My Surgery for X2 Mastectomy is this week...

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MsSnowWhite
MsSnowWhite Member Posts: 3
edited August 2014 in Breast Reconstruction
My Surgery for X2 Mastectomy is this week...
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  • MsSnowWhite
    MsSnowWhite Member Posts: 3
    edited August 2014


    I know I have to do this although the left side is healthy but the anxiety of risking having to be told I have cancer again will break my spirit all over.  I am excited but worried of the unknown. My Onc Surg and PS keep reassuring me everything is going to be ok.  Another worry are the scars left behind. A vertical incision was offered to minimize look of the scar and a 2nd scar under the armpit for the lymph node sentinel.  What do you ladies think?  Has anybody chosen the vertical incision? It's like the one from a breast reduction..  Thoughts and advice is appreciated.

     

     

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  • SmartassSmurf
    SmartassSmurf Member Posts: 157
    edited August 2014

    Good luck with your surgery!

    i was diagnosed with BC on the right side & some suspicious tissue on the left that turned out to be benign breast disease.  i had a lumpectomy early in January, but they were unable to  get a clear margin, so I knew i would have additional surgery...just not sure what.  My medical team decided i should do chemo before more surgery so I could heal & deal with the systemic cancer issues with not getting the clear margin.

    I had a bilateral mastectomy on July 23rd. I have horizontal scars, was not offered vertical. I chose to do both breasts because of similar reasons you have about your spirit being broken if you had to go through this whole thing again. 

    i got my pathology back & no additional cancer. Yay! my biggest difficulty has been swelling in the area where the drains were placed. otherwise, pretty minimal pain, almost no bruising at all, and i was able to start moving around a bit pretty quickly.

    My surgeon & oncologist both said it was a wise choice for me to have done the BMX because i had a lot of things going on. i already knew i made the right decision, but that helped me feel even better about choosing the BMX. i am sure whatever you choose on incisions, it will be the right choice for you. good luck!

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  • Mischief46
    Mischief46 Member Posts: 217
    edited August 2014

    I had my BMX in May after getting a DX of ILC in April.  My original diagnosis was for the right breast but after an MRI my BS thought it was highly likely it was in both breast.  I  had already decided on having both removed. Thankfully the final pathology report showed no additional cancer but some LCIS was found in each breast. I was glad I had done both.  My scar is horizontal and thin, although it will soon be reopened to  finish reconstruction.  I hate that in a way because it has healed very nicely this first time, I hope I can  say that again later.  My scars under my arms are very thin and not easy to see.  I have heard of others who have had the vertical incisions, hopefully someone will be here soon.  

    AND it WILL all be okay.  What day is your surgery?  

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  • NoRecon
    NoRecon Member Posts: 9
    edited August 2014

    My heart goes out to you Snow White.  I had a bilateral lateral mastectomy ten months ago.  There was nothing wrong with my right breast but I didn't want to live in fear.  Plus I thought having one breast would look as funny to me as no breast.  I didn't know before my surgery that I would be ok living without breasts.  I use prosthetics sometimes and sometimes just a genie bra.  I'm so grateful I chose to lose both breasts.  And grateful I decided to try living without them.  I will never reconstruct.  It's easier then I ever would have or could have believed to live without them.  And I'm pain free.  Good luck to you.  My only regret was saying no to morphine too fast after surgery as I wanted to be home for thanksgiving.  

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  • victoriasecret
    victoriasecret Member Posts: 333
    edited August 2014

    I think everyone makes their decisions from their heart...for me being diagnosed at such a late stage after years of funky breast lumps and mammos-ultra sounds...typical for Lobular sneaky little .....I opted for a double immediately without even thinking about it just take them both. Any regrets-none ...At first I was happy to be flat but after 5 years well its time for the next step..that again a personal choice ,some women are happy to stay that way .

     

    love n light Cheryl

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