Breast repair after aggressive lumpectomy

quiggy

Hi all;

I'm hoping for some input. I had lumpectomy and just 8 more RADs to go. The lumpectomy was aggressive, lots of tissue loss.

I'm a "D" on the right and a "B" on the left.

Any of you experience this? What can be done? Did your insurance help?

This is another "cancer pile on" and I hope I'm not being too vain but this is emotionally taxing. grrrrrr!!

Meow13

You're not being vain you just want to look and feel normal. I'd make a couple of plastic surgeon appointments and find out your options. Maybe an implant or reduction. They usually don't like working with radiated skin but I know several people that had radiation then plastic surgery. I have one friend that had lumpectomy and rads then later did mastectomy on both with DIEP reconstruction and it came out really well. I swear they can fix anything.

lane4

quiggy - I think it's quite common to end up with a significant difference in the size of your breasts after lumpectomy and radiation. I agree that you should visit a couple of plastic surgeons, but you may want to wait a while before having anything done. I consulted two plastic surgeons soon after I finished radiation, but it was suggested that I wait a year for everything to settle after radiation. I ended up having my opposite breast reduced and fat grafted into the radiated breast. I went to a mastectomy fitter to get a compensation form to even me up while I waited to have my reconstruction. What Meow13 said is true: they can fix anything. Don't despair and please don't beat yourself up -- you're not being vain, you just need to feel normal again.

besa

More info about this.....

Breastcancer.org link with info:

http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/reco...

additional photo: click on "photo" tab...

http://www.breastcenter.com/breast-reconstruction-...

Aetna's breast reconstruction guidelines (just a random search result, I don't know of other health insurance companies have different guidelines):

http://www.aetna.com/cpb/medical/data/100_199/0185...

quiggy

Thanks everyone for your information. Looks like I need more research; my insurance,PS doc's in my area that know these problems etc. At least there is hope!

ruthbru

Wait a year before you do anything. The fat moves around and fill in the gaps. When I first looked at my chest after my lumpectomy my thought was, "What? Did they do a mastectomy by mistake?" I was pretty taken aback but a friend, who had been through it, told me to hold off for awhile & see what Mother Nature would do. So I did......I had the surgery in March. The tumor was on the underside of the breast & for awhile I wore a partial breast prostheses to fill in the bra cup (which you can get a prescription for & insurance will pay for). After a year (maybe less) the breast had filled out enough that I was able to ditch the prostheses. Another illustration is that first
 summer when I tried on my favorite (shelf bra) bathing suit, there was no way I could wear it because the difference was too noticeable. By the next summer, I was back in the suit again. (It is polka dotted, if it were one color and you were really looking you could notice a slight difference...but just slight.) So waiting, for me, brought very acceptable results with no more surgeries or hassle.

quiggy

Thanks ruthbru. Maybe mother nature will help.

My tumor was just above the nipple and sat deep in. When my hubby and I first removed the bandages we cried and were shocked. RADs have made things worse by shrinking and hardening the breast.

Time has a way of changing perspective and healing us.