Bi-lateral - Non reconstructive surgery

Melaniedoingwell

I have pretty much decided against reconstructive surgery.
Come on now - for 40+ years I have felt like saying to men "I am about a foot higher and they are NOT going to talk to you."

Now that they are gone they are CERTAINLY not going to talk to anybody!

At any rate, has anybody had surgery to "smooth out" the unevenness? I think that is all I want - just to be pretty smooth and even. I can always choose to wear prosthetics as the occasion - or my mood - dictates.

The girls I had were EVERYWHERE and it has been nice to not have to put on a bra at all - especially through the fatiguing days of chemo and of post surgery sensitivity and then radiation.

Any body??

Gabe N Abby Mom

Melanie, I also had a
Melanie, I also had a bilateral. Because of my dx (triple neg IBC) I was told no reconstruction for at least a year. That year will be up in January and in that time I have decided no reconstruction. I'm content with my prosthesis and just don't want to deal with more surgeries.

If you should decide to go ahead with surgery to smooth out the unevenness, please talk with your surgeon about the effects of rads on healing tissue. I had a re-excision in Sept after completing rads in late March...the wound still hasn't healed. Of course your situation will be different (I did rads 2x a day, 44 rounds total) and this might not be an issue for you, so ask your doc.

Also, there are plenty of women who have had additional surgery to make their implants even, or the proper shape. I don't think it's that far off to want your chest even. Best wishes with your decision.

Hugs,

Linda

cinnamonsmile

I had my bilateral w/ no
I had my bilateral w/ no reconstruction on 1/11/11. At first I was very upset that I was not flat as a board and worried I would have to wear a bra for the small "psuedo" breasts that I have. Since surgery, I have gained weight and the fat pouches on my chest are a little bigger. I was so happy not to wear a bra, not have the yeast infections under the breasts from being sweaty. I tried wearing a bra and prosthesis, but because of my severe PMPS, I can't, and to be honest, I don't really mind. They were so perky, totally unlike my saggy breasts that I didn't care for the look (I could only wear the soft foamy ones, like pillow puffs because the others were too heavy). But sometime this spring when I could wear different shirts, I caught my partner looking down my chest. I laughed and found out he enjoyed looking at my fake cleavage. Sensations have come back on the chest (other than the pmps ones) and it is kind of nice. He gets a little cleavage and fake breasts which is kind of fun, and I still don't have to wear a bra.
I wish you the best in what you decide. I have heard of women getting things evened out after a mastectomy or a lumpectomy and were happy. Good luck deciding.

Melaniedoingwell

Gabe N Abby Mom said:

Melanie, I also had a
Melanie, I also had a bilateral. Because of my dx (triple neg IBC) I was told no reconstruction for at least a year. That year will be up in January and in that time I have decided no reconstruction. I'm content with my prosthesis and just don't want to deal with more surgeries.

If you should decide to go ahead with surgery to smooth out the unevenness, please talk with your surgeon about the effects of rads on healing tissue. I had a re-excision in Sept after completing rads in late March...the wound still hasn't healed. Of course your situation will be different (I did rads 2x a day, 44 rounds total) and this might not be an issue for you, so ask your doc.

Also, there are plenty of women who have had additional surgery to make their implants even, or the proper shape. I don't think it's that far off to want your chest even. Best wishes with your decision.

Hugs,

Linda

non-reconstruction
I finished rads October 17th. Yes - my radiation oncologist AND my surgeon had told me that it will be a year after radiation before I can have anything done. I did want to go ahead at some point in time and talk to a plastic surgeon ahead of time. Thank you for your response Linda!

hugs right back at ya'

Melanie

Melaniedoingwell

cinnamonsmile said:

I had my bilateral w/ no
I had my bilateral w/ no reconstruction on 1/11/11. At first I was very upset that I was not flat as a board and worried I would have to wear a bra for the small "psuedo" breasts that I have. Since surgery, I have gained weight and the fat pouches on my chest are a little bigger. I was so happy not to wear a bra, not have the yeast infections under the breasts from being sweaty. I tried wearing a bra and prosthesis, but because of my severe PMPS, I can't, and to be honest, I don't really mind. They were so perky, totally unlike my saggy breasts that I didn't care for the look (I could only wear the soft foamy ones, like pillow puffs because the others were too heavy). But sometime this spring when I could wear different shirts, I caught my partner looking down my chest. I laughed and found out he enjoyed looking at my fake cleavage. Sensations have come back on the chest (other than the pmps ones) and it is kind of nice. He gets a little cleavage and fake breasts which is kind of fun, and I still don't have to wear a bra.
I wish you the best in what you decide. I have heard of women getting things evened out after a mastectomy or a lumpectomy and were happy. Good luck deciding.

2/16/11 for me
(my surgery date)

My initial thought/perception/feeling was that I looked like a Technicolor 3-dimensional topographical map of a nightmare horror movie train scene!!

I don't feel that way any more but at the same time - it isn't pretty. I have started Weight Watchers - I have had success with them before - not JUST to lose a little bit of weight but because I have felt like I have had so little control of my life this whole year and I needed some area where I was completely in charge, you know?

So - I've been big - my goodness those girls were EVERYWHERE - and just to not wear a bra has been quite pleasant! My feeling is that if I just were not so uneven I would be much more content with my situation.

Thank you for your response!

Melanie