Jumping breast
Jumping breast Hi. I posted this somewhere on the forum and can’t remember where to see if i have any replies so trying again. Had mastectomy with lat dorsi recon and reduction other side 6 march. Expander implant put in. At first was disappointed with the reduction, looked too small, but looks a lot better now, but recently everytime I do anything that requires pressure on my recon side my boob jumps. I had heard of twitching and sure the surgeon said he’d cut something on the top of my arm to stop this but it obvoiusly hasn’t worked. It is quite a big jump, could get the other side done and take up juggling with them!! I’m not seeing my consultant for 3 more weeks so wondered if anyone else has had this experience and whether it settles down.
regards
Linda
Hi Linda Yes, I saw your post and this is what I replied:
It’s good to hear from you again on the forum.
Glad to hear you are OK and things settling down.
My recon still goes into spasm occasionally and I can make it move by clenching under my arm - yes it does look like the muscle man! I am sure that I read something on this forum fron another girl whose LD recon twitched, so there are probably more like us out there. Even if I just clench my hand it moes and pulls my boob towards my underarm.
I have to have some corrective treatment done further down the line, as the muscle has pulled and given me a large dimple by the cleavage part of my boob - so I do not have a very good cleavage and have to be careful what I wear. My surgeon says that the muscle will slacken off in time, but I am not sure if it ever stops behaving like a muscle - something to add to my list of questions.
I always have and am still wearing very supportive type bras - my recon is still slightly bigger and a more rounded shape, but it’s not that noticeable. It feels quite heavy and droops more than my reduced side - I was expecting it to be the other way round - so if I go without good support the difference is more noticeable.
Take care
Anita
thanks for your reply Anita. How are things with you apart from the recon. Are you having chemo? Hope you are not feeling too unwell.
My boob jumps when whenever I have to do anything which requires pressure on that side, even holding bread to slice it!
I presume you didn’t have an expander implant then if you were able to wear a bra from the start. When I look down the new breast looks almost as big as the other but the reduction is quite pointed and the recon isn’t so it doesn’t fill a cup. I managed to get a sports bra for the gym, (when I go!) but it looks as tho I need to put a sock in it to fill it out! Also it is still very big under my arm, hope that will soften eventually. The whole breast is still quite hard, is yours? I have to have a little crease in my cleavage snipped off later and I think when I am fully inflated they may remove that implant and put in another.
On the whole tho I am pleased with the result and quite like having smaller boobs, still need to lose the belly tho!
Anyway, thanks again and take care of yourself.
Much love
Linda
Hi Linbo Hi Linbo,
I had a LD operation in 2005. Yes the muscle jumped a lot at first but this has decreased with time. I’ve not had any nerves cut.
To be honest it takes the brain a little time to stop treating the muscle as a back muscle but eventually it does happen.
The only thing that makes my boob jump now is when I cough and the jump is very small - so small that no one else would notice except my husband, and even then he would need to place his hands on both my breasts.
Good advice from surgeon was 1) avoid situations where the muscle jumps 2) if possible get partner to massage both boobs simultaneously so that the brain gets used to the idea that the muscle is now part of a breast.
Hope that this is useful.
Best wishes,
Sue
Thanks Sue I think it was on one of your posts that I initially read about the jumping boob!
I’ll pass on your suggestion 2 to my partner - he can’t wait to get his hands on them - even the recon , which I don’t really see as a boob quite yet, but he does!
Thanks for your advice
Anita
Hi Linda I am half way thru chemo - have had 3 FEC and start on 3 Taxotere in a couple of weeks. I’m Ok - been very lucky and had almost no nausea and a list of other minor side effects - just tired really. The chemo does slow down the healing process, which is something you don’t think about when deciding on the recon option to go for.
My recon is a funny shape, due to the back muscle pulling towards my arm and it will need pulling back and tidying up when all my treatment is over. It has softened quite a lot, but it still feels very heavy and has almost no feeling in it whatsoever. It is far more droopy than my reduced boob - it needs a lift - I still think the skin flap is too big. Like you, my reduced boob is a lovely shape and pointy, but the recon is much more rounded.
I had an implant at the same time as the LD, and I can actually feel the top of the implant due to the recon shifting sideways.
How does your expander implant work - do they have to make a new cut to get it out to replace it, or do they re-open along the scar line. I was not given this option - but did you have mastectomy first and recon at a later date?
I like having smaller boobs too - far more choice and no more ‘minimiser’ bras! I am looking foward to buying something really extravagent!
I have put on weight and my already large stomach looks huge to me, now that I can see it when I look down!! Oh well, I will worry about that when I finish chemo.
I liked Super Sue’s advice - I will have to stop doing my party trick of flexing my boob and making it move. My partner will be pleased to hear that massaging both together will help my brain think of them as 2 boobs - he already sees my recon as a ‘boob’ whereas I don’t yet!
Take care
Anita x
Hello Anita. Glad to hear that you are not feeling too unwell with the chemo, hope it continues well for you. As I think I said I didn’t need to have any further treatment so I consider myself very fortunate compared to you and all the others who are still having to go thro so much. That’s why I feel i shouldn’t really moan about my boob. I shall be thinking of you and wishing you well.
I had the recon at the same time but they decided to put in the expander when I said I was worried I may be too small after. I can either keep the expander in altho doc says sometimes the boob deflates when they remove the port by which it’s filled, (visions of me flying round the room like a balloon!) or they can remove it and put in another, silicone I presume, but I’m not sure how they do it. Don’t think it’s much to do as when I asked about the lifetime of the implants and would I be too old to have it replaced when it needed it he did say it was a simple procedure. At the mo I have a hard lump under the skin on the boob line under the arm which is the port they inject the saline in. Better than going to the garage to the air pump I suppose. I believe they inflate a couple of times, only had one yet, until it is bigger than the other side and then let it down a little. Will let you know how it goes. Like you it does seem to pull to the side but hope that will sort out as we go along. I was going to wait till I saw him to get a bra but am going to M&S tomorrow to see if I can get anything to fit as I think I need a bit more support on the reduced side.
I was concerned that the reduction was still big under my arm but apparently that isn’t breast tissue but me, I think he was too polite to say fat!!
Haven’t tried massaging yet, I think someone said wait till I’m inflated, I will check with doc, but I don’t want my husband to think it’s his birthday yet and hes’ getting a treat!!!
Well I’ve waffled on too long so good luck with the rest of your treatment and keep in touch.
Lots Love
Linda xx
Hi SuperSue, thanks for your reply.
The jumping only really started in the last couple of weeks which is a couple of months after op, no problem with coughing but so many other movements cause it and altho it’s my left side and I am right handed it is surprising how much I use my right arm. Still I will take your advice and hopefully it will lessen. Do you think I can get out of the filing in work!!! Will try the massaging technique too if husband is a good boy!
Thanks for taking the time to get back to me. All the best to you.
Love Linda xx