Breast Reconstruction

had a bilateral masectomy oct 2004; had chemo a/c; am currently on aromasin. when I had my surgery, I did not opt for skin sparing. so my scars are tight on my chest. however, as all of you know, clothes just don't look right. I have prosthesis, but when I wear them, the bottom bra strap goes right over my drain hole scar and it hurts. so I go flat. the people at work are used to seeing me like that and it doesn't bother my husband or son. I would like feedback. I don't know which way to go. I like being flat, cause I can sleep on the stomach better, I don't have to wear a bra--and I won't have dangling boobs when I get older. I want to hear it from you before I even go to a consultation with a plastic surgeon. please give me feedback.

I had a masc on rt. side in Apr.'05--well, I do NOT feel SEXY-- at all. I was doing okay for a while , but when I look in the mirror--it makes me SICK!!---I see CANCER --the truth,fact,word echo back to me. I am tight in the chest too. I have always been thin,& my husband, who likes boobs, had me get some small implants about 5 yrs. ago. ------ still have one implant and one fake----Are you married or have a boyfriend ?? You know MEN love women with BOOBS !!! Watch them--their eyes shoot strait toward the T__ when they look at another women--it makes me SICK. I am also starting to look at reconstuction...It looks like tough surgery, and my surgeon says She wouldn't do it---but she still has hers, so that doesn't count---I feel plain UGLY and UNATTRACTIVE. I just finished all chemos because I was HER2-+++, and ER+,PR- , and took herceptin for a yr after all other..now just on Tamoxifen because of LOW Density of bones--New ones are worse on bones. My foreign ONC is also giving me the chemo.drug--zometa every 3 months just to build my bones..(also given to women with osteopor.---..I am 52 and have always gone to the gym and walked my dogs.--and I want to look halfway sexy, again....What about YOU ??.....rsvp kat

hey, kat--thanks for the reply. the last time I went to the dr. I asked him about my chances of recurrence. he said it was20%. I was not happy. a one in five chance. not good. and a friend who had stage 1, mast, chemo, and radiation, just died; about two years after initial diagnosis. maybe I'll wait for my 5 years to be up before reconstruction. just don't know yet. still on the fence. as far as feeling sexy, I know my husband is just happy to have me with him. I'm a few years older than you. still working.

I had a modified radical mastectomy in April 06 and thought I would wait on reconstruction until I lost more weight.  Since then I have done research and between not wanting to deal with more surgery, a 6 week recovery, additional scarring, lots of pain and the fact that they can't see behind implants with mammograms, I'm opting to stay the way I am.  My husband also is glad to just have me with him and I don't care what anyone else thinks.  I was never large breasted so maybe that makes a big difference.  Check out Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book for a good description with drawings of the various reconstruction options.

I had a mascectomy in 1994 and waited to 2003 to have the reconstruction. I got the saline implants- first they stretch the skin then they switch the expanders and put in saline implants. I am the happiest person! I can't believe I put up with hot plastic heavy boobs for 9 years. I feel normal again . I was embarrassed before to change into a bathing suit in public dressing rooms- bounced my protheseis accross the floor once and hated sleep overs for my kids because they wondered where my boobs went. But the biggest joy is the comfort of not wearing the fake ones and no bra I am old now with perk young boobs. (It took me two years to get the vnipples - I am not "INTO surgery" but 11 years later I am thrilled! I decided the other types of reconstruction were too invasive!

Hi,

I had a skin sparing mastectomy (left side) October, 05, I wore a prosthesis for a year.  I did not wear it every day as I found it too hot and uncomfortable.  I have small breasted as well.  October, 06 I had a DIEP flap and would do over again.  I am thrilled.  I was diagnosed with stage 3 advanced with lymphnode involvement.  I had chemo first to shrink my tumor, a mastectomy, more chemo because they found more cancer, radiation and lots of it, and then reconstructive surgery.  I had so much radiation that my skin was fused to my body.  I am not very big and had just enough skin and belly fat to make one breast the same size as my original equipment. The new breast feels real and it will grow and shrink as I gain or loose weight.  I am soooooo happy.  I love my new breast.  I am 47.  I highly recommend this surgery if you are a good candidate.  The recoevery was not bad and no muscle was removed.  "Is it live or is it memorex?"

Take care and how this information helps.

Teresa 

Before anyone has any reconstruction, they must realize that with any surgery, things can go drastically wrong.  I first had a lumpectomy in 2001 on my left breast for Stage 1 cancer and I just needed radiation (no chemo).  However, the radiation apparently was too strong for my breast and it made the breast so tight and painful from scar tissue that I was forced to have it removed and so I opted for reconstruction in 2004.  I had a tummy tuck -- which basically removed the tummy and made it into my new breast.  I would never do it again.  I suffered a near-death infection on the "breast" as part of the new "breast" would not close and I was in the ICU for nearly 5 weeks.  The surgeon said it was due to the fact that this area was still a radiated area and thus was infection-prone.  A hole twice the size of a quarter would not close for 6 more months.  Now the reconstructed left breast has also tightened and is not only much smaller than the right normal breast but I must wear a prosthesis so it matches the right breast (but the left one still has no nipple) and is painful and many times mimics a heart attack.  I probably will never know if I do have a heart attack as I am so used to the frequent shooting pain in my left breast.  Once I was even admitted as a heart patient until they discovered it was just the reconstructed breast which also is filled with scar tissue.  All I know is that if I had known then what I know now, I would never have had reconstruction after the removal of my breast.  Now, after all I've been through, I am facing removal (again) of the "new" breast.