A week and a half ago I was told I have Grade 2 Invasive DCIS. Just had mri scan to find out extent of lump. Get results and treatment advice this Friday afternoon. If I have to have MX I really want to have reconstruction at same time because I don’t want to have to have further surgery. My lymph nodes are most likely affected so I’m almost certainly in line for chemo. I’ve read about the various types of reconstruction and think I would prefer a silicone implant because of quicker recovery time. I’m a DD. Btw, this is all still completely unreal so I do know reconstruction is a bit of a side issue but given my size I really don’t want to wake up to nothing. Thanks.
Hi I wanted to send you a big hug. Hopefully you’ll get lots of support and advice from the ladies on this forum. I hope your appointment on Friday goes well. I was diagnosed in January and am about to have my 5th chemo. My surgeon wanted to see how my tumour responded to the chemo before deciding between a Mx or Wle. So far it has reduced 58%, like you I’m a DD. Hopefully you will respond well to treatment. The fear of the unknown is worse than the actual chemo, its a scary word. I felt really helpless and wanted to wrap myself up in cotton wool to begin with, now I feel much stronger and determined to kick its butt! I wish you all the very best with your journey, feel free to ask any other questions, lots of ladies are here to help along the way.
Best wishes
Karen xx
Thanks Karen. It hadn’t occurred to me they may want to try chemo first to reduce the tumour (or lesion as it seems to be referred to these days!), so that’s something that’s now on my radar. Fear of the unknown is a huge part of this, even though I’m lucky to have a close friend who went through this 10 years ago and she is kindly acting as my guide on this rather lonely journey. I don’t mean that I don’t have a network of support from husband friends and family, because luckily I do, but ultimately it’s me who’s going to have to go through it. And of course it’s still unreal because I feel absolutely fit and well.
Has anyone got experience of a silicone implant as opposed to own tissue reconstruction? I gather one of the reasons they’re not keen to perform a silicone implant at the same time as MX is in case radiotherapy is needed. But I really don’t want my poor body to be cut about more than is necessary as it’s going to have to go through so much in the next few months.
Hi Pigsytrotter
Chemo isn’t always necessary. but a possibility. I was dx with ductal invasive grade 3, only one node affected out of the three removed. I was given the option of chemo, but was told if I didn’t want it, I didn’t have to go with it. I did, as I didn’t want radiotherapy as I have a lung disease that would be affected by radio. Regarding Mx, I was 44d and although I decided on mx (no recon), I could have had a WLE. My choices relied entirely on the fact that I had other very serious health issues and just wanted to take what for me, was the easiest option. Until you get your results on Friday, you won’t really know what you are facing. Wishing you good luck for Friday, and sending hugs.
Poemsgalore xx
Thanks for sharing your experience and good wishes poemsgalore.
Hi Piggsytrotter,
So sorry to hear of your diagnsois and potential need for a mastectomy. I am now just nearing the final stages of reconstruction following my diagnsois with IDC in 2010… a long road but one I have no regrets about. Like you I was a DD (possibly even an E) at the time of diagnsois. Long story short, when I had my surgery I had an immediate LD flap construction, no implant, which gave me a vary natural looking ‘generous C’ (possibly nearer a D). I have since had the ‘good’ side reduced to match (that was a very long wait), had nipple reoncstruction yesterday and in a few weeks will have that tattooed. All in all nearly three years since it began, but worthwhile in my opinion.
You say that you want an implant because recovery is quicker, and I understand that, but until you have seen a plastic surgeon you won’t know what they think is appropriate… chemo and radiotherapy can both affect healing in the short term and skin behaviour in the long term; some surgeons and some hospitals prefer some methods to others. Try to go with an open mind, but at the same time, take a notebook in which you have your questions and reasons for preferences written down - it is so easy for our minds to turn to mush when confronted by a consultant surgeon!
I really hope the news you get is as good as it can be, and that the choice you make is one you feel comfortable with. You will make the right choice for you, of that I am sure.
Thanks for sharing your experience, and congratulations for getting through it all. I’m pretty sure my friend had an LD flap (the tummy tuck version?) and it was at the same time as MX. I tried to buck the system by having a chat with plastics before the results meeting tomorrow. This was because I wanted to know if there were any options I’m not suitable for so I could stop considering them. However, they’re not keen to have that discussion until you know what your treatment is going to be. So although surgery is booked for 12 June (eek!) it may get postponed depending on how busy plastics guy is. Which is what I wanted to avoid! All the waiting around is difficult, because I know post-op my life as I know it will be over, but I’m trying to look on this as an adventure. Wierd I know, but I’m hoping it will be interesting to observe how this affects me! Or is this denial …
Sorry, too much jargon! LD is Latissimus Dorsi, the back flap one. The tummy tuck ones are DIEP and (I think) TRAM depending on how they do them… I did not have enough fat for these despite being half a stone overweight (plus as I needed rads could not have had that doone immediately anyway).
All the very best for your surgery - whenever it happens!
PS Looking on it as an adventure is no bad thing… life as you know it will not be over, but it will be a bit different. You will surprise yourself!
I was diagnosed with grade 2 invasive bc in March. The most stressful part of the diagnosis was being told that I would have to have a mascetomy but that full reconstruction would not be until after all treatment completed which would be about 12 months. I opted for a temporary silicone implant with full tissue reconstruction to follow in about june2013. I am an F cup but have decided to go for a reduction so my implant is only about a C cup. I have an extra prosthetic to level me up until final surgery. I had surgery about 5 weeks ago and I am amazed at normal I feel. I was really worried about looking lopsided and thought I would not be able to go out! In fact I have been wearing tee shirts and friends in the know have said I don’t look any different. My surgeon strongly recommended delayed reconstruction in order to get the best long term results from plastic surgery. He said to wait at least 6 months after completion of radiotherapy. This is frustrating in term short term but i would wait and minimise any complications. The surgery was not as bad as I’d feared and the implant feels weirdly like me! I hope this helps. Good luck
Hi
Hi I had expander implants and bilateral mx 4 weeks ago. I have one fill to left so will gradually increase to what ever size I want to be. Although I have to have further surgery to right side as rads from 14 years ago has shattered my muscle so possible ld flap sometime but obviously that is not the norm. Pleased with expander so far. Not sure if I am having rads yet but surgeon has said if I do 50% chance of them damaging expander implant so if that happens they will just exchange it for silicone implant or if no damage just keep expander. The exchange surgery is not a lengthy op. if you would like to know more about the expander implant let me know.
Please be guided by what your surgeon recommends as they see it every day but if you are really not happy ask for anther opinion.
Wendy x x
So, mastectomy, chemo and rads. Temporary implant. I have surgery on 12th. Meeting with plastics / pre-op assess on Wednesday. I really don’t fancy expander, so am hoping I can have temporary silicone but as long as I don’t wake up with nothing I guess I’ll be guided by plastics. I don’t feel scared yet, but imagine that’s because I don’t feel ill. Oh, that’ll be the chemo then! It’s still completely unreal, although I’ve known about the cancer for about 3 weeks.
Thank you everyone for your kind wishes and information.
Hello Ladies, Firstly can I wish Piggsytrotter a peaceful few days on the run up to your surgery and my best wishes for your outcome. This is my first post and I am still working my way around the website so forgive me if I get anything wrong.
I was recently diagnosed with DCIS but following a wide local excision it has been established it isn’t completely clear and I am having a skin saving mastectomy with a latissimus dorsi flap on 26 June this year. I am very lucky I know since this has all come to light very early and, God willing, I will fully recover. However, I just wanted to say that I have been comforted by reading Revcat’s comments about her procedures and wanted to thank her - but didn’t know how else to do it other than posting here.
Bless you both.