Hi all. Am just over two weeks post-op bilateral mastectomy with immediate LD flap reconstruction. Just struggling a bit today :(( I had an awful night’s sleep which hasn’t helped but just feeling really down today with the constant discomfort, particularly during the evenings and through the night. Both my breasts and across my back feels really tight and swollen. I stopped taking the painkillers I came home with, both codeine based, on Friday - the breast care nurses said ibuprofen and paracetamol should be sufficient at this stage. Just wondered if there was anyone out there who had been through similar and who might share their experience with me. Any advice very gratefully received!! Am dreading going to bed tonight.
I had this op in Sept 13, and it takes ages to get rid of the pain. I would get yourself back on some painkillers asap, I assume you have Cocodomal and Dihydrocodeine? It is all very well for your BCN to say that lesser drugs are ok now, but she is not the one suffering!!! Maybe you could use the others during the day, but you really need something stronger to get you through the night. If you have a rubbish night, then a bad day usually follows through lack of sleep and being grumpy etc.
I have had several other ops since by LD mx one and I still take these drugs regularly especially at night. The other drugs don’t touch the sides painwise!
Have you tried sleeping with a V shaped pillow, sort of propped up? After this op you sometimes can’t decide whether your front is sorer or your back! It is still early days and you probably still have dressings on - everything will be healing and will be very tight, and lots of nerves have been cut during the op too. Your body still thinks the back muscle is in its proper place too! You could ask for some Tramadol at your next appt, it is good for nerve pain. Please feel free to PM me if you want to want to ask anything at all. In the meantime take your tablets and I hope you have a better sleep tonight
Take care
K M xx
Its very early days and I think laying down makes it worse… I slept in 45% sitting up position for a long time. I was fortunate to have recliner. Its a bit early to give up on the pain killers and don’t stay in one positition for too long. Are you doing your stretch exercises? It will ease up when the stitches come out. Don’t put up with pain though. I had seroma very early and it was painful and I had to have it syringed. The relief was Immediate. I also had ‘cording’ something I was never warned about. Do you have a cancer support group where you can access aromatherapy massage post surgery. It softens up the hard tissue inside and will assist sleeping. There was one attached to my hospital. For reference I also needed Physio for quite a long time post surgery and I was referred by my surgeon to one experienced in dealing with problems post LD Flap. When your stitches have healed try Bio Oil and self massage and google Marnie Clarks massage technique. I hope it eases up soon… I didn’t have a particularly good time post surgery and feel for you. Don’t put up with pain go back to see your surgeon if things don’t ease up soon. I too felt desperate at times and dreaded the nightime. I hope this helps because I know I started to feel very alone when I accessed support sites and all I seemed to read was how well other people seemed to coping post surgery and this made me feel worse. Nothing prepared me for the after pain and in some ways it was harder than dealing with cancer. Ask for help and if the pain persists don’t feel you are a nuisance keep on asking. The last thing I want to do is put negative stuff on here… but my surgeon seemed only concerned that my new boobs looked aesthetically pleasing never mind I was in agony with iron bra syndrome and relentless LD muscle pain. I don’t think anyone gets it unless they have lived it!!! It does get better if you stretch and massage.
Thank you both. Your replies have been of huge help & comfor and gave given me the confidence to phone my GP first thing tomorrow and get myself sorted. I know it’s early days post-op but am so unused to being like this and yes, harder to cope with than the cancer. I think the feeling I get from both my plastic surgeon and breast care is that the cancer is gone, your boobs will look great, now off you go! There are some things in life that you can only really help with if you’ve been there. Fingers crossed for tonight … and thank you x
Feeling a different person after Tramadol & a nights sleep!! Thank you ladies for giving me the confidence to call my GP. What a difference. Onwards & upwards now xxx
Hi All,
I had an LD reconstruction and and implant in august 2014. I had to removed the inplant in october 2014.
I want to remove the LD muscle, because its to tight and spasms all the time.
Can someone recommend me a PS that does this operation?
Thank you
Hi Fizzb
Im 4 weeks post op having delayed reconstruction of LD flap so obviously not same as you but Im definitely feeling a lot better. I had same problems for first two weeks but its now a lot better. Its not a build up of fluid is it that needs draining? That would cause the tigtness. I saw my surgeon on Tuesday and she said I still had a little fluid in my back which may not disperse so I’ll have it drained if its still there in 4 weeks. I also came home with a stronger painkiller Dihydrocodeine which I stopped during the day but did take one at night for about three weeks to help me sleep. Im still waking up now but not in pain just slightly uncomfortable and do get back to sleep. I hope this helps. xHugx