I cannot tell you what either surgery is like, only that I really wanted a mastectomy with no reconstruction. My local surgeon refused and 17 years ago I was not savvy enough to fight for what I wanted and I believe that surgeon thought he was giving me the right choice of a partial mastectomy. My grandmother had a Halstead mastectomy back in the day and she wore a prosthetic so she would look balanced but she never regretted them being gone.
I met a woman who had a bilateral in her 60s and got tattoos that were floral and beautiful on her chest. I don’t feel like we have to be reconstructed, especially if you are traumatized by the thought. Cancer shouldn’t have angst over this on top of everything else. Have you discussed this with family? Significant other/spouse?