A need for a PS?

Halah · August 2010

I have a call into my BS to find out if he cleans up any excess skin and all. Did your BS clean it all up to look like these photos:

http://breastfree.org/photos.php?ref=40

He referred me to a PS without my even saying I'd want reconstruction! I don't need another doctor to follow up with. And there is no doubt in my mind that I am going breast free.

How did it go for you? Did you need a PS to "clean things up"?

P.S. Here on the forums, a five post limitation even after 50 posts? What is up with this?

KittyDog · August 2010

I would like to look like those photos! My 7 year old thinks I am growing another boob in the wrong spot. lol I have not thought about having it taken care of yet but If I did a PS would be the Dr. to do it in our area. Not sure why a general surgeon couldn't do it but yep find you a good PS.

lisa-e · August 2010

Winterstorm, my bs asked a plastic surgeon to assist with my bi mast even though I didn't have reconstruction. I made it clear to him what I would like the cosmetic outcome to be - a return to my pre-pubescent chest. He asked the plastic surgeon to assist because I was quite, quite busty and it would have been very difficult to achieve this outcome without planning of my incisions. My incisions are like the ones shown in the link you posted. Instead I have vertical scars that run from about where my nipples would be if I had any. These vertical scars connect to horizontal scars that run from my sternum to my underarms, along my 'bra line', The results are pretty good - no ears. My chest is lumpy and bumpy, but that is due to my tendency to form scar tissue not due to excess skin. One thing that I remember the ps wrote in her operative notes is that the incisions were planned to give more natural results if I ever decided to have reconstruction.

If I remember correctly, you mentioned you were pretty busty in a previous post. So perhaps a consult with a ps isn't a bad idea. I would also ask your bs why he referred you to a ps.

Halah · August 2010

I am very busty yes (DD). I would like the same thing: to return to a prepubescent chest. I do have an appointment with a PS on Friday and was wondering if I should cancel or not. So I think I will keep the appointment. Also sent a message to my surgical onco with the link I provided in my initial post to see if he could do that or not and asked for him to call me. So we'll see.

I can't wait until this is all over with! There's a part of me that will miss having boobs, then another part of me that experienced problems for being so busty so the BMX will solve these problems (ie. neck/back pain, they get in the way of everything lol). But the very most important part is to get the cancer out of my body!

Thanks Lisa and Abby!

franie · August 2010

Winterstorm, I did the same as lisa-e when my BMX was done. I also was a DD and wanted to be as flat and smooth as possible. I believe it was important to have a PS as part of the team. My results are just as I had hoped. I do miss my DD and wear prosthesis.

lovemygarden · August 2010

Mine look like the photos except that my left (cancer) side [I had a prophylactic MX on the right; no recon, obviously Smile ] is more concave in the center than the right one is. My surgeon explained to me on the morning-after visit that this was because she had to take a little extra from that area in order to get clear margins (I had no complaint with that!). I agree with her decision that to have one side a little concave is better than having both of them that way.

Halah · August 2010

I just talked to my surgical onco and he said the only thing my insurance would cover with PS is if I got implants. He said that most people have to deal with fat on the back and the sides and opt for reconstruction. I told him I will not be getting a reconstruction and then I cancelled the PS. I am afraid I might be sorry later because I am a heavy woman but plan on losing weight (lost 18lbs so far) so don't know how god awful I will look after surgery.

I hope I am making the right decision. But I just can't afford revisions, complications, multiple doctor followups, etc., etc... Oh god...

lisa-e · August 2010

First of all, you won't look god awful after surgery. Different, but not god awful. Second, if you are not going to use a PS ask your surgeon about what he plans to do, how is planning the incisions to deal with the extra skin. Make sure he understands what your goal is, appearance wise.

Halah · August 2010

I just had an idea. Since I am having difficulty in making any decisions, I will call the social worker tomorrow in the Infusion department at the clinic. I'll tell her my story and see what she thinks. But I just hate having to deal with one more doctor with additional followups. And I'm just frightened I will end up with a couple of holes where my breasts were (I am a plus size woman).

lovemygarden · August 2010

Bonnie, my BS did the same thing (the "faux cleavage"). Wink

Dee2010 · August 2010

WinterStorm - I have much more left under the arms than you (in fact, it looks like I have a couple of underarm B or C cups!). I *thought* I had been very clear with my BS (I said 'flat,no rolly pollies' and also 'absolutely no reconstruction'; he said 'no problem') My BS claims a lot of it is swelling and that it will go down over the next three months (I was operated mid-July). I have my doubts. If they do remain, I'll have to get some additional work done because there's no way it can stay like that. I have no idea if insurance will cover it, but it is causing problems at the moment (pain, skin irritation), so I'm not looking forward to radiation therapy next month.

On the other hand, I am also targetting substantial weight loss so maybe I'll get some loose skin tightened up at the same time...Gotta look at it 'glass half full'. Wink

Sher · August 2010

Hi WinterStorm,

I had bilateral masts 2 years ago and was left with a lot of excess tissue, especially on the prophy side. Before surgery was scheduled, my breast surgeon (not an oncologist) was quite insistent that I speak to a plastic surgeon even though I was equally insistent that I did not want reconstruction. So we all finally agreed, no reconstruction and the plan was for the plastic surgeon to assist. But at the last minute, just before going into the OR, my breast surgeon told me the ps was not assisting, another surgeon was to do so. Result - not the cosmetic job I had hoped for. Can't tell you how many times I've done the "what if" that if the ps had been there, results would have been better right from the first. Being without breasts hasn't really bothered me a lot, but the uncomfortable excess hanging from my body does. I can't go without forms since the bulges show through and look very weird. Yes, I am a little concave on the cancer side, but that doesn't bother me anywhere near what the excess does.

I really didn't want to face more surgery, but last year I was approved by insurance and scheduled to have this excess removed/corrected, but my sister became quite ill and I had to cancel. After she passed away, I just couldn't get into the mind set to face surgery again, but am not ready to move ahead with the plan and am scheduled to see ps next month. I'm pretty sure most insurances will cover revision without any type of reconstruction, but I'm a little worried there is a time frame thing that might be a problem for me now.

I remember when we were talking about this on a previous thread, that I found some information on an internet search that for women who are overweight (me included here), a diagonal incision can often get better, smoother results. If I had only know that before the bilateral! A great surgeon or surgical team (ps included) can make a difference.

Blessings!

chele · August 2010

WinterStorm,

If I could do it all over again I would definately have a PS assist the BS with my bi-lateral mastectomy. For some odd, and disturbing, reason my cancer side is my convex side and my prophy side is my concave side. It's like he scooped out to much on the prophy side and left too much on the cancer side. To add insult to injury I came out of surgery with a huge hematoma on the cancer side. It finally drained and that left me with odd wrinkles, bunches, ridges and lines of hard tissue on both sides of the suture line. Like an idiot I used a (highly recommended) general surgeon to do my mastectomy. I just got home a bit ago from driving 6 hours round trip to see a PS and I'm afraid it may have been a wasted trip. He didn't seem to be particularly optimistic about scar revision. All I wanted was to be flat. I made this very clear to my GS and he assured me it was no problem. I even showed him pictures of a woman with excess skin and told him I did NOT want that. Now I'm living with maiming scars and not sure I'm going to find a PS that can fix it. If you have the option of having a PS assist your BS I'd really recommend you do it!

A need for a PS?

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