Has anybody out there had a reconstructed nipple?
I had mx and LD flap reconstruction 4 weeks ago and my surgeon did a reconstructed nipple at the same time which I was very pleased with. However, at the weekend I noticed that it was bleeding slightly and also weeping with a yellow pus like liquid. I contacted my BCN on Monday and she made me an appt for Tuesday with one of the doctors who said it wasn’t infected and gave me some dressings to put on it. i’ve got another appt on Monday for it to be checked. It is still bleeding and I’m getting worried that i’m going to end up losing it.
if anyone else has experienced this or has a reconstructed nipple i would be pleased to hear from them.
Linda x
Hello Linda, I had a nipple reconstruction in July, following Mx and DIEP in November last year. One week later it had some blood and liquid oozing out and needed steri strip dressing. It did bleed a little up til 4 weeks afterwards, each time scabs came off there was some bleeding. It took 6 weeks for all the scabs to come off and by then the skin was healed but still pink (so still healing).
I wore the foam rings to protect the nipple up to 6 weeks but in the evenings when not doing much I took it all offf and just had soft cotton top on - advised to do by nurse to help the wounds dry out, I also found this helped my skin as the foam rings feel a bit clammy.
Having gone through major surgery already you will cope with whatever happens. If you are following the advice from hospital then you are doing the best you can to ensure a good result and you just have to trust yur body. A friend of mine always says avoid using up energy worrying about something that has not happened and I think she is right although its not always easy to stick to that. When I started to worry or get frustrated about how long it took to heal I kept telling myself to give my body time.
I hope you get a good result and I know you will be OK no matter what happens as youve had the strength to get through the biposies, diagnosis, tests, treatment and surgery.
Lots of hugs, look after yourself
Strawberry xx
Hi Strawberry
Thanks for your reply - I was beginning to think there was nobody else out there who has had a nipple reconstruction! It is reassuring to know that you had experienced this also.
I’ve just got back from seeing my BCN and she said my nipple still looks OK and thinks that it is still bleeding because every time the dressing is taken off it is pulling the scabs off and it is not getting a chance to clot. She put a different type of dressing on and told me to try and keep it on until my appointment with my consultant next week.
How is your nipple now?
That’s good to know Strawberry. Mine has already shrunk from what it was like after my op which is good because it did stick out rather a lot. I’m not sure whether to have the tattoo or not. I’ve heard people say that it fades and doesn’t last very long. Was it painful to have?
Yes that is very helpful thanks Strawberry. How long after your reconstruction did you have the tattoo?
Thanks for all your info Strawberry. I’m just waiting for my appointment next week now when the dressing will be taken off and we can see if it has stopped bleeding.
Linda xx
Hey Linda and strawberrie,
I am so glad to find someone who had a nipple reconstruction. My doctor told me they will need to remove my nipple and I am so worried of having a breast reconstruction which doens’t look like a breast.
How is it now? How are you both feeling with the results? Did it improve your well-being? How is the surgery, they do the reconstruction in 3D and then they make a tatoo on it?
What do mx and LD flap mean? Sorry for so much questions. I am very anxious.
Hope you all have a great day.
Hi Carol Lina
Mx is just a short way of saying mastectomy and LD flap is a type of reconstruction where they take your own tissue from your back and use it to create a breast. This is what I had done 10 weeks ago and I am happy with how it looks. I also had a nipple reconstruction at the same time which was made from skin taken from my back. It was much bigger than my other one straight after surgery but now that it has shrunk I must say that it does look very much like a nipple. I have been told that I can have it tattooed at a later date if I want to make it the same colour as my real one.
Hope that is of some help to you xx
Many thanks Linda and Strawberry!