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LDF
My story is long, I will try to make it short. I was diagnosed in 2006, had lumpectomy, chemo, and radiation on my right breast. The surgeon did a botch job that has made my breast a mess. January 2021, diagnosed with 2nd cancer (same side, same type), had a bilateral mastectomy with expanders and implants, plus chemo. The…
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Breast Reconstruction Surgeon Recommendation in Los Angeles
Hi everyone, I had a breast reconstruction with under the muscle silicon implants 10 years ago. My left implant looks deformed and shifted to almost under the armpit. I also feel, on and off, a shooting/stabbing pain in that area (it's not the heart) that partially numbs my left arm. I think this might be caused by the…
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Diep versus implant
I am recently recovered from 4 rounds of chemotherapy after a double mastectomy, on endocrine therapy, and scheduled for a DIEP mid January. I find I am dreading it. I originally wanted to do it because I liked the idea of using my own tissue, not having to worry about replacement implants, etc. That's still why I like it…
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Told to quite endocrine therapy for Diep
My surgeon told me that I needed to go off letrozole for two weeks before and two weeks after my DIEP. I had a hormone positive tumor though and am not very comfortable with that. I was told it was because letrozole increases your chances of blood clots. Is that the standard protocol?
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Same surgeon for mastectomy and reconstruction?
Hi everyone, last week had been one of the hardest weeks after the week of the diagnosis so far. I have finished neoadjuvant chemo on the 7th of January (TCHP) and this week had surgery consultancy with different cancer centers. Needless to say I am so confused and hoping maybe your experience might help me make a…
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Hybrid diep/implants
Does anyone have experience with this surgery?
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Underarm Tightness After Swap/Fat Grafting
I had my swap and fat grafting last Monday. Fat grafting was done from the front of my underarms. It’s becoming increasingly more painful to lift one of my arms. It feels like the muscle/tendon at the front of the armpit is super tight. (It’s bringing me back to how I felt after the BMX). It is still swollen from the fat…
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Positive experience with implants?
Hey everyone, I was just diagnosed for the second time and am really struggling with my limited reconstruction options. The first time around I only had a lumpectomy but this time I am doing a mastectomy (unilateral). I am not a great candidate for DIEP Flap surgery due to limited abdominal tissue (I could do TUG, from the…
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Philadelphia plastic surgery
I’m researching plastic surgeons in the Philadelphia area that are trained in the exchange of older implants and also are skilled with fat grafting. Would appreciate any recommendations. Thank you.
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Implants and reconstruction I need advice
Ok so I had my exchange consultation with my plastic surgeon today. I'm small frame but a tad over weight at 5'4" 170 I currently have 500cc expanders UM. I am getting 595cc Implants. But the projection is likely smaller than my expanders. My plastic surgeon said he can’t put anything any larger in I just feel defeated I…
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Going flat after reconstruction
Hi all. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020. Had a bilateral mastectomy and immediate reconstruction. Tissue expander removal and reconstruction in February 2021. I have had a revision already, feb 2022. Since the first surgery i have had pain so bad sometimes it takes my breathe away. I was an avid runner and…
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Bump over TE
Hi everyone. I had a DMX about two months ago and had my final fill last week. Day after the fill I noticed two pimple like bumps (sort of looked like in grown hairs) next to each other and when you touch it it feels hard (almost like plastic). Saw the nurse today and she thinks it's likely the expander but wants an…
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Nipple sparing double mastectomy
I had my surgery in 2019. I was very lucky. No chemo or radiation. I was on Tamoxifen until October. Then my Oncologist switched me to another estrogen blocker. Most recently my nipples have become very sore and sensitive? Is this typical? Usually they are numb and uncomfortable. I thought maybe it is a side effect of the…
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Breast Reconstruction at USC?
Afte 9 years and 9 surgeries, City of Hope has kicked me to the curb! I have yet another reconstruction complication, and they don’t have any qualified surgeons left at COH. Two of their very experienced surgeons have left in past year…don’t know what’s going on there! So need a 10th surgery, they gave me one…
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Prepectoral implants, going back to sub muscular?
Had 7 surgeries, 2013-2014, many complications. Had sub muscular implants. After years of problems and pain, PS talked me into going prepectoral in 2020…what a nightmare! 2 more surgeries in 2020, and other complication.They are not supported, even though he used Alloderm, they are uncomfortable…sagging terrible although I…
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Lymphoma from implants
Has anyone had one of the recalled breast implants and not been notified by dr. that they have one of those implants?
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Ruptured Implant
Hello All! It has been awhile since being here. Had BC back in 2008 and had surgery and BIL/MX and immediate reconstruction in1-2009 .Opted for silicone implants as at that time did not have enough to do anything else from tummy etc. Was very thin and with a leaky gut to add to the equation !!! I had a recent MRI as it…
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Plastic surgeon recommendations in southwest Florida
Plastic surgeon recommendations in southwest Florida
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DIEP flap and mastopexy questions
Hello to all of you - firstly, I wish you the very best in your struggle, and secondly, THANK YOU for sharing your insight and experience. I'm new to the "club" - right breast mastectomy done June 17th 2022 and sitting with these awful tissue expanders while I figure out next steps for my Frankenboob. Very ugly and…
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Anyone have experience with cupping massage?
I had my BMX in November and my exchange in April. I recently started going in for myofascial release to relieve some of the tightness in my pecs and now my therapist has started using cupping too. Cupping is where they place small glass cups on your skin and then use a suction device to suction the skin under the cups.…
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Plastic surgeon recommendation at MSKCC
Hello I am scheduled for mastectomy and reconstruction at MSK. My surgeon mentioned Dr. Cordeiro, Dr Disa or Dr Matros. I have to wait an extra week for Dr. Cordeiro. I am looking into implants.Which doctor is the best?
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Scared I will hate how I look no matter what
Content warning: HUGE body hate issues. I'm 42, about to have a unilateral mtx, and really struggling with how to decide whether to have reconstruction or not. I know I don't want implants. It's DIEP or flat closure. My problem is that I love my breasts. Like REALLY love them. When they started growing when I was 13, I…
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Pec tear during expander placement, anyone?
I had a mastectomy 4 wks ago, and during the expander (under pec) placement procedure suffered two tears to the pec muscle. It has been excruciatingly painful since, and any activity just aggravates it. There is no way I’ll be able to tolerate expansions, especially while dealing with chemo. I’m going to discuss having the…
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implant after radiation?
Hello all, I had a mastectomy and then 16 round of radiation 3 years ago. I don't want to go through the DIEP flap surgery. My original reconstruction surgeon refuses to insert implants on radiated skin, since you're more prone to infection and failure. I got a 2nd opinion from a reconstructive surgeon who is willing to do…
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Nipple reinnervation (nerve grafting)
I've recently learned about this procedure, wherein the main nerve to the nipple is reattached with a nerve graft at the end of the mastectomy, with the intention of restoring sensation and preventing neuropathic pain.Has anyone had this done? Can you tell me where, and what your experience has been as far as nipple…
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Reconstruction without sling?
I had a mastectomy 5/2021 and had implants placed. I had the implants replaced 2/2022 due to size. At the time, I had some mild capsular contracture in one breast that the doctor released and all was well.... until recently. I'm not sure if I am having severe capsular contracture or if I am reacting to the vicyrl sling…
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"Decorative" tattoos over mastectomy/reconstruction?
Hi! I was wondering if anyone got/is planning to get tattoos over their breasts after their mastectomy? I'd love to hear about it, what you got, how big the tattoo(s) are, how it looks with scars, how it affected your self-esteem, anything. Also, how long do you have to wait before getting the tattoo? I'm impatient, and…
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Nerve pain
I was wondering if anyone has experienced nerve pain in reconstructed breasts, years after DIEP surgery in Nola? In the past few weeks I have had pain in one or both breasts that is a burning type pain. If I didn’t know any better, I would think I have shingles, but there is nothing there. No lumps, no rash, nothing. Just…
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Uni mastectomy w/reconstruction fail, infection, radiation
Hi I was diagnosed with R side breast cancer (stage1, grade1) a few months ago and with team of drs decided to have a unilateral mastectomy on right with immediate reconstruction and R sentinel node. Left breast underwent lift and had benign result from MRI 'weird line' so they cut that part out. Had 2…
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Reconstruction revision due to necrosis
I was diagnosed stage zero DCIS this past April, and because of a benign surgical issue I had two years ago on the other side, opted for bilateral mastectomy with direct to implant reconstruction. I know I chose the nuclear option, but I wanted the least chance of recurrence possible. On the morning of the surgery, I was…