Hi Ladies
I was DX 23 Oct and have DCIS and need to have a mastectomy, I think the Back flap seems to be a good option as I am 36B and should not need implant.
I see some ladies have problems both with pain and with the recon breast acting like back muscle.
What advice please on going for this option, really dont fancy the TRAM flap nor the implants.
I need to tell consultant tomorrow of my decision. None of the booklets I have read note any problems other than possibility of wound infection and fluid build up.
Sorry Carole, have only just seen your message so it’s a bit late. Hope your meeting with your consultant went well. What decision did you come to?
3 yrs ago I had LD with implant, I was 36 DD at the time (now **38DD what with naturally approaching menopause and possibly Tamoxifen effect), and P surgeon said I would need a small implant to match other breast. I didn’t have to think much about which reconstruction as the LD seemed right for me. The breast care nurse showed me a number of photos of different types of reconstruction, and I thought the results looked good plus the shorter recovery time was bonus.
To be honest, I did have some problems with healing - took much longer than lots of people - but that was just bad luck, not down to anything in particular. I did have some strange sensation with the back muscle - twitching now and again for around a year, I think, and I had a short-lived ache in my back after I had my nipple reconstruction, although nothing awful or lasting. I am very happy with the result. Friends I’ve shown since the nipple reconstruction and tattooing have been amazed at just how realistic it looks. **By the way, increase in size same in both breasts so weight gain not made me lopsided.
Good luck with it all. Best wishes, Timetraveller
hi read the thread should i go ahead positives please it helped me. its in this section. all i was reading on here was bad things now i am in a better frame of mind hope it helps you to. i should get my phone call tommorrow with a date if alls gone well with mri scan. take care
julie
xxxx
My daughter is having mastectomy and LD Flap recon on Monday. I know it won’t help you make decision now but I will post after Monday and let you know how she goes on. She has had loads of positive reports on this type of recon and that is why she is going ahead. As Julie said, read through the comments on this thread especially from Sarah and Lenise and it might help you. Everyone seems to say that they are pleased they have had it done. No operation or recon is going to be easy in the beginning and my daughter is really scared about next week but she keeps comforting herself by saying that hopefully they will get all the cancer and she will still have a breast even though it won’t look so good at first. As for me I am more uptight than she is … awful thing to have your daughter go through and being only 30 she was going to start a family next year … all this out of the window now of course. She has been very brave and is simply trying to go with the best advice which she thinks the LD Flap recon is. The worst bit for her is being an invalid for a while as she is so full of life and bounced with health before she was diagnosed in May. Anyway Carole best of luck whatever you decide and i will write on here next week.
Love Sue xx
Thanks for your postings, I really appreciate it. I am going ahead with LD flap recon I get Sentinel Node op on 21 Nov then LD etc on 1 Dec. Time Traveller, sorry you had some problems with it and really do hope that you are doing great now. I am quite lucky in that I am actually early menopause, started at 38 so already used to all that lot. I also want the nipple recon later on and the tatoo, strange as I always vowed I would never have a tattoo. Thanks so much for your positivity. Sue, So sorry to hear of your lovely daughter going thru this so young, again I am lucky as I have my 3 children, I wish your daughter and you and your family much luck, love and support thru this difficult time. Please let your daughter know that she is in my thoughts and that I wish her a speedy recovery. She sounds a lot like me as in I am dreading having people help me out with chores and spoiling me whilst I am in the hospital, not the sort of attention we really want I guess but I am slowly getting my head round it and knowing that my loved ones and friends are there for me means so much to me.
Julie hoep the MRI went well for you will read all the threads that you all advise
hi Carole
my MRI results in other breast was fine. so i have decided to have mastectomy and immediate recon back flap. i am going for measure up on 21st Nov whatever that involves and then the op on the 5th… a bit near Xmas for my liking but if it means that monster wont b helping me open pressys or cook dinner i will b happy.xxxxxxxxx
So glad to hear that your other breast is clear, well done. Measure up for me involved measuring both breasts and also some .degree of grabbing what fat I have on my back, all a tad undignified but essential for the op. Are they taking out sentinel node for you prior to LD flap op? My consultant thinks lymphs are clear but needs to check as if they have to do them later then it can be problematic apparently regarding healing and blood supply to the recon. Ask your BC nurse if you dont already know, we all have different things going on dont we! I like you am looking forward to Christmas without this alien in my body.
Sue, Very best wishes to your daughter for tomorrow and for you too, I know my folks are finding this very hard. Take care.
hi. Carole
we must stay in touch as it look as if we r having the same op close together. where abouts r u in the country… i had sentinel node biopsy and lumpectomy on 11th Oct. my lymph was clear but they found two small spots in the margin so now suggest mastectomy and recon to be on safe side… one thing i don’t get is lymph was clear but could it not be infected now as got other cancer. a q i will have to ask on 21 when i get measured. i don’t think i will be having rads or chemo as taking the lot away. i am not sure what drugs etc i will need either do you. my cancer was invasive ductal that’s all i know. take care be i touch
Julie
Glad you have the sentinel sorted out, what does the op involve? All I know is I go for radioactive injection on 20 Nov and sentinel on 21 Nov and that it is a 1 hour op day case. Don’t know anything about these margins you speak of. I knew from DX day that the breast had to come off I have non invasive but they keep telling me that it may be invasive they will know after the mast and recon on 1 Dec, 3 weeks after that for the results. What do you mean by other cancer? I understand that when they take out the sentinel it is like a junction. If they find no C in the sentinel then it is not possible for it to have gone to the lymph glands so I would not worry about your lymphs but best to phone your BC nurse to double check on that. I was told 2 weeks for results from the sentinel but as I have BUPA then it is slightly under the 2 weeks.
I live in the Aberdeen area - where are you?
Keep smiling and stay positive, I know it is hard sometimes but it is what is taking me thru this so far and the love from my family and friends. My very best wishes to you.