So undecided on the "best" treatment option

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JJOntario
JJOntario Member Posts: 356
edited March 2015 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

I think I am losing my mind so needed somewhere to vent. I think I am really fortunate that I have a choice. I was told that I could do 6 weeks of rads or have a masectomy and be "done". This decision is driving me crazy. What complicates this to me is that one year ago I had breast augumentation (all of these years of waiting to make them pretty and then this happens). Implants don't do well with radiation ...but they "might" be okay...or I might need surgery when I'm done due to the high risk of capsular contraction....but on the other side...a masectomy (with immediate reconstruction) would mean not having to spend 2 hrs driving everyday for 6 weeks. At this point...I am even unsure about the implants and I have been looking at DIEP flaps. My MO has said that the choice is up to me and both are good treatments.

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  • WinningSoFar
    WinningSoFar Member Posts: 951
    edited March 2015

    Have you consulted with a plastic surgeon? That surgeon might steer you to one or the other possibility.

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  • PoohBear-61
    PoohBear-61 Member Posts: 263
    edited March 2015


    Hey neighbour

    I am on the east coast in New brunswick .

    I flipped back and forth with the same dilemma 2 years ago ( mind you I wasn't 2 hours away from the hospital ) ....I went nutty until I finally made up my mind and started to do the rads .

    No regrets ....glad i kept my breast... sensation is still there ....its a tiny bite smaller  ( after lumpectomy ) but not that noticable ....skin looks the same...and it didn't not change in any way after rads .

    if i had to do it again i would do it even if it meant having to drive long hours . 6 weeks goes by fast JJ.

    and for me rads was a piece of cake ......( and I am very faired skinned )

    Mastectomy vs Lump + rads have same recurrence rates and i know of someone who had major issues with reconstruction after mastectomy so the reconstruction part is not without complications either .

    I was also influenced by a women on these board who had a mastectomy and then got a recurrence and was actually really pissed off that she did not choose rads....her thought process was that if she would have had rads it would have zapped any stray cells....just goes to show that is no right or wrong choice. I ended up following my heart ...my brain was soo messed up trying to analyse the crap out of each option .....I am very happy today with my choice .

     

     

     

     

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  • BayouBabe
    BayouBabe Member Posts: 2,221
    edited March 2015

    Please know, also, that a mastectomy does not guarentee no radiation.

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  • JJOntario
    JJOntario Member Posts: 356
    edited March 2015

    Thanks everyone...

    I'm meeting with the plastic surgeon on March 12 (don't even get me started on this...waiting for over a month seems insane) but I really need his weigh in. I did meet the rad onc and I liked him. He couldn't steer me and didn't want to one thing or the other. Usually when someone is having rads and they have had a masectomy they will put in expanders so the actual implant isn't put at risk.

    Honestly I know I'm still angry that a year ago we spent 10k after researching my PS and after having a clear mammo only to have this happen. My lumpectomy has left an ugly dent and hunk of scar tissue. I have next to no feeling in that breast at all..it's just frustrating to have the one thing you have always been self conscious about finally fixed only to have it all undone.

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  • Lorbgoo
    Lorbgoo Member Posts: 213
    edited March 2015

    I went with double mx for the reasons of them being even and at that point I didn't want any Breast tissue left to worry. I had expanders and while I don't have sensation they look like a 20 year old boobs. Only you can decide though. Good luck with your decision and maybe when you meet with ps you willbe able to decide better. I didn't have to get radiation.

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