Lumpectomy with oncoplasty (bilateral reduction mammaplasty)

Doggielover73, I am so sorry you have had to go through this experience. What you have been through sounds criminal. (so to speak). I would discuss your pain issues Very Thoroughly with your breast surgeon. For myself, I am one for whom Tylenol and Motrin will do nothing for pain removal. When I came out of surgery they started my on Tylenol which didn't work and then I received morphine. I've had a fair amount of surgeries and the only thing that stops the pain when I am in the recovery room is morphine. After that pain is managable and I go home with regular pain meds and only need them for a day or two. And more distressing from your pain experience is the fact that we do not heal nearly as well with pain present. Is you PS going to do the mastectomy? If so, I would perhaps reconsider this choice and consider having your BS do it. Keep us posted.

Liz

Doggie, I wouldn't be surprised if having all the pain you have had has indeed slowed your healing process.

Glad to find this post and these messages. I had a lumpectomy two weeks ago and a reduction and lift on the other side at the same time. Although I'm still healing, I think they're about the same size and shape. But the nipples are really off. It seems to me that he lifted too high and one nipple is now much higher than the other. I'm bummed. At a post-op, he said how he could just cut a cresent moon above the lumpectomy side nipple and raise it to be more of the height of the ruduction/lift side. He made it sound so simple--but so did he make it sound like nothing to do a reduction and lift and that's been a painful recovery. Anyway, it'd be an in office procedure. But, it would postpone radiation a month and I'm skeptical if it's really as simple as he sounds. It was to be today, but I canceled it. Concerned that it won't be simple and I'm pissed that the reduction/lift that he did has caused this.

Anyone have a nipple lift or change? Thoughts here?

Thanks, Doggielover. I made the right decision by waiting. It's hard to know how much of challenge the plastic surgeon had in matching the one side with the tumor side. I had breast cancer in 2017 and had a lumpectomy on that side and radiation so, perhaps, it was a challenge. But I think he should've noted the poor nipple placement when he did the lift. I will see how they change over the next month wihen swelling goes down and also radiation. I'm not too obsessive over these kinds of things and I'll likely just leave it. At the least, I'll get two or three opinions. Best to us post-op folks. Mine has been much more challenging this time than last. But better day to day says a lot.

I know this is a pretty old post, but hoping some 2021/2022 people who have had a Oncoplastic reduction will see it and chime in!

After really fretting about things for months, I’ve decided to get a oncoplastic reduction. I just couldn’t pull the trigger on a mastectomy with just a 8mm tumour and DCIS in the margin. I may still end up with a mastectomy, but at-least I will know it was absolutely necessary. I was able to get a ps agree to reduce my good side at the same time. I just want to move on.

I was wondering about 1) if anyone knows what technique their surgeon(s) used to mark the tumour bed if you required a boost and 2) shrinkage- from what I read it’s more rare to have shrinkage on smaller breast. 3) I also wonder what it’s like to adjust to small breast. I’m about a 32DDD or a 34DD (ptotic for sure) my undercuts is 30 and my bust is 37. My PS thinks I’ll be a C. I kinda care less what size I end up, but part of me worries if I will struggle with small breast. The other part of me is excited to wear a one piece swim suit with no problems!

Anyways- not sure if anyone else is out there- but though this might be a good place to ask!

Thanks Mymomsgirl!

I had a lumpectomy already and now need another one so I’m about 1 size difference as it is. The first surgeon wanted to wait at-least at-least a year to do my other breast but I did get into a second surgeon by chance and they said they would do both and if I need a revision I can come back.

How was your healing with your radiated breast after surgery? Did you have fairly dense breast prior to surgery?

Iwas reading that density and size play a role in shrinkage. The doctor thinks I’ll end up around a 32C, so fairly small. There pretty dense too so I’m hoping less shrinkage- but whatever. I can live lopsided, I have been for 6 months and it doesn’t really bug me.