I had an appointment with my consultant yesterday to discuss next steps which for me will be surgery
What i wasn't expecting was to have to choose which procedure I would be having, i have a choice between lumpectomy, therapeutic mammoplasty, or mastectomy the surgeon was leaning towards mammoplasty as the best option he wasn’t keen on doing just a lumpectomy as it would leave me misshapen due to size of breast and loose skin
I didnt want to have to have to have a mastectomy, im only 47 and I think having to loose my breast completely will affect me, I know getting the cancer out is the main priority and that has to come first but the thought of loosing my breast scares me is that being vain?
If I opt for the mommoplasty I know if I dont have clear margins I would have to have second or third surgeries possibly leading to mastectomy eventually anyway
So what do I do? just bite the bullet and have a mastectomy get it over with in one surgery and hope that I can overcome the loss physically and mentally or try mammoplasty and even if it doesnt work know I at least gave myself a shot
I genuinely dont know what to do, has anyone else whos had to choose surgery options got any advice
Hi Charden
It is true they don’t always get clear margins and if they don’t, you need another surgery. That wouldn’t necessarily mean a mastectomy and of course you are more likely to get clear margins than not. Cancer outcomes are likely to be similar whatever you do. You say your surgeon is leaning towards mammoplasty, which means they have reasonable confidence that will work for you. We are all different but I think that’s what I would choose. A mastectomy will need significantly more recovery time plus are you happy to be flat or would you be looking for reconstructive surgery?
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