Opting for double mastectomy

I opted for bmx 7 years ago, haven’t regretted it at all. I told surgeon then I wasn’t doing this again. He said recurrence % was very low, but didn’t hassle me and did it. I had 7 good years, have axilla resection next week on previous non ca side. No guarantees in this ride, it’s a very personal decision only you can make.

Coming from a little different perspective, I opted for a single mastectomy, supposedly with a low chance of another breast cancer in my contra lateral breast. Well, four and a half years later that's exactly what I got! Essentially triple negative as well. What a blow....I was so shocked. I, too wanted to keep my remaining, what I presumed was, a healthy, breast.

If I had to do it over, I would have opted for that double mastectomy as my breast surgeon suggested...." for women who don't want to be back here".

It is a crapshoot, we all are different. Thought I would share what happened to me personally. My best to you whatever you decide is right for you

Hendy, I am BRCA negative but this is my second rodeo, so to speak. Lost half a breast in 97 and I think in an odd way it helped prepare me for this. I knew I did not want reconstruction, so that is a big factor. While I understand this is not for everyone, for me symmetry mattered, a lot. The idea of one hanging there seemed very deforming, and it's not like I hadn't lived with a good bit of deformity for over twenty years (had to wear a prosthetic all those years). For what it's worth, I do have two friends who had single mastectomies and now wish they'd gone for both. Their reasoning is less about symmetry and more about the constant worry over mammograms and cancer in the other breast.

I did not do reconstruction, but seeing photos beforehand helped. There are photos online of women who've done reconstruction and those who haven't--and I would be happy to pm you photos of my chest if it would help you in any way. The bottom line is we all make different choices--it really has to be about what makes you feel most comfortable.

I was BRCA negative with IDC on my left side. I wanted no part of the diagnosis “game” ever again and knew almost immediately that I wanted a BMX. I asked for it, and my doctors were supportive (my second team of doctors, that is).

I am almost 4 months out now and I don’t have regrets, although I do miss my breasts. I have implants which actually look great in clothes, but the naked factor is a whole other story for me mentally. Someday I might get nipple reconstruction/tattoos but right now I want to enjoy life!

I think if I hadn’t gone for the BMX I would be in a constant state of worry. I know my cancer can come back but I felt like I did everything I could to prevent a recurrence. It is such a personal thing and has to be based on so many factors!

I'm considering removing my other breast. I'm almost 4 weeks post-mastectomy surgery. One of the questions I can't find an answer to is, will I still need tamoxifen therapy? What would the statistical recurrence rate be if I choose not to take tamoxifen and removed the healthy breast? Next appt. isn't till the end of April and I would like to have as much info available to make this decision as the surgeon was opposed to removing a healthy breast. Family history is overwhelming breast cancer diagnosed.

I had BMX with no sign of cancer in my other breast. I knew I never wanted to go through this again, if possible. (I am aware that there is a small risk of recurrence or another cancer). I am a worrier, and I wanted to know that I had been as aggressive as possible. I did not have genetic testing as I have no family history. I do not regret my decision at all.

Irishlove, you would definitely need tamoxifen. Removing breasts just helps prevent a local recurrence. Tamoxifen and Als are systemic treatments, which starve any stray cancer cells from setting up shop somewhere else in your body. And yes, even with early stage and no positive nodes, those cells can escape from the breast.

It's a tough call, that's for sure. I opted for a BMX because I waned off the mammogram/call back/biopsy merry-go-round. My mother had breast cancer and even though I tested negative for BRCA and the other known genes, they are discovering new genetic links all the time. I just didn't want to take the chance. And although I sometimes wonder if reconstruction was the right choice, I don't have any regrets about the BMX. But I know others who are happy they did a single.

I had single mx and have just had a scare about a recurrence in the reconstructed breast - others have had this so we need to be aware even mx is sadly no guarantee. I feel that I was not properly prepared for mx - noone tells you what it feels like to have a recon boob - how can they. Least of al do yiur surgeons know. My PS was all about look and never talked about what it FELT like after the surgery. I had no choice in the mx I had a big tumour so I don’t regret it but I do hate how it feels and looks. Loss of sensation is - well - a loss. My regret is that I was slightly pressured by the Plastic surgeon into a lift in the other side for symmetry. That was needless surgery and I mourn the changes and loss of feeling in a natural healthy breast. Just my POV - many feel differentky