Deconstruction!

Katie55

Hi, I am new to this thread but I recently had a full right mastectomy, which I am recovering from well. My question is were any of you offered a deconstruction ( both breasts removed) rather than a reconstruction? I have been told that a reconstruction is covered under my medical plan (I live in B.C. Canada), but I have yet to ask if I can have the other breast removed for cosmetic purposes. I would rather do that than wear falsies or do a reconstruction of an old saggy breast!

pingpong1953

I live in Ontario, and I'm having a single mastectomy on the 27th. It was my decision to not have reconstruction, although I can change my mind and have it at a later date. I also may decide to have the other breast removed if being "half-flat" doesn't work for me. OHIP will cover any surgery I want when I want it, so I feel pretty lucky to have these options.

Ontheroadagain

Hi Katie55

I had a right mastectomy in July of 2017. I have an appointment booked next week with a plastic surgeon to discuss the options that are available to me.

I am also in Ottawa

Nancy

Beachygirl

I am 5 wks post op for a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction. These tissue expanders are unbearable! I wish I just went flat. I think I'd be doing better physically and emotionally without the reconstruction. Anybody else out there call it quits on the reconstruction?

Meow13

I had left side mastectomy and DIEP, the other side was lifted. The match is really good. Not sure why you would opt for bmx for cosmetic result.

Katie55

Well, my reason is that I am 55 years old and my breasts were no longer an attractive feature anyway! I am fairly slim so would need an implant and the idea of a foreign object in my body doesn't appeal to me. Also trying to replicate an old saggy breast so they match on both sides sounds like a pain. I don't know what DIEP is, but will look it up. Tissue expanders sound awful too- I just think being totally flat would be my preference.

Meow13

Katie, an implant would drive me crazy I would be poking at it. My DIEP breast feels pretty much the same as real one. My doctor also did a fat transfer. But the fat transfer is something that doesn't last that well the fat seems to get reabsorbed. However there isn't much sensation after DIEP reconstruction. I am going to be 60 this year and it still looks very good. I never had alot of sag to begin with I would like to lose 15 more pounds to be back to normal (before this whole thing started) hoping that weight loss won't cause too much loose skin. If it does I will go back for another fat transfer.

ClaireBear47

I am four weeks post surgery-- Mastectomy on the right with a lift on the left. The tissue expander feels like an iron breast. Have you started the inflation process? I start tomorrow. Surely the implant--which my PS says he will switch at the end of April-- will be better!

TrulyBl3ss3d

I had a double mastectomy on September 5th last year with expanders put in for reconstruction.  I had cancer only in my right breast, and for future peace of mind I chose to have the left removed as well.  I HATED the expanders.  When people asked me what it felt like I'd tell them to imagine a plastic, costume Batman chest rammed up under your pectoral muscles.  Not kidding.  When the filling starts, it can be painful.  After my final fill, I actually reached a ten on the pain scale that night and couldn't sleep.  Fortunately, I had some Oxy left from surgery.  I had to resort to taking it.  The pain is not just in the chest, it is throughout the scapular areas in your back.  My right side was the worst.  Maybe that had to do with the fact that that is the side from which I had lymph nodes removed. I had my implant surgery on November 27th and have had a couple setbacks on my right side with the incision opening a small amount two times.  Just always remember to adhere to your doctor's orders as far as activity goes.  I felt fine, so I did too much too soon. The first time I had it restitched in the office.  The second time required surgery.  Never had pain with either.  Now as for whether or not your implants will feel better than the expanders, I have experienced that yes, that is the case.  However, you will now have a "new normal" feeling in your chest.  I am always "aware" of my chest.  So far, it always feels like there's something inside there.  The weight of the implants can be uncomfortable too when lying down on your sides, not so much when lying on your back.  I still get a bit of pec pain, like it needs a massage. Overall, though, it's a new normal, and definitely bearable.    

Meow13

You guys with TE's should look into to aeroform there is a thread on BCO.

You do many fills every 8 hours at home. That way you need experience the overfill discomfort.

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topics...

Honestly, the only way I would consider an implant. Coming from 2 times with braces on my teeth.

Katie55

But I was not asking about implants, or tissue expanders- I was asking if anyone has opted to have a (supposedly) healthy breast removed for cosmetic results, and if this is a possible option.

Katie55

I have not started anything- they removed my breast and told me I can do reconstruction in the future if I want. I am still awaiting further treatment plans. But I know I do NOT want reconstruction. I think they got all the cancer in surgery, but they will probably recommend chemo anyway to be sure. I hear it is not as bad as it used to be, which is good because I have had two previous brain aneurysm surgeries so if I lose my hair I will look like Frankenstein! I was very worried about how my breast would look after surgery but this is nothing compared to my head! Thank goodness for hair!

Erica3681

Hi Katie55,

Have you checked out the Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy forum here? Some women on that forum have grappled with the same issue you're facing. Also, you might check out my non-profit website, BreastFree.org, for more info and advice about living without reconstruction.

BarredOwl

If no disease has been identified in the opposite breast, then mastectomy on the opposite breast is often referred to in the medical literature as "contralateral prophylactic mastectomy" ("CPM").

DoraD

Hi Katie55 I live in BC too. I had a left breast mastectomy 3 years ago. I chose to have reconstruction (implant on left and a reduction and lift on my right - all covered by out healthcare) but having the other breast removed was an option for me. They call it prophylactic mastectomy.

sbelizabeth

If DIEP reconstruction hadn't been a good option for me, I would have gone flat in a heartbeat. As it was, I knew I wanted DIEP on both sides and my plastic surgeon asked me to keep the "healthy" breast intact and not have it removed during the first mastectomy, since it would make a delayed surgery easier. As a result, I had a mastectomy on the left and my remaining saggy breast on the right for a year. No fun. I felt unbalanced and awkward.

I know there are many, many women who have a unilateral mastectomy and get along great. I'm a fan of symmetry, though, and wanted to either be flat or have both.

Meow13

I had good symmetry and just had left mastectomy, my surgeon did a lift reduction on right and it looks just like the DIEP left side. I had to wait 4 months for my diep and I like elisabeth hated the imbalance. I would talk to the surgeon and see if they think a bmx and then reconstruction would give the best results.

justamy

I was diagnosed with stage 2 cancer in my right breast. I had my left one taken as well because I didn't want to deal with the issues of having one real one. It ended up that they found stage 0 cancer in that breast too, but I digress. In the US it is the law that they have to cover a the removal of the healthy breast. I looked it up and they cover it in Canada as well.

Katie55

Thank you Justamy, I was told differently- my Dr. said it was medically unnecessary so not covered (whereas a reconstruction is covered- why is that medically necessary?) I argued with her about women's rights and choices and she has set up a follow-up with the surgeon, who also noted that I have a family history so may be able to get it done prophylactically. But NOT for cosmetic reasons. Sigh!