Hi all,
I’m due to have my reconstruction on 15th March and although I’m very positive I want to have a TRAM, I feel like my consultant and other healthcare reps are trying to put me off due to the serious nature of the op.
Obviously I’m very excited about having it but I am now worried about the various side effects and recovery time.
If anyone has had this type of reconstruction please can you let me know how you dealt with the recovery and operation.
Thanks.
xxx
Hello there
I had it but 11 years ago and although it wasn’t an easy op to get over, it was absolutely wonderful, psychologically, and I have been very happy with it from day one.
What I would say is make sure you have the time to rest afterwards, I was off work for over 3 months, and was limited in what I could do for a good while - although its hard to remember detail from this distance.
I know it has got much better over the years, ie I was in hosp 10 days and my friend was in 5, 5 years later (and she loves hers too!!)
be very kind to yourself and call on as much support as you can, I hope this is a really positive thing for you and you are as happy with yours as I am with mine.
love, monica xxx
best wishes
Hi,
I had bilateral TRAM / DIEP last July, following lots of problems with bilateral LD recon carried out in 2004.
I am absloutely delighted with the result and like Monica, have been very happy with it from day one.
Yes, it is a big op (I was in theatre for 11 hours)and of course you are warned about every possible complication but I found it all
“do - able” and if I had to go through it all again,I would, for the end result.
The immediate post op care is quite intensive and you are monitored very closely for a few days.
You will have drips, drains, catheter etc but you lose them all gradually and become more mobile as they are removed.
I found the pain minimal,thanks to the morphine “pump” you administer yourself for the first couple of days and after that it was discomfort, rather than pain and was managed with Tramadol.
I had surgery on the Thursday and was discharged on Tuesday.
I found the main problem post op was the extreme fatigue and having to accept help, which I don’t do very well!
I was off sick for 5 months but I did have bilateral surgery and I work with children and young people with physical disabilities, so my job involves lifting and moving and handling.
Good luck and feel free to ask anything at all, or pm me if you prefer x
Thank you both so much for getting back to me and putting my mind at rest. I’m now very excited about the procedure. I think its just the length of operation and recovery period that is putting me off but the end result will be well worth it.
I’m so glad that you’re both happy with your procedure.
xxx
Hi, wish you luck with your op and hope all goes well. Be strong, be prepared and be positive, you will be fine. I had DIEP oct 2008. Before the surgery, my plastic surgeon asked if he could harvest by back flap (LD) too should the DIEP fails. I told him no, just sew me back and I would have to live minus one breast. My operation went on for 16 hours. My PS twice did the micro surgery connecting the veins of the flap to the chest wall but had problem with anastomosis (the blood was not flowing), so he harvested a short vein from my upper arm to use and it worked the third time. It was a real weird feeling coming around from a long surgery. My recovery was faster than expected and I left the hospital 2 days ahead the schedule. No seroma or lymphodema, thank goodness. I determined to get well quickly. I was driving again after week 4.
Had some post operative care problems in the hospital, but because I have done my research I kind of knew what the procedures entailed. I had to stop a nurse from removing pillows under my thighs on 2nd day after the op, the theatre nurse told me that I would need it for a few weeks at least, etc, etc.
Bring your iPod, books to read, extra food, toiletries, etc.
Good luck again, wishing you a speedy recovery. 