Prophylactic Bilateral Mastectomy

Elijahgirl you did the right choice. Did your doctor suggested you to do a sentinel node biopsy after mastectomy? My doctor removed 2 sentinel node in each side and now i am learning that he removed one more on my left side which was axillary non-sentinel node. Everything came back negative so i did not have any cancer which i knew before mastectomy, but he had to check anyway. I am not sure and i did not ask him why he removed the other axillary non-sentinel node. I will ask him but has anyone here which had prophylactic mastectomy did that? I hope everybody is doing great and wish you a very good week.

joy2, I had an MRI before my prophylactic surgery to check that there was nothing suspicious in my breasts and there wasn't. They didn't take any nodes during my surgery but I guess that if they had found anything in my tissue that was removed, they would have wanted to check my lymph nodes afterwards. Thank goodness, everything was clear. I'm not sure about your case, so it's good that you plan to ask your doctor about it.

I had MRI to that showed that i did not have anything suspicious but he said before surgery that we need to make sure that it is not any hidden cancer, now i found out that he removed 2 on my left side and that i am wondering why..Aussie-Cat good for you that you did not have any nodes removed

HI there.

I am considering one right now, but my oncologist and surgeon do not seem to be on board, so I am looking into a second opinion. Who wrote the letter for your insurance? The surgeon or the oncologist?

I have a 54% lifetime risk, but no gene mutation.

Lost my mom to breast cancer (she was 52), have very dense tissue, have had radial scars and papillomas, and meet a few of the other criteria BCBS states as necessary. My doctors would rather I do Tamoxifen, but that just doesn't seem like the best option with a risk so high.

I've also had a thermogram which staged me at the very highest risk.

The 6 month scans are about to do me in. Feels like I'm a timebomb waiting to happen

Any thoughts? Input?

Hello, Everyone.

I posted awhile back with suspicious lumps post DIEP Flap. Good news is- no CA; it is fatty necrosis. Bad new is- I have a seroma which needs to be removed. Since I live miles away from NOLA, I had my first ultrasound with a radiologist who did not know much (if any) about reading images post DIEP Flap. He told me to wait and "see if it grows and if it does, come back and I will re-image". WHO SAYS THAT! I sought out a second opinion, and I am very glad that I did. I intend on keeping this newly-found radiologist (who diagnosed my issue correctly) in my speed dial! Has anyone ever had a seroma up to 1 year post Stage II surgery? I am looking for any connection with such a person.

thank in advance.

Thanks Elijahgirl! After lumpectomy in March for complex sclerosing lesion and hyperplasia, and with mother having had DCIS years ago, my BS mentioned the idea of PBMX. At that point I wasn't ready to make that leap, but after researching, and then another scare in May/June (sclerosing adenosis) I decided this was the wisest path for me. My BS totally agrees, and I am scheduled for this fall. Some people would say it's crazy to do something so drastic when you don't have cancer, but with high risk, I'd rather do this than wait for cancer to show up, have to deal with chemo, radiation, drug therapy, lymph node involvement, and then having MX anyway. My heart goes out to all those women who have dealt and are dealing with all those things. It's a harsh disease, and I am one of the lucky ones who has the opportunity to "beat it to the punch". Best of luck to you and all the other women on this board.