Hello All,
I have had a mx on right side and have had temporary expander implant in for 5 months now. I am very uncomfortable and uneven. Im looking at next option! Im athletic and slimish, and very strength aware. I climb and swim, cycle, hike etc. Size 36D normally. I work as a hiking guide.
I have refused LD flap for strength reasons. I am too slim for tummy flaps, although I am getting fatter and maybe DIEP will become option?
I have been offered Inferior Gluteal Artery Perforator Flap, which is lower bottom, OR Gracilis flap which is high inner thigh area. Both of these would leave me very uneven in another area of my body I think!? Has anyone any experience of this procedure and the after effects, especially to do with symetry and strength and recovery in the doner part of the body. Am I just swopping one asymetry and discomfort for another!? I am only reconstructing one.
Please help if you can. Thanks. Big hugs to all.
Stephanie (South Warwickshire area)
Thanks Sally Lou.
Do you think after the operation (IGAP from bottom) I will have any long term trouble with lots of sport? I hike, cycle,climb,swim long distance and do yoga?? From scar and tightness? Im used to extremme flexibility.
I need a DD from my bottom and I am 5ft 7ins and 10 stone?
Did you have implant with IGAP, or flap alone?
Thanks for helping.
My op should be 4th Feb!!
Stephanie
Havent found anyone whose had Gracilis flap.
I had a delayed LD flap Christmas 2008, and was so absolutely thrilled with the result that in November 2009 I had another one (on the lefthand breast which had previously had the breast tissue removed and replaced with an implant, but this was not nearly as visually acceptable as the LD flap recon).
I am exceptionally active - yoga and tennis being my main activities - and these have not been affected in any way at all. On both occasions, I was back at yoga within three weeks of surgery and tennis within four. (I’m not saying that everyone could be, but this is how it was for me). I do not feel that the strength in my back has been diminished in any way whatsoever.
The LD flap seems to be getting a huge amount of bad press, but it was certainly the right choice for me.
Firstly, I don’t think you’ll have any long term problems with the scar on your bottom - mine doesn’t bother me at all and my op was nearly a year ago. It hasn’t bothered me for a long time so I can’t see that you will have any problems.
I don’t think you’ll get a DD cup with the IGAP - I’m now a B but very happy with that as that’s what I was for a long time.
For some reason, my boobs ballooned from fairly small to 32E, so when I had my first recon (the DIEP) my surgeon did a double DIEP, which using both sides of the flap, she “piggy-backed” the two flaps, one on top of the other, and put a small implant in the side of the recon to create a round shape. It was very good, matched the other side and she has presented my case to surgeons in China! Because my IGAP would be significantly smaller, I chose to have the implant removed at the same time, and in September this year I had a final op to liposuction fat out of my DIEP which was then injected into the IGAP to round it out.
I didn’t mind having the implant, but I’ve heard you have to have them replaced about every 10 years.