Preventive Mastectomy

I had PBM on feb 22. I feel great-both post-surgically and about my decision to have the surgery. I have 2 more weeks before I go back to work but physically feel like I could go back today. My decision was made based on mom & both sisters having had bc, and my having several lumpectomies in the past. I know it was just a matter of time before I got the call. I have breastcancer.org to thank for providing TONS of information about the surgery as well as other sites to read so I could do as much research as possible before I made the decision. I'm certain I made the right decision for me (54 years old, gay, not using them anymore, and not wanting the risk to dance over my head any longer.

Plese feel free to contact me if you are considering this surgery and want/need moral support or information in general.

Deb 

I had BM with expanders on Feb 26, I have only had I expansion so far. The pain and general discomfort was more than I could ever have prepared for. I have a strong family Hx of BC Mom X2, sister, and grandmother, and I tested postitive for BRCA2  gene last september. I knew before I received my results that if positive I would go for the surgery. I am just beginning to feel some normalcy again after three weeks. I am anxious about my next expansion on Monday 3/24.

I  can relate to many of you.  I have a family history of cancer. My mother and a sister died from it.  Two of my sisters have had profilactic mastectomies because of fibrocystice disease and numerious cacifications.  Two aunts died from it and several cousins have had it all on my mother's side. I may have the genetic marker, but I am resistant to have the test due to the invasion by Insurance companies and others if the results are positive.  Two different doctors I have been with have suggested the procedure and after a recent scar and an huge biopsy, I have decided to follow through with it. I had a biopsy for Pre-DCIS about 6 years ago and the fear that I face daily is not worth keeping my breasts.  I am very scared and I know it is going to be tough as I am 60 and recovery is not the same as someone in their 30's or 40's.  For the gal who wonders if the doctor will perform it and if the insurance will cover it,  generally it is all about risk factor.  Others have mentioned getting genetic testing, and that is an option, however, if you do not want to do this, a strong family history, pre-cancer conditions, such as numerous calcification sites and fibrocystic breasts is usually enough to justify doctors agreeing to surgery.  Once a doctor agrees to do the procedure, having him or her write a letter stating the reason for having the surgery,will usually be enough for insurace companies to cover it.   Does anyone know about hemmorage with this kind of surgery?

MB

I don't remember how many biopsies/lumps I had over the years. 6-8-10 something like that. Anyway, this last one was cancer. By the time they were done with the diagnosis, they had found 2 more in the same breast. I had a positive family history, but tested negative for brca. Tried the lumpectomy, but didn't get clear margins. Went the route of bil mast with TRAM reconstruction and am SO happy with my decision. For the first time in many, many years I don't fear breast cancer. My aunt had a lumpectomy at the same time I had my mastectomy. Today they found a lump in her other breast. I just could not have dealt with that again. Not after the cancer. I'd had enough. It's a rough decision. Best wishes to you.

Eileen,

It's definitely not a stupid problem! You have every right to be ambivilant about having had a preventive mastectomy.  You removed two healthy breasts - but isn't that what you sought to do in the first place? Keep the cancer from returning? Maybe you thought that your suspicions would be validated by a path report that showed that the cancer was coming back, but I think you did the right thing!  I can relate to that because I've had the very same thoughts!  I had my left breast removed in Jan 2009 & I too am considering a prophylactic mastectomy because I'm high risk and I don't trust any of the diagnostic tools that they use on me.  I have dense breasts, was HER2 + and the mammogram (several years w/o any problems) and ultrasounds, even the MRI failed to show the true extent of my 4.6 cm tumor.  During all this time since my mastectomy, I've been mulling over how I'd really feel if I lost a healthy breast and I too have been thinking that, well, I'll have the PM and maybe there will be evidence that there were cancer cells forming and I caught it just in time!   So, you're not alone in this!  But the most important thing is that you're alive today and have taken steps to make sure that you have a better chance of staying that way.  

Hi Eileen, I had the same, DCIS that they said had been there forever....years, they told me.  No one at all, expected to find a cancerour little cell there, but they did.

I had lumpectomy, rads, clear nodes, 5 years of tamoxifen and everyone was very confident that was it.

FF to 2007, one year after getting off tamoxifen and I have my first ever MRI.  It showed a 1.5 cm invasive, no nodes thank goodness, ER+.  I had a mtxmy, recon (which turned out really well, despite many complications on the rads skin) and I am absolutely going for a pophy next fall.

I am not BRAC+, but two times is too much for me.  I just hope I can beat the beast to it.

I understand how you feel tho....I feel like a ticking time bomb and I really do not have the pathology to back that feeling up..just kicked one too many times and I feel like after I can see what a recon boob is like, and know that I can be put back together like new, only not so droopy (I am 54), well, why wouldn't I?

Like you, I do not think I'd want to face this down the road either.  Another BS and a top oncologist all concur it's the right thing to do, but I still get ambivalent feelings.

Think of it as a "pre emptive strike"...whatever you do, we will support you.

xoxo

Thatta girl, you go, Eileen, and I'll be right behind you!

Believe me, the recon boob looks better (or will with her cherry on top) than the 54 year old girl....

she will be forever 21 and have no cancer (or a 1% chance)

I cannot even believe someone told you that a mammos was OK on the radiated boob!  OWWWWWWWWWW.

We do still need MRIs on reconned boobs to check for leaks...but this is only once every three years or so, and it willl be covered .

Good for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me too, Eileen.  I never had my radiated and lumpectomized boob done by a mammo, no.  When they would suggest it, I told them,they were mad.

I had my oncologist write me a script for an MRI which I got instead.  I know many women do get them, just that I refused and said it was effing sadistic, excuse my french.  I do believe during one biopsy I suggested that the radiologist let me stick a wire into his credentials and we'd see how how he did.  So, no, no mammo on that hoot for me.

I may be compassionate, but oh I have a temper. .  I'm delighted you took some drugs to get thru that, don't see how you could do otherwise.  The very thought makes me cringe.

there are days when I completely see the wisdom of going boob free.  It's so simple.  Just be free.  I have a boob obsessed  hubby, but I do believe we'd be fine if I went that route.  He'd just turn into a butt man, he says.  We've been married 25 years, so it's not like it's gonna get better from here on out anyway.  I admire you for doing it, I just wanted everything "back the way it was"....well, it isn't, never will be, and I like what I had done, although I can see once I get about 10-15 y ears into this, I won't be wanting to swap them out when they reach their limits.  I'm 54 now, and I cannot see surgery continually in my 70's.  I'd probably let things go au naturel then.

Good for you!  I'm glad our paths crossed too. 

Be well

xoxo

I have a very strong history of breast cancer.My grandmother(maternal) died from a recently from it,maternal aunt has also passed from it,my mom has it and a sister has it.I have been tested for the gene even though I was basically forced to since my oncologist said I was gonna be tested no matter what.I have seen no need to since no one else in my family has been tested.I have had two lumpectomies(sry spelling is off today),and two needle core biopsies.All within a year to year and a half.I told my oncologist no matter what the results are I want a mastecomy.Oh i forgot I have an aunt on my dad's side also has it.He seemed to be really pissed off at the fact that that is what I want is that wrong of me to say and demand what I want?