"Bi" or "Try"

angel23
angel23 Member Posts: 28
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I just went to my pre-op visit today,(Labs, CXR, EKG, and history) and met with a friend for lunch after wards. I have not discussed my breast cancer with many people, thinking I could do all of this on my own. LOL!!!! I am so fortunate to have many health care people with input into my situation, however, I find that you all have been the very best information I could ever hope to have!! So the story goes, that they (My friends, would opt for a "Bilateral Mastectomy" vs. "Lumpectomy", due to my age, situation, and re-ocurrence (Look at my profile)
My question is, should I "Try" and have a lumpectomy, knowing the size of tumor, ( 3cm, placement close to the nipple area, history of smoking and age,positive hormones, neg her2, stage 2A,rads and chemo, Now...) Or go for the "Bilateral Mastectomy", with reconstruction and only Chemo.....I don,t even know what reconstruction is, nevertheless, what it looks like.....Will my insurance pay for it?, Is there any "feeling" in the area of plastic surgery?? I suppose I would look better, but not any plastic surgeons will look at me, unless I stop smoking.....for at least 2 months..... I have not seen an oncologist to help with the chances of it ever happening again, and being 56yrs old, I want to have all of my options available.. What do you all think???

Thanks again, and know I am counting on you all, cause you are the ones who really have been through this journey......


Hugs, Angel 23

Comments

  • dyaneb123
    dyaneb123 Member Posts: 950
    #2
    Hey Angel
    A lot will have to
    Hey Angel
    A lot will have to do with what they find when they do the surgery. I tried for a lumpectomy
    but when the Doc got in there he found that the margins weren't clean and I had to go back for the mastectomy anyway. I had an expander put in and when I have finished chemo and radiation they will replace it with an implant and do a reduction on the other breast so they'll match. So, go for the lumpectomy if that's what you want to do, just be aware that
    sometimes things change after they get in there and see what's what.Your insurence will pay for reconstruction.
  • mlmjt1
    mlmjt1 Member Posts: 537 Member
    #3
    Hi Angel
    Im 52 and opted for a double mastectomy after dealing with fibrocystic breast disease for my whole life. I agree it will depend on what they find when they get in there. The margins have to be good enough to be able to do a lumpectomy. For me there was no question. Double mastectomy was the only way to go so I didnt have to think so much about it.

    My breast tissue is pretty numb and I have alot of lymphedema in the breast on the right with 21 nodes removed.

    Hang in there

    hugs

    Linda T
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #4
    mlmjt1 said:

    Hi Angel
    Im 52 and opted for a double mastectomy after dealing with fibrocystic breast disease for my whole life. I agree it will depend on what they find when they get in there. The margins have to be good enough to be able to do a lumpectomy. For me there was no question. Double mastectomy was the only way to go so I didnt have to think so much about it.

    My breast tissue is pretty numb and I have alot of lymphedema in the breast on the right with 21 nodes removed.

    Hang in there

    hugs

    Linda T

    Hi Angel. I had a
    Hi Angel. I had a lumpectomy and I am so thankful that I could. I am not sure I could deal with a mastectomy. I had a very small tumor, with clean margins and clean nodes. I am still in rads, but, will be done soon.

    Everyone has to make their own choice. All of us wouldn't do what someone else does. You just do what you want and what is the best treatment for you.

    But, like someone else said, you won't really know for sure until the surgery, because that can change the treatment plan.

    Good luck!
  • jk1952
    jk1952 Member Posts: 613
    #5
    survivorbc09 said:

    Hi Angel. I had a
    Hi Angel. I had a lumpectomy and I am so thankful that I could. I am not sure I could deal with a mastectomy. I had a very small tumor, with clean margins and clean nodes. I am still in rads, but, will be done soon.

    Everyone has to make their own choice. All of us wouldn't do what someone else does. You just do what you want and what is the best treatment for you.

    But, like someone else said, you won't really know for sure until the surgery, because that can change the treatment plan.

    Good luck!

    My cancer was very small
    My cancer was very small also, and I had a lumpectomy and radiation 9 years ago, when I was 47. This year, DCIS was diagnosed in the same breast, and I had a bilateral mastectomy and immediate DIEP reconstruction. Both times, I think that I made the right decision, for me. Being able to have immediate reconstruction made the bilateral mastectomy decision much easier, since I knew I wanted reconstruction but wasn't sure that I would be ready for a second surgery.

    I hope you are able to have peace with whatever decision you make.

    Joyce
  • CR1954
    CR1954 Member Posts: 1,390 Member
    #6
    Hi Angel.......
    I was 54 when dx'd last year. My tumor was fast growing, large and just behind the nipple. Several lymph nodes involved. ER/PR negative, HER-2 positive. I had a mastectomy. I did not have reconstruction. Mostly because I couldn't face more surgery at the time. I smoke also.

    I agree, your surgeon won't REALLY know if a lumpectomy can be done until he/she sees the extent of the tumor, but can make an educated guess beforehand.

    CR
  • cats_toy
    cats_toy Member Posts: 1,462 Member
    #7
    Angel
    the choice, if there is one, should be yours and yours alone. You can get input from friends, online and in person, but you must live with your choices. I know it will be hard, but you should be the deciding factor.
    I went in for a lumpectomy, and it ended up being a partial mastectomy because of the size and placement of the tumor. But as the surgeon told me, I have choices, and he will go with my wishes if at all possible. Talk to the doc about your situation and the pros and cons, then you may be more comfortable with the decision you finally do make.
    Good luck to you and let us know what you decide.
    Cat
  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #8
    cats_toy said:

    Angel
    the choice, if there is one, should be yours and yours alone. You can get input from friends, online and in person, but you must live with your choices. I know it will be hard, but you should be the deciding factor.
    I went in for a lumpectomy, and it ended up being a partial mastectomy because of the size and placement of the tumor. But as the surgeon told me, I have choices, and he will go with my wishes if at all possible. Talk to the doc about your situation and the pros and cons, then you may be more comfortable with the decision you finally do make.
    Good luck to you and let us know what you decide.
    Cat

    Just wishing you good luck.
    Just wishing you good luck. The decision is made by you. After your surgery, your treatment options will be clearer.

    I had a lumpectomy and radiation treatments. I wish you the best! Keep us posted!

    Leeza
  • jikaras
    jikaras Member Posts: 58
    #9
    new
    My cancer was in the duct around my nipple. I was not offered a lymptectomy - I had to have the bi-laterial mast.......

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