Have been to see my BCN today before seeing the surgeon tomorrow and was told that this surgeon only does LD reconstructions and that if I want to consider the tummy options I would need to be referred to another surgeon at another hospital. Didn’t think I would have to be making more decisions and kinda want to get on with it rather than more delays but think I would be silly perhaps not to investigate all the options. Whilst initially leaning torwards LD due to the faster recovery time having read a bit more from the BAPS website and beyond wonder if, particularly due to being a 32DD, a tummy flap reconstruction would be better as the websites seem to say that a LD reconstruction is only suitable for women with smaller breasts than mine. That said they also say tummy flap recons not suitable for smokers and I only gave up last Thursday!
Also not sure which tummy options the other hospital do and which is best but can’t help but think that the pediculed TRAM where the blood supply is maintained rather than reattached would be better.
Also thinking though that the scar being right the way across your tummy is surely worse than a scar across your back!
Argh, please help. Just want someone to decide for me and then get it done. At this rate have been told that LD will likely be up to 4 weeks time and goodness knows how long the other options would be as it is likely to be 2 weeks before I get to see the other surgeon. Its been 3 weeks since my initial diagnosis and feel like I am living in limbo.
Firstly - well done for giving up the cigs. Hope you feel better for it.
I have had bi-lat LD recon and I was also told that my surgeon only does the LD recon and also that I did not have enough fat on my tummy (though I beg to differ) to have tummy flap method. So I suppose I did not have to make the decision like you but I would have been put off by the length of the tummy method op and the recovery time.
I am now 8months and 10 weeks post op and I am back to full activity. I am pleased with the cosmetic result too. I was a 32c before and now I am 34d I have put on a bit of weight during my recovery so I hope to go back to a 32 soon.
I hope you find it easy to choose, Im sure you will have postings from women having had other methods good and bad.
I have just re-read my entry above - just want to clarify I am 8 months post left side and 10 weeks post right side and back to full activity (it hasnt taken 8months 10 weeks to get here) didnt want to put u off. Jx
Hi
I have had a LD flap reconstruction done 5 weeks ago. My surgeon thought he may have to use a small implant as well as the muscle, but I managed to avoid that. I was a C cup, but had lost a stone with all the worry, and am now a B cup. I was told that you have to be a ‘small to medium’ cup size to have it done without implants.
I have yet to regain full movement in my arm, and am still quite uncomfortable. It’s a lot bigger op than I realised.I have quite a few numb areas on my back, and my reconstructed breast feels a bit like a rock sitting on my chest at the moment. I am hoping that things will improve, as the muscle contracting in your breast is not a pleasant feeling. Mine hasn’t quite realised that it doesn’t need to help me all the time, and is reluctant to just relax!
Best of luck with your decision-it’s an awful time. It’s still very fresh in my mind. I found it very difficult to cope with.
Judy
Thanks for your comments. I think having thought about it that whether I have a scar on my back or across my tummy isn’t something I really care about. I just want to get on with things and don’t think my mind can cope with having to process information such as weighing up healing times, which tummy op is best/suitable/possible etc so I am thinking I am probably just going to go ahead with the surgeon tomorrow and get a date booked in so that I can begin to focus on something. I have had 3 weeks of stuff running round in my head and don’t need more stuff. I need to start getting well.
Been to see surgeon, op is a week Monday - the 22nd!! In someways I just wanted it to asap so thats good and in other ways I had mentally planned it for about a week later as I had lots of socialising I wanted to fit in first! Suppose BC isn’t something you can timetable!
Hi ostrich,
I had the pedicle tram a year ago now,and chose this over ld or implants,as I thought it best to stick to my own tissue etc,even though its a longer op,mine took 12 hours but had right mastectomy at same time,having already had left mastectomy the year before,so double recon,i was reading too much about implants being rejected and having to be replaced etc,just wanted closure to the whole thing and although it was very uncomfortable at first its settled down now,but I have never regretted having it done and they look good(in a bra).Someone else has posted on the recon threads about having diep after ld 4 years on,so yet again another story where it didnt work.But i am sure there are plenty of ladies it has been fine for,so see if you get any other answers.
I had the pedicle tram surgery a month ago. Today my surgeon told me I could not use a bra for a long time as he is afraid that the bra will damage the tissue/muscle and cause the tissue to die. How long after your surgery were you able to wear a bra?
I had the LD flap recon 3 months ago, just wanted to say that I am pleased with the results (34B). I was told that it takes about 4 months before it starts to settle properly and in my experience this seems to make sense. At first I had a lump under my arm where the muscle is threaded under, I really thought this wouldn’t go but it has. I couldn’t sleep on the recon side until recently and never thought I would get used to it, but I have it just takes time. Am going to have the other side done next year.
One thing that I was told by a friend is that if you have an implant and need rads that the implant can go hard as hers did, so check if you are going to need rads or not I don’t.
I had the LD flap recon 3 months ago, just wanted to say that I am pleased with the results (34B). I was told that it takes about 4 months before it starts to settle properly and in my experience this seems to make sense. At first I had a lump under my arm where the muscle is threaded under, I really thought this wouldn’t go but it has. I couldn’t sleep on the recon side until recently and never thought I would get used to it, but I have it just takes time. Am going to have the other side done next year.
One thing that I was told by a friend is that if you have an implant and need rads that the implant can go hard as hers did, so check if you are going to need rads or not I don’t.
Hi all
I was in quandry about different types of reconstruction and did a lot of research. I knew that I definitely didn’t want an implant and in some ways it made my decision easier - even though the surgeon tried to discourage me from that form of surgery.
5 months down the line after a DIEP flap op - I have no regrets. The breast is still a bit hard under the nipple and I did have to go back into hospital with a post-op infection, so it was not straight forward. But I am pleased with the results and glad that I don’t have anything artificial in my body.
Hope this helps, although it sounds as though the decision has been made.
Lotty