Hi everyone. I was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in April this year and just finished 16 rounds of chemo and immunotherapy. I’m 32.
My surgery (non-skin sparing single mastectomy with partial node clearance) is booked for 10th November. I was originally told immediate reconstruction wouldn’t be possible, and also that I wasn’t a candidate for implant reconstruction, so I would need to stay flat while I wait for DIEP surgery (around 2 years). This is still an option.
However, I was discussed at the MDT recently (something unrelated regarding my axilla) and off the back of that, a different surgeon has said he will do an immediate reconstruction with a tissue expander if that’s what I want. I met with him last week to discuss it all and he is confident he can do it, and is happy to do so even though I’ll be having radiotherapy after surgery. My oncologist is also happy with this.
I’d not previously considered or discussed tissue expanders as an option, so I don’t know lots about them, and have also not met anyone who’s had them. Would anyone be willing to share their experiences? Please feel free to be honest!
I’m mainly concerned about it from a comfort perspective, eg. how active and mobile will I be able to be with it in? I’m pretty active and would like to exercise, work, move around, travel etc. as normal while I’m waiting for the implant.
I’m also concerned about the effect of radiotherapy on them. I’m planning to discuss this with my BCN, but just wondered if anyone had any personal experiences of this?
I know staying flat and waiting for the DIEP would be simpler, but I’m eager to get going with my life again once treatment ends so am exploring this new option.
I was diagnosed in January this year at 33 & have a tissue expander which I got in April. My hospital offers immediate reconstruction but due to other health reason at the time I wasn’t going to be able to do the DIEP. My surgeon suggested the tissue expander as I didn’t want to go flat, & as this will take the pressure of the skin & wound for radio therapy it was the best option for me until it’s switched for a permanent implant.
I personally really love my expander. I’ve had no issues with it since surgery. It sits really well & it’s been pretty straight forward. The port can be a little uncomfortable once in a while (mines sits just above my ribs) but I’m not too bothered about it knowing it will be switched to a permanent implant next year. There is obviously still a risk it could be damaged by radio therapy which I start in two weeks but for me going flat wasn’t a route I wanted to go down.
I can’t comment on how it is in terms of being active. I ended up having to do chemo following my surgery results so I’ve not been very active! But in general it hasn’t impacted on life. I was back to work 4 weeks after surgery. I’m slowly starting to move my body a bit more following chemo & it hasn’t caused any issues.
I am 59 and have an expander following a lobular recurrence in April. (Previous 5 years NSM with implant reconstruction, and node clearance).
Similarly to your experience, I did not have a lot of options as I did not want to go flat if I could avoid it and this was the only alternative at that stage.
I have had radiotherapy in August and expander has not been affected. I think the result is better than what I had with the silicone implant which sat very high and was soon quite hard due to capsular contracture. I have been back to yoga and gym and it is fine. My port has moved and turned upside down so lucky it is the right size already as it can’t now be filled. My biggest problem is that it is not compatible with most MRI, and I have changed hospitals and they recommend MRI surveillance (which was previously refused by the other Hospital). New consultant has found that there is one type of MRI scanner or setting that I can use but initially it looked like I was need it taken out.
All the best x