Concerned about non cancerous breast

scaredashell07

i am having a unilateral mastectomy and was concerned about some discomfort (no swelling) and some twinches in my non cancer breast. I was assured that the pet and MRI would have picked up something in that breast. I am being told its in my head which I am finding to be condescending and hurtful. I wanted to know if anyone has had a unilateral and regretted becsue it came back in other breast? I am so confused about statistics that say there's no reason to have a double. My Mamo and Us and MRI and pet look fine. No hereditary issue so on worry about but still I am concerned.

KBeee

I am going to preface my response my saying that I'm not unbiased. For many reasons, so I'll explain my response, but understand it's very biased for multiple reasons.

I could not respond right away because I was so mad. Not at you...at your doctor. I had a pain in my leg when I was 7 and complained about it for 2 years. Two years! Every time my parents brought me to the doctor he said it was in my head and that it was growing pains. It wasn't until I collapsed that we went elsewhere and I was admitted to the hospital, then transferred 2 hours away. I then spent 2 months in the hospital and had multiple surgeries because the doctor ignored my concerns and told me it was in my head. I had a similar instance in high school and was told breathing problems were in my head. Nope. Not then either. Any doctor who told me that is a doctor I would never see again; or if I did, I would tell him/her flat out to never, ever say that to me.

The PET and MRI would pick something up in that breast if it was big enough. If it was very small, it would not. I had an MRI after they found my first recurrent lump. It was clear. I was really surprised when they went in for a re-excision and found another cancerous tumor. MRIs are good, but nothing is 100%.

I know many people who have had unilateral mastectomies. I would say that by far, the majority are very happy and had no further recurrences. My mom had a uni in 1992 and had a new cancer in her other breast last year. So she did have further cancer, but it was 24 years later. And.....we have a horrible family history of cancer, so hers is not the typical outcome.

If I were walking in your shoes, I would seek another opinion or 2; not to try to persuade you into any different surgery, but to figure out how to address the concerns you have about your other breast.

Beesie

There is nothing condescending about telling you that the symptoms you are noticing in your 'healthy' breast may be psychosomatic. It's reality. Probably most of us who've been diagnosed have experienced what you are experiencing. New pain in the breast with cancer. New pain in the other breast. Strange new pains anywhere in our bodies. Aching bones. Headaches. All sorts of symptoms that might suggest either a more extensive cancer than what's been diagnosed, or cancer in the other breast, or signs of metastasis.

That's what stress does to us. It's a normal human reaction. These pains feel real, but they're not.

You've had every test to suggest that your healthy breast is healthy. That's not a guarantee, but it's a whole lot more reliable than anything you may be feeling right now from your very stressed out and anxious body.

You have to decide which surgery is right for you. The way I decided, it was not so much which surgical choice I preferred (I didn't like any of the options) but which choice I would regret least, even if things didn't work out well. I had a single MX. I'm 11 years out. So far I have not had another diagnosis, but I've had a few call-backs for cysts, which gives me a scare for a few days, and then I'm fine and don't think about it until my annual screening the next year. I sure don't want to be diagnosed again, and while I hope that I never am, I know that it's possible. However if that were to happen, I will still know that with the UMX, I made decision that was right for me because at that time I would have had a much harder time having a BMX, particularly if I had any complications (which unfortunately is pretty common).That's in no way suggesting that my choice is also what's right for you - it's just to say that you have to look deep within yourself to decide which surgical choice you can live with the best, even if it doesn't go as planned.

tlgio17

Hi! I just logged on to tell you g luck w your surgery this week and when i read this I almost couldn't believe it. Since being diagnosed (in right breast only) i have been having weird pain twinges in my left and that has been worrysome! I was thinking and wondering if my MRI missed something or if it had already spread during this waiting period. My MRI didnt show anything and so far my CAT came back clean (not sure those show that tho? i didnt have PET just CAT/Bone). I am still waiting on bone scan results which i had done Friday, so praying that is clean too and I can proceed w surgery and treatment. My dr said i might have 2 spots in same breast...is that what you have as well? She said in that case they usually suggest unilateral mastectomy. But, i am wondering if i should think about a double?. Anyways, we have what seems very similar situations going on, so please keep in touch and I will be thinking of you and hope all goes well w your surgery. Hugs!!!