Hi All
I recently had a meeting with a Plastic Surgeon to discuss a Reconstrction and was baffled by diff procedures on offer and the complexity of it all!!
Anyone recently undergone this. I have just turned 40 so think it would be a good to do but have a few doubts. Think procedure to go for is using a muscle from my back but how big would this scar be?
Hi Crazygal,
Welcome to the Breast Cancer Care discussion forums, you’ve come to the right place for some good support as the users of this site have a wealth of information and experience between them.
While you are waiting for replies I have put for you below the link to BCC’s animation regarding reconstruction. I hope you find it useful.
Take care,
Jo, Facilitator
I personally have no experience, but in my quest to decide treatment options I contacted a colleague who had the back muscle MX (LD FLAP)reconstruction. She looks fantastic, breast completly equal in size/shape, they feel natural to the touch and she is very happy with the result. Her scar on the back looked quite long/red but she assured me her bra covers this.She also had nipple reconstruction.I was amazed at how natural the breast hung, not at all Pamela Anderson!Hope that helps.
Hi
I had DIEP flap in July last year. That is using tissue from my tummy. It is a pretty complicated, long op and the abdominal scar is similar to a ceasarian scar. I had a skin sparing MX and immediate recon, so the scar on my breast is just a small, neat circle. I was absolutely thrilled with results initally, but I now have a band of hard scar tissue that has pushed my new breast up and it feels very hard, sits much higher than my natural breast and is appears quite alot bigger. As time goes on, I am not sure how I feel about it to be honest.
I chose tummy flap rather than tissue from my back as I have C size cups and my surgeon said there would not be enough tissue from my back and I would need implants too. I am still happy that I have no implants as once the surgery is over ther is no maintenance.
I have a long e-mail that I sent to someone back shortly after my surgery about the first 6 weeks following the op. PM me if you would like me to forward it to you.
It’s a big decision. Good luck
Jacqui
HI,
I had an LD flap (back flap) done last year and had a reduction and uplift on the other side at the same time. The scar on my back is about 10 inches long but its right on the bra line and mine is incredibly neat and tidy! I dont even think of it when im in a bikini because im actually really proud of it. In october I had my “dogs ear” taken off which in turn make the scar longer. The dogs ear is a flat of skin and the side of you which happens when they bring the muscle round. For me, the scar was preferential to the dogs ear. Im very happy with my recon. If you have any questions please ask away cause its a massive decision!!
all the best.
deed
xx
I had an LD flap last February. The scar runs from under my armpit to half way across my back. Like the others have said, it lies under my bra strap. It is visible if I wear anything with a low back - like a swimsuit - but that doesn’t bother me.
Hi All
Thanks for your advices. Cant believe its taken me 12 months to find this type of advice. Much better talking to people who have been thru it all.
Think the muscle from back the best option, cant take from my tummy, not enough fat apparantly!!(thats now what my clothes think) but will have to have an implant also, other option was from my bum but much longer operation. Deed, dont like to sound of the ‘Dogs Ears’ but hey ho, two breasts will be better than one…
Minds made up…gonna go for it…I think!!!
Hi
I am 52, I had a mastectomy and lymph node clearance in Jan 2007.
On the 14 Dec 2010 I had a right Tram Flap op, it is a very big op, I was in theatre for 10 hours. I got home after a week and felt very weak. I wasnt in a great deal of pain but wasnt prepared for how tired I would feel. 5 weeks on though I feel very good, I am now pottering about doing some cooking and light housework. I have benn out to the shops and visiting friends. The results are very good, everything seems to be healing well and I am delighted with my new breast.
Hope this helps
Carolyn x
Hi Crazygal
I had an LD flap immediate recon in November and I am delighted with the results. Like you, I also didn’t have enough fat on my stomach (must have been breathing in very hard that day) and I was adament that I wanted smaller breasts anyway so I had the muscle taken from my back and an implant. (I have quite large breasts and they have been a pain in the neck all my life!)
I am very impressed with how it looks and feels. I haven’t got much of a ‘dog ear’ and under clothes this looks fine. The scar across my back is hidden under my bra and the scars at the front are fading fast. As I have no problem showing my friends and family my new boob, they can’t believe how good it looks.
I am about to see plastic surgeon on Tuesday to discuss double mx and reconstruction and yes it all seems confusing to me too. Maybe once I have spoken to him I will know more.
I am assuming that you had your mx a while ago? Sorry I am new to all this, was diagnosed in December and joined the website today, so a little wet behind the ears.
Donna xx
Hi,
I’m due for a mastectomy and reconstruction on 25th Jan. I’ve chosen the method using a Strattice Mesh (pigs skin). It only involves one op. The implant is put in with the mesh and will slowly become part of me! This is quite new I believe.
I simply asked the consultant which he would recommend and he said if it was a member of his family he’d want them to have that one.
It doesn’t suit all though apparently only a, b and c cup.
I haven’t found anyone yet who can tell me if they have had it and how it went?
Teatime
x
Hiya, I had ld flap 18th nov.Although i am very pleased with the new breast the recovery is a long road.8weeks on im am still dependent on painkillers,cannot pick up my 2yr old grandson etc…I am 46 and am now also having chemo so that has set me back a little.The scar on the back is long but nice and neat but around it is very tight and numb,i now have back ache wich i have never had before.It is a very invasive and long surgery and something you should not go into lightly.I am sorry if i sound negative,maybe intime when the pain subsides i will feel more positive about this op. Good luck.
lynda.x
Hi I had the ld flap done on my right breast on the 4th August. I am pleased with the result. My surgeon told me he would make me a boob for a bra and that is what he did. It looks great in a bra, you can not tell the differences. It does take a long time to recover from the surgery but after five months I am only now starting to feel good. The strangest part of it for me was the weight of my new breast,I carried it around on my arm for the first few months but I can honestly say I cant feel it now. It feels normal which is a great relief as I thought I was going to feel this way forever. Good luck with what ever surgery you choose.
Hi Teatime
You’ll have had your op by now. Hope it went well. I’ve just joined this site or would have commented earlier. I had the same op in November with strattice mesh and it went well. i still feel the muscle contracting when I use that hand and it aches from time to time. The inside stitches were quite prominent and uncomfortable for a while but are going now. The end result is good.
Best wishes Chaffinch
Hi
Just got out of hospital yesterday after having had the LD Flap on left breast and mastectomy on right breast with double reconstruction. I was in hospital a week. The operation was 3-4 hours long and although I felt groggy and tired (to be expected), I feel okay. Its very early days but already they look good. Apparently she (the consultant) said she would put expanders in so I can pick the size I want to be. Its like shopping 
Hope all goes well
Krissy x
Hi Krissy
How good is that!!! Yes I’ll have a Double F Cup please :)LOL
Everyone doesnt seem to have any regrets and are happy with their new boobs.
Lisa
Hi I had a LD Flap reconstuction mid June My scar is from middle of back just above a bra line down towards my waist on the same side The scar on the front is a circle slightly bigger than the original nipple area which I think will mostly be covered by the tattoo in a few weeks time. I have just had the nipple made in the least invasive way small cut and stretch skin, stitches to come out on thursday .I am very pleased with the shape and size. I did say no dog ears please and the size and shape is really good I did say my usual size was 36B and that is what I am wearing now . I cant say a perfect match as the other side has a few scars from 8 years ago for a WLE lumpectomy op. After the first 6 weeks when my back was particularly uncomfortable then movement was easier and building up to normal activities Sometimes it seemed two steps forward one back Have been away skiing a few weeks ago my level of fitness is not as good as normal but I am sure that will come given more time and exercise My surgeon did ask when I was having the nipple procedure would I do it again (does he know something I dont ) I said I would not say no, it would depend on circumstances at the time but the same reasoning would be used so it was more than likely I would do it again , but not too soon
Hi
I had my reconstruction about 3 weeks ago, using the LD flap method (muscle from my back). First week was not pleasant, but then I don’t do well with anasthetic. The implant is one that can be inflated, and still feels like its not part of me, but that is getting better.
My mastectomy was in April 2009, followed by chemo and radio. All treatment finished in November 2009, so my reconstruction was just about 12 months later.
I am 45 years old, and was quite fit before the op. I went to the gym and walked a lot. 3 weeks later I have got most of my shoulder movement back, although my back aches if I do too much. The key thing, I think, is to get a good physio for post-op. Mine has been giving me gentle massage (luv-er-ly) at the start of the session, followed by stretches and I really feel the difference afterwards. We start resistance and strength building exercises in a couple of weeks, with a view to me doing a yacht race in June.
Good luck with your decision making.
Dennise xx
Forgot to say in my last post, the scar on my back is quite long but once it has settled down I am planning to get a tattoo over the area when it has settled down (flowers or something like that).
After much agonising over the decision between LD flap and submuscular implant using Strattice tissue matrix, I finally had my op. on 17 January.
In the end I decided to follow my consultant’s recommendation and opted for the implant and Strattice method. I had to stay hospital in for a whole week to ensure the strattice obtained a blood supply and I didn’t contract any infection - my consultant is a perfectionist, but I already knew that from my mastectomy. He made such a neat job of it I was scared that the recon might not look as good!
I am now waiting for everything to settle down, which it is doing, before we look at whether anything further will be needed to obtain good symetry. I have to say though, that it is looking better by the day and whilst I was initially concerned that the implant was sitting a little high, I can see that as the tissues settle down, it’s not a bad match at all. Very pleased with the outcome and no regrets (except maybe all the fretting I did beforehand)
I hope this is helpful to anyone else who may be in the position of making this decision which I personally found extremely difficult and daunting.
Best wishes
Awadan