Breast Reconstruction, Sex, Fertility, and the Future: Breast Cancer Survivor Tales

The effects of breast cancer on your body, your sex life, and decisions about your future can be devastating—but they're not the same for everyone. We spoke to experts around the country as well as a range of breast cancer survivors about what it all really feels like.

Also see part 1 of this series, about issues such as chemo brain, family companionship, and mastectomy.

Reconstruction or not?
Deciding how you want to look after breast cancer surgery is very personal, says Leslie R. Schover, PhD, professor of behavioral science at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. “Not all women choose reconstruction after mastectomy; in fact, only 17% do. It’s a really personal choice that has nothing to do with sensuality or taking care of yourself,” she says.

Some women know that they want to have reconstruction done right away—like Adriene Hughes, who had a temporary implant put in after her single mastectomy and then had implants put in both breasts 18 months later.

Others aren’t so sure, though. “I have no plans for reconstruction,” says Debbie Arkin, 49, of Tampa, Fla., who had a double mastectomy to remove stage IIa invasive ductal carcinoma in 2006. “I love not wearing a bra. I had 34DD breasts and am enjoying the break from having all that weight on my upper body.”