Onc said no recon for 3 years

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beth1965
beth1965 Member Posts: 455
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer
Onc said no recon for 3 years
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  • beth1965
    beth1965 Member Posts: 455
    edited May 2012

    Hi my Onc said i should wait 3 years for any recon. My first doctor said 1 year now this one says 3 years. Has anyone elses doctor recommended this long a period of time.

    I have had a BMX i am doing chemo and have 25 rads to go after.

    It seems so many ladies on here are having recons much much sooner even in the higher stage 3 like me.

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited May 2012

    I was told no recon by surgeon, chemo and rads Drs for a year because I'm IBC - not because of being Stage III. It's been 2 1/2 yrs since surgery and so far I haven't looked into recon but might next winter (don't want to look into it during summer as I don't want to waste any of our short summer with elective surgery). Sometimes I think I might want to but other times No Way. Hubby really doesn't want me to but will support me IF I decide to. Also not sure if I would even be a good candidate as have LE and quite scared from the rad burns.



    You might get more answers if you posted your question in the ILC Section as the wait may be associated with being ILC more than being Stage III

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  • Let-It-Be
    Let-It-Be Member Posts: 325
    edited May 2012

    Hi Beth:
    This is normal in Canada.  Many women in the States have different options.  In Canada, if you're stage 3, they say wait usually 2 years.  This is simply because they see us as higher risk to re-occur within 2 years, and matter of fact; the operation is costly.    That's their opinion, certainly not ours!  I'm now at 3 years and I just met with the plastic surgeon 2 days ago.  I could have done it sooner.  In fact, I met with the plastic surgeon while I was in chemo, but my oncologist stressed to wait.

    You can tell your onc to book you in at 1 year, because very often, the good plastic surgeons-in Canada- have you wait up to a year for an initial consult.  I was fast-tracked initially, but I think the outcome of my neo adjuvant changed things.  I still had tumour after chemo.  

    Don't worry, time will pass quickly and the prosthesis' are absolutely fine.  It's also good to adjust and give yourself a break.  I was initially of the mindset to have it done right away, now, I'm glad I had time.  

    Good luck!

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  • beth1965
    beth1965 Member Posts: 455
    edited May 2012

    Thanks so much for your info and opinions ladies i appreciate it.

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  • Paljo
    Paljo Member Posts: 15
    edited May 2012

    I am in Newfoundland, Canada. Had mastectomy in October, 2010......6 rounds of chemo and 25 rads. In feb, 2012 I had diep reconstruction. That was 16 months after my surgery. I am stage 3c. I absolutely love love love my new boob. My advice.....don't wait anymore than you need to.

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  • financegirl
    financegirl Member Posts: 114
    edited June 2012

    I had a lot of positive nodes and family history.  I'm 57 and with the same guy forever so that was never in question.  The surgeon and plastic surgeon both were pushing for me to have recon (both males) but I was more scared of the aggressiveness of my tumor and a recurrence so never cared one way or other about recon.  

    I spoke to the GYN b/c she's my age and female.  I posed the question to her the way I posed my questions to all my doctors during this journey - more on the lines of  "if you had a (wife, sister, daughter, etc) where would you send them for surgery, radiation, etc".  I asked it similarly of my GYN - she, being female, having my pathology in front of her, what would SHE do if she were me.  She said that seriously if I was not adamant about recon, she would delay it until I'd hit the 5 year mark. 

    I don't think there is a right or wrong answer to this and think each of us must make sure we do our own due diligence in getting the information as it relates to our own specific situation.

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