Looking for advice on surgery...

Hi 

No advice but I just wanted to say don't be too hard on yourself. Your body is coping with so much so it's only normal you are feeling this way. And I understand how when you have cancer let alone all the treatments, you feel let down by your body. 

Can you push for the surgical team to tell you why they will only offer a mastectomy and why not reconstruction at the same time? Is it your health authority or is it your unique set of circumstances that lead them to this conclusion. And absolutely explain the emotional and psychological impact it will have on you when you as you say are already feeling rubbish about yourself.

Also may be talk it through with Macmillan support line?

Good luck - let us know how you get on x

Hi Georgina, 

so rubbish that you are on this site at only 27! But I am sure you will have seen enough to know that hormone positive SBC is very treatable these days and you should be looking forward to living a pretty normal life, with new drugs coming on line all the time. So having surgery to help ensure this seems a good option; recovery can be quick and straightforward if you are young and fit. I had a mastectomy in 2005 and had few issues afterwards; I know it is different when you are still so young though. I was 49. 
Definitely worth asking about reconstruction, but you may find that living with a bouncy boob is ok

best wishes,

Mary

Thanks for the advice Mary :)

I met with the surgeons today but unfortunately they point blank won't offer reconstruction, they will only offer a mastectomy and the surgeon was pretty blunt about the fact that it wouldn't actually help with overall survival. It was a really difficult day, but at least it's over now.

Just hoping that the drugs do their job and keep the cancer at bay/under control for as long as possible x

I spoke to the surgeon today and basically they can't do reconstruction at all because the skin has been effected so it would all need to be removed, and then to do a mastectomy would be too much hassle essentially and would mean coming off of the medicines that are actually working to keep the cancer under control/at bay. Feeling a little confused about it all, especially because the surgeon was quite clear that the mastectomy wouldn't actually help overall survival or anything like that, so I think for now it's just not the right thing for me. Like you said, my body is going through so much and I don't want to put it through an unnecessary operation if it isn't actually going to help anything. It's been a tough day, but at least it's over now x

Make sure you do something lovely for yourself this weekend. 

I'm sorry it wasn't the news you were hoping for but sometimes we  have to put our trust in the specialist team that they are doing the right thing by us and know what will work for us. It can seem strange when others are offered mastectomy as a matter of course, that they then don't offer the same. 

So this means continuing with the medication you are on? The the really great news is that you have responded so well to chemo. Do you go back now to the oncologist? 

I think when I read back your original message and hearing from  you what happened today with the surgical team - I can see this is actually really good news. 

It's been a long day for you I'm sure - go and put your feet up and process everything.

Xx

I'm going to be especially nice to myself this weekend, especially because it's my final round of chemo on Monday. I guess on the positive side it's made it easier to make a decision about surgery. 

Yeah I will have my final round of chemo on Monday, and then every 3 weeks I will still have the phesgo injections and will still have zoladex and start on tamoxifen tablets soon too. The nurse wants me to talk to talk to my oncologist to understand why he thinks it's a good idea for me to have the surgery... so I'm going to try and get in touch with him next week. 

I'm really hopeful, and crossing my fingers that the last two rounds of chemo since having my scan after my 4th round will just obliterate the tumors that are still in my breast/nodes under my arm.

Going to go run a bubble bath and just relax for the rest of the night. Thank you for letting me vent xx