BRCA2 experience - aesthetic flat closure
Here to share my (F27) BRCA2 experience up until now because I was constantly searching for peoples stories when I was still in the middle of it so this is for people like me that want to read every experience. Excuse my English btw, it’s not my first language as I am Dutch. This will probably be a bit of a long story.
In July of 2025 I got my blood tested for the BRCA2 gene because my father has it, all of his sisters had breast cancer as well as about 3 of his uncles and more women on that side of the family. I have always known this so I was always planning on testing my blood around my 25th birthday because I was told that is when I would have to start screening if I did have it. A few weeks later I found out that I am indeed BRCA2 positive. When I actually got my blood tested I thought it wouldn’t be a big deal as I have always known I may have it but it did have a bit of an emotional impact on me.
Bit of backstory around my boobs:
When I was a teen I always thought I would just get my breasts removed as I did not like them at all, they were very big and uncomfortable. It was hard to find a bra, clothes fit weird, men stared at them, etc. But about 5 years ago I had a breast reduction and I have loved them so much ever since. It had a massive impact on how I view myself and also how others view me as well I think. I used to think I did not have a very nice body but after the breast reduction I felt so beautiful and comfortable. I started exercising and lost some weight. People told me things like “wow you look so nice”. So when I heard I did have the gene I immediately felt scared of losing that positive nice view of myself and my body.
A bit about making the decision to get my breast removed:
Up until I got the results I used to very casually think I will just get rid of my breasts and go flat or maybe DIEP FLAP as implants weird me out for some reason. But now all of a sudden I was scared of losing that feeling that I was beautiful and that feeling of being very comfortable in my body. Deep down I did know I wanted to get them removed anyway as I did not want to have to think about breast cancer all the time but it took me a while and many tears to get there. I talked to all my friends, family and everyone else that would listen about it and the hospital provided therapy sessions.
In December of 2025 I was sure about it, I put myself on the waiting list that my hospital has in the beginning of January 2026 and was told it would be my turn about a year later probably. I wanted to go with AFC (aesthetic flat closure). At first I thought DIEP FLAP would maybe also be good but I didn’t want to have such a big operation on my belly as well when there was a change that it would fail and that I would have to be flat anyway (or go for implants but the idea of them gives me the ick). I would not mind having a flatter belly but that is probably because of the beauty standards of this day and age so I didn't want to let that impact my decision.
I found theebooblessbabe and marisaannraminez (both BRCA1 I think) on instagram and they helped me so much with getting used to the body of a woman without breasts. I also have a few transgender people in my life that helped me learn that gender is not defined by what your body looks like. And I also searched the internet for weeks/months for stories of other people making this decision. I read/watched everything I could find.
The period before the operation:
Then came the period of waiting for the operation date. It was easy not to think about it because it was out of my hands so I just went on with life. The date turned out to be way sooner than they told me in January: May 6th. They called me two weeks before if I wanted to get the operation done on that day, and after taking a day to think about it I said yes.
Those two weeks were probably the worst two weeks of this whole experience for me. I got very sad about it and also angry that I had to get this done. I cried a lot and could think of almost nothing else, I could not concentrate on work or anything. The days felt very heavy and as May 6th got closer the days kept feeling heavier.
The morning of the operation I was very very sad but tried not to think too much about it as I just wanted to get it over with. But when the nurse put in my IV and started asking me a few questions I couldn’t keep the tears in and cried the entire time up until the moment I was put under (that was about 45 minutes or so). People kept telling me to think of something very nice and try to feel happy right before they put me to sleep and I tried so so hard but it was impossible. Thinking back, I feel so sorry for myself at that moment. That extra pressure of trying to be happy only made it worse I think. It is true that you wake up happy if you go under feeling happy, I learned that with the breast reduction 5 years ago. But it was soooo easy then because I really wanted the operation at that time. If you are planning to undergo an operation with a similar mindset I would say just accept it, don’t fight it like I did.
After the operation:
When I woke up I felt the same as when I went under (very sad), I just continued crying as if nothing had happened. But that was actually okay because I felt how it made sense for me to feel. I also felt relief that it was over but also a lot of pain so they gave me dilaudid and that helped a lot and I think that also helped me to feel a bit less sad. After about 3 days or maybe even sooner, there was no pain at all anymore so I stopped taking paracetamol.
Seeing the wounds for the first time felt fine for me and weirdly I have not missed my breasts at all these last 2 weeks and 2 days. I also still like my body when I look in the mirror. I do have some dog ears in the middle and I don’t know yet if I mind. It is because the surgeon had to cut out all of the scars from the breast reduction, he said that made it more difficult to get it all completely flat. He put the skin together very tightly, like so much so that I still have difficulty standing straight sometimes. But that gets better everyday. I like my left side way more than the right side and in moments struggle a bit with frustration that my right side is not as nice as the left side. But I try not to judge until it’s all completely healed.
I had drains for only one night and a compression binder thing for 1 week and 2 days. Other than some frustration that I have to take it easy, the recovery process is pretty good. I slept with a lot of pillows behind my back to create a sort of wedge and one pillow under my knees for almost 2 weeks. I make a lot of progress every day and plan on going back to work on the 26th of May (almost 3 weeks post op). I work an office job and I think that I could have gone back a little sooner maybe but I am still tired sooner than normal and here in the Netherlands I can take all the time I need. I went to Ikea yesterday on my motorcycle (40 minute drive) and that was no problem at all so I feel work will probably be fine too.
There is a small red spot that appeared 2 weeks post op just above my right side and a very small amount of fluid came out but at the hospital they think it’s nothing to worry about and probably just irritation or something. Other than that, no complications.
So that is my BRCA2 experience up until now, with my boobs at least. Happy with my decision for this operation. If anyone is interested I can post some pictures of my AFC. I still have to deal with the chance of cancer in my ovaries but that will be a separate journey for me.