Hi, I’m new to the forum although I was diagnosed with breast cancer about 18 months ago and had a mastectomy followed by immediate LD flap reconstruction. After about six months I felt really good, back to my old self. But a few months ago I noticed a lump in my LD muscle, presumably the area where the tissue had been taken from to form the new breast.
Initially the two consultants I saw were dismissive of the problem, but finally, when my (rather more sympathetic GP) had referred me, the consultant reluctantly sent me for an ultrasound scan of the area, followed very quickly (!) by an MRI scan which indicated a 7cm hernia. (I phoned up after I hadn’t heard anything about the MRI results after a month and the nurse sheepishly admitted that the details were on my file and they hadn’t looked at it). Also, when I asked what tissue was bulging through the LD tear, the nonchalant reply was just your kidney or large intestine. Hardly reassuring.
Even then nothing was done immediately. At last I was referred to a laparascopic surgeon and I managed to get an earlier appointment to see him by phoning the department and saying I was readily able to attend a cancellation at short notice- I was given this advice by a theatre nurse friend - worth trying if you feel you’re waiting a long time.
The surgeon seems competent - the only problem is that neither he nor anyone else in the hospital has performed a LD hernia repair, and he thought it unlikely that many of these operations had been carried out nationally.
SO I’M ASKING IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM - IF SO, WHAT INFORMATION WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO PASS ON PLEASE AS I’M FINDING IT HARD TO FIND ANYTHING OUT ABOUT IT?
I’m also finding that the bulge has become more pronounced and the LD muscle now aches uncomfortably - and even the reconstructed breast hurts (presumably because my brain still thinks it’s part of the LD muscle!). I’m also getting pain down my leg - presumably nerves being pressed on by the LD swelling.
SO - ANY ADVICE PLEASE? THANKS.