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My plastic surgeon at my last visit

Breast Cancer | Last Active: Nov 27, 2023 | Replies (30)

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@slrny2000

My opinion here, I can't help but wonder if you're still not in the shock of everything. Having said that, it sounds like there wasn't a lot of discussion about what you would like. There was a lot of discussion about size, type and straight talk about what it would look like after. I had a bilateral mastectomy with nipple removal and expanders placed. The expanders were placed at the time of the mastectomy under the pectoral muscle since there was nothing left in the breast pocket to hold them. I chose to initially not have nipple reconstruction, my life changed in a dramatic way (divorced) a few years after the surgery and then went back in to have them created on my birthday, happy birthday to me! 😀 I am not sure how the next man in my life, if there is one, will respond to how my breasts look. But, there is more to me than boobs. There is more to you than boobs. Is is hard initially to see what's been done? YES, you're grieving what was, you're grieving the life you had before cancer. There is an adjustment period, its called getting used to our new normal. And it's OK to be angry about the whole thing, just don't unpack and live there. I actually went to a counselor provided by my cancer center to talk about how I felt and would recommend you find someone to talk to as well.

Perhaps, finding a different plastic surgeon might be good and see if there is the option to have larger implants placed if that is a desire of yours. Since you will be seeing your plastics for some time over the next few years, it might be a good idea to find someone you don't have resentment towards. It might be worth it so you're not wondering what if.

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Replies to "My opinion here, I can't help but wonder if you're still not in the shock of..."

Thank you so much for your kind and helpful reply. ❤️

Yeah, I didn’t feel there were any choices offered, it was just, here is what we are going to do and here are the risks (they did a great job of explaining all that,)

No implants because they were partial mastectomies and reductions/lifts.

I think I will be fine with these once they heal (I just hate how they look now because I’m only one month out and the scars are gruesome and the swelling makes them look weird) but I think I needed to have a moment to mourn my old self.

I know I am so much luckier than so many, so I should count my blessings.

It’s just…I guess it felt bad to have a doctor TELLING me how I felt (and being wrong about how I felt) rather than asking me.

I’m sure doctors are far too busy to ask patients how they feel about all this.

I just wish they understood, this is not a happy thing, not a celebration.

It feels like toxic positivity and fake and I hate it. I hate that I feel coerced to be all happy and gleeful like it’s the best Christmas present ever that I have cancer.

I know it’s always best to keep a positive mental attitude but there are other emotions that come with this and I wish those other emotions were allowed and not forbidden.