Mastectomy concerns

I had a lumpectomy just before xmas. I have been diagnosed with high grade dcis. No family history and no no one with breadt cancer. I am told its non invasive, which i get is good, but have been told a mastectomy is now the best option. I have always had poor self image and while my family and husband are amazing i am terrified of how it will change me emotionally. All ivget told is it will be ok as i am always so atrong. Thats not what is inside. The forums seem to suggest the idea of a mastectomy is worse than the reality and having had a lumpectomy it might even be better.

 

There are so many options on reconstruction too. I think i have to go a reconstruction route if i can but which is easiest to recover from? I know that for me i would rather it was my own tissue. I feel so selfish given mine is early stage and currently non invasive. Scared at so many stories of invasive recurrence. Do partners react well to mastectomy? Is it the end of my love life? 

I hope i am as strong as you all seem to be. I was terrified before the lumpectomy (i had an 8cm x 5 cm) removed. It wasnt as bad as i thought. Hopefully the mastectomy wont be either and the panic i currently feel is just the unknown. Apart from my husband and children i have no  wider family. Husband feela bad as he is currentlt unemployed so we are dependent on my self employment so i am worried about the time out. Sorry for such a long post, first time i can just say some of this. X

  • Hi there, 

    Just wanted to say I'm in same boat and relate totally, diagnosed with DCIS out of the blue, just had two lumpectomies with no clear margins and now looking at mastectomy. I don't fancy the idea of implants and like you prefer the thought of my own tissue. I'm leaning towards DIEP as don't want shoulder/back muscle compromised, but I'm feeling quite daunted by the complicated surgery & recovery involved (I'm single without family at hand). On the other hand I don't know if I'd cope with no reconstruction at all - would I get depressed at constant reminder and feel 'unfinished,' and how would I manage clothes, prostheses, etc? Like you I'm grateful it's not invasive and could be so much worse but in a way that leaves me struggling all the more with what seems like a drastic choice. Friends are sympathetic but you do feel on your own. Hopefully we will both rally and come round and see the right way forward. xx 

  • Thank you for the response. It helps not to feel so alone. X

  • Hi 

    I had a mastectomy with implant reconstruction straight away I had lots of dcis and a small ductal invasive cancer 

    this was 3 years ago 

    I had 38d bust the surgeon couldn't make the new boob as big however offered to even up the other one at a later date 

    I decided not to have this done as I couldn't face more surgery especially if it wasn't necessary 

    I manage fine I wear a small balance provided by the hospital 

    I can wear anything as I have a natural looking cleavage even a bikini 

    I won't say it was easy to get use to but it's healed well 

    because of the cancer I lost my nipple 

    And I have no feeling on that side 

    it's a very personal choice but I am happy about mine 

    you should probably take a bit of time to decide I didn't have any other treatment as it was caught very early 

    happy to answer any questions 

    j x