DCIS new member

I don't have any insight into reconstruction, but just wanted to let you know that there is a breast reconstruction board on this forum...you may get more responses if you post your questions there.

Hi lylyjenny



Sorry you have to go through this at such young age. I have LCIS, ADH and all bunch of other benign (so far) stuff. I am going for my 3rd and 4th ex. biopsies in April. Also in MGH. I am considering nipple sparing MX as well. Best of luck to you. MGH is a great hospital to be in and I am sure you are in good hands!

lylyjenny, I haven't been on this board in about a year and just wanted to check in and see how everyone is doing. Saw your post and just want to let you know of my experience. I was diagnosed on my 35th birthday with DCIS of the right breast. I ended up choosing a bilateral nipple sparing masectomy, followed by tissue expanders for about 5 months and finally silicone implants. I did not have children at the time of diagnosis..in fact I got diagnosed about 6 months after my wedding. Anywho, I am just going to tell you that my experience was nothing than I expected. Surgery and expansion was not painful for me, nor was my exchange surgery. I went from a 32C/34B to a 32D/34C and my results are great...honestly. I don't even think about it anymore. I also want to tell you that I got pregnant 2 months after my exchange surgery and I now have an 18 month old girl. I did not have any other treatment but my bilateral NSM and it really was one of the best decisions in my life. I hope my story helps you. Oh and about when you need to get your implants changed...it's so different for everyone. I know women who have had theirs for 20+ years and those were the implants that weren't even as good as they are now. You never know!

lylyjenny--hello thought I would share my story with you also.  I was in same exact place as you here 3 months ago.  37 years old with three little kids - had history of benign fibro's one removed with lumpectomy when I was just 19 and another at 23.  Then this year I got a new one - so went for mammo and it was shaped different than my old ones so that day they were concerned and did core needle biospy which came back as benign and I was relived but breast surgeon consult said that is was big and close to surface at nipple so should just come out.  When in for another lumpectomy - and she called me 5 days later telling me she was really surprised but all along the edge was DCIC high grade and a large amount that she would not be able to get clear margins so that phone call turned into a mastectomy.  We decided that if the mammos and u/s did not see the DCIS and was only found from biopsy would there be more .  That led to MRI which suggested more and hormone receptors came back as negative so I decided on bilateral.  I did take time though researching reconstruction - felt at least I had a choice in that.  Went to many different plastic surgeons and I am glad I did.  I really wanted to do a flap - DIEP - but had 2 surgeons say did not have enough fat and would not be happy results even though they thought it was a great procedure.  So ended up deciding on TE's - wasn't first choice but at least researched enough that it was my decision and one my husband and I felt would be best.  Had surgery 1 week ago today and have first follow up visit tomorrow.  It has been a process that is for sure but with DCIS you can take a bit of time and make the best choice that will be for you.  Then just move on and be thankful that it was caught early - that is the way I am going to look at it.  Want to watch my children grow up and rock my grandchildren some day.

Hi everyone, I was dx on Oct 2012. Dcis grade 2 ER/PR +. It was in my left breast. I decided on bmx because in the process I had to do a biopsy on my good breast because an MRI showed something suspicious, but thank God it was benign. I had the bmx on 11/14/12 and my exchange on 1/18/13. After the second surgery I found two small nodes under my right armpit (healthy breast), now im terrified. I get worried about anything. Did an ultrasound and it was normal. The nodes were normal and my oncologist says to not worry about it but I still do. Don't know whether or not to get a second opinion or just trust the ultrasound. They tell me it can be because of the surgeries back to back. Im just worried. Any advice?

Just today I saw there was a Youtube video on reconstruction.  It appeared to be a video of the surgical procedure (or bits of it anyway).  I didn't watch the video as it didn't apply to me.  I just checked (still had the page opened) and navigated to a page that has more of what might be of interest to you.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SYgsxZ3N3A

I hope you are doing well. The most important thing is to do what YOU feel best about. You are so young. Best wishes in your healing.

Wow- you hear stories like that and it seems so crazy but something's I think our intuition of what to personally do is good. How were nodes? What reconstruction did you do? Hope your feeling better. I am 6 weeks out and so much better than before.