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I am scheduled for a double mastectomy but still undecided about which way to go.
I had a double mastectomy 8/2022 at age 60 with plastic surgeon and breast surgeon working together. Expanders were placed during the double mastectomy. surgery. I had only over the counter pain meds after the surgery and was up and mobile within days. I had 3 fills to the expanders, then I had 31 rounds of radiation NovDec 2022 over my whole chest. I did not have any issues with the expanders during the radiation. Some people do. The expanders are not comfortable, but I would not describe it as pain.
After all radiation skin issues were healed, the expanders were replaced with implants May 2023. That surgery was a breeze and I missed only 4 days of work (teacher). I have not had any major issues with the implants. 62 years old now . Satisfied with my results.
There are lots of things to consider. The tissue/flap choices I believe feel more like real breasts and you are more likely to have feeling over your whole breast. At my age, that was not a big deal for me. I was going to lose my nipples in all scenarios. I have been married 39 years and my husband and I discussed the options and agreed on the implant route. I was a DD prior to the double mastectomy and am now a small C with my implants. My goal was to look ¨normal¨ in clothes as I was a teacher in a small school (retired now) .
Making decisions about breast reconstruction after mastectomy can be challenging. You have options to undergo reconstruction during your mastectomy or wait until after you've healed from surgery and other treatments. Many MyBCTeam members have shared positive experiences with reconstruction, with one noting increased Show Full Answer
What are reconstruction options for dbl mastectomy? We're not eligible for diep flap due to high BMI
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