Hi

I also wanted both breasts removed.  Had mx in RHS and LHS needed lumpectomy for pre cancerous stuff, as the LHS removal was not medically necessary surgeon was not willing to remove at the RHS mx stage, she did however say that we could come back to it in the future.  Have you discussed the removal with your breast cancer support team?

In terms of going private I have no experience of this so can't answer your specific question but it may be worth your calling some of the private health providers to see what they have to say.

One thing to be cautious of, and I'm assuming its the same as cancer related reconstruction but once you leave the NHS process for private medical you can't go back and get NHS treatment.  I'll be having a DIEP reconstruction and any tidying up needed after actual reconstruction will also need to be done privately.

Incidentally now I've been through surgery I really couldn't be bothered having the other one removed so will, when reconstructed, be getting a reduction (was mainly wanting removal for symmetry vs health).

Good luck

Sam

Hi

I also wanted both breasts removed.  Had mx in RHS and LHS needed lumpectomy for pre cancerous stuff, as the LHS removal was not medically necessary surgeon was not willing to remove at the RHS mx stage, she did however say that we could come back to it in the future.  Have you discussed the removal with your breast cancer support team?

In terms of going private I have no experience of this so can't answer your specific question but it may be worth your calling some of the private health providers to see what they have to say.

One thing to be cautious of, and I'm assuming its the same as cancer related reconstruction but once you leave the NHS process for private medical you can't go back and get NHS treatment.  I'll be having a DIEP reconstruction and any tidying up needed after actual reconstruction will also need to be done privately.

Incidentally now I've been through surgery I really couldn't be bothered having the other one removed so will, when reconstructed, be getting a reduction (was mainly wanting removal for symmetry vs health).

Good luck

Sam

Hi Sam

I have asked my breast nurse about possibility of double mastectomy right at the beginning. She told me there are 2 reasons they don't allow it anymore: 1st - there is no reason to remove healthy breast and 2nd - she said some ladies were seeking opportunity to get free boob job and were requesting double mastectomy and they stopped it. I found it very disappointing and disturbing. How can you put everyone in the same group and say something like that? Why after going through so much I have to fight for a piece of mind to have double mastectomy Anyway in my hospital it's not an option. I am also planning DIEP in the future and I am worry how I will look like with 2 different boobs but that is not the reason I want double mastectomy. It's all the pains I feel in my healthy breast! Nothing is showing so far on mammogram or blood tests so it might be something related to my menopause. But I feel it affects quality of my life and I would feel much better if I could sort it out. My next mammogram is in June and I am that it's all good. 

Take care 

Kat