Advice on what to do

Sorry I can advise as I didn't have mastectomy but I know there are others who've made this decision.  Hopefully one will come along soon with some advice xx

I have just had mastectomy with immediate implant due to multifocal cancer (lots of small cancers). Nipple removed. Progressing pretty well and looks OK, healing at the moment. Difficult decision for you. Mastectomy plus implant is doable. Take it from me as I was scared stiff, no prior experience of operations but doing OK.

Hey! I had an immediate reconstruction. Unfortunately I then contracted an infection and after several weeks in hospital my implant was removed, I was flat and after recovery went back to chemo. My thoughts….I wish I had never had recon….I don’t think it was right for me….the infection drove the mastectomy. I have now been told that this probably saved my life as the cancer was already on the move….the mastectomy was my best option. I wish these decisions were based on science….it feels a bit pot luck…..and so far I’ve been lucky….

Hi could you feel your lump, how big was it, I have just read you profile, mine is about 3cm away from my nipple are I cannot feel it just advised its 11mm. Was you advised of a size xx

I am having the same surgery as you, what was you diagnosis please did they say how big they was xx

I had ductal it pulled my nipple in, they said as it was right behind the nipple that I would need my nipple off. That’s what is scaring me, with just the nipple off it’s gonna look like the same scar as I am really flat chested. 

When you say you had immediate implant do you mean the bag that they inject fluid in every week before you have the implant put in. That’s what they have offered me and then I will get a proper implant put in in 3 months time. I have my meeting at 2pm today to decide. 

They thought it was multi focal…ie in 2 places. In fact it was one much larger area when pathology report returned. 10 cm spread. I have recently queried this variation….and was told that the mammogram only really shows shadows and as my cancer was ‘spread out’ it wouldn’t have been seen. As you can imagine the results were a shock. 

No I had a implant straight away. It lasted about 6 weeks or so before the infection took hold.

Indeed. Mine was a lot worse than they had told me. I read somewhere that "the tissue tells the tale" and indeed it does. I was shocked to discover how big my cancer actually was compared to what they thought it was, from lots of biopsies and MRI and CT scan. I don't think the Drs want to frighten you too much before the op. by telling you the whole truth. I had 400 MRI pictures.