wouldn't have needed to have radiotherapy either.
It is a horrible time and so emotional. Sending hugs x
