any problems with having MX on other side in a few months?

windingshores · March 2015

I am having surgery this Friday for invasive ductal carcinoma, approx. 1cm, est.+ and prog.+, HER2+. I have some autoimmune problems and am 64, so my surgeon prefers to do the one breast so I have less surgery at a time, less anesthesia, and easier healing.

I have told the surgeon that I really want both breasts gone and she is willing to do both, just says she thinks that the extra stress on my body might not be worth it since the other Mx is not medically necessary. She agrees to do the other one at a later date if I want, whenever I want.

I don't want reconstruction- just want to go flat- and I know for sure that I will be asking for the second Mx asap.

I keep wondering if I could maybe call the surgeon and say that if things are going well in surgery, maybe she could make the decision in the OR to do the second Mx. If you have been through a mastectomy or mastectomies, what do you think? Is having both at once very physically stressful? Or is having one then the other a bit later more stressful?

I also wonder about the timing of the second one. Will chemo interfere with my ability to get the second Mx? Will I have to interrupt treatment (taxol, herceptin, tamoxifen most likely) for the second surgery? Should I be concerned about this?

Thanks for patience with all these questions. I really really want both off but not sure the safest way to go about it- at once or in sequence. And anxious to go full throttle on treatment.

SpecialK · March 2015

I don't know the details of your autoimmune issues, but mastectomy in and of itself is not that involved of a surgery if there is no reconstruction planned. It is not really even that long of a surgery and is very frequently done on an outpatient basis. You cannot have any surgery during chemo as your immune and healing will be compromised. If you delay the other side it will have to wait until you are finished with chemo. You can have surgery during the Herceptin only phase of your treatment, but most surgeons/oncologists would have you wait until at least 4-6 weeks past the last chemo infusion. Having anesthesia a second time might be more provocation for your immune issues - I might be tempted to do the bi-lat mastectomy and get it over with, but your surgeon is the one in a position to judge whether you can handle this.

muska · March 2015

I was 54 and in good health when I had bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. The first part of the surgery - BMX - takes about four hours. I was out the next day and had no complications. If your decision to have bilateral is made and you are sure you won't regret it maybe you can talk to your surgeon again - I don't see why that would be a problem unless there are some specific medical issues that impact healing or have to do with longer anesthesia.

If you need chemo you won't be able to have a second surgery until you fully recover from chemo. Same goes for radiation. If you need tamoxifen it will also have to be interrupted for another surgery.

Also, you will be put on antibiotics after mastectomy and will need drains. A second surgery would mean another round of drains and antibiotics.

SuC · March 2015

I had a UMX and then the second one 6 months later. My recovery from the second (prophylactic) one was easier. I M glad I had them separately as having limitations on both arms in the early days after the surgery would have been really difficult. Happy now being flat

Pessa · March 2015

I, too, had 2 separate surgeries for my BMX. First one, then chemo then waited about a month after last chemo, then the 2nd mx. This was the surgeon's choice. I agree with SuC that having the arm movement restrictions for both arms at the same time would have been difficult. I lived with 2 sons, who were about 13 and 15 yrs old at the time. I wa 59. I didnot have reconstruction

grammakathy · March 2015

I was 63 when I had my Mx. I waited 3 months to have the second Mx and appreciated the fact that sentinal nodes did not need to be taken since there was no cancer on that side. I did have TEs placed and that second surgery was done by my PS. The second Mx was much easier for recovery compared to the first. Good luck with your recoveries.

any problems with having MX on other side in a few months?

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