Should I or shouldn't I. ..potential ld flap with implant

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Hi all
I had left mx in June 2012 followed by chemo and rads. The topic of recon has only just started and I’ve had two appointments to discuss with surgeon and still feel very undecided.
The option I’ve been given is ld flap with half expander half permanent implant
Has anyone had this. .? I’m very sporty and I worry about losing range of motion in arm or muscle weakness amongst a million other things like complications lol
Anyone with any similar experience. .help !

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Can’t help over l d flap but I had implant with strattice mesh immediate recon. It’s my left side and I am right handed so ok still playing badminton and now running again. However there is still regular stiffness under arm and chest muscles are weak (can’t do press ups etc and probably never will!) surgeon told me not to have ld flap if you ever have back trouble because it makes back problems difficult to treat, and I occasionally do have back problems so decided against it, was also reluctant to mess with a part of my body that was healthy but I know people who have had ld flap and are happy, it’s a very personal decision! Nic x

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Hi aligo35,

 

I had a delayed LD flap in 2010, with an implant.  I run and swim, and have had no problems.  I do 80 lengths of front crawl in a session, sometimes if I’ve missed the previous week I can start to feel a weakness towards the end, but not generally. I do the plank in the gym, I can also do the side plank but for a shorter time on my recon side (all these things I have built up very slowly over time, but that’s more because I don’t want to get lymphoedema).  It is on my dominant side, but this has never given me a problem.  I would say I have 99% movement on that side compared with before the mastectomy, but that slight loss has been there since the mx and the recon didn’t make it any worse.  I do stretching exercises every morning (only briefly) to keep everything mobile, and to stop the scar on my back getting stiff.  The scar, by the way, sits neatly beneath the bra-line, is very neat and has faded to a very fine white line.