Hi.
Ive seen quite a few Diep flap surgery posts, but none with this combination.
Ive had Diep flap surgery with a reduction on one side and reconstruction on the other.
The surgery, although long was ok, but the next day, there was bleeding from the reduction side, which had nipple saving.
Long story short, necrosis destroyed the nipple and ultimately I ended up with a massive infection. At present, I have a large wound, which needs dressings every week and waiting for the ‘sloff’ to go, as I will now need a skin graft to cover the wound.
In amongst all of this, 3 days after surgery, i started to get edema in my legs. After suffering with this for 4 days, the surgeon put me on a 2 weeks course of water tablets.
It got rid of most of the fluid, however I now have nerve pain and numbness in my right leg (I had a mastectomy on this side 3 years ago and some lymphnodes removed)
The surgeon says, there was some complications with the reconstruction on this side and now I have veins pulling in my armpit on this side. I can’t remember what the surgeon called the extra surgery.
I am thinking, is this the cause of the nerve pain and numbness in my right leg, so maybe he’s cut the nerves connecting the right side of my body, because there’s nerve pain in my right arm as well.
I will try to make an appointment with my GP, as this discomfort has gone on long enough and my operation was almost 2 months ago.
When I told the surgeon about the pain in my leg, he said it wasn’t related, yet it wasn’t there before the operation?
Need to get to the bottom of this and some relief really.
Has anyone else had something similar, particularly leg pain after a diep flap.
Hi there,
I’ve just returned home from my diep reconstruction. I had it on Tuesday - left side, with right mammoplasty. Since they got me out of bed, I’ve had a numb patch on left thigh which has become increasingly troublesome. I did ask about it as I was scared it was a dvt, but they said it was not red, swollen or throbbing.
So now, i think I’ve got nerve damage from the diep in my thigh instead. It prickles and smarts. Somtimes its just numb, sometimes it is like a knuckle clenching painful sting. Is yours like that?
On monday I’ll ring my reconstruction nurses. I’ll ask them if nerve damage is a possibility and if my surgeon knows what the pain is caused by. It might help shed light on yiur pain too.
Thinking of you, you have been through so much, I did have a very bad infection after a reconstruction a few years ago, unfortunately this does take time to heal.
Reading, lots of other issues, I feel you need to contact your cancer team or GP tomorrow.
Wishing you well, lots of health and happiness going forward.
Ive been to the doctors and now arranged to have a blood test, so that he can rule out any dvt, but he suspects its nerve related.
Once the bloods come back, we can go from there with either treatment or further investigation, if its spine related.
If it helps @Concerned75, my nerve pain has worn off now. Still have some numb areas and ocassional tingly feelings, but it’s definitely improving. Hope it gets sorted for you soon. Xx
