Sitting on the Fence

Red11228

Hi. Anything anyone can share would be so grateful. Thank you ! This breast cancer stuff sucks. At 42 diagnosed with LCIS, age 44 Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia and age 53 DCIS high grade necrosis. The findings among calcifications, very small and margins were clean during lumpectomy. My mom's mother died of breast cancer at 42 years old. My mom had I believe had DCIS at 73 years old with 35 sessions of radiation. Yikes! They said I would need 16. My BRACA was negative. But we all know this is not a profound result when negative. It could be that they just didn't find that particular gene yet. I originally started at NYU - wonderful doctors and was going for a bilateral mastectomy with DIEP Flap construction. Then I got some pressure about getting a second opinion and then went to Memorial Sloan Kettering who said I didn't need a bilateral mastectomy. I had gone for the assimilation for radiation. I have not had radiation yet. Diagnosis was on 10/28 and lumpectomy on 12/17. But really wondering if I made the right choice. I went from age 44 to getting Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia to DCIS high grade in 9 years. I feel like I am on a faster cycle in maybe developing invasive cancer. Losing my breast does seems devastating as well. I am a 40 DDD (in good shape) and I was told the best the plastic surgeon can give me is a C with my own skin and that sounded hesitated. On the other hand, I would be a real lousy patient if I got cancer. Both choices seem to stink. LOL. I wish there was some test that could determine your next possible reoccurrence. But I am asking for miracles. Signed... "Sitting on the fence!"

debiann

Cancer sucks and I can understand wanting to avoid it at all cost, but know that removing both your breasts, especially if you like their size, appearance and functionality is a BIG cost.

At age 54 I had bmx with DIEP recon. My orignals were saggy, not so pretty anymore, so I didn't think I'd miss them. 

The new ones are ok. Not saggy, look natural when dressed, are warm and mostly soft, with one harder area of neceosis. But they don't replace the originals. The sensation of touch is weird. The skin  has some feeling except in the nipple area, but inside I feel like a stuffed teddy bear, like there's nothing but fluff inside. Weird feeling when something presses on your chest like when carrying something. I can't feel a thing in my belly area either. My husband lays a cold hand there ir tries to tickle me and I can't feel anything. Its a loss .

Sizewise they are a small C. 

Leslie13

How much risk are you comfortable with? Will you contiue to worry w/o a BMX, and will a BMX alleviate that worry?

I had nipple sparing, straight to implant with good success. But I started as a C, and still am one. If you're much larger, they have to reposition the nipples, if you can keep them. I'm not sure how the down sizing would affect your self-image. I feel a little small while I wait for my post-surgery "fluff and buff."

I have feeling in one nipple and various areas of feeling and numbness in both breasts. However, my only incision was below my breast.

Are you thinking straight to implant, or expanders. If you're larger, they have ample skin to do a strsight to implant. The Dr. may say it's harder to control results, but you have a second surgery in both cases. I woke up feeling "whole" and the tightness lasted about 3 weeks.