How is life with one boob?

Hello

I wish I had an answer for you but your concern sounds just like mine. I was wondering should I have both removed just to call it even. I also wondered if there are special bras for the side with the missing breast. And how will I feel looking down and see one of the girls gone (expression) or looking in the mirror or showering and rub across the flat surface where my breast once was. So many mixed emotions......but what I do know is that you have to make decisions for the greater good (my entire body/life) regardless of what I, my husband, or anyone else thinks. Although, with the exception of my husband, my plan is not to tell people about the surgery (family & close friends) so when they talk to me they look at my eyes (face) and not my chest to see what it looks like have a breast missing.

I can sympathize with your dilemma.

Too funny you say that sometimes you forget which breast - I catch myself scratching my prosthetic - funny it doesn't help the itch.  I usual wear a prosthetic - I was lucky and found a wonderful place to be fitted - she'll spend hours to get the right fit and comfort for me, however, last time her business partner helped me and I finally got frustrated and said, this one is the best - come to find out it was only $79, which she billed to my insurance, now I have to wait 2 years to get a more expensive one :-( I would have paid out of pocket for one under $100, and waited to bill my insurance for on of the more expensive ones.  I toy with the idea of having a PMX on the other side, but just want to avoid more pain and surgery, so am up in the air, and have been for 5 years. 

Had my mastectomy on November 11th, left side, and I was going to do reconstruction right away. But then I decided to put my health first and concentrate on my body healing which my surgeon said was a wise choice. I too wanted to cut both breasts off, but my surgeon talked me out of it and so far I'm happy he did. I'm glad I have my breast. I'm 50 and my husband and I are still sexually active. I still wanted the feelings and sensations of him touching me (call me selfish). I asked him if it feels weird and he was honest and said just different. He was more afraid of hurting me. I don't know what the future holds, but right now I'm liking my uniboob. The scar is kind of ugly but it's more beautiful than that cancer that was there. I'm going to make plans to finally get my fake boob. I started chemo last Thursday and want to do something good for myself so a hunting for a boob and a wig I will go. It's been a huge change in my life, however I feel like I got a second chance at life and I'm not going to waste it. I'm going to try to enjoy everyday and stay positive. Stay strong ladies and be warriors!!

KrisCrzla, so sorry you had to join us, but welcome to our tribe of uniboobers. I had to have a left mastectomy back in 2000. I am also glad that I was able to keep the sensation of my right breast. If I had cancer in it, of course it would have to go, but not until then. It took a while, and some tears, but I was able to accept my cancer scars (I also needed surgery for bone cancer in my left leg as a teen) as the price of being alive. My BF will often touch one of my scars in the shower, and say, "you are so beautiful with your cancer gone." Or sometimes "you may not be all there, but you're still here." Either is usually followed by, "and now, how about ..." I also felt better after I got my foob, which is what often call our fake boobs here. I wish you the best in your BC journey,

Jennie93...I am currently uni due to recent surgery. I wanted both off right away, but my surgeon would only do one at a time. He wanted the cancer part looked after before doing the other breast. I knew I did not want recon. I have several reasons for getting the other off but my Doctor says I can do that at any time with no cost. I am in Canada so maybe it is different here. I am big busted...never really liking my boobs so I am looking forward to teh day I am flat.

I am a relative newbie, I had a mascretomy on the right side just over 3 months ago. Prior to surgery I thought I would be devastated, but when i woke up from surgery I actually thought what a good job the surgeon had done and I was so relieved to get rid of my cancer, which was so large it had taken up a the majority of my breast anyway. I've been using a prothesis ever since and they really aren't that bad. I have one for day to day use and another for swimming. You get use to sleeping and kinda just level out. I'm 34 years old and m mascretomy has saved my life so far. I'm due to have reconstruction 6 months after rads in sept 2016.

I remember a few people who deconstructed,,, trying to remember where they posted. I see you have a separate thread here,, that is good,,, but maybe also post under the surgery area??

and your little dog is so cute!

Hello, Lil Lady.

I had a right side mastectomy 18 months ago. I am also a D cup. During the immediate healing period I wore a mastectomy camisole that had pockets for a "poof" -- just a soft breast form filled with stuffing like for a stuffed animal. The poof gave some protection to the surgery area and filled out my shape so I looked fairly normal. My insurance paid for two camisoles. That's what I wore when I went back to work two weeks after surgery. About 3-4 weeks post surgery I got fitted for a mastectomy bra and a lightweight foob (prosthetic), then I got a silicone foob about 10 weeks after surgery. I am really pleased with how I look with the prosthetic -- my husband sometimes has to ask which side is the fake boob!

Vicki

I had a right mastectomy 16 years ago. I had a soft foob until I healed augmented at times with a sock. It passed .

Once I got my prosthesis I looked pretty normal. My mastectomy bras are very sturdy and over the years I now have more than one prosthesis. I also have one for swimming

Most of the time I hardly think about it.

I wear amoena prosthesis on one side. I feel quite happy with the result. Have decided not to go ahead with having other side removed.

I had a RBMX 8 years ago when I was 44, no recon, other side is a DD cup. I have a prosthesis, but it has only been worn a few times. For me, having one breast is my normal. I am comfortable just going flat on one side, and I wear what I like, including fitted shirts and singlets. I either don't notice anyone looking, or no one is. You will find what works for you. I have a friend who wears a swim one all the time as she finds it lighter. Another friend likes the weight of her prosthesis to make her feel balanced.

Best wishes.

Yes, my range of motion came back. Do those arm exercises. It will seem like they aren't doing anything then suddenly you'll see a difference. You can ask your surgeon for a referral to a physical therapist if you aren't getting results on your own.

I really had to play with the poof to get it to look even with the left side. My surgeon had me keep my chest wrapped for weeks, so my left boob was flattened. I bought some loose patterned tops to help camouflage what was going on there. I was happy to get back into my tshirts and form fitting tops once I got the foob.

Hi, Lillady,

I had left mastectomy 1/12/17, also a D cup. When I was still hurting, b4 I got my prosthesis, I wore a sports bra that had a little padding, over a tight t-shirt, took a quart ziplock, filled it with ice and a little water, and stuffed it in the empty breast cup. The ice melted faster than I expected but shape looked about right and the cold felt great! A little wad of paper towels was all right, too.

Of course, a lightweight jacket over that in public.

Hope you feel better now. I pulled out my own drain in the shower. Haha. Really glad to ditch that thing.

Fearless

Medicare can pay for mastectomy bras. Your doctor can write a RX.

not a problem for me, actually I dated a lady with a mastectomy about 35 years ago. they don't normally do reconstruction on guys, and I am a guy.