Latissimus Dorsi Breast Reconstruction
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Found out today that I will have drains again with exchange surgery. Ugh!! PS said he puts them in to prevent the implants from rotating. Did get last expansion today.
Jen78 - Glad you got the drains out!
Joan888 - my back incision itched something awful too. I was so afraid I would scratch it during my sleep and rip it open.
Since being back on night shift, I sleep so sound and dream some crazy stuff. I dreamed the PS was showing me the implants he was going to use and they were hollowed out forms (like the swim forms) with a back pack attached, velcro straps and all. I told him those things looked like they would hurt worse than the tissue expanders, then I woke up. I still get tickled when I picture them. Lol.
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My back incision does itch like crazy. Of course, there is at one spot I can't reach very well. Almost 2 weeks out, it does look pretty good now that the glue tape is off. Next step is to get the rest of the sticky from the tape off.
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Hello ladies. Jen78- good news about the drains being gone. Jo I hope you are next. It's like night and day once they are gone. You get dressed and don't have to think about the "appendage".
I had my original lat surgery on Oct 11 and I still get a weird "itchy" feeling in the incision area. It's weird though because that part of me is also numb. My husband thinks it's funny that if I'm not looking he can touch my lat foob and I don't even know it. Such a smarty pants. But the humor gets us through it.
nurseronda10 - I had my revision (implant exchange on both sides, lypo, fat grafting) on April 13 and I also came home with a drain. Luckily it came out the following week. I think the drain for the lat muscle area seems to have to stay in the longest. At least it did for me.
Good to hear the recent surgeries are all on the good side of recovering.
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Congratulations Jen78.
I am three weeks post op and still have four drains in the back. I am hoping to get two removed on Friday but none of them are slowing down. When did the ones before today come out (assuming you had others)? Did the fluid drop suddenly or gradually?
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Day - As time has gone by, have you gotten stronger on the LD side? I asked the PS today if it was useless to do lat exercises and he said I should do them. Sorry you have had so much trouble.
I developed banding/cording with mastectomy and the LD flap surgery. Does anyone know if this would make me more prone to developing capsular contracture when I get the implants.
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AbbyM - my front drains came out one at a time. The first was at 12 days and the second at 16. They went down gradually. The back drains started at 80 cc's a day when I came home (I was in the hospital x 5 days). They dropped slowly and then stuck at 50 cc's each for about 2 weeks. All of a sudden they were at 30. Once that stuck for 3 days, she pulled them.
Good luck - hope yours come out soon!0 -
Day - I had axillary web syndrome. My PS cut the thick cording under my arm during the LD flap surgery which was left over from original mastectomy. He also said he was going to "cut the nerve." I didn't ask what he meant....just assumed he knew what he was doing. According to his wikipedia, he was the first PS in the U.S. to perform the LD flap surgery back in the 70's at Johns Hopkins. He did tell me he had done over 2,000 of them. With this surgery, I developed one small cord that ran down the side of my breast that stretched out with 6 sessions of physical therapy. I can still see it but it is not as near as prominent as it was prior to therapy. The general surgeon that did the mastectomy in 2010 told me not to raise my arms while I had drains in, but with the LD flap and 3 x as many drains, the PS said to raise my arms up several times a day and stretch to prevent cording. It's no wonder I developed such horrendous cording with the mastectomy. It's a wonder I didn't get a frozen shoulder too. It was nearly 6 weeks before I could raise my arm and then when I tried my arm was stuck. I could only raise it high enough to be parallel with the floor. I developed an infection from the drains and had to have emergency surgery and then had a wound vac. I couldn't move my arm much while I had the wound vac or I would have torn the tape loose causing it to lose suction. Took several weeks of physical therapy to loosen it up. Never did regain all my range of motion back. I have some stinging where the drains were when I stretch. I am almost 8 weeks postop. I am wondering if I have some scar tissue there. I think my body loves to make scar tissue. I have lots of colon adhesions from two abdominal surgeries which makes colonoscopies difficult.
I have TE's right now. Exchange surgery is June 13th. Thanks for the video, very informative. I bookmarked it, so I can refer to it when I get the implants. I would think that the ones that get direct implants would have a higher risk of capsular contracture because the pocket would be very tight but then women get breast augmentation every day and don't get expanded first. Hmmm.
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Abbey... I am 3 weeks post-op and stil have one drain in my back that does not seem to be slowing down much at all. Still draining about 60cc's a day. I am so done with it already! I am guessing that it could be another week or two unless something changes drastically.
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Joan - my experience was the more active I was the more I drained. I slowed down for a couple of days and got the last ones to go under 20 so he let me pull them. I can tell that you are a busy one.....aren't you?
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I'm not having my surgery until August, but am nervous/excited already - my right side that needs the surgery is completely flat and empty...
Anyway, I'm just trying to plan ahead. Does this seem about right about recovery: 2-3 weeks to do most normal things, and 6 weeks for heavy lifting (eg 25 pounds)?
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Sinny - I can't help you much at this point. Had surgery on left side 2 weeks ago today. Still careful about what I pick up but other than that, I have resumed my normal activites and returned to work this week. I only work half days and I can sit in front of my computer the majority of the day.
Have another PS appt on Friday. I have 2 drains and think one will come out this week but the other one - that is a different story. The darn thing is so slow and coming down on the levels. I seem to get more drainage at night while sleeping than during the day. I would have thought it would have been the opposite. Any thoughts from anyone?????
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Sunny - I had a bilateral BMX and the Lat Flaps with TE's at the same time. Week 4 was a turning point for me, as far as feeling better and being more mobile. At that point, I was still a bit hindered by the drains and once those came out at week 5, it made a world of difference.
Jo - My drains were busier overnight, too. I thought it was weird, as well. Since mine have come out, I can feel fluid in my back. It's not a ton and it doesn't really bother me, but I can feel and hear sloshing when I lean back or lay down. I can't see any build up visually though.
All of a sudden, I have a ton of itching. It's in areas of my breast that are numb to the touch and it makes me crazy because there is nothing I can do to relieve it! Fingers are crossed that it's nerves regenerating.
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All of you with the drains in for so long - I'm so sorry! That sounds awful. I remember with my uni NSM how much better and more mobile I felt after both drains were gone. I am hoping it won't take 4+ weeks to get the drains removed this time since I'm not getting a TE yet and I've already had the MX.
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Two weeks ago today I had my surgery. My drains are hurting today and I am feeling bitchy and crabby. I so want these damn things out. I know I am probably not being patient enough.
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hang in there! I know how uncomfortable those things are. Our bodies all react differently and I was so bummed that many people had drains out in a few days and I had much, much longer. So bitch and moan away......
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ok on the light side {and maybe weird to some of you}. I ahve always said that massage is a great thing it helps with the circulation in your new breasts. Well I find myself doing it quite often and I am so glad I am the only one at work so no one sees me.
JO19577 - the more you are active the more your drains will flow, the more sedentary the less they flow. Take it easy they will be out soon. Sometimes they can take 4 weeks. Be diligent in stripping them. You can do it like every hour or so. I've had drains the first time for 6 weeks. The 2nd time I think 2 weeks 2 of the 4 removed then the following week the last ones removed.It will all workout you are a strong woman; I know how annoying those things can be. After one my surgeries I swore I could jump rope with the set. Almost did, not a good idea, that hurt really bad. Shower issue.
Well I'm off to my 4 day weekend, margaritas here I come, celebrate Cinco de Mayo [which also happens to be my birthday}.
Have a great weekend everyone!!!
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Faythnme - It seems the less active I am, the more the drains flow. I get more drainage over night versus the daytime. Nothing is easy for me and it seems I tend to get the opposite of what everyone else doe Enjoy Cinco de Mayo and Happy Birthday.
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Had PS appt today. Got one drain out and one to go. It felt good just to get one out. When the nurse pulled it out, it felt really weird - did not hurt at all. Now hoping I can get the last one out next Friday. I don't want to rush this - have had to deal with seromas in the past and not interested in doing it again.
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I massaged my breasts one month after surgery. This was first done by a physical therapist (she is located in the breast center and all patients see her and a massage therapist.). I went every 2 weeks and she massaged my arm and my breast and told me to massage every night for 10 minutes.
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I am on Singulair per my PS for 6 months to avoid capsular contracture. The greatest risk is within the first 6 months, as I understand.
Glad you had a drain removed jo1955!
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Thanks Jen78. I had two back drains removed yesterday because the skin Around them was extremely irritated and breaking down. The PS Nurse (i haven't seen the PS since I left the hospitAl three weeks ago - do you?) said the remaining back drains on either side will pick up the slack and they seem to be doing so. Two drains feels much better than four. Especially since the entry spots for the ones that were removed we're so painful.
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Joan888 good luck with your remaining drain. My surgery was April 9 and I have two back drains remaining - they took two out yesterday. One of the remaining drains is also at about 60 cc per day so I guess it maybe a while for me as well.
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I'm scheduled for Lat flap reconstruction on June 6...had a left MX 14 months ago, and am having the right one at the same time as recon.
Interested in info on recovery time.... I know that the 1st 2 weeks willbe not good....but after that.... Is it reasonable to plan a vacation 6-7 weeks later? What about swimming? bathsuits? etc? Any clothing issues to recommend? tell all....Thanks`!
Debbi S
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Hi AbbyM - I see my PS at every appointment. She's really hands on. Funny you mention skin problems around the back drains. The same day I had mine taken out, I started feeling itchy on my back. A few days later, I have a rash along both incisions (like hives) that is worst around the drain holes. We can't figure out what the allergy is, but it's been a few days and it's persisting
Did any of you have skin/nipple sparing mx? I'm having problems around 1 nipple. The incision pulled (I had a lift, so both nipples were moved up) apart and it's not healing. The PS cut some of the dead tissue away and said it's partially due to fat necrosis pushing its way up. Long story short, I have a hole in one breast along with the open incision. I'm packing the hole with saline soaked gauze twice a day and I see the PS again Monday morning. I'm having a tough time seeing how the finished product is going to be. It depressed me...at 5 weeks out, finally free of drains, I wasn't expecting any problems...kinda thought the worst was behind me. Instead, I'm itchy and worrying about an open wound. Seems like the fun never ends, huh? The good news is that I'm totally numb around the wound, so no pain.
). Sorry to be a downer today. 0 -
Debbis - it is sometimes challenging to try to give milestones - by 5 weeks you will be able to do this and by 7 weeks you will be able to do this. The PSs are different (massage vs no massage; remove drains first week vs.keep them in until drain amount is less than 20; see at each vist or not see after surgery is completed) and our recovery speed is different. For example, I had a drain for 7 weeks, so a vacation would have been challenging, however other ladies were back to normal activites in 2 weeks. For me, five months post surgery I am almost back to normal activities. I have worn a bathing suit and was not concerned about the scar on my back.
Jen 78 - I had skin sparing but not nipple sparing; sorry you are having issues.
AbbyM - drains are not fun. Hang in there as soon you will be free of them!
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Jen78 - I had skin/nipple sparing prophylactic mastectomy on the right at the same time as the left LD flap. My PS told me the skin on the my nipple would slough off. He told me to wash it with antibacterial soap and keep Aquaphor ointment on it and cover it with some gauze. I did this for 4 weeks and it healed nicely. It seems to be lighter in color than it used to be. So sorry you are having problems and yes it is so depressing to have setbacks.
Debbis - Sounds like you are having exactly what I had done on March 7th. The first two weeks were the hardest. I was very lucky to have had all 6 drains out by 10 days postop. I went back to work 6 weeks after my surgery. I work 12 hour shifts. You should definitely have no problems going on vacation unless for some reason you still have drains. My PS said absolutely no sitting in the sun the first 4 weeks even with clothes covering the graft site. He also said no hot showers. All PS are different, so I'm sure your PS would give you a list of do's and don'ts. My exchange surgery is June 13th and we are leaving (hopefully) on June 30th for vacation. I will have drains again. Hope and pray I get them out before June 30th, or I will not be able to go. You should be all healed 6 weeks postop, so getting in the water shouldn't be a problem.
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