I had LD recon 10 years ago, started hoovering too early - but I was discharged within 5 days and took another 2-3 weeks to recover and have the stitches out. The overall look was great and was really impressed. I was so glad I had it done, but like others say, it is a very personal choice when so much is going on.
Hi All
Thank you all for your comments. I know the recon is the right decision for me.
When I was in hospital for my WLE & SNB the lady in the next bed had previously had a recon & was in for op to add nipple. She did show me her breast & it did look like a normal breast just without the nipple so although my BC nurse was great & showed me the pictures seeing a ‘live’ one has helped my when thinking about how it would look to be able to accept this.
Only two weeks to go before op (weather permiting) so will be able to let you know how it has all gone.
Using these forums def helps so again thank you for all your comments.
Susan
x
I had a bilateral mastectomy and double recon with LD back flaps and implants 10 weeks ago. I found the first few weeks quite difficult, -the pain wasn’t too bad but I felt very uncomfortable and did not have the strength to do very much. After 6 weeks I could do most things in the house and I feel almost back to normal now.
I am very pleased with how I look (even though the implants have not yet been inflated). I have a small cleavage and the ‘breasts’ look quite natural. All swelling has gone down and the scars are very neat. I still can’t do some things - like open very heavy doors! but it is getting better all the time and I am not worried that I will be left disabled in any way (a big worry before the op)
The only thing I am finding it hard to cope with is the awful tight feeling under my arms and the muscles tightening whenever I move my shoulders back. I have been told by people who have had this op that it will get better over time (they are all delighted with their LD reconstruction)but they can’t remember how long it took. Anyone able to remember when the discomfort started to get better??
I had MX and immediate LD recon 8 weeks ago. I found it really tough deciding what option to go for. Originally I had SNB and WLE for a grade 2 invasive tumour and, as it was very small I really expected that to be the end of it apart from radiotherapy (and so did the surgeon). Unfortunately he found pre-cancer on several sides and I was advised to have a mastectomy. I was totally shocked and my first reaction was just to go ahead and not have any kind of reconstruction, but then over the next week I weighed up all the options and realised that I personally would feel quite low about not having anything there. My surgeon showed me lots of photos, and I also talked to several people who had had LD recon. I liked the look of the LD recons as they are more soft and natural looking and I couldn’t face implants. I remember saying to my husband “I don’t like ANY of the options” and he said, “well then you have to choose the least-worst option for you”. Although I was frightened about the big op, I plumped for the LD. The week in hospital and first week home with drains still in were very hard. I felt really scared about the pains and stiffness in my back and wondered whether I’d ever be the same again. Once the drains were out I had a seroma drained twice, and at that stage I was only walking around the house and not doing much at all. But then from about week 5 things started to improve a great deal. I gradually managed to walk further and do more. Sharp pains I had in the back have now eased, especially since finding a wonderful physio who worked minutely on the area, making the muscle glide much more freely. The hospital physios were very nice, but actually just recommended exercises and didn’t really “work” on me. I have improved gradually each week. Apart from lifting heavy things or pulling heavy things such as the iced-up freezer door, I can do most normal daily activities. Alot of the surface nerves on my back are numb and so my back does still feel “strange”, but it is definitely getting better. Cosmetically I am delighted with the result. My new breast is a very natural shape and is soft and although slightly bigger, it is a good match for the other one. I am planning to get the nipple done in the coming months. My surgeon was Mr Kokan at Macclesfield and I would recommend him to anyone. He is a very polite, caring man with excellent bedside manner but also clearly very skilled at what he does. I have heard nothing but positive about him from other patients and also from the nurses. I was warned before this op that it can take over a year to feel “normal” again and so I think the key is to be patient and not to expect too much from yourself and realise that it is a long haul.
Hi I had a modfied radical mastectomy, LD reconstruction and complete lymph node removal on 17th December 2009 and I was home on Christmas Eve 2009. Although I was on a drip for morphine and IV fluid drip and two drains it didn’t bother me, infact I missed the drains when they removed them on Christmas eve as I had nothing to carry out with me.
I have now twice had the seroma drained at the hospital which was really easy.
My scar on my back is great, my right breast that had the back tissue moved to it is great also, although there was a leak from the front drain hole which I am managing myself.
When I was told that I would have to have a mastectomy in September 2009 I knew immediately that I did not want an implant but the dorsi flap after reading about it on the net.
It is now 2.5 weeks since my operation and although I can’t use my right arm fully at the moment due to cording, I feel great in myself.
I am waiting to now see the oncologist to see if I need Chemo or radiotherapy or Tamoxifen or Herceptin. I had two cancer lymph nodes out of 21 and residual grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma 1cm plus a second tumour of 2cm of mixed invasive and in situ disease within the central part of the breast along with lymphovascular invasion. The tumour was ER 7/8, PR 7/8 and HER2 positive which I think is High Risk and after reading on the web also means that I am less likely to respond to treatment and more likely to have cancer coming back.
If you do have the LD reconstruction before you know it, you will be fealing if you are back to your old self. Two and a half weeks and I am corresonding to my friends by email and playing the piano while my husband does all the housework although I have put some washing on.
Good Luck.
Hi, I am new to all the abreviations. Does LD refer to Lattissimus Dorsi. I am due to have this in two weeks and I am terrified. Smallish breasts. A lovely lady at the hospital who was there for her dressings changed told the nurse I could have a look at her scars and have a chat. She certainly made me feel a little better. She lost her hair, my biggest dread, hope this doesn’t make me sound vain. Hers has grown back and she said its in better condition than before.
Thankyou.
Anne X
Lola,
I have just read your post and am feeling so much more positive now. I think I have scared myself so much with morbid thoughts regarding the pain. For some reason I thought my active life was over. Will keep you posted om my progress.
Anne X
Hi everyone.
Just to let you know it is now a month today since I came out of hospital after my mastectomy, LD reconstruction and lymp node removal and I feel great.
The cording has almost but not quite gone now. I can reach to the top of the doors and going back to work on 1st feb hopefully.
My scar is healing nicely around my breast and I don’t mind not having a nipple. The scar ony back is neat and tidy and I have gone on my exercise bike and have started walking briskly again.
My real worry is my chemotherapy which starts on Friday 29th January. Having read all about the side affects I have been crying, fearful of getting an infection .i’ m going to get a wig as I have been told that I will lose my hair and my 20 year old daughter is finding it all hard and won’t talk about it.
I have very slight lymphodema and may have to have more fluid drained which painless.
Good luck and have a good week everyone.
V xxxxx
Bumped for Anne
Snoogle
x
Oops, just realised you’ve been here already.
Snoogle
x
Mattsmam,
Glad to hear my post made you feel more positive. It’s two weeks since my original post and I can honestly say that I am physically even better than when I wrote it. My strength is starting to come back. Obviously I am still conscious of it - when changing gears in the car for example, my arm does feel quite weak and my boob twitches - but have noticed I am striding out again when walking and doing heavier jobs without thinking too much about it. My reconstructed boob is still bigger than my original size (which is a pathetic AA!) but as I said before, it is a great shape and feel. My biggest problem at the moment is the fact that I still find wearing a bra uncomfortable and although I don’t really need the support I don’t like not having the shape that a bra gives. I suppose it’s still early days, even 11 weeks on. The physio told me last week that if I was opened up now I would see that lots of changes are still taking place in the tissues and I still have lots of internal healing to do. Am sitting here gradually burning up - thanks Tamoxifen! Good luck for your op Anne and remember to be very patient. I hope you will have plenty of support and help afterwards.
Hi Lola,
I too am a AA. I’m hoing to get lipofil in my good side after the LD flap is done. My PS has said to wait 6 months till the swelling has gone down and for everything to settle, and then consider it. The other possibility is an implant in my good side. My recon is scheduled for Feb 24.
What did you need to take into hospital with you for support after the operation? I have read that a sports bra is a good idea but they don’t come in AA! Maybe an A? Is that what my recon will be do you think? (It’s what I’m hoping for! Used to be an A before three children, would be lovely to go back to that again).
R
xx
Hi Roadrunner,
I’m not sure exactly what size my new boob is, but probably between an A and B (maybe a bit nearer a B)at the moment, but I suspect it will still reduce a bit. The second day after my op it was really swollen and the surgeon recommended I put on a sports type bra to compress it. Fortunately I had bought something in advance. I went for the only front fastening bra I could get in M & S as I knew from previous WLE and lymph node removal that it’s easier and less painful to get on a front fastener. (Also front fastening nighties are a must). The bra I got is a zip-up sports bra and I got size 36B (usually would have 34AA. Even this was a little tight at first, but did the job of compression. I had 3 of them to allow time for washing. I continued to wear the bras for the week in hospital and a bit when I got home, but at that point the surgeon said I could leave it off if I wanted and I found it made my pain worse, particularly at night, as it was digging in a bit at the back where my drains were. I actually really like the size of my new boob and it would be nice if the original one matched, but I don’t think I could face my good side being messed around with at the moment. I’m seeing my surgeon in about 10 days for a check-up so am interested to ask him if he would expect my recon to shrink any more and also see what he recommends. Don’t really know about Lipofill so I will ask him. The only time I had decent sized boobs before was during breast feeding when I was a lovely B cup! I naively thought the fact that I breastfed my two children for 2 and 3 years respectively would prevent me from ever getting breast cancer! X
I couldn’t believe how quickly I recovered from my LD reconstruction in June. Nobody can tell the difference which breast was operated on and I can and do wear the low cut and cleavage revealing tops/dresses. No complications apart from a little seroma which was syringed a couple of times and that was the end of that. Going back in about 3 weeks for a nipple recon. Am back to full health exercising etc and suffer a little tightness across the scar, but thats a small price to pay! Good luck to you…hope your road is as smooth as mine was.
Jane