Topic: Dense Breasts/Anxiety Returns

Cleomoon - I am so sorry you are dealing w/ all this. Feel free to PM me if you want to just think it through. I can tell you that a PBM is not as awful as we all think it will be. But it is a very tough and personal decision. Hugs. - Jean

Hi Cleomoon,

My hx is very similar to yours (see LCIS forum, close monitoring post from me for details) I am 3 weeks post PBM and I must say, the relief is already enormous.  No further MRIs, biopsies, lumps, calcifications, etc. I was very lucky to have immediate reconstruction with implants, so I really lucked out in the TE route. But even so, I was totally prepared to go that way if my PS deemed it necessary. I will be 50 in the spring and cannot imagine dealing with all these tests and uncertainty forever. For me, PBM was the best decision. Good luck, go with your heart and get informed. Good luck, stay well.

Denise

Anne - The one thing that my oncoogist told me that finally settled it in my mind was - for me it was not a matter of IF I was going to get bc, it was WHEN. He felt quite certain that I would be dealing w/ a mastectomy in the future. My bs didn't put it quite the same way, he said that I would be dealing w/ repetitive bx over the years. I had already had three. So, it is not always a drastic decision to have a PBM even w/o an actual dx of bc.

I was in the hospital for three nights, but most of my surgeon/PS patients only stay 1 or 2 nights. I have a bleeding disorder that required extended stay. The pain is well controlled w/ the On-Que and other pain meds. And my reconstruction was not a big deal. Actually, it gave me something to focus on while I was recovering. I was able to start walking again fairly soon after surgery, and I was back up to a slow 3 miles within a few weeks.

Best wishes. - Jean

Denise thank you for sharing your experience. Congratulations on having the surgery and reconstruction behind you

Macksix6 congratulations to you too!!

Anne thank you for offering PMing. I may just take u up on the offer. 

Having you all here makes this so much easier.I have an appt set up with my BS at the end of Nov. to discuss the PBM in more detail and ask about reconstruction. 

((Hugs)) 

Congratulations on having your surgery scheduled. I am still working on getting to that point...actually telling my breast surgeon it's a go. I meet with her the end of November and hope by then I have come to accept having a PBM.

oh ladies, I wish I knew what to do.  I am almost jealous of you all that have made the decision and are on the other side of PBM, especially you, Denise, since you were able to go direct to implants.  I was diagnosed with LCIS in 1/08 and since then have had two biopsies that were horrific.  I have my "close monitoring" MRI on Monday 11-2 and I found a lump this wk.  I have never had lumps, only suspicious lesions that show up on MRI.  This thing is hard and about twice the size of a pea and is pretty much under my lumpectomy scar.....I have been on tamox for 20 mos and all of a sudden my left breast is "acting up".  It's sore, it's bigger than the other, and it is very lumpy, bumpy and ropey.  Then there is this LUMP. I'll know more next wk and if I need another biopsy I am seriously considering PBM.  I found a dr in my area that does skin-sparing-direct-to-implant and I am a perfect candidate for that.  I just want to know - does the anxiety go away when your breasts are gone???  I stopped tamox for 1 wk thinking it was causing me to feel so bad, but started back on it because I am scared of everything that is "cooking" in there.  In addition to LCIS I have a lot of other cell changes...

 Any advice, etc is greatly appreciated!

XO

Thanks cleomoon....

It seems I am always back here in Oct/Nov.  Thanks for the well wishes.  I will let everyone know what MRI says.... 

Hi all -- I am nearly 6 weeks out from BMX (prophylactic on left) with DIEP Flap reconstruction done down in Charleston, SC, with great surgical team headed by Dr. James Craigie!

I was small breasted and 47 at diagnosis (3 months ago). I had LCIS diagnosis at first, which after excisional biopsy/lumpectomy becamse extensive PLCIS mixed with DCIS and a very small invasive. Lumpectomy would have distorted my breast.

My sentinel node was clean ... so the surgery did it. No rads or chemo. Now I'm 48 with (like macksix6) soft warm round breasts that match and stand up on their own now (full B with volume and cleavage!) ... and the tummy I had when I was 18. Woo Hoo!

I wish everyone the best of luck with their very PERSONAL decisions. Take the time you need. I didn't rush -- it took me 4 weeks.I talked with plastic surgeons and post-recon women about DIEP vs implants ... and I made the best decision for me. I wasn't in love with the small, droopy breasts I had, so getting a new perky pair was part of my decision. I also wanted them to match and not to have to worry about the other side all the time.

Lee

Kimber I am so sorry you are going through this.  It is good that your doctor is sending you for a MRI. Hoping and praying you get good results.

Kimber,

I'm so sorry that your going through this. I found out last Nov. I had LCIS. So I remember how I felt last year at this time.Very confused, couldn't think straight.  I felt like a truck hit me. I decided to have a PBM with direct implants and be done with the LCIS. It was a very difficult decision but, it is doable. Now one year later I'm still glad I had the surgery.

If I can help you out please send me a PM. I have a list of questions that you could take to your PS.If you would like them let me know.

Take care,

Ann

Stonebrook,

I am considering a nipple/skin sparing PBM. Did you do it without TE and drains and all the other painful things that seem to along with it? Were you small to begin with? I am worried that I'm not big enough to go bigger. I am an "A" cup and would like to go bigger, if I can. Was the stretching overly painful? I started out thinking it would be no big deal; now I'm worried about making the wrong decision.

Thanks,

Anne1962 

Hi ladies, just back from MRI.  Now, we wait......

 Stonebrook (Ann),  yes would you PM me that list of questions?  I feel like I am pretty well versed, but I also feel like I am entering that place again where I am living outside of myself to cope. Whatever this lump is,  it is very hard and doesn't move.  It's like nothing I have ever had before since my LCIS did not present as a lump.  It is on the same side as my lumpectomy, but there is always a lot of stuff going on on that side.  That breast is even bigger than the other one suddenly.

Anyway, I will post when I have some answers. See surgeon on Wed at 2.

Thanks for listening,

Kimber 

Thanks mykidsmom!  Any good thoughts are appreciated....I hate this waiting.....

Kimber--praying it is nothing more than scar tissue.

Anne

Thanks everyone!  On my way to surgeon now to see what the plan is.