Looking for advice

sylvieann

Breast Cancer
You should check out L.I.E.S.H. before you go chopping off your breast. Small tumors can be lasered out without surgery, chemo, or radiation. My friend had it done and is cured.

Sunrae

lisamcsherry said:

Dear Steve and Teresa,
Oh
Dear Steve and Teresa,

Oh yes -- small steps. I agree. Every day I learn more and digest more. No spontaneous decisions!

my heartfelt best wishes in return,
Lisa

Decisions, Decisions
I hardly have had to make many decisions in my treatment so far. I'm told that I will have to have a masectomy once my tumors have been reduced. My first thought is to not have reconstruction based on personal research, my mother did well without reconstruction and a friend 12 years ago decided not to have reconstruction either (she is ok with just one breast and she was only in her 50's). Plus I have too many other chronic health problems without asking for more trouble. But who knows, if I have to make that decision later I might change my mind. Whatever your choice is it will be the right one for you. Best wishes to you in whatever decision you make and our thoughts and prayers are with you. Sunrae

lisamcsherry

dyaneb123 said:

If they are giving you the
If they are giving you the option of reconstruction at the same time as the mastectomy, you
should consider that. I wasn't given that option and had to have an expander for months before I can have the reconstruction. I think you will definitely miss the breast without reconstruction. It's just hard to look ok in clothes.I know. I'm a dd in my remaining breast and about a c now in the expander breast, and the difference is very noticible if I dont stuff.

Thank you! That's just the
Thank you! That's just the perspective I was hoping to hear.

lisamcsherry

sylvieann said:

Breast Cancer
You should check out L.I.E.S.H. before you go chopping off your breast. Small tumors can be lasered out without surgery, chemo, or radiation. My friend had it done and is cured.

Hi sylvieann,
LIESH isn't
Hi sylvieann,

LIESH isn't offered in my area, moreover I can't find enough verifiable information on the protocol and survivability %s to trust it. I like it in concept, but its not proven -- and I won't gamble my life on that.

That said: I appreciate your suggestion.

jamiekay76

I would like to talk to you
I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 32. My surgeon gave me the option of removing the lump, just the breast with the tumor or removing both. Because of high risk of cancer returning I decided to have a bilateral masectomy (removing both breasts). It was not a hard decision for me. I am a single mother to a 9 year old boy and I wanted to make sure I would be around for him. My oncologist told me I made a great decision because I now have a very low risk of breast cancer returning. I did not do the reconstruction right away because I felt it was to much to go through. I was diagoned in Jan 09 finished my chemo in May, had a hysterectomy in July, and had my reconstructive surgery August. I currently have tissue expanders in now. I go in every two weeks and have fluid added, it is uncomfortable but not painful, very tollerable. I am scheduled to have the expanders out and the implants in on November 10th. My personal opinion would be to have a bilateral masectomy. Only because you have a much lower risk for reoccurance. If you will read about breast cancer most patients who die from it die from the reoccurance. When speaking with my oncologist he was nice enough to be honest with me and telling me that reoccurance is worse than the first time you have it. More times than not you will have cancer in other parts of your body like your ovaries with reoccurance. Again this is just from what I have read and what my oncologist and surgeon told me. Ultimalty it is your decision and a hard one to make. I do wish you the best of luck in what ever decision you make. If you would like to talk on the phone email me your number and I would be happy to call you. jamie.walters@cox.net

always

lisamcsherry said:

Hi sylvieann,
LIESH isn't
Hi sylvieann,

LIESH isn't offered in my area, moreover I can't find enough verifiable information on the protocol and survivability %s to trust it. I like it in concept, but its not proven -- and I won't gamble my life on that.

That said: I appreciate your suggestion.

Welcome
Lisa

Like everyone here I am glad you found this site of awesome support. I am so sorry you have so many decisions to make. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. You will find a path as you talk to the doctors, examine your own feelings and gain knowledge. Research ask questions,

Best to you on this journey no one wants. Thankfully we have each other

mlmjt1

Hi Lisa
I had bilateral mastectomy in May. I had multiple areas of aggressive cancer in the right breast and they thought they saw a shadow of something on the left side as well. I was told that a lumpectomy would not be possible. There was so much cancer on the right side it would leave the breast disfigured. I chose to remove the left as well. I didnt want to worry about the shadow and I wanted the breasts to look the same.

I had expanders placed after surgery, had a wound infection and had to have the right expander removed. I finished chemo 3 weeks ago and will have herceptin every 3 wks until the end of august. I will have the expander replaced in January and will start the saline fills.

I am bald, boobless, have no eyebrows, my eyelashes are falling out and my right breast is scarred. I have confidence that my hair, eyebrows, eyelashes will grow back and that my plastic surgeon will make me look female again. I DO NOT regret any of my choices because I know in my heart that I have been as aggressive with this cancer that I can be. I have done it all and am considering a clinical trial as well.

I hate needles, I hate doctors, I hate anaesthesia, I hate it all...and I am an rn to top it off! But I will face it all to have more time with everyone and to suck every second out of this life.

You will make the right choice for you.

Hang in there
Linda T

lisamcsherry

mlmjt1 said:

Hi Lisa
I had bilateral mastectomy in May. I had multiple areas of aggressive cancer in the right breast and they thought they saw a shadow of something on the left side as well. I was told that a lumpectomy would not be possible. There was so much cancer on the right side it would leave the breast disfigured. I chose to remove the left as well. I didnt want to worry about the shadow and I wanted the breasts to look the same.

I had expanders placed after surgery, had a wound infection and had to have the right expander removed. I finished chemo 3 weeks ago and will have herceptin every 3 wks until the end of august. I will have the expander replaced in January and will start the saline fills.

I am bald, boobless, have no eyebrows, my eyelashes are falling out and my right breast is scarred. I have confidence that my hair, eyebrows, eyelashes will grow back and that my plastic surgeon will make me look female again. I DO NOT regret any of my choices because I know in my heart that I have been as aggressive with this cancer that I can be. I have done it all and am considering a clinical trial as well.

I hate needles, I hate doctors, I hate anaesthesia, I hate it all...and I am an rn to top it off! But I will face it all to have more time with everyone and to suck every second out of this life.

You will make the right choice for you.

Hang in there
Linda T

Linda!
(belatedly)

{{{HUGS}}} and many thanks for your courageous words. You cheered me up immensely!

Moopy23

mlmjt1 said:

Hi Lisa
I had bilateral mastectomy in May. I had multiple areas of aggressive cancer in the right breast and they thought they saw a shadow of something on the left side as well. I was told that a lumpectomy would not be possible. There was so much cancer on the right side it would leave the breast disfigured. I chose to remove the left as well. I didnt want to worry about the shadow and I wanted the breasts to look the same.

I had expanders placed after surgery, had a wound infection and had to have the right expander removed. I finished chemo 3 weeks ago and will have herceptin every 3 wks until the end of august. I will have the expander replaced in January and will start the saline fills.

I am bald, boobless, have no eyebrows, my eyelashes are falling out and my right breast is scarred. I have confidence that my hair, eyebrows, eyelashes will grow back and that my plastic surgeon will make me look female again. I DO NOT regret any of my choices because I know in my heart that I have been as aggressive with this cancer that I can be. I have done it all and am considering a clinical trial as well.

I hate needles, I hate doctors, I hate anaesthesia, I hate it all...and I am an rn to top it off! But I will face it all to have more time with everyone and to suck every second out of this life.

You will make the right choice for you.

Hang in there
Linda T

Yes, thank you Linda
You are a true warrior, and your message is a call to arms for us all.