Surgery options

Hi 

Your post has been dropped to the second page, so I'm bumping up for you.

I didn't have chemo, but had 1.5cm IDC grade 2 ER+ and also 5.4cm in 2 areas of DCIS.  When the surgeon said "we shall see if we can save your breast" I was 100% behind them doing that!!!!!  Luckily for me, I had a lumpectomy and I was delighted with that.  I am on hormone therapy tablets for 5 years - then up for discussion and have been clear since my 2017.  

I would have been absolutely devastated to have had to have a mastectomy.  I was aged 51 at time of diagnosis.

Hope someone else pops in with some advice as I appreciate having the chemo pre operation makes it different from me and I didn't have a choice - I just knew that I didn't want a mastectomy if anything could be done to avoid it.

Good luck with your last chemo on Friday

I'm at a similar stage to you, to complete chemo at end of month and have appointment with surgeon re next stage on Weds.

Due to having IBC and quite a few areas of cancer in RHS no choice in that boob but mastectomy, which I'm not really all that bothered about.  I do however want the other one off also, mainly for symmetry rather than risks in the LHS.  I'm semi decided re reconstruction (it will be delayed) with plastic lovelies as the DIEP sounds like it will lengthen an already serious op and have more than one part of the body impacted, however there is the benefit of a "tummy tuck"...

Anyway re you I think you need to be clear what you want and what's important to you, is it important to have your breast or peace of mind?  Not sure if you've discussed all the risks/benefits and seen pictures with surgeon/BCN?

So I wouldn't say I have worries about choosing just that I don't feel I'm fully informed re pros & cons at this stage but plan for that to be resolved Weds.

Good luck 

Sam

Hi

i had three failed lumpectomies and ended up with a mastectomy with immediate implant (that op was April 2017) I am now one week out from a delayed DIEP flap to replace my implant - from my point of view I was desperate to have the initial mastectomy and get rid of the boob - I think psychologically it feels that removing the whole boob is the best option , and many women who don’t have breast cancer will say they will have a mastectomy if they ever do .., however the reality is totally different and your medical team will see many hundreds of women each year and the repercussions of all of these surgeries, so will be giving you their best opinion for you based on all of their experiences.

As I mentioned I was happy to have the mastectomy , but as time went by I became really sad when I looked at my weird boob , it was cold and rippled and I was very unhappy with it - my friend had a double mastectomy with implants and was always really happy , so it is a very personal preference.

Fast forward to today and the DIEP flap is a BIG operation , I was due to have it when I had my initial mastectomy but decided against it at that time. I had my op last Tuesday and came out of hospital on Saturday , back today to have drains removed- but my new boob is fab , my tummy is very sore and it will take a long time to properly recover.

The figures on recurrence indicate that having a mastectomy is no guarantee , and in terms of secondary breast cancer is of no relevance at all , and in reality any reconstruction , no matter how good is just that and in no way replaces your own breast. 

Im sorry I have rambled a bit there , but hopefully it will give you a bit of information to help your decision.

Best wishes

Jo x