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1 | This is a crowdsourced sheet for women who have already made the decision to get a mastectomy, whether prophylactically or as a result of cancer. This is a list of recommended questions to speak with your doctor(s) about. Want to add recommended questions for other women to ask? Please just click a cell in the section it applies to, press "Insert" then "Comment" and write the recommended question. I'll then add it! | |||
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3 | Appointment Type | Conditional (if applicable) | Question | More info |
4 | Pre-Opp with Oncology Surgeon | --- | What complications have you seen with this mastectomy surgery? Have you had any yourself? What is the most common complication you've experienced with performing this surgery? | |
5 | --- | Will you be removing any lymph nodes or sentinel nodes? Why or why not? | ||
6 | --- | What exercises or diet do you recommend I do between now and the surgery? How about after the surgery? For example, an amount of water to drink, etc, or any special supplements to promote healing? | ||
7 | --- | What is the phone # for me to call 9-5, and what about outside those hours, if I have concerns after surgery about my incision area? | ||
8 | --- | What surgical bras does the hospital give me when I am leaving? How many do they give me? | ||
9 | --- | Do you do skin-sparing surgery? Am I a candidate for skin sparing? | ||
10 | --- | Talk to me about my pain management options. Do you do regional nerve blocks? What % of patients opt into that? What are the risks? What is your recommendation to avoid pain as much as possible in the time immediately after surgery? | ||
11 | --- | How long is surgery? Will I be staying over night after surgery? How many nights? What is the visitor policy? | ||
12 | --- | Will I have drains after surgery? How long do the drains usually stay in for patients in my situation and/or with a similar body to mine? | ||
13 | --- | Have you had any patients need to go through hyperbaric oxygen treatments after this surgery? If so, why? Should I be prepared for that? | ||
14 | --- | Do I need to shower beforehand with Hibicliens? Do I need to do a bowel prep? | ||
15 | --- | How long do you expect for me to be out of work on sick-leave after the surgery? | ||
16 | --- | How often will I need to come in for mamograms and check ups after this? | ||
17 | --- | Should I avoid anything (like alcohol, etc) prior to the surgery? How far in advance? | ||
18 | Pre-Opp with Plastic Surgeon | If you want to not be flat | Can you describe the difference between DIEP, Silicone, and Saline implants, or any other options I should evaluate? I'd like to know about the pros and cons of each option, the long-term maintenance of each option, and your experience with each option. Which do you do most frequently? Based on my goals + body, which do you recommend? | |
19 | If you're getting implants | Do you do wise pattern incision? Am I a candidate for this? Tell me more about it. | ||
20 | If you're getting implants | Am I a candidate for DTI (direct to implant) or do I need to get expanders? Why or why not? | ||
21 | If you're getting implants | What brand of implants do you use? Can I see and feel my different options now or in a future appt with you? | ||
22 | If you're getting expanders | Will you end up using surgical mesh to support the implant? If so, will it be pig or cow skin? | ||
23 | If you're getting expanders | When you put the expanders in me during surgery, will they already be partially filled? If so, how much? | ||
24 | If you're getting non-DTI implants | Can I schedule my reconstruction surgery now? | ||
25 | What bras do you recommend I buy beforehand? How many? What kind? When can I switch from the bras you give me after surgery to those? | |||
26 | --- | Am I a candidate for nipple-sparing mastectomy? If so, would I need to do anything first, such as a breast lift, in order to keep my nipples? | ||
27 | --- | Will I lose feeling in the breast? Is there anything you can do during surgery to make it so I can keep some feeling? I know there are some tests surgeons are doing with nerves to keep the feelings. | ||
28 | --- | What percent of your patients get breast cellulitis? | ||
29 | --- | What is the likelihood that you think I'll need physical therapy? When would that start and for how long? | ||
30 | --- | What exercises/diet do you recommend I do between now + the surgery? After the surgery? For example, an amount of water to drink, etc? | ||
31 | --- | How long after surgery do I have to wait to shower? How often should I shower after that? | ||
32 | --- | How long after surgery do I have to wait to shave or use deoderant? | ||
33 | If you're getting silicone implants | How often will I have to come in for an MRI to get checked to make sure of no leaks? What happens if they detect a leak? | ||
34 | If you're getting saline implants | If I believe one of my breasts deflated / leaked, how long is it usually for me to have to wait to get an appointment to get a new implant? | ||
35 | If implants | How often will I need to get breast implants fixed or washed out? | ||
36 | If implants | How often will I need to come back for fill appointments and other appointments after mastectomy? | ||
37 | If DIEP or implants | Will my breasts sag as I get old? Will my breasts be extra perky after the surgery? | ||
38 | If implants | Do you suggest we do over-the-muscle or under-the-muscle surgery? What are the pros / cons of each? | ||
39 | If implants | Are the implants you use teardrop or round? I see teardrop have a connection to BIA-ALCL. Do you see that? | ||
40 | If implants | What is your experience with your patients having Breast Implant Illness (BII)? What can we do now to avoid that, if anything? | ||
41 | First Post-Opp Appointment | If DIEP | ||
42 | If expanders | What % are my expanders already filled? (How many cc's?) Can you explain how often I'll be coming in for my 'fill' appointments? | ||
43 | If DTI | |||
44 | --- | How long should I wait until I can carry things >5 pounds? | ||
45 | --- | How long do I have to wait to drink alcohol? Have sex? | ||
46 | --- | When do you expect for my drains to come out? | ||
47 | --- | How is my swelling? How about my bruising? | ||
48 | --- | How do my incision areas look? Any redness or pinkness I should be concerned about (for example, with breast cellulitis)? How are the scars healing? | ||
49 | --- | Did the pathologist look through my tissue that was removed? Did they find any cancer? | ||
50 | --- | How is my flexibility looking compared to what you'd expect from a patient with my timeline? | ||
51 | Appointment leading up to Reconstruction Surgery | If expanders | Any concerns you have about reconstruction? | |
52 | If expanders | Will there be any fat grafting for reconstruction? If so, from where? | ||
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