Just diagnosed

Hi Sherrie. Welcome to the club no one wants to be a part of. However, you will find great support on these boards. I found the thread of women who had surgery the same month and that group of women carried each other through. Also there is a thread to help prepare you for surgery I found helpful. I personally had bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. The type of surgery you choose is a very personal choice. Not everyone can tolerate the loss of both breasts well. For some of us, it was not as big of a deal. I had lumpectomies initially at the pressure of the surgery center but was confident I wanted bilateral mastectomy from the start. (Everyone has individual sets of circumstances.) But....that is not a guarantee you won't have a recurrence. There is no point beating yourself up for the procrastination. Thank God it is not a high grade. It's a vast world here and feels like it takes over your life, but you will get through it. Hang in there

Hi Sherrie:

Sorry about your recent diagnosis. You mentioned you and your husband's current thoughts about mastectomy with or without reconstruction. Although I decided not to reconstruct after bilateral mastectomy (for bilateral disease), I did consult with a plastic surgeon in the interest of making an informed decision. You can find out what types of surgery you are a candidate for, and then focus on what those procedures entail, the added time in surgery required, the likely aesthetic results, the types of complications and their frequency, and the likelihood of subsequent procedures with each (e.g., revisions, replacement of implants). It is my understanding that even with a direct to implant (single step) procedure without expanders, there is a real rate of subsequent procedures (revisions, removal, replacement), including procedures requiring general anesthesia, a point you can confirm with the surgeon.

If you decide to consult with a plastic surgeon, I encourage you to take your husband with you. Meanwhile, you and your husband may be interested in reviewing the information at the breastfree.org site created by member Erica (aka Barbara), one of the best sources of information about mastectomy without reconstruction:

http://breastfree.org

There you will find information about why other chose not to reconstruct, personal stories and photos (see menu at right), plus useful information about surgery, various types of prosthesis (forms), as well as going without prosthesis ("going flat").

Hopefully as you learn more, you will be able to come to an informed decision about what is best for you.

BarredOwl