Implant & future monitoring

Hi - I’m now 11 months post Mx with ld flap recon, TAC chemo & rads having finished at christmas and now having herceptin. I’m trying to make a sensible decision about having an implant to make up the size on the recon side - I did’t have one before due to the 5 weeks rads I needed (didn’t get clear margins…).

The thing that’s worrying me is that I can’t see how I’d feel against my chest wall (where the tumour was) if I have an implant in. I met someone at a Breakthrough BC event who said she’d had the same worry so had her implant removed and lo & behold DID get a recurrence.

I’m considering therefore to just go with a bit of lipo-fill in the crease I have and to carry on living with my prosthesis.

Any thoughts?? - Practicle ones in particular - I know I have to do what I can live with - I just don’t KNOW what I can live with!!

Thanks Td xx

Hi - I had LD reconstruction in June 2007 with tissue expander. Had chemo and 5 weeks of rads. The tissue expander is hard and I am hoping to get that changed for an implant. Have appointment today so will know more later.

I actually asked the oncologist last year about how would I know if it came back on the chest wall as I had heard about this. She said it is just a term but that if it came back it would be in the skin and you would see it.

Liz xx

I was also told any recurrence would be noticeable on the skin or along the scar, not behind the implant. I have my implant and noone is taking it away I love it.

K xx