40 yo; found out a week ago that I have breast cancer and will need a single mastectomy.
Please could you advise on your experience of reconstruction.
I am slimmish (size 8) with small boobs (30C) but have a bit of a tum; waiting to hear if I can do a DIEP flap. I have heard it described as ‘gold standard’ but I am unsure about having another area of scarring on my body and another place to heal. It is also Faster to go ahead flat or with implants.
I have a four year old child so want to be able to move about again quickly but ideally would limit the number of times I would be in hospital for surgery and away from them, hence both have advantages and disadvantages. I am thinking immediate rather than delayed, also for mental health reasons.
Can I ask:
what has been your experience of silicon? Is it really odd that it is cold or is it just another factor in the oddness of a mastectomy? How many follow up surgeries did you need?
ditto Flap? How is recovery?
has anyone had a DIEP flap after implants (eg once the dust had settled they just didn’t look right?) I don’t even know if this is possible.
anyone had a pregnancy after a flap? (May not be possible anyway given treatment post surgery but want to keep option open). Can you have a vaginal birth?
Hi
Sorry to hear you’ve got to face this. I can only answer part of your question. I had a single mastectomy with immediate implant reconstruction 3 months ago. I was out at social event 2 weeks later. Recovery is very much dependent on your current fitness though I think. I spent a week resting, not doing much at all but I did get up for all meals and sit on the sofa rather than bed. I actually couldn’t stay in bed as couldn’t even reach to the side table for a drink - arm movement is very restricted at first. And then the 2nd week I started to go out for walks and move around more, starting to do small things around the house like make my own tea, which felt like a major accomplishment. With an implant you are very restricted on exercise, possibly more so that other reconstruction as the implant has to settle into place. I have just gone back to the gym using light weights and spin class but still won’t do any high impact like running or jumping until 6 months I think. My wound healed very quickly and is all under the boob - just looks like a bra indentation, but there is no doubt it feels weird having an implant. Mine was a skin and nipple saving proceduce so my skin is warm to touch but for the first few weeks it definitely felt like I was carrying a brick on my chest. I have got used to it now though and just got the odd twinge of discomfort/nerve pain maybe. I’m very conscious of protecting my chest if I’m in a crowd and walk around with my arm in front but other than that I feel pretty normal most of the time. I’m also a small cup size and the surgeon has done a great job at matching size so when clothed nobody would know any different. I hope you get some more good advice on the other procedure options. Don’t be too terrified, it’s a hugely overwhelming thing to face but you’ll get through it.
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