Hi, I am due to have right mastectomy with LD reconstruction in 3 weeks, already had WLE & SNB in November.
I have been looking on the forums & there seems to be quite a few negative comments re this proceedure. I would really like to hear from anyone who has had a ‘positive’ experience as I am a little scared after reading some of the comments re what can happen after this operation.
Susan
Hi Susan,
While you are waiting for replies I have put the link below to the area of the website where you can watch an animation of various reconstructions which you may find useful. I have also put the link to our publication on reconstruction.
Reconstruction publication:
breastcancercare.org.uk/search-results/*/changeTemplate/PublicationDisplay/publicationId/107/
Also, if you would like to talk to one of the breast care nurses here then please do phone the helpline.
Hope this helps. Kind regards,
Jo, Facilitator
Hi Jo
thanks for the links I have printed out & will read through these.
My BC nurse explained everything to me & although I am not 100% about the op I know I need to have this & I am coming to terms with it.
I am just concerned re what happens after the op as I have read some comments on this site about complications.
It would be nice to hear some positive comments, I am going to arrange to speak to someone who has had the op in the new year.
Thanks again
Susan
Hi Susan, Well I have been totally happy with my mastectomy with LD construction. I had this done when I was 39 and in a few months time I will be 60 and it is still looking good!! So you cannot get a better recomendation than that. It still looks good, the scar lines have faded completely and the skin in smooth and it looks better than I thought it would be. When I was going through all that in 1989, my Breast Care Nurse put me in contact with another lady who had had the operation a few years earlier. She came to my house for coffee to talk to me about the procedure then kindly asked me if I would like to see the “new boob”. I was a bit wary but when I saw the final result I was certain that this was the road I ws going down. For years I put my name forward for anyone who was going through the same worries I was about a mastectomy. It looks better than my “normal” one but I am quite happy how it is and when I wear a bra you would never know I had surgery. Yes I am still reminded when I get dresed/undressed etc but I am still here and for me that was the most important part. If I can answer any questions feel free to ask and send me a “private message” if you prefer. Love Val X
Really pleased with my LD reconstruction. I had a double mx with immediate reconstruction (LD flap on cancer breast and implant on the good breast). Good result, very symmetrical and with scars that are rapidly fading. Just waiting for a nipple now. It is certainly better than having a mx with no reconstruction. In fact under clothing my bust looks better than it did pre cancer.
Susan,
I started a thread on the reconstructive surgery section called ‘are you happy with your LD flap?’. You may like to take a look at that. I think that as long as you have an experienced plastic surgeon rather than a breast surgeon you should be OK. I am due to have an LD flap on Feb 24 with Mr Graham Offer in Leicester.
Hi All
Thank you all for your comments, I was getting quite nervous after reading one thread where some people have had problems post surgery.
I am feeling better re op but still coming to terms with loss of my ‘real’ breast.
I will let you know how I am getting on & will also read through the other thread.
Thanks again
Susan
Does that mean that as long as you get some “positive comments” you’ll proceed? There are other options and according to the NICE guideline you should be offered all options even if it means referring you to another hospital.
If you are at all an active person and do any type of sport whatsoever I’d encourage you to research this further.
Reg.
Hi Regina
I had already decided to proceed with mx. I just wanted to have a balance of positive & negative comments after reading one thread where there were quite a few negative ones.
I have discussed this fully with my BC nurse & my family. I know I would not be happy with just MX and that I would require reconstruction & would rather do this in one go.
I am a person who needs to know all the pros & cons before I undertake anything.
I have now read through a number of threads relating to this & feel more informed of what to expect good & bad & I know this is the right choice for me.
I am not particularly sporty so will not impact me there but do like walking which hopefully this will not effect too much.
I already have a date for my op 19th January so will let you know how I get on.
Susan
I am a sporty person, and discussed this with the PS. His view was that as long as I am not into rock climbing or similar then there will be no problem. I lknow that there are some people for whom this operation has gone wrong, and I sincerely hope that I will not be one of them, but it seems to me that this debate is being skewed by a few very vocal people who have had a bad experience. There are thousands of ladies out there delighted with the result.
I am with you road runner. I havenow read through a number of good & bad comments & I am aware there may be complications after surgery but hopefully these will not effect me & if they do I will deal with them.
As my op is before yours I will let you know how I get on.
Happy New year to everyone.
Susan
Hello!
I had reconstruction last June and I am absolutely delighted with the results. So pleased I went ahead and had it done. I had no problems afterwards and in December had nipple reconstruction. What a fantastic job they made of it - it’s wonderful. I’ve just got the tattoo to go - can’t wait.
I had my surgery done at Leicester Royal Infirmary - Mr. Varma - a wonderful man!
Lynda
RR
If you think wommen becomes less able from this op because it has “gone wrong” then you are surely barking up the wrong tree.
Sue
Good luck and I look forward to hearing that post surgery you can do everything that you could do before it. No one would like to hear that more than I would, truly.
I’m off to Leicester now so that I too can be “delighted”.
Hello all
I had immediate LD recon on right side back in 2005. I am pretty active : heavy duty long distance walking (BIG heavy rucksacks etc), mucking about in mountains, fairly heavy work in house (furniture moving, decorating, sorting a car and so on and so on). Lots of exercise of one kind and another including rowing (old oar). Plus : am now (OK OK OK … just ) 62. There’s very little that I can’t easily do now, having had the LD recon. Actually, I can’t think of anything that I had wanted to do, but cannot. I suspect a lot has to do with getting as fit as possible before and after the surgery, and staying that way.
M
Yes, very pleased with the reconstruction (November 2009), but the biggest problem has been the seroma. I have now read that this should be talked about now as a ‘side effect’ rather than a complication as it is so common (when recon is immediately after mx). I say this, not to put you off, but if I had known about it I would have been less upset and more ready to deal with it.
Good luck.
Is the seroma similar to a post mastectomy one? I had to go and be drained a couple of times after my mastectomy.
Only just seen your thread.
My daughter aged 33 had mastectomy with LD flap. She was so pleased with it, no pain at all which was a surprise … just the drains were a nuisance and uncomfortable but not for long. She said that she never felt that she had lost a breast because the one with LD flap looked so good. The only sign of it was the white nipple. We always told her she could be a tassle dancer and no one would ever know!
She had it done late November and wore a lowish cut top on New Years Eve to show off that she still had two breasts.
She was told it was important to wear good support for a while afterwards though and bought two support bras through the hospital.
Hope this helps
Sue
Hi,
I have secondaries, but have the option of mastectomy with node clearance with or without recon. recon would be LD, but I am concerned about recovery times and how soon I would be back to ‘normal’. I have two young children and last summer hols were wrecked by chemo. Don’t want to risk wrecking this one too, especially as i don’t know if it will be my last one with them, hoping it’s not. Surgery would probably take place early Feb. How long has it taken others to recover to what they would consider normal?
I am seeing the surgeon on Thursday and have to make a deicsion by then, leaning towards no recon, but then I have second thoughts.
Thanks
Snoogle
x
Hi
I am seeing a surgeon on 1st February to discuss possible bilateral MX with immediate reconstruction using LD flap. Also really interested to find out about recovery process and time. Having just come back to work after nearly six months off, I am hoping the recovery period isn’t too long?
Thanks, and good luck everyone
Shenagh
decision time is horrendous, I was all for mastectomy without reconn, until at clinic whilst making theatre time I just blurted out, that i wanted a reconn, dont know where it came from but soooo happy that it did.
surgeon was great , just said these are difficult decicions and not the first person to make decision at very last minute time , no regrets at all re op and recovery time.
xx