preventative mastectomy

kas123

i had breast cancer in July and had a mastectomy now i'm choosing to get preventative mastectomy of the other breast. has anyone made this decision or have some positive feedback for me? thanks

arachne5

My next door neighbor made this choice and feels it was definitely the right one. She had a lumpectomy and 2 attempts to get clear margins before she decided on the first mastectomy. she chose the second rather that do reconstruction on the operated side or reduction to the remaining breast since reduction makes diagnosis in that breast more difficult.
I had discussed this with my surgeon since I just had a mastectomy for a new cancer in the same breast. she said to wait and think about it for a bit. Both my cancers were small and caught very early. I have to say the idea of not sitting around waiting for yet another lesion sounds pretty good.
Joan J

marti54

I had a simple right mastectomy in Aug 03 for DCIS.I chose not to do chemo or radiation,but am taking Femara.In May of this year I am having a simple left mastectomy and reconstruction on both breasts.I feel it is bad enough to worry about the cancer comming back in other parts of my body, so I want the other breast gone to eliminate the possibility of cancer returning to it.It is a very personal choice,but to me the fear of the unknown is frightening.
Good Luck
Marti

SweetSue

I chose to have the so-called "healthy" breast removed,too. The lab found atypical cells present which could have turned cancerous at any time. I didn't opt for reconstruction, but women who have lost one breast seem to have problems with matching the older breast and newer. I KNOW that's the LEAST of our problems, but thought I'd share what women have told me.
Take care,
Sue

DeeNY711

I, too, opted to have the "healthy" breast removed and spoke with the surgeon beforehand about making sure that Pathology examined the tissue as carefully. Pathology found small spots of lobular carcinoma in the "unaffected" breast post-op, and I was very very glad to have made the decision to have both removed. Hope this helps.
Hugs,
Denise

sillyspirit

marti54 said:

I had a simple right mastectomy in Aug 03 for DCIS.I chose not to do chemo or radiation,but am taking Femara.In May of this year I am having a simple left mastectomy and reconstruction on both breasts.I feel it is bad enough to worry about the cancer comming back in other parts of my body, so I want the other breast gone to eliminate the possibility of cancer returning to it.It is a very personal choice,but to me the fear of the unknown is frightening.
Good Luck
Marti

Marti... I also caught my BC early and I'm not doing chemo or rad. I was wondering about Femara, what kind of side affects if any are you having?

jrowe

I was dx with bc in May, 2003 and had a mastectomy, followed by 6 mos of chemo and I am currently receiving radiation. I, too, am comtemplating having a mastectomy on the other side. At surgery I would like implant reconstruction to both breasts. They tell me this can be done, but I have to wait one year post radiation to allow the irradiated skin and tissue to heal. I think I would feel better making the choice to have the other mast. done. The docs feel that my greatest risk is having it show in another organ before it would show in the breast. I can't do anything about the other organs (bone, brain and liver) butI can help prevent a new cancer in my other breast.
Has anyone had a cancer free breast removed and regret it?

kas123

DeeNY711 said:

I, too, opted to have the "healthy" breast removed and spoke with the surgeon beforehand about making sure that Pathology examined the tissue as carefully. Pathology found small spots of lobular carcinoma in the "unaffected" breast post-op, and I was very very glad to have made the decision to have both removed. Hope this helps.
Hugs,
Denise

IS THIS WHERE I REPLY BACK? DEENY711 THANK YOU FOR YOUR FEEDBACK & SUPPORT.

marti54

sillyspirit said:

Marti... I also caught my BC early and I'm not doing chemo or rad. I was wondering about Femara, what kind of side affects if any are you having?

Silly,
My side effects ranged from nausea in the very beginning(controlled by an anti nausea drug until my body got used to the Femara) to bone pain,especially when it is cold and damp.Since Femara leaches calcium from your bones I have to take Fossamax(weekly) to prevent bone loss and a slow release mega calcium and magnesium supplement daily.I chose Femara as it seemed to have less side effects than Tamoxifin.Someone on this site suggested taking knox gelatin daily and said that would help with the bone pain.I haven't tried it yet but will soon.I guess if bone pain is the worst I have to experience to prevent the cancer from comming back,then I will endure it although some days it can be pretty hard.
Marti

Betsjane

I am a breast cancer survior since 1995, I am thinking about preventative mastectomy on both breast since my last biospy in November 2003. It showed no new breast cancer but funny cells. I am at high risk and they have recommended Tamoxifen for five years. But what happens after five years???? I don't want to wait till it has spread to another part of my body. I have heard bad things about Tamoxifen and I am scared to take it. Would like to know more about a mastectomy and recontruction. Hugs and Pink Bows

kaycee

I was diagnosed with intraductal papillary carcinoma in November 2002. I had a left-breast mastectomy a week later. Four months later in March 2003 I had a preventative mastectomy of the right breast. I have never regretted the decision. I have chosen not to have reconstruction. At least so far I do not want it. I have 2 prosthesis (identical which is GREAT!)and they are quite comfortable. (More comfortable than when I had one fake and one real -- they weigh exactly the same!) The reason I went with a preventative mastectomy is that my mother's sister died of breast cancer. My mother had breast cancer in the left breast, had a mastectomy and 7 years later she got cancer in the right breast and 2 years later died of thyroid cancer (supposedly NOT related to the breast cancer). I had always known if I got breast cancer I would have a mastectomy --- but after I was diagnosed all's I could think of is "I'm not going to take the same route my mother did. I might die of this disease, but I'll do it MY way. And I am NOT going to sit around and wait for cancer to show up in the other breast!!!)I am very comfortable with my decision. It is also great to NOT wear the prosthesis -- really comfortable. But then -- I'm 55 years old, divorced, and have no man in my life -- so what the heck! Anyway, from what I have read -- having breast cancer once increases your risk. I'm not a risk taker. I have a friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer 6 weeks after me; she opted for lumpectomy and radiation and still has both breasts. She's fine with her decision. So it really is a very personal choice. Good luck with your decision and let me know how it turns out. (Only thing I would've done differently is wait longer than 4 months -- it was hard on me physically.) Take care -- Karen C