This is not weird! I am not crazy!!

I had my left MX in February 2011, after chemo treatment. I made up my mind not to have recon from the day I was declared with BC for the same reason you have, and had repeatedly said no to everyone who reminded me about recon. I never regret my decision, and the recovery from Left MX is swift, I could really go back to work the next day if not prohibited by my doctor, but I did go back a week later with drains still in for another week. Never order the silicon boob, just use the form with light weight in it. Most time after work I go braless and just wear a T-shirt, who cares it is lopsided. I am confident in myself, not depending on my boobs.

Good luck on you surgery, and take care of the drains. Be sure to ask about recommended post surgery exercises. I was never told to do any exercise so had to make some hasty practices to meet the minimum standard (able to raise the arm) before radiation was to start.

I'm doing a BMX without reconstruction tomorrow. I was offered reconstruction, but it's hard for anyone (except for my daughter, and, occasionally, my DH) to make me to do what I don't want to. I asked to be flat, but my surgeon said that he will leave some skin in the back because it will help me to move my arms. So, dog ears for me.

there's a facebook page called Flat and Fabulous I'm a member of. It's awesome to see how great these women look. Honestly, I succumbed to the pressure of reconstruction and had TE's put in with my Mastectomy. That lasted 3 weeks.. until the agony and realization of what I was doing hit me. I understand people suffering pain for prostetic legs and arms (they serve a purpose)... but to have a lump of skin with this foreign bag under my muscles that my body is going to naturally try to calcified around and treat it like a pearl... Why was I doing that?

So at 3 weeks out I went back to the PS and told him I had to have them out ASAP. I'm 5 days out of removal surgery and flat, but not horrid looking. I still feel like me and frankly, 3 people have told me I look thinner without my boobs, so there's that. : ) I'm staying natural and maybe will tat up at some point.

Good for you, do what you want and not what society or doctors want to push on you. They'll make more money if they can get you to do more procedures. I'm flat on one side from a uni and I don't regret anything ! We're so much more than just our boobs. I don't even wear a padded bra and refuse to hide it.

No, you're not crazy. I've always felt that if reconstruction could give me my nipple sensation back, well then I'd consider it. But of course it won't, so why would I put my body through all that for numb lumps? Stand firm and be true to what you want. I think that's the only way to have peace of mind after the surgery. When all is done, you will have the power to choose to wear or not wear foobs, and most people won't notice no matter what you do.

You're not crazy.

I had my left off just over a year ago and spent a year flat on one side. I stuffed one side on weekdays and went lopsided on weekends.

Due to a bunch of things (but as I just found out in the pathology report not cancer -yay!) I had the other off a couple of weeks ago. This recovery has been a bit more difficult but I am enjoying being flat and may just choose to go flat all the time. I have no intention to do any reconstruction- just my personal feeling - I know of others who had it and love it but it's just not for me. My breasts have done their job and I'm glad to see the end of them. Woah, sorry that came out - harsh but true. Not that it matters but I do hate them and am glad they are gone - one turned against me just when it was doing what nature intended by nursing my second born.

I love going braless now - it feels so free and pardon this but it feels truly like a great weight has been lifted from me.

Good luck. I hope it goes well, you have a speedy recovery and feel well.

I asked my Nurse Practitioner at a huge university hospital, what are the percentages that she sees of women

getting reconstructive surgery - she said it is about 50%.    I had a UMX almost 5 years ago.  No one has ever

made any "remarks" about my decision.   I am sorry you have had to go through this!

I also opted for no reconstruction, though it was a bilateral. One round of drain tubes I figured would be enough. Ended up in again a month later for debridement and wearing a wound vac for a little over a month as my left side wouldn't heal right. Surgeon said I had thin skin (go figure!) and she was glad I did not opt to reconstruct.

As I was given absolutely no instruction on nutrition as I left the hospital - nope, nothing in that big packet about how to help your body heal - I found out about Juven from a nurse on these boards as I was getting ready to go in for the second surgery and worrying about that would vac. She had used Juven along with protein shakes to help her body heal, and was weeks ahead of her doctor's timeline. Juven promotes tissue building. She said surgeons at the hospital she worked at in Kentucky had their patients use it.

The sad thing is, I asked my surgeon about Juven after the SECOND surgery and she said yes I could take that. How about telling me that to begin with? Maybe I wouldn't have needed the second surgery. To add fuel to the fire, I mentioned it at the wound clinic and they had free samples! How backwards is this??

I set up an appointment with a nutritionist after that. Protein, zinc, vitamin C... I didn't know about all that, and I am a pretty healthy eater. And I made it off the wound vac 1-2 weeks ahead of schedule. I don't know why the nutritionists are not called in more often, and the one I saw shook her head about it.

At one of my last visits to the wound center I spoke with an older gentleman also wearing a wound vac. He and his wife were planning a trip but he was having troubles healing. I asked him what he thought about the Juven... uh, never heard of it. I immediately told him to get some samples at the desk. Of all people I thought he should be informed.

Take charge of your own recovery. Do some research. I wish I had done more earlier on, but I counted on my healthcare professionals to guide me... they did... right back to the OR.

Best wishes to you for a speedy recovery!!

Yes! I love this thread. You ladies are awesome. I had a BMX without reconstruction about a year ago. I knew right away that I didn't want reconstruction. Although I don't love the way my bare chest looks (much lumpier than I expected), I am very happy with my decision. There's a psychological side to it that I didn't expect: I actually feel calmer with no boobs. When I see women with huge boobs, I feel sorry for them. And anyway, when I go out, I have breast forms that make me look just like I did before surgery. I just didn't want to spend time away from my family stuck in bed recovering from multiple surgeries or complications.

So you rock! Just tell your friends and family that everyone has to make her own decision. I know how you feel--everyone from nurses to close friends encouraged me to get reconstruction. I really appreciated the friends who told me they'd probably skip it, too. Why put your body through all that? Anyway, you are in good company. We are here for you. Let us know how it goes.

No reconstruction for me, I am a wimp about surgeries and would not have an elective one, and I have seen that horrible scar on the belly, who needs that? It all seems way too painful...and I am a wimp about pain. Now I can wear forms if I want, or go flat (and fab :-) around anytime I want also.

I just had to have the medical invasiveness behind me, I have my self esteem "down times" but I know myself well enough to know silicon in my chest would not make me happy or feel good about my body.

Posting here, as well as Flat and Fabulous on facebook (a closed group, ask to join) helps me every step of this journey.

I just had the opposite yesterday meeting with my breast surgeon!


I said I was hesitant about reconstruction because I don't want unnecessary surgeries and I'm concerned about whether a recurrence would be harder to spot, she said both of those are valid. She said reconstruction was major surgery, and you have to really consider seriously whether it is something you want. Plus, she can't do it, and I would have to travel to Brisbane (1300km away) to get it done because there are no plastic surgeons where I live.

mydogspot, you are not crazy!! you have many flat sisters here! it is your body, you make the decisions.

Wow! I can't imagine how stressful that was for you, Jo!! Glad, you're here to tell us...

Hello, I am having reconstruction, however from the beginning when I found out about this, I said I didn't want a reconstruction, I really don't know what made me change my mind, maybe it was bc everything happened so quick. ( diagnosed 5/2 and mastectomy on 5/23)

Now I developed an infection (after 4 wks) so plastic surgeon will be removing the tissue expander and I am not having the reconstruction. It is painful and uncomfortable. And the way I see it is if "the girls bring me trouble" then I don't want them.

Thank you for listening. 💕

Yet another reason to go flat.. did anyone read this?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3704934/Cancer-risk-breast-implants-10-times-higher-feared.html