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Removing healthy breast after single mastectomy

kssg
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Hello

I had a single mastectomy nearly 2 years ago. Consultant didn't allow me to remove healthy breast as there was no need according to him. I do however feel strange pains under my nipple (as if I was producing milk - which is impossible as I have had ovaries removed and I am in surgical menopause now). I raised that during my last visit. Oncologist checked my breast and said she doesn't feel any lumps and that was it. I do feel however that these episodes of "pain" are causing me anxiety. I would really be happier if I could remove the 2nd breast. I am considering going private. Does anyone know how to do that (do I still need approval of my oncologist?) and what is the cost of private single mastectomy? 

Also how that would affect my chances of reconstruction with NHS. Would they still do it but charge me for 1 breast?

Thank you

Kat

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    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

  • Offline in reply to Yorkshire_defector1

    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

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    Hello. I also had single mastectomy 2 years ago. My plan was to wait a year to be sure and request removal of healthy breast to go flat. Reconstruction wasn't for me. Covid has hindered this and continues to as currently there is no non essential surgery. I'm considering going private too and would be interested to know costs if anyone else has gone down this path. X 

  • Offline in reply to Momac

    Hi there

    I appreciate this post is over a year old but I wondered how your story progressed? I recently had a single mastectomy and am curious to know private health care cost of getting a single simple mastectomy, to go flat (not interested in any reconstruction).

    Re: breast cancer experience, I had an internal sensation and GP, said couldn't feel anything, mammogram was clear and ultrasound inconclusive but they took a biopsy in the area I'd identified and it came back as lobular cancer which I now appreciate can be hard to detect. I feel very lucky that I had the sensation I did. (My mum died of breast cancer at 61 so I have been very vigilant with checks since). Due to this experience I'm nervous that cancer could be present in the left breast too but not showing on the scans. 

    I've applied for genetic testing on NHS (as my mum also had an ovarian tumour which due to stage 4 breast cancer at diagnosis they ecided not to test/remove). I'm not convinced I'll qualify for this on NHS so also may need to get this done privately. Any recommendations of costs and / or where to seek this?

  • Offline in reply to LunaMagic

    Hello, my reply post isn't appearing for some reason so I'll try again. I got my prophylactic masectomy in August 2022 on the nhs after discussing with my consultant and I'm loving being flat. I had enquired about going private and they quoted almost 7k so it was a relief to have it done.on nhs. I'm in Scotland. Hope this helps and happy to answer any other questions you might have. 

     

     

    All the best , 

    Morag

     

     

     

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