Why you chose reconstruction...or didn't

My surgeon said I'd have to
My surgeon said I'd have to wait till after radiation. Why I don't know. I didn't know enough to ask that question. I later found some ladies did have reconstruction and radiation after. About a year after treatment I thought about having reconstruction but my surgeon had retired and I didn't feel like finding another. So I'm lopsided still.

tough decision for me!
Hi NJMom10 -

As already has been said, ultimately you need to do what you feel deep down in your gut. That's the bottomline.

Here's my story. I was dx a few months before my mother died of bc. So, there was a lot of other 'stuff' going on for me while I made that decision. I waffled on this decision for as long as I could. I changed my mind, twice. At first, I didn't want to have it. I wanted my life back as quickly as possible. I worked out a lot and wanted to be able to get back to that fast. And reconstruction meant that it would take me longer to come back. My rationale was that I could always come back and do reconstruction later. I made my appt. for a DMX with no reconstruction. My BS actually CALLED me to discuss with me my reasoning. I told her and she said that for me (I'm small-framed) to have reconstruction later, it wouldn't be as good because I would have no skin envelope to stretch. (None of the flap surgeries were an option for me because I didn't have enough body fat). She said that if there was ANY inkling that I wanted reconstruction that I should do it at the time of the MX, because the results would be better with the skin-sparing MX. I asked if there was a higher recurrence rate with the skin-sparing and she said 'no.' She also told me that there was a higher rate of depression among women who didn't have reconstruction vs. the women who did it.

The thing that finally pushed me over the edge for the reconstruction was a friend of mine who had been through what I was going through offered to show me her reconstructed breasts. I was a little taken aback that she was willing, but I said yes. I was amazed at what I saw. She looked so 'normal.' Her scars had faded. She let me touch them and they felt real. Seeing that ... I felt like I wanted to look as normal as possible. I'm young and single and I wanted as much as my body back as I could have. The reconstruction process was longer and more painful than I anticipated but I don't regret it. My scars have yet to fade, but I look good in my clothes. But on the other end of things, you could look good in your clothes with a prosthesis. It's an extremely personal decision and one only you can decide upon. Bless you with peace and wisdom as you make your decision. I'm sorry you have to make it!

[[[[[hugs]]]]]

As everyone says, it's very
As everyone says, it's very personal and what you feel most comfortable with. I had first mastectomy 10+ years ago. Kids were young and I just wanted to get back to "normal" life without dealing with the longer recovery followed by numerous and time consuming medical visits that reconstruction would involve. I did recover very quickly from the mastectomy and having only one breast never bothered me. Aside from the slight inconvenience of thinking a little bit more about what to wear, I never regretted it. Plus I knew I could always go back and do it later. Recently I was diagnosed with cancer in the other breast and decided on a mastectomy with no hesitation. I did revisit the idea of reconstruction with some highly regarded plastic surgeons. Again I concluded that I wanted to just deal with the cancer and get on with my life. And while it's somewhat easier to start the reconstruction at the same time as mastectomy, I know that it is still an option later. I feel that if I want the reconstruction badly enough some day, I won't mind the pain, inconvenience and possible complications. So far, I'm perfectly comfortable with my decision

CR1954 said:

I had...
I had right breast mastectomy. I did not have reconstruction, simply because I did not want to face any more surgery at the time.

Now, 1.) I wish that I had asked to have a bilateral...I don't like being lop-sided and I don't much care for my prosthesis. It was professionally fitted and it looks fine. I just find that it gets a bit uncomfortable after awhile.
2.) I KIND OF wish I had opted for reconstruction. Everytime I think I might have it done, some health issue comes up and I can't do it.
I have talked to people whom I know here and they have had reconstruction. They have urged me to have it done....not sure though. Maybe at some point.

Not sure that any of this will help you, but I hope so.

Good luck with whatever decision you make.

CR

NJMOM
NJ Mom,

This is a tough decision. You have to weigh your situation and the type of cancer you have. Hope it helps.

I had a bilateral mast. and reconstruction at the time of surgery. (May '10) I am at extremely happy with my choice. I have had a lot of family history with cancer, as well as a lot of mammograms and ultrasounds in my history.

My main focus was to get rid of the cancer and not have it return (if that was possible). The reconstruction part was secondary. I really went back and forth before I made my decision for so many reasons. Bottom line: I rather do too much than too little.

Please send me a PM if I can help more.

Hope you are not freezing in NJ. I am in So. California but my sister lives in NJ. We joke about the differences in our weather. I think you are at 5 degrees....

Take care,
Merry (Sally5)

I had a bilateral mastectomy
I had a bilateral mastectomy and I am now completely flat. At the time of my surgery (almost three years ago!), I was told I'd have to wait until after radiation for reconstruction. Sometimes I wish I had foobs, but the surgery, expense, and down time involved with reconstruction discourages me. I live really far from medical care, so any treatment involves a lot of traveling.

The bilateral was my choice - only one breast had cancer. I felt I only wanted to have THAT kind of surgery once. Also, I didn't want to have to live lopsided. I feel that I have done everything I can to fight my cancer, and that is a good feeling. I still may decide to have reconstruction when I am ready. Most of the time I don't mind not having breasts - I don't think about it. My husband has been really supportive, and that's really important.

One of the things I wonder about is (and I've never asked my oncologist) what if the cancer recurred under the reconstruction. How would you feel it? How would you know? Also I worry that if I did have reconstruction, I wouldn't be happy with the results; that I wouldn't be symmetrical because one side had radiation and one side didn't.

No reconstruction
I chose to have no reconstruction after my bi-lateral. I did consult with two plastic surgeons before making my decision and I am still happy with my choice. After my surgery I found out that the amount of clean margins I had were less than 1mm so I had to have rads and am currently on Tamoxifen. If I had reconstruction at the time of my bi-lateral it would have made the rads treatments more difficult.

This is a very personal decision and you need to figure out what is best for YOU. No one - friends, co-workers, family members, spouses can make this decision for you because you have to be happy with your choice.

Hi NJMom,

I waited 6 months after radiation to have my reconstruction surgery. I had the diep flap surgery. My surgeon wanted me to have my remaining breast removed anyway, and I knew it was the right time for me.
I did a lot of research and my breast surgeon said I was not a candidate for implants. It was a 10 hour procedure with a 3-4 month recovery. In November, I had to go back for some "touch up" surgery, but am doing better.

I hope this helps. Take your time to make your own personal decision.

Jean

lumpectomy
I am what I called lop sided...no one ever suggested (I know I heard on here it would not be considered RECONSTRUCTION SINCE only lumpectomy)plastic surgery or whatever it would be for lop sided. I have never thought of fixing my issue just due to I am the only one who can tell! IT is not drastic but diffently different! I think mainly I have not even checked in to correction surgery is due to I have had 7-8 surgeries-from Tubular preg, shoulder, fingers, breast etc I JUST dont' want to have any more I DONT" have to have!

My adult girls teased me at one point if I DID get it fixed, since I am very small breasted, to get enlargement at the same time! OF course they did not follow in my footsteps with brestsize)

I will be interested to read others posts here!

I wish you luck in your decision!

This is such a difficult subject because there are strong arguments both ways. I did not have it because my cancer was particularly aggressive and my surgeon urged me not to get it because it was likely my tumor would return and it would be easier to locate another tumor quickly if there was only the flat chest wall to search through. I'm still glad I followed his advice, but at the same time, I miss having two breasts. In retrospect, I would make the same decision even tho my cancer did not come back.