Hi Shirelleq,

I note that this is your first post so I offer you a very warm welcome to Cancer Chat. I have had 2 bouts of breast cancer 7 & 8 years ago respectively. I had a lumpectomy the first time and a double mastectomy the second. Unfortunately I was not a suitable candidate for reconstruction, due to previous operations and medical problems.

Have you had an open discussion with your surgeon? S/he is the best person to advise you, as they will know all of your medical history, etc. Yes the diep flap is a bigger operation but I’m sure that your anaesthetist would not allow your surgeon to undertake surgery if s/he felt that there was a problem with your heart.

If you go up to the blue banner at the top of this page and click the search button, then pop types of breast cancer in the box, this will mention the various types of reconstruction, which might be helpful. This is very much an individual decision and I hope that you reach the best outcome for you.

Please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you if you want to talk.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Shirelleq,

I'm a man. As such, it's a bit difficult to empathise because us men don't really have an equivalent bit to cut off and reconstruct. But we've both had/got cancer and we both have prospective operations that are optional. I have two stomas that I could have reversed but I've chosen to keep them for life. Reason being that I would at best be the same but probably worse, than before. I have no emotional problem with having two bags or the difference in my life due to them.

I realise that women have an emotional attachment to their breasts and that their body image matters. Advice, such that I'm able to give is firstly to recognise the reality of your situation.

You have, or have had, cancer. As such, you will never be the person you were before cancer, you are a new you. Reconstructing your breast will not give you back your old you, you'll be another new you with a reconstruction. And that's if you're entirely happy with your reconstructed breast, there's no guarantee. So is it possible that you can come to terms witht the new you unreconstructed?

There's also the matter of risk versus benefit. You've mentioned your heart; does a reconstructed breast or two rate higher than the risk of further surgeries? Not for me it doesn't. And I have to say that for this man at least, I don't have any sort of problem with a woman with one or no breasts. You'd be no less a woman in my eyes.

If my beloved wife were in your shoes, I wouldn't want her to risk the operation, though the choice would be hers entirely.

If you think it unseemly that I, as a man, posted an opinion on this, then I apologise sincerely.

Best Regards

Taff 

Hi Shirelleq,

I am so glad that Taff has posted here and given you a man's perspective. My husband's is the same.

Although I miss my 44c's, which I was always proud of, I manage very well with an assortment of prostheses. I still attend group exercise classes, go to the gym, go swimming and wear lowish cut tops. I was initially given a softee, then progressed to a silicone one. On the whole, I find this too heavy, so I now wear a bead filled one or a foam one everyday and, for swimming I use a knitted one which I sew into my swimsuit. These come from Knitted Knockers and work well in water.

What Taff says is quite right. If, after talking to your anaethetist and surgeon there is any doubt of you surviving the surgery, why not consider leaving things as they are? 

I still look quite feminine when dressed and find it as no more than a mild inconvenience.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hello Shirelleq,

I am one of the enquiry nurses and have been asked to take a look at your post.

I am glad to see you have had some replies, but not yet from anyone who has had a DIEP flap and I think you may have wanted a perspective about this from someone who has. If no one comes along, you could try posting on the forum at Breast Cancer Care.

I don’t feel I can advise you what to do. Deciding whether or not to have a reconstruction after a mastectomy is a very personal thing and it is up to each women to decide for  themselves. But I understand this can be a difficult decision particularly as no one can predict if surgery will go to plan and how you will feel about the reconstruction once it is done. 

I am not sure of your heart situation, but I don’t think an anaesthetist would be prepared to give you an anaesthetic unless it was safe, so if surgery is on the table so to speak I think it must be okay to have it. Of course surgery is never completely risk free, but the risks should be very low and you would be able to discuss them with an anaesthetist beforehand. Do run this past someone from your specialist team, perhaps your breast care nurse could help. As this may be factor in what you decide to do it is important to be sure of the facts. 

I am not sure how keen your surgical team will be to remove your healthy right breast as a preventative measure, this only tends to be an option in particular situations for example if a woman carries a breast cancer gene mutation. Presumably this would then mean a double reconstruction, hence the need for several operations.  Bear in mind that your risk of developing a second breast cancer on the right side might not be as high as you think and is reduced by taking tamoxifen. Perhaps this is another thing to qualify?  

I hope that the information you are able to gather helps and that if you have more surgery it goes well.

Best wishes,

Julia

Thank you for the replies a lot to think about , I’m 43 and love holidays just want to look normal in a bikini or even buy a normal bikini for that matter , it cost me £70 per bikini and I bought 7 then had to get a pocket sewn into each one which was an additional £120 then a swim prosthesis on top of that ! And the bikinis are all for people aged 80plus there sooo old fashioned and awful dull colours , I’m just struggling as love my holidays xx

Again, I'd say wear your scars with pride. I was thinking the other day, I could actually change my bags in a room full of people while giving a running commentary and mused about maybe offering myself in a teaching role to some organisation in the future.

Other peoples' reactions to your mastectomy are their problem. Being able to be on a beach in a bikini, with an obvious mastecomy, would be tremendously freeing and empowering.

Trust me, there's a lot to be said for not giving a monkey's.

Of course, the decision's yours and I'm not advising one way or the other, simply trying to point out that things are not always as we see them to be.

And wouldn't scars from the op be noticeable in a bikini; what's the difference?

Have you thought about designing swimwear/bikinis for women who've had mastectomies?

Best Regards

Taff