I had a mastectomyand lapdorssi reconstruction last sept. I have made agood progress up to xmas, when unknow to me( there is no feeling), i knocked my reconstruction and it developed a very large haematoma, which is only just sorting itself out. My problem now is that despite doing the exercises post surgery religiously, my back and ribs feel very tight, to the point that when i walk a reasonable distance, I feel that i cannot take a deep enought breath. I have told my surgeon about this, but the answer seems to be to do yoga and tchi and the answers seem to be different every time. in the leaflet they didnt mention that. I am taking exercise, and i am active. I am wondering if it could be scar tissue aroun my drains site.I am starting to loose confidence in my surgeon and the system. I sometimes wonder if i was so befuddled by the diagnosis that my thinking was not really clear and i have made a mistake having this reconstruction. Its mean tot make me feel more confident but i think i would rather have my fitness. I know this is very petty and i am lucky, but ido find it dispiritng and I feel alone with my problem. Right rant over. Does any one else have the problem that people dont understandthat normally surgery is meant to make you better, but iam finding , that reconstruction leaves you worse, or am i just being very negative?.
Hi Bella60,
Yes I have had this too - sometimes the scar tissue sticks to the ribs, and that causes the tightness and horrible pain too. I had lipo done to alleviate it, and although it helped for a while, it eventually wears off and the cycle starts all over again. My op was the same as yours with the LD Flap. It could also be caused by nerve pain too and you could ask for special tablets for that. Feel free to PM me if you need any more info/details.
K M x
Dear Bella I am sorry to hear about your experience and wonder if we have the same surgeon. I am in same boat and I’ve told my plastic surgeon I bitterly regret having a bilateral LD flap Recon two years ago. I’ve spent hundreds on private massage, Physio and more recently on one to one Pilates with an excellent instructor. The latter has made some improvement…but I still cannot expand my chest fully and feel numbness and pain on left side where muscle was cut. I feel I have ‘lateral malposition’ of the left implant which was a delayed reconstruction.
I feel my surgeon is complacent and at my last consultation he said there was still room for improvement as I’m only one year post surgery when in fact I’m two!!! I’m fast loosing confidence and have insisted on seeing him again tomorrow but get the feeling I’m going to be fobbed off again. He says I have scarring but what am I to do when I’ve said from day one that the left implant is too far over and I can feel the implant under my arm.
Sometimes I don’t feel my life is worth living as this wretched surgery has impacted negatively on every aspect of my life. I do not feel the negative results of this surgery are ever recorded and I’m beginning to realise that it’s ok for a surgeon to say my new breasts are aesthetically pleasing never mind I feel one is adhered to my breast bone and malposition of one implant is causing me pain.
I saw my surgeon two weeks ago and he said lets get these dog ears off (surplus flaps under my breasts that should have been removed 6 months after surgery but I was in too much pain) Little did I know I will now have to wait a further 5-6 months to have this procedure and although it will at least mean I may be able to get a bra to fit Its not going to ease the tightness and discomfort I’m experiencing on my left side and LD muscle area.
I’m going to ask for a second opinion now as I feel I need to make sure any decisions made from hereonin are right for me. I’m also thinking there cannot be a regular audit to monitor patients with complications post LD Flap Reconstruction. As far as my surgeon is concerned my reconstruction is aesthetically pleasing… job done!
Be assured you are not alone with your problem. I think many of us don’t want to write negative experiences as many people recover well post reconstruction. Having said that I would not want my daughter or anyone else close to me subject themselves to this surgery and I would not hesitate to spell out the risks to anyone contemplating it.
I don’t think you are negative and of course we are grateful and thankful to be alive… but I do so regret having this surgery. If it would help please contact me… just wanted to let you know you are not the only one.
Hi Bella
My surgery date has been bought forward to 19/5 but not sure what’s being done… Pre-assessment was done Fri. There seems to have been a complete turnaround since my last consultation… thanks to a very proactive psychologist. (I may not have mentioned before but I asked to be referred a psychologist attached to plastic surgery team a some months ago) I have had some therapy based on the ‘Decision Regret Model’ and have tried meditation and various techniques to help me live with the discomfort and pain. Some of it has helped and I’m sleeping better. Thank God I did as she is the only person that seems to be ‘listening’ to me. She’s arranged for second opinion next Wed and made another appt for me to see my surgeon the day after. All a bit scary… but at least I’m not back on another endless waiting list. Wish me luck and I’ll let you know what’s decided.