I'm in the last category - wish I had both removed.  The only reason that I
haven't done so is that the mastectomy so weakened by back that I'm limited
in the work I can do around the house.  Forget painting - I used to do all
my painting.  But even washing windows or doing any kind of scrubbing that
involves reaching is problematic.  I live alone so I need to be able to
maintain some flexibility and strength.

But even more bothersome for me is a horrific and explicit dream I had some
months ago in which I'm being told that I will develop a dangerous form of
cancer in the remaining breast and I am being urged to fight it.  This dream
hangs over me like spectre.  How can one ignore it!  I thought seriously of
having a second mastectomy but am afraid to debilitate myself further.

I am scheduled

Is this elective?  If so, at least you will be free of the anxiety and
uncertainty that I'm experiencing.
Wishing you the best.

Lois

My wife, Jan, opted for simple mastectomy on hte unaffected side and
modified radical on the affected side.  She initially thought she would use
prostheses, since she did not want any more surgery, but decided later not
to bother.  She has a little trouble finding clothes that drape well, but
hey, that's an excuse for more shopping!  She has been quite content with
her decisions.  Her decision was motivated in part by a desire not to worry
any more than necessary and in part by the experience of a cousin who had a
unilateral mastectom then later a large lumpectomy for a lesion that proved
benign.  The "healthy" breast is substantially deformed and even with a
prosthesis on the affected side, the weight difference leaves her feeling
lopsided.

I don't know that her decision would be right for everyone, but it worked
for her.

Hi Tamara

I have a radical on my right & a simple on my left.  Since I was ER, PR+, I
didn't
want to worried all the time about the possibility of developing cancer in
the left
breast.  Since I was small to begin with, I didn't have reconstruction or
even
consider it.  I do the odd time feel a bit self conscious, but it doesn't
last for
long

hugs
jackie

Hi Tamara,

I wanted both breasts removed at the same time (cancer only in one) but my
surgeon refused. A few months after chemo was over, I went back to him and
insisted he remove the other breast. I don't regret the decision, and feel
much better with my body more "balanced".

Nana

Yep, decided on a bilateral because of one of types I had--lobular--was
told it was type most likely to recur on other side and because of bad
family hx (was same age at dx as  my mom--50; her sister was dx'd at
age 45; dad's mom died in her 40's; mom lost 4 first cousins (only 2
were siblings at young ages (youngest died at 28) and 2 aunts from
b.c).  At my pre-op I cleared up last doubts when I presented following
scenario to my surgeon.
I should preface above, first, by saying that I was dx'd 9 mos. after a
supposed normal mammogram.  This is what I asked--okay, my mammogram of
9 mos. ago was supposedly normal as were all the others from previous
10 years.  But you (surgeon) said that the b.c. had been growing there
for at least the past 5 to 10 years.  And, most recently, something did
show up on current mammo--which was biopsied and found to be lobular
b.c.  Now, if the mammos of the breast that had cancer in it previously
showed up as normal and the b.c. had been there for the past 5 to 10
years, is it not possible that even though the other (not malignant
side--per recent mammo) to still have cancer but still have normal
mammogram.  My surgeon's response was an emphatic 'yes' which spurned
me on to follow my decision to have bilateral.  That was 5 years ago
and have never regretted it.
One thing that  helped me was a colleague was dealing with it at the
same time.  She told  me that in her case when it was time to decide
between another lumpectomy (3rd) and mastectomy she repeated asked
herself what was most important--her breast or her life.
After my mastectomy all the involved dr's were surprised that my b.c.
was as aggressive as it was--turned out I had at the least, 3, if not 4
different types.  It  was also in lymph nodes and blood stream...

My late wife originally had a 2cm malignant lump in one breast. She elected
to have bilateral mastectomies because it gave her more peace of mind
with respect to a possible recurrence. As it turned out, the BC later
metastasized to her liver, but I don't think this is very common.
The other consideration is with respect to reconstruction. The plastic
surgeon can do a better job of getting both breasts to look alike
after a bilateral mastectomy. The downside is that the reconstructed
breast will have very little sensation.