Amazonian Women ~ the One Breasted

Amazon,

So sorry to hear about your recurrence. That is an amazing story about your archery experience. I think you're the first woman I've encountered who has found a mastectomy beneficial in that way.

I'm glad they caught the new cancer early and I hope you enjoy being breast-free after your second mastectomy. If you need any information or advice about the mastectomy/breast forms/bras etc., you might find my non-profit website, BreastFree.org, helpful.

Barbara

Amazon, it sounds like you've been through the paces, and you have a terrific attitude towards it all.  I'm glad to hear your new cancer was caught in time.  I bet you go through the surgery just fine.  I'm one of the many who feel lopsidedness is a nuisance.  The best way I've come up with to manage the remaining breast is Old Navy tank tops with thin straps--I really don't like wearing prosthetic devices, they drive me nuts--then I wear something over that.  I would opt for a prophylactic right mastectomy if I had that option, but my insurance won't cover it.  After a year, I'm finally getting used to looking lopsided, but I was surprised how long that took.  I'm also surprised how long it took to join this website--it's fantastic support, makes me feel like I've got a real sisterhood at my fingertips.  Thanks!

KAK,  technically, recurrence can only happen on the same side, so your current cancer is considered a "new" occurrence. This isn't always true........Recurrence CAN happen in the other breast.......It just isn't ALWAYS the case......Recurrence can happen in the "good" breast, the bones, the soft tissue organs, or anywhere in the body, even as skin mets.......That being said, my older sister Fran is an Amazonian Warrior......She had bc in her right breast, stage 2b, and deicded only on a single mast.....She is being closely monitored for recurrence in her left breast as her onco said she has a high risk for recurrence on the other side...She had 2 nodes positive......

Unique search the web, I am sure you will find something you are looking for to fill the gap from the single mast...Wow!...I could never pull a bow string!...I have tried many times!....As for myself I had bc stage 1b  in my left breast (dx was  5 months after my sisre Fran was dx and 4 months after my sister Charity passed from stage 4bc) and decided on a bilat mast with immed TRAM recons... i am BRCA neg.........My sister Fran is happy with her decision and I am happy with mine....She doesn't use forms for her (as she calls it) "booby hole".....I am, though, very unhappy with the fact that this beast struck my family 4 times if not 5  ( We think our grandmother on our mom's side had bc too).....I wish you all Warrior Women well and i wish for you all strength and peace....May the Lord provide what you need today.....

I know technically it is not considered a recurrence it's just what i'm calling it since it is now 2x's. My last bc had 4 out of 32 lower axillary nodes that had mast.  So although this is new i still consider it a recurrence.  I am really not worried about the surgery. My Onc said I would probably be hospitalized 1 or 2 days if everything goes well.  The only draw back is I won't be able to "draw back" my bow for at least 3-4 months maybe even 6. I will just have to wait and see. It will also depend on  how sick I will be during chemo. Last time wasn't to bad. I was only actually sick to my stomache, (when I couldn't keep anything down), for about 3 days after each treatment. So if it goes as well this time it will be a walk in the park, alibit, a slow walk but still a walk

My best to all of you. I will post again after surgery.

Simvog, depending on the surgeon, you'll get different opinions and recommendations about prophylactic masts.  If your docs are supporting you, then they probably agree with your reasoning and that your risk for getting cancer in the unaffected breast justifies a preventative mast.  You have IDC, I see, which is a different proposition from having DCIS in one breast and getting a double mast which some women do.  That kind of prophylactic mast is controversial, because more conservative treatment apparently provides the same long-term outcome.  Not easy tho'.   I don't think my surgeon would have done a mast instead of a lumpectomy on me; it's certainly not what she recommended.  Yet, when I got to surgery, and they looked at the DCIS one more time during the mamm/wire localization, she ended up removing so much tissue (about half of my breast), I may have been better off with a mast and recon.  Jeesh.

Holly, you're right; that's the definition from bc.org:.  I stand corrected.  My docs define recurrence differently, and I've read it defined differently elsewhere, that re-currence only occurs in the same breast and new occurrence is when it occurs in the other breast or elsewhere.  Depends on whose definition you go by.  You know what, tho'?  It all stinks.  Once you're in the club, you're stalked, and that's that.

Amazon...Hi  Good luck with your surgery....... I have never been able to pull a bow string back due to a long ago broken collar bone that was never set right.......It has affected my shoulders and hands in some weird way.......I envy anyone who can weild a bow..........

Hello Ladies

I've been lurking around this board now for a while, just haven't posted before.

I had a left breast mastectomy in January and I am planning on having my right one removed as well as soon as I get the o.k. from the doctors.  In the beginning when this first happen, I was all for reconstruction, but as more time pass, I have decided against it.  I feel that anything that I can do to lower my chances of this returning I'll do it.  I only want to travel this road once!

I just received my breast prostethic today and I love it.  Having a piece of foam in my bra was just not cutting it. 

I'm also just wondering what kind of prostethic you have?  I was fitted back in February, and I was in a body cast from my neck down to my waist - twice!  The first time with no bra and the second with a bra.  The prostethic that I have looks like the real thing - to the point that I have a mole and veins!  When it is adhered to my skin and looking down my shirt, you can barely tell the difference between the two and it is as light as a feather.

I'm so pleased.  In the beginning when I first lost my breast, I was devestated, but now not so much.  Once my second surgery is done, I have a choice - prostethics or not - bra or not.  And to tell you the truth, I think I will like the feeling of being "free"!!

Souad

The kind that I have is from Radiant Impressions.  Nova Scotia health care only paid $150 towards the cost and the rest was through my personal insurance - they are really expensive but to me it was worth it!!   Let me know if you need more info and I'll do what I can to help you out!  Good Luck

Kim40,

Do you wear yours directly against your skin? How does that feel for you? Many women (me included) can't tolerate the silicone against their skin, although I know the Radiant Impressions has little air holes in the back that are supposed to make it feel better than a typical non-custom form. 

Souad,

You might ask to see a sample of a Radiant Impressions form before committing and even try it for a length of time against your skin in a bra. It's great that it's worked out so well for Kim, but some women order them and then don't like them so much after all.

Kim,

That sounds fantastic. Please let us know how it goes after you've had the form for a while. The fact that you can do everything with the one form is defnitely a plus. Many of us use different forms for swimming, although more and more regular forms can be used in chlorine and salt water. 

Kathi,

Funny but I also have an Amoena that slides into a lump in a pocket bra.  As I recall, you also had a lumpectomy. 

Sue

Good Morning

Can someone please answer a question?  Why is it that reconstruction is paid through your provincial/state medical insurance and a prostethic isn't??  I don't think that is fair.  I understand that reconstruction is paid because it is considered a part of breast cancer treatment, but shouldn't we have a choice whether we would opt for the recon or the prostethic? As we all know, the prostethics can be quite expensive and some women do not have the advantage of having private medical insurance and therefore cannot afford the prostethic that they would like to have!  Anyone else feel the same way??

I live in the province of Nova Scotia and the provincial health plan only paid $150 towards my breast form.  My husband and I both  have private medical insurance through our work and that paid the balance, but I know that there are a lot of women who are not so lucky and therefore would be an out-of-pocket expense for them. 

I am so glad to have found this thread. I had a left-side mastectomy in October 2008. I didn't opt for immediate reconstruction in case I needed radiation but I was sure I would have it eventually. I've rethought that since. First, I really don't want anything that has even the slightest possiblity of hiding a recurrence. Then there is all the extra surgery and recouperation. I just don't want it. But since I initially said I wanted it, the surgeon left all this extra skin. It's like I have a small boob under my arm, plus the puckered skin at my "cleavage". And the imbalance is killing my back. I have a prosthesis but haven't been able to wear it. Anytime I wore a bra or cami with a strap, it created a rash, so I took to wearing t-shirts. And during radiation, the t-shirts continued to be convenient and comforable. Now radiation is over and I'm trying to figure out what to do. I asked my surgeon about having a right side mastectomy - she clearly thought I was overreacting. But it solves the imbalance and takes away the risk on the right side. Some days I absolutely know this is what I want. Other days I wonder if I will still feel this way when life gets back to "normal."

I had a right mast eight years ago...many bras and prosthses..but that it the way it is..

Medicare has good benefits for both..