Quitting rads to get mastectomy instead?

Read all the reconstruction threads and see how much of a hassle/surgeries/pain/time (way, way more than one month of unpleasantness) they have to go through just to get boobs back! If you are that upset, you should really ask for some anti-depressants to help you get through this stage, it is only one more month out of the WHOLE rest of your life!! (Which is what a BC friend who didn't have the option of a lumpectomy told me when I was feeling shakey and had the whole radiation thing ahead of me.) Good Luck! Ruth

Raili-  I had the mast. then chemo & rads. So not the same situation as you. And I've only been on this journey for a year. What I've learned though, is.....for me, it is very easy for me to get discouraged in the midst of treatment and surgery recovery. After mastectomy, I felt such a loss and wondered if I made the right decision. (Yes, I did). During chemo I was so, very sick and really at that point, could have easily given up. The hardest 6 months of my life!!  I did not want rads at all..hated it....but pressed on. Finished 3 weeks ago, have healed nicely, even though I was burnt and blistered and in much pain.  Now, I'm having terrible joint pain with Femara that my onc wants me on for 5 years!! Trying to work through that. For me, no stage of this journey has been easy, and I've questioned myself many times on whether I'm doing the right things. But, after I finish each stage, I realize I'm stronger than I thought and yes, I can do this. I get alot of hope and comfort knowing so many have gone before me on this path and are now doing fine.

I do feel we have to make alot of decisions when we are very unprepared. No wonder we second guess ourselves. Best wishes to you as you make this decision.

I haven't had rads, so can't relate to your fears and upsets on that score (came across your post via active topics). But I have had two mastectomies (the first with a primary, the second as a prophylactic after being diagnosed BRCA2.) What I would suggest is that you think long and hard...which you seem not to want to do at the moment, so this advise is not too helpful for you-but it's nonetheless something which I think I should say.It's such a  drastic step,and one with which you will have to live forever, so even although it sounds contraditory to what you want/need to hear-slow down! I'm happy with my shape-no reconstruction either ("what you see is what you get"). I'm not a particularly girlie girl, so found my new flat shape perfectly acceptable. But it does take a long time to get used to. I wonder if a surgeon would even consider your requests on these grounds? Please try just to go with the rads-it's "only" another few weeks. Should you get matectomies, you will live with the consequences forever. Although I don't miss my shape, I do miss the sexual pleasure they used to give-another aspect which needs careful consideration-once they're gone, they're gone! Good luck.

Nobody can tell you what is best for you, but I would just say the problems you have had with radiation (I went back and read your past posts) are all (most likely) temporary discomforts and annoyances. Incredibly irritating to you, but still temporary. The burns will heal, you will eventually not have to see the radiation oncologist you hate, the daily burden of showing up will end, you won't have to wear the gown, etc. A mastectomy is forever. It is also major surgery that takes a lot more time to recover from and has its own potential lasting complications. For me, the time off work would have been a problem, and the fact I do a fair amount of manual labor, that would have been a problem too. There is also the sexual aspect that was brought up. So I was relieved to have the option of lumpectomy.

Is there anything you can do to make the radiation go more smoothly? Can you change your appointment time? I did mine early morning before work each day. Are there other radiation oncs at the facility you might like better? Are there any female radiation oncs? Can you just lie back and think of England? (Don't know if you know that reference, but honestly we have such a great capacity to compartmentalize and being half naked on a table with a bunch of strangers is a great time to use those skills). For me radiation was made easier to endure because I had just finished chemo and that had *&^#ed with my brain (and still does). I was relieved to be doing a treatment that no matter how unpleasant, would leave my mental faculties intact and have damage that would be 99% likely to heal. Recently when I had to have a biopsy on the same breast for a suspicious area I felt so sad that mastectomy would be my only choice if it turned out to be a new cancer since you can't radiate twice in the same place. Although on the other hand, I felt strangely tempted to get a mastectomy on both my "busy breasts" because I knew this biopsy is probably only the first in a long line of biopsies to come, every year, like clockwork because I have so much going on in the tissue. Still I was relieved not to be forced into the decision. So, *only because you asked us*, I would say tough it out. Leave the more drastic options, god forbid, for later. 

Ahhhh-I see now! Your post sounded so desperate, that I got the (wrong) impression that you would take any option rather than proceed with the rads which are becoming intolerable for you. I'm relieved that you will proceed with caution-I just wish there was some way you could complete the course, as it ws presumably a decision with which you were initially comfortable-and one which was recommended for you. Bilateral without reconstruction is a life changing event,and I would urge you to avoid it-unless it was medically necessary-ie if you were high risk. I think Cary's first paragraph summarises it beautifully-take strength and courage from it if you can.

Keep hanging in there, you'll get through it!! Best wishes, Ruth

Raili, Haven't heard for a while, I'm wondering how you got on with this. You must be nearly thru with it by now anyway? I'm one of those who got mx with node surgery AND rads but at least it will reduce my risk of recurrence..... i suppose. And i figure it puts me in a stronger position when i get to argue the tamoxifen.

One day at a time, Raili. LIke Jacee said. We can get through this. Logic doesn't answer fear, you need a hug! (((-Raili-)))  She's right, your surgeon, and it sounds like she cares too.  As for logic, the rads work whether we welcome them or hate them so just hang in there!

I can't get mine to tan but at least i haven't peeled yet, though i sure am red and getting itchy. i figure we probably finish more or less together then. Just off to splash on some more cream...

Right from the get-go, I was told I would have chemo, surgery and then rads for a 5cm IDC left breast.  Have completed chemo and uni-lateral mast surgery.  5 nodes taken - all negative.  First onc I saw post-surgery said only Herceptin for a year and Arimidex - no rads.  Met with primary onc - he said probably rads!!  Now what?  I don't want rads to the node area - risk of lymphadema increases.  Will meet with rad onc next week, but wouldn't a rad onc suggest rads anyways?  I'm confused.  But there goes the notion that a mastectomy doesn't require rads - I think it is more normal than people think.