For those who had BMX with no recon or with implant recon

I see the BS once per year. She does a clinical exam to check for lumps. For example, recently I identified a palpable lump that was slightly visible. She was able to confirm it was just a ripple in the implant. I'm supposed to see the PS once/year. I have an aesthetic issue with one implant that he's keeping an eye on. I'd need to have more surgery in order to address it and at this time I'm not willing to do that. If it should ever become an actual medical concern, I'd have to re-evaluate and so he keeps an eye on how the implant looks and feels.

My first surgery was a BMX, followed 5 weeks later by ALND. I saw the BS quarterly for the first year, then moved to annual exams, mainly due to the reconstruction issues I was having and bi-lat lymphedema. I now only see the BS when I have a need, I did see him about six months ago because of an abnormal PET and my MO and PS wanted his expertise - he was previously a department head at an NCI center, now in private practice. He does an exam each time I see him. I saw my MO quarterly for the first few years, then moved to every six months for 2 years, and I have just moved to annual appointments. My MO does exams at each appointment also. I have seen a lot of the PS due to an inordinate number of recon complications and have been examined at those appts also, but I am finally able to move on, having had my final recon surgery in Nov. I will see my PS annually if I have no further recon issues, so that she can monitor and order any imaging I may need to check implant integrity. I think some people take comfort in being examined more frequently, and some docs also take advantage of the willingness of insurance companies to cover those appointments and exams. Unless your colleague had a very high risk situation the frequency and repetitiveness of her exams seems like overkill to me.

Had bmx w/ te placed on 8/6/15. Once I was "off the radar" from the po watch, bs now sees me every 6 mo for 5 years. After that it's annually for life. Since there are no breasts I can't do mammo so he's my mammo as he feels the neck, under arms, chest, etc for any lumps. My PS was keeping tabs on me making sure the te's were ok and all. Had my exchange sx Dec 9 and a couple of weeks ago I'm now on a every 2 mo plan until 6 mo out and then lifetime thereafter to make sure the implants are holding up ok. My MO sees me every 3 mo then it will be every 6 mo in 5 years then annually forever.

All 3 of them do the same feeling around. What someone can miss, another may pick up. I feel comforted that they all keep me on for life at least annually once I'm far enough out and doing fine. This group are very much into prevention.

SummerAngel, in response to your query, I don't need to see an MO. The BMX was for LCIS. No meds involved.

Being evaluated at the rate I am by the providers still left in the picture, eventually becoming once a year for life I think is a good thing. I am prone to infection it seems as I had issues both sxs. My PS only looks at his work. My BS doesn't do the deep feel/pressure thing on my abdomen. MO does it all. And it's not all 3 in a given month or I'd be like that's way too much. They spread it so max is 1 a month. Hardly a problem to go for a quick office check. I also have my pcp seeing me more frequently now since I am on Letrozole. MO doesn't do all the labs and with all the side effects with increase in LDL and other things that can happen on this, she wants to be on top of it since I am way overweight and even higher risk than someone who is healthier than I. I'm not for scans and hope my MO forgets about the lung nodule that is now 1.5 years out from having been found in May. The real $s in the follow ups are scans, not office visits.