Living Without One Breast
Comments
-
I have had a prosthesis for twenty years now and I use ones from a qualified fitter. It matches the weight of my real one and frankly, I hardly ever think about it anymore. I just keep it in my bra when I am not wearing it and drape it over the chair by the arms. It did take a few times to get the right bras and prosthesis.
0 -
My latest haute couture. The crystal strands drape over my mastectomy site. Designing for an asymmetrical body brings in some interesting opportunities for using diagonal curves.
1 -
hi sweetie we were planning our 2nd marriages when it found lump in my left breast in shower.After end opinion after told mastectomy would be what I should do. I wanted lumpectomy going into new marriage but fiance convinced me to god for mastectomy longer survivor. Plus I didn't want to be nervous that recurring. Praise God I am this yr a 27 yr Survivor was 42 at diagnosis.So mastectomy worked long term for me. msphil idc stage2 3mo chemo before and after Lmast got married then 7wks rads and 5 yrs on tamoxifen Wrote book bout ecpsridnce but moderators wont let me write the named here just wanted to for Inspiration. But certain evil person complained they blocked it. But after a woman read the my book she called me to say it saved her life for shed had thoughts of suicide till she purchased read my book. Early on when the books were purchased it donated to American Cancer Society still do. So Hope this helps you.
0 -
That's beautiful Miriandra!
I have a few of these Lululemon scarves & it will come in handy now to cover one side when I go bra free.
1 -
I like the asymmetrical bulk and texture. Nice!!
0 -
why didn’t anyone warn me how difficult it’d be to tie a towel around me, and it to stay up! Anyone have tips? Tried tying on both sides, no luck.
0 -
This won't help at all but I've never heard of anybody having trouble with that so maybe it's somewhat unusual? I've never noticed any issues with towels myself!0
-
Hi
Abdolutely love it! Beautiful
0 -
Hi All
I had my right breast removed Feb'22. Have adjusted pretty well with a prostheic in my bra. I somehow feel 'odd' and 'imbalanced' still having a left breast and strangely enough not complete and want to have it removed. Looking at myself with one breast is very strange and I do not want plastic surgery. What are your thoughts? Besides, I don't want the cancer coming back into my left breast.
0 -
I’ve been half flat for a year and a half. It is still a little odd looking in the mirror. When I wear my prosthetic, I look “normal”. I’ve reached a point where I’m very comfortable not wearing a prosthetic sometimes too. I’m a 36C and don’t have any balance issues. I’m dead set against unnecessary surgery. My scar is fading. I think I look pretty good. My husband does too.
1 -
Hi,
That is amazing to hear. I am also dead set against plastic surgery. Also a 36C. I am comfortable with being half flat and my scar. Really think I need to consider the left breast removal. Thank you so much for your reply/thoughts
0 -
Hi Pixy! If you are in the US, your insurance is obligated to cover any procedure to create symmetry, including removing the remaining breast. One less thing to have to worry about. I too have thoughts about going fully flat, but haven't really needed to yet. Should you decide to, I hope your surgery is smooth and your recovery comfortable!
I'm on a BC subreddit, and I see so many women asking for advice on expanders or flaps. I wonder if their doctors even discussed the ease of going flat with them. Whenever I see someone thinking about it, I let them know that the Flat and Unicorn community is growing and very supportive.
0 -
I originally wanted to have my healthy breast removed and go totally flat. The idea of never needing a bra again is so enticing. I had planned to have the surgery this year but unfortunately I developed lymphedema on my mastectomy side. I am so devastated by the LE that there is no way I will sign up for an elective surgery and the possibility of messing up lymph nodes on my other side. It seems like there just aren't any "good" solutions for cancer. It all sucks.
I'll add that I am not bothered by the "uniboob" and have gotten used to it. It's the crappy LE that makes me miserable.
1 -
Hi Miriandra,
Thank you for your reply. It seems as if plastic surgery is pushed here. No one really asks you how you feel about going flat. Am in South Africa and my insurance plan did have the option for plastics, however I turned it down. Was originally told a double mastectomy would be of no benefit to me. Seeing my Oncologist in Feb (again, how I hate these necessary visits) and will be discussing with her. Happy to hear the Flat community is growing. Thanks for the wishes and you also take care.
0 -
New year greetings
As a 55 year old I decided to have a single mastectomy to avoid radiation after DCIS also allowed me to continue work travel and uni with only two weeks down time
10 years ago Less invasive plastic surgery ment less likelihood of complication for me
Thought I would have recon later or even second removed...I healed smoothly hardly a scar ...so now not worried could not be bothered. just have foob in for swimming n going out
Yes there can be major complications with breast recon using own body tissue this is what I did not want
It is not 100percent without complications you do take a risk
0 -
This shirt is funny - but even funnier having a single mastectomy.
0 -
If you want it removed, then have it removed! Lots of women do that. But remember that removing your breast does not reduce the risk of your cancer returning. It only reduces the risk of a new cancer forming in the remaining breast, which is less likely and easily treated by removing the breast.
I personally have no plans to remove my healthy breast. My cancer came back in my chest and bones. It wouldn't have made one bit of difference if I'd had a double mastectomy then, and won't make a difference now.
0 -
pixy....not 100%true. My insurance has battled me for 2 yrs to prevent them having to pay for mine. I had rads and wasn't told how that would li.it my options due to its side effects. I followed my Dr orders to wait until the rad swelling went way down. He approved me for f a t grafting, however the Medicaid system refuses to pay because they say I had a "lumpectomy" instead of a partial mastectomy! It's total semantics. My records show I had the tumor removal and a 2nd surgery due to a bad hematoma. The combo of those reduced my rt side to about 1/3rd of its size. Also now that swelling is gone my upper pole is totally skin over chest wall without breast tissue. So now 10yrs later Dr will do it but no implant he says. Fat grafting I'd my only option. Now I'm having pain in lefty and small lumpy area. See Dr next week. If it's cancer I'd probably do bilateral mastectomy and start over with implants over muscle if possible
0 -
I had unilateral mastectomy 18 years ago. Just used prosthesis at first. That prosthesis seemed to match my natural side very well. After about 6 months, I then decided to get a saline implant. I recently had the implant removed. 18 years later, I gained a little weight, and I am 18 years older. I tried my original 18 year old prosthesis, a partial form I got a couple years before I had the implant removed, a new prosthesis I got from a certified fitter, and now a aqua wave one I ordered online. So far, I like the aqua wave the best, but it is not perfect. I might just wear that all the time, as some people in the product reviews said they do that and it is fine. I'm learning that finding the perfect prosthesis is a bit of trial and error. And while the certified fitters are good, they can't know how things are going to look after moving around for a couple of hours.
So, I guess I am curious if there are prosthesis that people absolutely love, for me to consider next time around.
Also, I am wondering about how one knows when they have a prosthesis with a good weight to prevent back problems. You can tell by looking in the mirror what looks good, but future back problems are harder to know. (Yes, in theory a certified fitter should tell you that, but I'm positive the one I got from my fitter is too heavy. I didn't think about weight at the time of my appointment, and evidently neither did she.) I THINK the aqua wave I got online is pretty close on weight, but not sure how I really know.
I don't know if I should start a new thread for this or not, but this seems to be on topic, so I'm sticking it here.
Thanks for your thoughts.
0 -
I really like the amoena adapt air, although it’s really light, there is also an amoena adapt that’s good, those are my two favourites
0 -
I too had a unilateral mastectomy, in 2014. When I want to, I'll wear a prosthesis, but not always. I had several prosthesis forms from 2014 that I have been using until recently, but they always felt too heavy and very uncomfortable. This year I purchased a lighter, easier to wear version; it's called Amoena Natura Xtra Light. If I'm going to wear a prosthesis, this is the most comfortable one for me.
0 -
Thank you @bennybear and @nostatic. Sounds like Amoena is make good ones. I will keep these in mind when I am ready to try again.
0
