Hi, I had an LD flap reconstruction with implant in October last year. It all went very well with no real complications. However, I am nearly 3 months on and still suffer from quite a bit of pain and discomfort. The back area seems fine now, it’s mainly my breast that hurts especially at night. I was advised to stop wearing the special bra after 2 months and have managed to find some quite supportive non-wired bras.
To make matters worse, I have been ill with the flu this week and the constant coughing has been agony for my breast!!
I was wondering if this is all normal and what experiences other people have had.
I know we are all different and my surgery was different to yours as I had DIEP flap and no implant in July last year, but I still get some pain too and the specialist nurse reassured me that this was not unusual.
I think it is difficult following surgery as after a couple of appointments relatively shortly after the op, you are pretty much left to your devices and you have no idea how you are supposed to feel.
If you are worried though, and feel that the pain you are experiencing is excessive, request an appointment with your surgeon to put your mind at rest.
I hope you aer over the flu.
Hi, had the mx&ld recon with ANC last Feb without implant, it really takes a while I think to heal, it still gets sore now, if you are worried, why not have the BCN have a quick look at it to reassure you! Hope you feel better soon! Tinax
I had same op as you in August and I too am now begining to suffer pain in my breast. I can feel the implant at the side, it feels like bubbles and that’s the bit that hurts. The surgeon told me it was the implant that i could feel and he didn’t seem too bothered by it being in this position or the fact that it hurt, so I guess it’s normal. it’s really difficult to know what to do isn’t it? I don’t want to be complaining if it’s just going to take time for all the nerve pain to settle but on the other hand, I don’t want to ignore something that isn’t right.
Thanks for your comments. I supposes it is just going to take time for things to settle down. It’s just hard to know what’s normal. I will have a chat with my surgeon.
I too am having prolonged pain after LD reconstruction. Mine was delayed as I had both CT & RT following my MX. I had the reconstruction in October - exactly 12 weeks ago and I still have quite a bit of pain that is not subsiding or improving any. I have asked my surgeon about this repeatedly and always just told - ‘it takes time to settle down’. I am a bit disheartened as most women I have heard about seem to have none of these problems. I am trying reflexology and relaxation as I wonder if my tension around this issue is causing my body to tense up lots (I think it is).
Mine is to the point that I do regret having it done sometimes and wish I had just gone without.
I don;t know what to suggest but if you do find out anything more then it’d be useful to know so that I too can look into it more. Did anyone else who is experiencing the pain also have RT - apparently that CAN cause delayed healing I read somewhere. As if we have not dealt with enough huh!
Best wishes and hoping the pains subside soon all round!
Cx
Hi,I had the ld reconstruction 7weeks ago!I am still dependant on the tramadol painkillers and although the back surgery site pain seems to be getting better i still get pain in my new breast,i also had an implant under the muscle and it feels lumpy and sore at the side.I also get shooting pains in the breast if i change position ie sitting up from lieing down.I cannot relate to my bcn atall unfortunatley so thank goodness for this site.I had my first fec two weeks ago wich caused severe vomiting wich made the pain worse and i felt like i was back to square1.I too sometimes regret having the recon but i must admit that cosmetically my new breast is just great Im sure it all just takes time and i hope you start to feel well soon.lots of love.lynda.xx
I wish that people (ie: medical profession) were more honest about the realities of these reconstructions - and explain what you should do to help.
I had mine December 2009 and it is ‘lovely’ now - but I regretted having it done for 7 months. I had pain, I couldn’t use my right arm for long, I felt like really down. In the end (5 months in), I went to my doctor and asked to be referred to a physio. I got 6 sessions and it really started to help and lessen the pain as the physio seemed to be able to work out that my muscles were fighting as they didn’t like where they were and needed to be relaxed and stretched. It took a few tries to get the right stretches, but was worth it in the end.
I now realise that these things take time - and a year on, the breast is a good shape, I don’t have any pain. The feeling has come back and my breast really does feel like mine. I can feel touch and it has stopped ‘twitching’ every time I lift something - almost like it has forgotten it is my back muscle now.
The only issue is that my scar (on my back) has stuck to my back, so I have permanent stretching sensation as the back feels glued and my skin is bunched under my arm, but I am being ‘released’ as my surgeon calls it next month.
LD flap really is a good operation and it is incredible how OK it all feels now. I know that urging patience doesn’t help, but this is my experience. However, don’t suffer silently in pain a physio is worth a go.
…also, I’ve just remembered that I wore those T-shirts/vests with support in them (M&S do them) at night right up until a couple of months ago and this helped me feel more secure and more comfortable and ‘held in place’.
I also had chemo and radiotherapy prior to my reconstruction and have often wondered if the radiotherapy has anything to do with the pain.
I have been having physiotherapy every week which started a month after the operation. I have found that this has helped alot with restoring the movement in my arm but it doesn’t stop the general pain itself in the breast.
It’s encouraging to know, Annie, that the pain does eventually stop and that the breast will start to feel like it belongs to the rest of the body.
Sorry to hear, Lynda, that you’re coping with this pain as well as FEC. I was really sick with chemo too so can sympathise with that!!!
I am due to have an uplift on the other breast in March and was wondering what the recovery is like with this…obviously nothing like the LD flap op!!! Anyway, all the best everyone!!!
Hi all, I had recon 9 weeks ago,I had a double mastectectomy back in october 2007 and in november have just been reconstructed with ld flaps and skin taken from my back on both sides, I must admit I have sailed through this. Before going for the op I expected to be in great pain having the muscle and skin taken from my back on both sides. I had implants on both breasts with no expanders. The recon on the left side has dropped somewhat, however the right side (which had rads) has not dropped as good as it could have done, I am just hoping that with massage and time it will look just as good as the left side. I feel so much better now, I did not realise just how much I wanted this until seeing my new breasts. I hope to go on to have the nipples done and also get the aereolas tattooed on. I believe I have sailed through this op because I did my best to get myself fit and ate properly knowing I was going for the op. Good luck to all you ladies who are going for it…I luv my twins…xx
Has anyone else experienced internal scar tissue on their back after a LD flap reconstruction?
I had my MX and LD flap reconstruction 8 weeks ago (end of Jan 2011). I have been very good at doing my exercises, but I still have a tender back and find a couple of the exercises very difficult as my back (and to a lesser degree, under my arm) feels so tight. At my last appointment my consultant said that it was internal scar tissue and she has referred me to a physio (I did ask a diffderent surgeon previously, but was told I didn’t need one!). I will be seeing her on 6th April, so lets hope she gets things moving. I have been massaging my breast, under arm and my back with bio oil. My external scars look fine and healed very quickly (maybe that’s the problem with the internal scars). I really hope I get my mobility back and can stop taking pain killers 3 times a day just so I can do more exercise.
They give you exercises for your MX but nothing for your back. So, although I did do some easy Pilates stretches to keep my back mobile, I wish they also gave you specific exercises for your back, so you knew what it was safe to try.
I am also curious as to how long it is before your breast stops tensing up when you sneeze. I’ve got used to it, and the only time it really bothered me was when I sneezed several times in concession. (Having hayfever doesn’t help!)
Hi Julie, also had the mx &ld flap and the muscle still twitches, sneezing, reaching out etc. I was told it would go over time, it’s been 13 months, my back feels tight but not painful. Hope the physio works! X
my mx and ld flap was done a year ago, I had problems with the implants infact 3 times my body rejected it so im without right now. I thought the twitching would NEVER stop but the only problems i have now is a tightness across my back and under my arm when im tired and the odd pain in the breast which is apparently nerve damage but despite the problems ive had Im really pleased with whats been done and lets be honest…we are still here!!! good luck to you all. xx
I have been in so much pain and discomfort from this for 3 years that I am now told it is permanent. I ended up in a Pain Clinic and was told there “40% of breast surgery results in permanent pain”. I didn’t know that because I wasn’t told, otherwise I’d not have had surgery. Apparently that is one reason they don’t tell women about the pain i.e. that they might make an informed decision.
I have had endless physio, pain killers, massage, hydro pool (although I cannot swim now anymore) you name it and the cosmetic result is something to behold.
God, sounds like some of you have had a bad time. I must be one of the lucky ones. I had recon ld flap in dec and only took pain killers at night for 2 weeks after the op. I massage my scars with bio-oil everday and do very light exercises. Yes it does feel like a foreign body in my boob, but I was told and asked about the benefits and risks. The Breast care nurse showed me photos of other patients who had ld operations and this was very helpful. For me it was the right thing to do I feel like a women again and not a freak. Look like everyone else in a bra!
Im sure it all just takes time and i hope you start to feel well soon.lots of love.lynda.xx