No Surgery For At Least Two Months - Warning - TMI

[Feralpeg]

I mentioned about a month ago that I was most likely going to have surgery. I have silicone breast implants put in for reconstruction purposes after a mastectomy 22 years ago. One of the implants has ruptured and is leaking silicone. It is the implant on the side where I still have my breast. It was put in at the time because it was the only way to make me symmetrical since I was very small.

I saw the surgeon yesterday. The options are to:

1) remove the leaking implant and put in a saline implant. The other implant is not leaking at this time. Unfortunately, that means I could face this again in the future when the other implant finally gives out. The normal lifespan is 15 years. I've had them for 22 years.

2) remove both implants and put in new saline implants. I'm not sure at this point in my life that I want any more foreign bodies put in. Over time, I've become very asymmetrical. I've gained weight and had a child since they were put in place. Since the implant on the side where I had the mastectomy is under the muscle, it would mean going through a tissue expander process again. It wasn't fun the first time. Very painful.

3) remove both implants and do nothing else. Of course this would leave me with one breast.

4) remove both implants. Replace the implant on the side without the breast. Reduce and lift my remaining breast. This would make me smaller, but symmetrical. This is a much more invasive procedure.

5) Remove both implants and remove my remaining breast.

As if the decision isn't hard enough, I have to wait 4 to 6 weeks to see what my insurance company is willing to pick up. After I make my decision, it will be another 4 to 6 weeks for the surgery after it is scheduled.

I have no idea what to do. Since I had my mastectomy, I've had five biopsies on my remaining breast. I'm tired of worrying about it and would really like to do whatever is necessary to put this behind me. I'm leaning toward option number 5, but I'm afraid the insurance company is going to deny this because I currently do not have cancer in that breast.

I'm not sure why I'm posting this other than to, pardon the pun, get it off my chest.

Your thoughts on the subject, my friends, would be appreciated.

 

[sorcerormickey]

 

[Mom2Ashli]

WOW. That really is alot to sort thru.

You will know what is best for you.

Maybe some of the wonderful ladies on the Breast Cancer Survivor Thread can lead you in a better direction. They more of what you have had to deal with already up to this point.

I am so sorry you are having to deal with all of this.

But GOD BLESS on being a 22 year Survivor.

My Aunt is now dealing with. She goes on Friday to talk about how much needs to be taken. And than schedule her Mastectomy.

 

[safetymom]

Sorry to hear you have to make this decisions. I think the decision you made is a good one but guess it depends on what the insurance company says.

 

[Angel16]

Peggy,

I am so sorry to hear this. You certainly appear to have your thoughts in very complete order. You are such a loving, caring and generous person I am sure there will be many people along to share their thoughts with you.

I will keep you in my prayers for Gods guidence and strength, as well as the insurance company coming back with a quick positive answer. Thank God cancer is not involved, however you still have some very big decisions to make. Don't you just hate how much power insurance companies have over us.

My mother had two completly different bouts with breast cancer. Once when I was 4 years old. At that time they did the total mastecotomy and she wore a prosthesis. The second time it come up in the other breast, they had re-fined the surgery by then. She opted for a complete mastecotomy. She felt life was too rich to spend a minute longer worrying about the disease or going through reconstruction. Twenty years later she had a heart attack and went to be with the Lord. For her this was the best decision and one she never regreted. Everyone is different and has to do what is best for them. Whatever you decide will be right for you.

Please know you have my thought and prayers. Please let me know how you are doing and what answers you receive from your insurance and doctors.

Angel

 

[makinorlando]

Peg, I am so sorry that you are having to deal with this difficult decision, complicated by not know what insurance will pay!

I am sending you lots of hugs and !

Although I don't have any personal experience to base this opinion on, just what I have heard from friends who are survivors, I would lean towards Option #5 if I had to make the choice!


Congrats on being a 22 year survivor.

 

[NHAnn]

Peg....
It IS such a lot to sort through but you seem to have thought it all through pretty thoroughly ....but I have to say...it's VERY encouraging to be reading a post from a 22 year survivor. Today is exactly 1 year from my diagnosis!!

Since you are leaning toward #5 I am going to say: follow your heart and I hope and pray your insurance company will cover it.

 

[ugadog99]

Peggy, I have no advice to give you. I don't know what I would do if I were in your situation. I just want you to know I'm thinking of you, and I think you are one marvelous person!

Melanie

 

[MinnieM3]

Peg, what an ordeal!!

As I read through them I was thinking #5 was the best option overall.

 

[snowwhitesmom]

Oh, Peg - sorry to hear you are going through all this. Remember that we are all thinking of you! Hang in there!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

One of the implants has ruptured and is leaking silicone. It is the implant on the side where I still have my breast.

I would think your insurance should have no issue with paying for surgery. You have to have this leaking implant out, regardless. They will pay for that. I'm sure if you decided to do an elective mastectomy at that time, they would cover it as well. I had a situation where I had (non-cancerous) problems in my "other" breast after treatment, and was assured by my surgeon that if I decided to go ahead with mastectomy, it would be fully covered.

Tough decisions. Good luck.

 

[chell]

Sorry that I don't have anything other than a hug to off you.

 

[Jeanny]

 

[Seahunt]

So sorry this has happened to you- JMHO (and who knows what I would really decide if it happened to me ) but just considering the options I think I would probably not put in another implant and have the worry of another leak, or have to have surgery again to remove it. I'm a big chicken however!

(BTW, my best friend was just diagnosed a couple weeks ago, so I have been on a learning curve about breast CA treatment with her. - congratulations on your 22 years, I will tell her that and it will make her day!)

 

[lucyanna girl]

I think you have thought this out very well. I have not had to face this myself but I hope if I ever do so I can be as clear as you seem to be. I believe I would lean toward option number five, you have many years to live and a beautiful daughter who wants you to be there.

 

[MsDisney23]

Peg, let your heart guide you!

 

[wendypooh]

Hi Peggy ~

First of all I want to say that I think You are very brave. Facing this kind of decision must be extremely difficult. I don't have any advice, other than to tell you to keep talking about it, keep getting support from everyone you can, and stay strong. I feel like I "know" you, talking to you on here from time to time for a few years now and enjoying the updates on your daughters career and so on.......... you are one special lady, all of us here know that!!!! You have such a generous, loving heart......... I just want to wish you all the best, know you are in my thoughts and prayers and to let you know that so many of us here offer our unconditional support!! Please keep us posted, even if you are having a crappy day........ share it with us, so we can hopefully make you feel a little bit better and offer up a smile, warm hug and kind thought!!

Take Care and God Bless ~~ I'm thinking of you. Wendy

 

[Pea-n-Me]

you have many years to live and a beautiful daughter who wants you to be there

I have to address this post because it is a common misconception that removing your breast will "make you live". If it were that simple, I would be "breastless" right now, without a doubt. Many of us with breast cancer have children who are at the forefront of our decision-making when faced with breast cancer.

Peg is 22 years out, which is wonderful and inspirational to those of us who are early in our journeys. So what I am about to say may not apply to her situation as much as it would ours. She tell us has had continued problems in her other breast including several cancer scares and now leaking silicone. Removing her breast at this point would be a convenience so she doesn't have to deal with problems of the breast anymore, however, removing her breast will not necessarily prolong her survival from breast cancer (though she looks like she's in pretty good shape from that perspective ).

What those of us who've had BC come to understand when we're diagnosed is this: the type of surgery we choose does not necessarily prolong our survival. I would venture to say that if it did, practically none of us would have kept our breasts. When you are diagnosed with a malignancy, that cancer has been growing for a number of years below the surface. In that time, especially in the case of invasive cancer, it can travel to distant organs in your body, called metastasis. It is this distant metastasis that influences survival odds - chemotherapy is designed to kill these distant cancer cells. (Obviously, Peg has done very well and not had a distant metastasis (that I know of, anyway), at least one which would threaten her life).

So when it comes time to decide on the type of surgery you will choose, it would be nice to think if you just take your breast off, that will be the end of it. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way.

I wanted to address this because people sometimes think that people are crazy for having a lumpectomy vs mastectomy (I get it myself); or in this case, that if Peg chooses #5, she will live longer. Once again, the type of surgery we choose does not necessarily guarantee we will be around to see our children grow up. That's what makes cancer so difficult, and breast cancer particularly difficult since it is unpredictable - forever - there really is no length of time in which you are in remission, however, the longer you go without a recurrence, the better.

Please support cancer research so we can find out how to stop cancer from growing before it starts!! That will be the real challenge, and it is incredibly important since cancer affects all of us!!

Hope this wasn't offensive to anyone. It was meant to inform.

Off Soapbox.

Peg, I wish you the best. It's a difficult choice, but I'm sure you will do what's best for you at this point. I can definitely understand why your tired of all the problems and the tests. I am, too, and I've it's only been 2 1/2 yrs for me. Good luck!

 

[MsLeFever]

Pea-n-me - good information there -thanks for sharing it.

Peg I hope that your doctor can help you come up with a plan that will put you at peace with your decision.

 

[snappy]

Wishing you the best, Peggy, whatever decision you make.

I absolutely concur with the information Pea-n-me posted above. These are the facts unfortunately about BC. Wish I could change them.

I would also add that even if option 5 would not lengthen your life, it might contribute to quality of life not having to face either an invasive surgery or the always present worry about implant problems.

These are issues I also face.

Congrats on the 22 year survivor status. Hope you have at least another 22 cancer free years.