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Bilateral Mastectomy without Reconstruction Recovery Timeline
Breast Cancer | Last Active: May 27, 2023 | Replies (78)Comment receiving replies
Hi @keiracancer -- your post would be something I've written myself. I was also 54, divorced and done with relationships at the time of my mastectomy. My dog didn't care one way or the other. My breasts had successfully nursed a baby, served their purpose and were ready for retirement. My doctors tried so hard to get me to do reconstruction. I get painful keloid scars and did from the mastectomy. I also have a nerve disorder so I knew reconstruction would lead me to more pain and scarring. I'm 64 now and glad I didn't have reconstruction. I wore prostheses to work or whenever I was dressing up in more fitted clothes so the clothes looked nice. I'm not working now and rarely wear them. I just wear a non-clingy top at home, walking dogs, running errands. I maybe put on the prostheses a couple times a month when wearing fitted clothes out. Happy with my decision. My only issue is my surgeon apparently thought I would change my mind so she didn't do a good job of preventing the dog ears on the sides. Not pretty and my sides have been so sensitive to touch/pressure for 10 years probably due to my neuropathy. Advice to others: Make sure they don't leave extra tissue for changing your mind. Thanks for sharing your story.
Replies to "Hi @keiracancer -- your post would be something I've written myself. I was also 54, divorced..."
I too have small dog ears on the sides - not as flat as I had hoped. I should have taken a picture to my surgery appointment and said this is what I'm looking for - if you can't or won't do this - then let me know, because this is what I want. I too think the surgeon thought I'd change my mind - I kept saying - my breasts served their purpose and were no longer needed. They don't define who I am or what I look like. I'll request protheses for those times I think I might want to wear something more fitting and want additional shaping. I'm also not sure if the results of my surgery also have anything to do with my body shape and that I'm not as thin as I could be. I'm definitely not fat; but at 70 I'm soft and round in some areas of my body. I had a hysterectomy in my late 30's and have never been able to get that area flat again.
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Wow thank you so much for posting. My wife has very recently decided "no more" after four surgeries left her with only one expander, almost back to where she started. I'm still trying to hold back my thoughts about that Dr (I have a detailed document on the whole process). She is having them take the last expander out, and, like you, go with prostheses. Your statement "Make sure they don't leave extra tissue for changing your mind" is now my next priority.
That's a big deal. You're really helping us! Thanks again.