Dear all, I had a meeting with the plastics team about reconstruction today and now I have a week to make my decision. They only talked about immediate reconstruction when I have my mastectomy on the right side - I’ve already had a WLE of the left breast, and reduction.
My options are:
1. DIEP lap flat surgery.
2. Implant
3. Go flat
The issue is I have poor general health, with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (chronic pain and weak joints), fibromyalgia (pain and chronic fatigue), chronic brittle asthma with a huge risk of pneumonia, gallstones affecting my liver (need removing when its safe to do so) and fibroids (requiring hysterectomy when safe to do so). My last surgery 3 weeks ago lead to a chest infection as a result of the anaesthetic, so I’m told long anaesthetics would not be advised. I have invasive cancer is my entire right breast, including the nipple but we hope the lymph nodes are clear (to be biopsied).
Unfortunately most of my chronic health issues are handled by the GP, so the hospital don’t really understand the extent of my chronic health issues. Anyway, I quickly decided the DIEP procedure, with its 10-12 hours possible of anaesthetic and several days in hospital (where the germs live) is probably not wise, although my plastic surgeon seemed to be pushing it.
So its implants or go flat. Implants need replacing every 10-12 years, have a high rate of failure (1 in 10 according to the Macmillan leaflet) but are relatively quick to install.
Going flat is my cancer surgeons preferred option, if I’m prioritising my health. Short anaesthetic, quick recovery, low risk. And it means I’m fit enough for the other surgeries I need, which is particularly important if my gallstones play up and I need emergency surgery. But I’m trying to imagine how I’d feel psychologically. My friend who had the DIEP procedure 2 years ago tells me that reconstruction is always the best of a bad job - its never going to be like having your natural breasts, and there is a loss regardless if you are reconstructed or not. My mother in law, who had a mastectomy years ago when there was no reconstruction says she is so used to her missing boob she doesn’t even think about it.
I’d really like to hear from other women about the decision they have taken, especially those who’ve had implants or chosen to go flat, and whey you made the decision you made. Would you do the same if you had your time again? Thanks. I only have a week to decide if I want immediate reconstruction but I am aware that later reconstruction can also happen but I don’t know much about that, except that is somehow not as good?
