I’m just doing some research into the pros and cons of the different types of reconstruction. The breast care nurse and the registrar I saw have opposing views so I’d really like some other points of view from those who’ve actually had reconstruction.
I’m quite slim and have already been told I don’t have enough ‘back’ to do that surgery. The tummy option seems so ‘brutal’ to me and the thought of all the scarring and subsequent stiffness worries me. I’m favouring just having a permanent ‘tear drop’ implant at the moment…but will this look any better than my temporary one, which to be honest looks very unattractive.
Any thoughts?
Hello Issy166, I had a back flap done with reconstruction implant in 1989 and have been very happy with the results. A close friend had the tummy op done a few years later and she has had no problems either. My friend has always been slim. I was fairly slim at the time of my op, not as slim as my friend though. Both of us are happy with the results.I would be happy to show you if you lived nearby. Can your breast care nurse let you speak to someone arounbd the same age as you who has had these ops? They did let me meet someone before I decided what to do and it gave me the confidence to go ahead. The books/photos they had way back then were awful.I have shared my physical results with many young women in the same place as yourself. Hope this helps. Love Val
Hi, I’m trying for a tummy op. I’ve been advised by my surgeon that implants can need some ‘maintaining’ so I’m opting for the larger operation and longer recovery for hopefully, “better long term results”. This is what my surgeons tell me anyway. I have a friend who had a delayed reconstruction via back flap and hers looks great and she loves it. I think the outlook is good either way.
Enjoy having your boobies back!
Dear issy166,
You have obviously already done a lot of research but I thought this link to an animation about the different types of reconstruction may help.
Very best wishes
Janet
BCC Facilitator
Hi there
Sounds like I’m in a similar situation to you. I had a temporary one last year with a view to having the ‘tummy tuck’ one this year. However the closer the date came to the op the more scared I became and I realised my heart wasn’t in it.I was anxious about the same issues as you.
So I went back for further discussions and have decided to have a permanent implant and possible uplift to the other side to help them to match. I feel much happier and less daunted about this especially as it only involves one night in the hospital-hurrah!!!
Perhaps someday in the future I’ll have the tummy tuck one but for me ,not yet.
I guess everyone is different though and I’ve heard of lots of people who are happy with both options.
I’m hoping the end results will look good- like you said, hopefully better than what is there now!!
love Freddie x
i had a similar experience last year when i was going through mx and recon – i opted for the diep recon because thats what the ps convinced me was best long term, but it failed and the process left me with a horrendous scar which has yet to be fixed. then this year i had to decide whether i wanted an ld or expander/implant recon and i opted for expander/implant because one of my good friends is a ps in the states and she said that this will be the most comfortable recovery and i can do the ld later on if i want.
even though i have had complication i have to say the expander recovery is so much nicer than the diep flap
Thank you all for your comments
Scottishlass : what has you movement been like in your shoulder is there stiffness there?..and your friends tummy how has that recovered? Thanks for the offer a looking at yours, I’m in Bristol (and I’m guessing you are in Scotland). The breast care nurse has offered to show me photos.
Freddie: you sound very like me, when are you going to have your op?
Annie: what maintenance do implants require! And please tell me how it goes
Akanksha : your experience sounds awful, but thanks for sharing it with me
Sue x
hiya
I had delayed reconstruction done. I wanted all treatment finished with before putting myself under any more stress (that and I was sick of hospitals - lumptectomy, mastectomy, hysterectomy, chemo, rads etc etc. So I took a year out, then decided at a mates bbq (hot weather and stick on boob kept sliding off kind of made the decision for me) to have the surgery. So back to the consultant for a poke and a prod. He advised against the tummy reconstruction (i was opting for that one) as if it goes wrong it could go badly wrong, plus the surgeon had taken all the stuff he wouldve used for it after the hysterectomy. So more poking and prodding…i asked about having it taken from my bum (worth a try, and the idea amused me, so many different ways of saying kiss my bum - im a tad twisted) but again he said no. So he settled on taking the muscle from my back and an implant. Was a killer of a surgery, and I was in for a week and a half (id always prided myself on escaping within 4 days with all surgeries). It was a long op, just over 9 hours. Initially I lost a lot of strength on the left side, but with constant gentle exercises and gentle stretching I got the strength back. I do have some feeling back in the new boob, which is weird, as the nerves are still a bit confused over where they are. But its great to have some feeling, whereas before after the mastectomy there was nothing. I had the final stage reconstruction done in January this year - new nipple and a boost up for the other side. Im happy to say that my boobs are marvelooooous…and soooo much better than what nature (sorry mum) provided. best of luck with what you decide
Hi Issy
I had MX and immediate DIEP free flap (using tummy tissue but no muscle) reconstruction on 6th July. I was thrilled with it … though at the moment feeling a little disappointed as I now have to have radiotherapy which is likely to change shape of my lovely new breast.
Despite Akanksha’s horrid experience I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this surgery as it produces a lovely natural breast and requires no future ‘maintenance’.
I cannot pretend that it is not a big decision to make … the 10.5 hour surgery carries all the risks that any major surgery carries. I did have painful blisters from my dressings for a few weeks. I got an infection in my abdominal incision that made me quite porrly for a week, and the drains are a major pain.
However, I am relatively young (49) and otherwise fit and healthy and the recovery has gone quite quickly. I was back to work full time exactly 6 weeks after surgery and am now able to do everything that I usually do. My tummy still feels a little bit weird and stretched on occassions and my left arm doesn’t have quite it’s full range of movement. But other than that I feel better than I have since February when my chemo started.
I am a bit overweight so the beautifully flat tummy has been an added bonus.
Feel free to ask any questions that you have regarding this surgery.
Jacqui
Hi
Sorry to hear you now need radiotherapy. I am 53 and considering delayed DIEP reconstructon after MX. Does your tummy have an overhang from the fat they didnt take - this has been mentioned by some women on other sites. Ialso am a bit over weight so the thought of a tummy tuck as well as a new breast is tempting
Hi janecathryn,
I had a mx and immediate diep recon back in oct 09. The results have been brill with a natural looking breast. Unfortunately, I had complications during the lengthy op so had to wait for reduction and uplift until April this year. Result was that not only did I have the reduction and uplift to unaffected breast, but my surgeon also decided to do a load of abdominal lipo to “improve” scar contour, so now really do have a lovely flat tum. The benefit was that everything had settled post mx and so any probs like the little extra I was carrying around the middle could be assessed and removed. What a result!!!, so please don’t worry as a little extra can be sorted, downside was another op but I guess it is a pathway that we travel along and this is just part and parcel of that.
Hope this helps,please feel free to PM me if you want any more info.
Regards,
Marjay
HI all not sure if i am doing this right but I had a back flap and node removel on 3/8/10. I am still very sore 5 weeks on. I stopped taken pain killers so i could monitor my pain and they were makeing me very silly. Breast very hard and i am stiff down my left side. It feels like I am carrying bag of potatoes around on my chest. Someone plese tell me it gets better.
I had a delayed LD flap in February this year, with implants in both sides two weeks ago. I am delighted with the results. I have had no problems with my shoulder, no loss of strength. I had been worried about that beforehand, but the worry was completely unfounded.