Topic: Mastectomy...suggestions?

Hi Liz, I am sure you will get many replies about your situation. I was diagnosed last week and told I need a mastectomy this week. I am considering all the options for immediate reconstruction also.

I dk when I will be scheduled for surgery yet. I pray all will go well for you.

I know how you feel, I am scared, nervous, anxious and sad. You are not alone, stick here and others will help you as much as possible.

Take care-hope all goes smooth for you~ 

Hi Liz, I am interested as I have not decided on mine either. Please keep in touch and update me with all your trials and experiences. I am here to listen and help if possible.

Take Care~ 

Liz,

 My surgery is on 11/16 as well.  I haven't decided if I'm going to do a lumpectomy or bilateral mastectomy yet - keep flip flopping.  My PS thinks I am a candidate for immediate reconstruction with implants, so that is probably what I will do if I go the mastectomy route.  I hope you find some comfort here.

Laurie 

Dear Liz,

I had the mastectomy with immediate expander placement.  My advice would be to be sure you research the surgeons and have a great breast surgeon and a great plastic surgeon.  I did and my surgery was much easier than I envisioned.  Ask your plastic surgeon about the On-Q pump.  It's a pain pump that  he put in me following surgery.  I only asked for 2 pain pills over the course of 2 days and my pain in the weeks following the surgery (even after the On-Q pump was out a few days later) was minimal. The other thing that helped me was to follow all my instructions - especially on when to do the exercises.  And I found a video a very kind woman did on UTube where she showed the drains and explained a little bit about her surgery - very geneous thing to do and it helped me.  You might need button down clothing choices for a while - it's hard to lift your arm right away if they take any nodes under there.  Also, I was most comfortable in the weeks and couple months following in a special mastectomy camisole that I got on www.thepinkbra.com.  It was very comfortable and helped even me out in clothing while I was getting the expander filled.  It's really nice to wake up from surgery and not be flat - I'm so glad I had the recon right away.  Dr. thought 2 weeks would be the earliest that I could go back to work, but I found I needed 3 weeks after surgery and felt pretty good.  Other women have needed more - everyone is individual.  I'm having my implant exchange the same week as your surgery, so I will be thinking of you and wish you all the best for a speedy recovery.  Take care. 

Hi Liz!

Last year at this time I was just trying to come to terms with my DCIS diagnosis (mine was in left breast, grade 3.). I went with a bilat mx with a tram flap reconstruction. Recovery takes a while but the most mentally draining, emotional parts took place at the stage you are right now, just before surgery. I am so glad I took the route I did. Thanks to my nipple tattoos last week - I am sitting here one year later with pretty normal looking breasts, and more peace of mind than I had last year. My 3 essentials after surgery were - a recliner to sleep in, a shower chair, and a small pillow for placing under my armpit. Before surgery - a prescription for xanax was wonderful! I even took it the morning of my surgery and I had no anxious jitters. So sorry you have to face this but I pray you'll have a complication free experience and speedy recovery.

Keep coming back with all your questions - this site saved my sanity!

Take care Carole

I was dx in June 09 with DCIS.  I also had the BRCA1 gene.  Before I even had my gene test results, I had pretty much decided to have a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction - tissue expanders.  My sister was dx with BC 8 months before me (stage 2, grade 3).  She was 44 and I was 39.  She had a lumpectomy and then BMX with expanders.  I am VERY HAPPY with my decision.  I just didn't want to deal with screenings and all that crap for the rest of my life.

Good luck in your decision.  Weigh your options and if in doubt, get a 2nd opinion.  :)

Hi Liz,

I feel badly that you have had two surgeries and now face another, more extensive one!

I was diagnosed on Oct 9th and had a lumpectomy on Oct 26th, but they found extensive DCIS, in addition to my 2 IDC tumors, both over 1 cm, so now I face more surgery. I don't really want to go through another lumpectomy just to find out that I need a mastectomy! This summer must have been so stressful for you!

I see my surgeon tomorrow for the first time since the lumpectomy. He already called me with the path report, but now we need to talk about further decisions. I already have a second opinion set up for next week. I am not sure yet what I will choose to do. I  want to be tested for the BRAC gene....my mom and grandmother had breast cancer. Maybe that will help me decide a single or bilateral mastectomy. I really have no idea what to do right now.

Good luck with your surgery. I will think good thoughts for you that day!

Take Care, Karen

hi ladies,

i am having a bmx in dec.  I  am seeing my ps again next Fri & would love to know what kinds of questions to ask.  Any suggestions for b4, during & after the surgery..clothes, friends helping, drains (YUCK),& i c my bs in Dec after i have an MRI b4 the surgery. I do not have cancer, this is preventive b/c i have abnormal cells (LCIS, density etc...)had way to many biopsies & lumpnectomies already..thx!!!

Hi Ladies,

I, too, am facing a double mastectomy. Not positive what my decision will be, but am leaning more toward having it done. Like Shoshi, I will have a preventive mastectomy due to several risk factors. Have any of you had a BSGI done? That is my next step. Hopefully, that will help me in my decision  process.

Good luck to those of you going under the knife this month; I will be praying for you.

Anne1962 

Shoshi,

I went through BMX plus immediate SGAP reconstruction. Long surgery, 4 drains. Reconstruction places additional limits on you as far as raising arms, handling weight, etc. So, here are my recommendations (a) teach your mate how to wash & dry your hair - it's amazing what they don't observe and I don't care HOW long you've been together! LOL. (b) consider renting a hospital bed. Adjustment ability is fantastic for sleeping, resting, taking weight off various areas, etc (c) consider getting one of those grabbers from WalMart to help pick up things you will drop or reach things you can't (d) Get very large button down the front shirts. Thrift stores are a good source and then you can re-donate (e) For flap reconstruction get scrubs/pants from WalMart or Thrift store; again larger than normal to accomodate drains (f) request extra surgical bras (g) have a side table to hold all your stuff - mirror, small flashlight, wet ones etc (f) Drink all the water you can stand (g) put clothes, kitchen stuff where you can reach them without raising arms past the shoulder (h)pre-prepare meals (i) lots of fiber, get your system regular as those drugs tend to stop you up.

Finally get lots of rest before. Ask the doctor to show you the result and answer any questions you have - mine kept saying 'wonderful, beautiful, great results!' and then I went home and looked. aaaack! Now it's much better, but I was thinking cosmetic and they were thinking surgical success - - - they are different, trust me!

Good luck. For me the BMX was a tremendous relief and when they also found LCIS I realized it was exactly the right path to choose. There is always some risk, but I've minimized mine by going this route and you will also.