Double mastectomy: Anyone have major side effects and/or regrets?

I had bilateral and chose to go flat, I only have two issues from the surgery. My definition of "flat" and the surgeons were different; my closure is not as visually appealing as I would have liked. I have lumps on the sides of my chest; I have a bump in the middle of my chest and the breast area looks as if the flesh was scooped out and concaves inward. I'm not sure if this was because of what needed to be done for the surgery to get everything or not - but what's done is done. I'm 71 and don't intend to have any reconstruction. The second issue is they removed lymph nodes under my arms and the closure now makes it slightly difficult to shave my underarms. There seems to be an indent that is difficult to shave - I've tried both a hand razor and an electric shaver - it takes a while to finally get it shaved for the summer months.

Do I regret going "flat" - definitely NO; do I regret making sure the surgeon and I were on the same page for the definition of "flat" - definitely. In hindsight I should have taken a picture to make sure we were on the same page.

Thanks very much to all for sharing. I showed the doctor some photos and hope he can get the results I have in mind. I also wanted to check if you need to spend one night at the hospital and if so, whether you need a family member to stay with you.

I stayed one night but no family member. I told my daughter to go home. I had a paravertebral block and they finally listened to me and didn't give me pain meds, which I did not need and which cause vomiting for me. The paravertebral block really eliminated pain those first days.

Thanks very much to all for sharing. I showed the doctor some photos and hope he can get the results I have in mind. I also wanted to check if you need to spend one night at the hospital and if so, whether you need a family member to stay with you.

I had my bilateral mastectomy at Mayo Rochester. I was released about 6 hours after surgery and went back to the hotel my husband and I were staying in. I had a call the next morning from the surgeons assistant to see how I was doing. I was surprised how well I was doing after surgery, I had that paravertebral block also and all I needed was Tylenol and ibuprofen. Never took the opioids. I'm sure each case is different and hospitals have their own protocols but the surgeon's nurse told me that during the first year of the pandemic they couldn't keep women overnight in the hospital and it turned out patients had less infection, and they recovered faster and better when they were sent home the day of surgery. So unless there are issues present, patients are released that day of surgery. Sending love and healing wishes to you❤️

Thanks for sharing. I am going to have a double mastectomy and am not sure if I might need help at night.

If you have double mastectomy, you definitely need someone be with you all night. None of your arms will be able to move or reach to water cup etc. nurses won’t help you most time. You need someone there to help you, even to order you meals and help you with food.