Help Please! two different surgeons, 2 different procedures, what to do???

christald21
christald21 Member Posts: 55
in Breast Cancer #1

i just completed my visit with a second surgeon for reconstruction.   Both of them have two different procedures on what they want to do...  Now i am so confused!  Please i hope someone can help to give me some good advice.

First, here is my situation.   I am having chemo right now, and will be finished with my 6th and last chemo end of this month.  I have IDC, with her2 on right breast.  STAge 3A because it is in some lymp nodes too..  And I also have already implants, which are 22 years old.

My breast surgeon, wants to take both implants out and complete masectomy on both sides, then says i can get new implants put in.

Second,  I saw one plastic surgeon, for reconstruction.  He says because i have already implants, that the skin is stretched already, that he doesn't really see the need for extenders to be put in, and he can go in after my breast surgeon completes all the masectomy and put in new implants right away.  Of course i probably will be a litte smaller in breast size, which doesn't matter to me, because i actually would like to be smaller anyway, since i am already a double DD. 

Third,  I just saw another plastic surgeon, and he wants to put in expanders right away, after my breast surgeon completes the masectomy, then work on expanding my breast, to get ready to put in the new implant.  he seems to think, and the way he spoke about it, that going this way, we can pick the size i want, and also my skin can adapt.  He said my skin is very thin, and that my skin would need to adapt...But along with that, it just sounded like a whole lot of stuff going on... more surgeries, having drains put in, going to office to put more fluid in the expanders..... he was very precise with going over all the complications that can happen too, from infection, to my skin turning green, because there really isn't any blood flow, and all it is is skin and implant...

Lastly,  I am just not sure what route to go with...  which is safe, yet effective.  I think with both procedures that the cancer coming back is minimal to none, but now which procedure is safer, and will still have some breasts... I am not here for a beauty competion, but i just don't want everything really missed up either...

Anyone  can please give me some good feedback, advice, experiences.. Please!

I have another appointment with another plastic surgeon next week,  and he might be the deciding factor on which route i will take. 

Comments

  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #2
    geeezzzzz- so much to absorb and

    contemplate / ...  I am on my iPhone at a doctor's visit .. So bear with me - please ..

    personall i opted for a bilateral mastectomy--- my choice -- I also saw several PS and was given options ... After chemo I elected to have tissue expanders and fills then .. implants 

    write its out what had been offered to you by plastic surgeon... Compare and read up on   surgeryidea and procedures before making any decisions.. Also please see if you can talk with a patient who maybof had similar type of surgery ..

     

    REMEMBER this is your BODY,  Your decision 

     

    Vicki Sam

  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #3
    wow, so sorry to hear so many

    wow, so sorry to hear so many opinons to deal with & decide. Has anyone gone along with you for the Dr appts. I know I has someone with me at all my appt, as a second set of ears. I would be ok to a certain point of listening and I could feel a switch click and i was just there in the room-not taking in much of it.

     

    I have never dealt with reconstruction, so I have no opinion- I am sure other here will be helpful and caring.

     

    Denise

  • GlowMore
    GlowMore Member Posts: 789 Member
    #4
    Hi Christa

    The thing that jumps out at me in your post is the fact that your BC had spread to you lymph nodes.  Are you going to have Radiation after this chemo?  I think I would concentrate on getting rid of the Cancer completely before I worried too much about reconstruction.  My friend did the mastectomy and reconstruction all at the same time and she had a ton of problems and got an infection and ended up having to have it all taken out anyway.  I'm sure you will make the right decision for yourself and all of us here are just sharing what we know about our own cases etc...we are all different.   Mine began with Stage 3A but it is now Stage 3B and I really don't understand why...but over the course of 13 years perhaps it had to be changed to get the Ins to pay for it or something.     I had a lumpectomy/it had spread to my lymph nodes (6 out of 19) and it was Triple Negative.  Did Chemo/Radiation and Bloodwork and Scans of every kind.....and I am still here.  Survival is the name of the Game....how you look later can be taken care of then.  Focus on Survival is my advice.....given with Love and sending you Prayers for Good Decisions.   Glo

  • button2
    button2 Member Posts: 421
    #5
    I agree with Glo

    My surgeon wanted me to get through treatment before thinking about reconstruction. When you have Her2, it's a very long treatment plan, and as Glo says, surely radiation will be involved as well. I finally decided to skip reconstruction all together but I live 6 hours from the city where I would have had to get biweekly saline injections to expanders so my situation was different. I didn't want to go thru two more surgeries as well. I was happy with my prothesis, so I couldn't see the point of going through so much fuss. I can't imagine having done it when I was weak during chemo though. I hope you make the decision which will bring the least trauma to your body, but of course mental trauma counts too, so I wish you all the best going forward....Anna

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