Prophylactic Mastectomy

madubois63 · 06-01-2006, 05:08 AM

PS: My brother (of all people) asked what would happen if i only had one .. would one stay perky and the other droop over time? Now, I will never know.

The answer is YES.

tousled1 · 06-01-2006, 05:16 AM

I was diagnosed Stage III, ER/PR-, HER2+++, grade 3 tumor, axillary node involvement. I went through neoadjunct chemo and am now scheduled for surgery next Thursday (June 8). After considering my strong family history of breast cancer, the fact that I have fibrocystic disease, and very dense breasts, I have opted to have a bilateral mastectomy even though all tests show no tumor in the left breast. It was a very difficult decision to make and I do not regret it. Since I have to have radiation after surgery I will have to wait for reconstruction. I am crossing each bridge as I come to it. If you are comfortable with your decision then you know it's right for you. Good luck to you.

R.B. · 06-01-2006, 09:11 AM

There are quite a number of threads with in depth discussion links etc on this topic.

If you have not found it you may want to check out the search facility above - click on search above right purple bar and enter the term you are looking for.

RB

jener8er · 06-01-2006, 10:24 AM

Hi Maree, I am scheduled for a proph mast and immediate reconstruction of BOTH breasts on June 21st - just 3 weeks away (yikes!). Like everyone else who posted, I don't want the worry of it returning in my "good" breast, and I also want the symmetry. I'm having the DIEP flap recon at UCLA. It's a one shot deal so for me the decision was pretty easy. My husband, on the other hand.... but that's a whole other post LOL!
Good luck with your decision.
Jen

Val Pfeiffer · 06-01-2006, 07:25 PM

My Dx info is about the same as tousled1. I had only the affected breast removed and I haven’t yet had reconstruction. Mekasan—did you have radiation? I am still debating whether or not to take off the other breast, but since one side was radiated and the other side wasn’t, I think I will still have an “uneven” look if I have reconstruction on both sides.

Have any of you had reconstruction on both sides after one side was radiated? Have any of you had both breasts removed and had no reconstruction? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, everyone. I;'m thinkin' that maybe I don’t really need breasts…they have caused me too much trouble already (well at least one of them has; the other one is on a sort of permanent probation…)

jener8er · 06-01-2006, 07:54 PM

Hi Val, I'll be happy to share what my recon comes out like - I had radiation on one side and I'm reconstructing both. I'm hoping for a more symmetrical look by doing both at the same time. I'm also done with my good side - once one has tried to kill you, I have a whole different relationship with the other one! I feel like I have a time bomb strapped to my chest. My surgery is June 21st and I'll keep you all posted with how it comes out - can't be any worse, right?

Annemarie · 06-01-2006, 09:33 PM

I had first a single mastectomy because my doctor felt I should do what is necessary for the diagnosis and be treated. He felt we could always re-visit treated the other breast. I was 31 and very overwhelmed and I think the Drs. concern for me was that is ws too many decisions to make all at once.

I did get the other breast removed partly to avoid bc in the other breast but also so they match. The could have inserted an implant in healthy breast to give it a lift. For me it was the right decision but my breast surgeon asked me why I would amputate an healthy breast? With proper screening he felt I would be fine.
Annemarie