Latissimus Dorsi Breast Reconstruction
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Hi, i had LD reconstruction, after L mastectomy oct 09 long surgery 6hours, i found drains very uncomfortable, i had fluid build up below back scar for about two months after surgery i had to go weekly to hospital to have it drained off.
I am now 2 and half years since surgery, my back is still sore and i take painkillers most days, i have swelling under my arm and just below which is also sore, it all feels very tight, like a thick rubber band try to stretch it out with exercise, i get a bit frustated sometimes will it ever feel more comfortable.
I have read that LD reconstruction is not performed much now due to these problems.
Hugs to you all xxxxxxxxx
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I take pain pills most days too. I get the same aching pulling hurting feeling along my LD scar and now I have a prolapsed disc between L4 and 5 and pinched sciatic nerve on both sides. Here in Australia they don't have Flexeril so prescribe Valium which does relax my muscles so I'm not in so much pain but I try and not take it as I think it adds to my already depression, which I fight daily. I am depressed because I can't physically do all I used to and it needs to be done. Help is expensive and I am upset that if I continue to not be able to do all the garden and paddock work I used to (we have 8 acres) we will have to sell and move and I love it here. My husband is 20 years older than me, so he can't help much and I get mad at him and that's not fair.
Kaza I'm afraid your pain is here to stay. I am going to see my PS and ask if maybe the LD scar has adhered to my back area and if it can be loosened up by arthroscopy and maybe then I will have less pain.
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Nurseronda, I am so glad to hear that your LE improved after LD surgery. My PS told me the same thing and I have been reluctant to believe him. I am sure it will help alot just to get rid of this darn drain.
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kaza and justagirl: That sounds horrible. Hearing that I might be living in pain for the rest of my life makes me wonder if getting reconstruction is even worth it, especially since I'm still young now. My skin on my right breast is too thin to get reconstruction without extra skin from either the back or stomach, but I'm too thin for anything from my stomach.
Not getting reconstruction would mean having a normal left breast, and empty right side. It's been like that for a year and I HATE it. What surgery, if any, would you have opted for if you knew you were going to be in pain for years after the LD surgery?
Anyone living pain free and able to use their body almost normally after LD surgery?
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sunny321, I am very happy with the outcome from my lat flap surgeries. I have not had any problems with pain or range of motion.
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hey jo1955, we are about the same time of having surgey, I had my lat dorsi on April 18,2012. When was yours? Are you still having any pain? Did your PS use implants also?
Jeri from AL
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Jeri - OMG! I also had my surgery on April 18, 2012. I had it done on the left side only and no implant. I had a significant lumpectomy defect that was fixed. I do not have any pain - other than the last drain - and no problems with range of motion. I ended up having to go back to surgery the next day - had a hematoma and instead of an overnight hospital stay, did not get out until Saturday afternoon. This is my second week back at work. I only work half days and that is enough. I tend to bounce back from surgeries pretty quickly and I could not see the need to stay home any longer.
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hey jo1955, this has been one hell of a ride. this ride is worse than my cancer mx on March 23, 2011. I had a stage 3 on my left breast. The area I live in AL is a fairly large area and has a cancer center, but when I find my own 2 weeks after I get the "all is good" card in the mail, then the PS and cancer dr. want to do a dbl mx asap, i decided to get a 2nd opinion and go to another big city abt. 2 1/2 hrs away where technology is better, they do a lot of research and is apart of the NCI. I would encourage all women or men to get a 2nd opinion. To make a long story short, my best chance of a lower recurrence with my "multicentric disease" meaning several types of breast cancer that were already invasive and positive node, was to go thru a 2nd phase trial study, like a high tech chemo for the future kinda thing. I also underwent radiation (33 trmts). Now reconstruction, radiation limits your options I was told by my PS. One complaint I have about these docs in this area is they are stingy on their pain meds.
(lots of people hooked and we are the victims). Just wondering if you are anyone else reading this has experienced any numbness after the LD reconstruction. At the time of the surgery, I had a skin sparing right mx with full implant and had tissue expander on left side with LD flap on both sides. The numbness is in both my arms every night. some nights worse than others. I have had a few weird moments when my arms just went limp, dead like, hard to explain, almost a paralyzing effect. I had no control or movement over them. I would shake, rub, etc until life came back, These were times I was moving around and boom, like all the nerves in both my arms died. Have you had any symptoms similar or anyone else? Other than the PS treating me like a kid, taking away my pain meds, which sucks, that is what they are for. I have too much sense and better things to do with my life than to get hooked. Any advise from any of you. Thanks for all the replies im getting now. I have been heard
. We have to advocate for each other I am definitely learning. Jeri0 -
kaza, so so sorry to hear this. do you do any stretching or some type of exercise to help. im very suprised your PS still allows you to take pain meds!! My PS thinks im a wimp and is taking me off anyway, im barley 3 wks post opt and he has tapered the meds. I go in next week to have my first fill on the TE. He said this would not hurt
. how did yours do? Will be praying for you and your pain.Jeri
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jeria - I'll say this has been one heck of a ride for you. I finished active treatment last year in June but of course this never ends since we all know that BC is the gift that keeps on giving. My PS gave me pain meds (30 Vicodin pills - have 10 left) when I was discharged from the hospital but I have not used many of them. I hold out for as long as I can. I am 3 weeks post op and other than the drain - I am feeling pretty good.
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I'm glad to hear that you (DLL66 and jo1955) don't have pain or range of motion problems. It makes me feel more optimistic about my future surgery. Thanks for the feedback
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sunny321: first, don't panic. Yes, I take a couple of pain pills most days, but I spend my days pushing a full wheelbarrow around, shoveling, raking, using a chainsaw and hauling branches and tarps full of garden stuff. I am also much older than you - I'm 59. I needed the Lat flap on the one side from having radiation so when the double mastectomy was done there was no second thoughts. I understand the very potential failure for that radiation side with an implant without the flap. This was 2 years ago. I am also very thin so now I think the lat flap scar has adhered to my ribs at my back causing discomfort so I should go see the PS and see if it can be loosened. and the pills I take are not narcotics like Vicodin.
I think I wouldn't need pain pills at the end of the day to sleep so I could lie down and be comfortable if they had Flexeril here, which is a muscle relaxer....and that's what I am trying to tell my leftover muscles in my back to do at the end of the day.
sunny321: do not despair. If your ps says a lat flat is the way to go, and you are thin - it is. Looks wise, I am happy with mine and even though i hurt I would rather hurt than of had a failed implant. I'm sure you don't lug around 100pound sacks of grass see and fertilizer either.
My life will never be the same after BC and a double mastectomy but at least I have my life and can do lots of things. If I would be less active, I am sure I would be pain free. If the weather is bad and I'm housebound for a few days, doing the vacuuming, ironing, cooking, grocery shopping I'm fine. I'm also a long distance runner but gave up triathlons as swimming really was uncomfortable but I know reading here some find it therapeutic.
sunny 321 : good luck.I may be years older than you, but I think I do do a lot of physical work. Someone young like you will heal better and unless you live on property, you can be pain free with your activities.
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Hi tracie,
Where did you have this done?
(I too, am in MA)
I'm trying to make the decision of masectomy , BMX, or just another lumpectomy (would be #3 on same breast)
Anyways, do you feel the tightness that my ps said might happen?0 -
Hi TheLuckyChicken - are you saying #3 on the lumpectomy? If so why would you do 3? Just curious.
Cindy
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Had PS appt today. Still have one drain. PS wants me to try emptying it more often so the cavity will shrink faster and I can get this darn thing out. So glad I had no plans for the weekend. DH and I could not have children so it is just another day for us.
Hope all your wonderful ladies get special treatment on Sunday. Happy Mother's Day weekend.
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sunny321 - I am pleased with my LD flap so far too. I haven't had any pain. It has been 9 weeks since my surgery and this week I have trimmed our shrubs, put 25 bags of water laden mulch out, and sprayed for weeds. Wasn't expecting the mulch bags to be as heavy as they were, but they were water soaked. I am sore all over but my back never did hurt. I am really surprised that I am able to lift this much so soon. I started my P90X workouts last week also. I am still so thankful that I found this site because whippetmom is the one who recommended the PS that I went to. According to his wikipedia, he was the first doctor in the U.S. to perform the LD flap surgery back in the 70's at Johns Hopkins. He is in Nashville now. Love his nurses too.
Jo1955 - So sorry you didn't get the drain out.
Happy Mother's Day!!
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I debated on whether to post this or not because I don't want to discourage anyone, but I am now facing surgery #7. PS is not happy with how things have settled on the left side and frankly I was beginning to suspect some contraction issues, but it won't matter as we are doing a revision with fat grafting. The only silver lining is that I get to have liposuction as a result of this operation.
I had to postpone my appt with Vinnie Myers for my 3 D tattoos until I get through the next maze of surgery, recovery, wait for final result and then make more decisions. My foobs are like an oil painting that goes on and on and on. For those that aren't artistic, you can do a lot of changing before oils finally dry. So, I continue to be a work in process.
We are also addressing scar and skin hanging issues on my back with this surgery. After I am all nipped & tucked, I won't resemble the mess I was pre BC.0 -
Thanks for posting - so sorry you are on #7!!! I have an appointment at the end of May to discuss surgery #2. The PS thought she could make the breast mound large enough with just the flap, but after settling and shifting, surgery#2 will now be either a small implant and/or fat grafting and revision to the scar on the back.
So
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westieluv - Thanks for sharing but bummer this is #7 for you. Hope this is the last one.
I will need a little revision done once the dust settles and PS said he could take care of that in his office. I have not really gotten into it right now. Taking one step at a time and the next one is to get rid of the last drain.
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westieluv - sorry to hear about yet another surgery. Good that you didn't get the nipple yet. It sounds like you have a good PS that takes pride in his work so that is good. I have found with all of my various PS surgeries (pre and post BC, I had work done after massive weight loss) I don't think I ever had a PS surgery that didn't involve at least one revision surgery either combined with something else or done in the office. Hang in there and keep us posted.
Jo - that sucks about the drain staying put. Try what the dr said and empty it often and they say "milking" it, or sometimes called stripping, this will keep the suction going and hopefully help.
Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms!
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sunny321, it has been 4 yrs since my LD recon surgery. I did experience some tightness (ironbra) but it has gotten better. I never experience any pain. I have full range of motion. I bike, run and do strength training without any problems. Everyone is different and you need an experienced doctor who has done lots of LD recons. You will find that most of the women on these discussion boards are here because they are seeking advice or are having problems. I continue to stay here (not as much) because I want to help when needed and encourage by sisters. The best to you.0
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Jo1955 - Sorry about that drain. I am right there with you and will try more frequent emptying in the hopes of getting at least one of my remaining two out next week.
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Abby - I had to ask myself why my PS did not say something last week about draining more often. I was just going by what was on the discharge instructions. Please keep me posted and let me know how it goes. I will also let you know if I do get my last drain out on Wed.
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Thanks for the encouragement ladies.
Justagirl - you are probably right in that I will almost never be expected to live 100 pound bags of anything. Good to know you can manage smaller loads without problems.
Linda54 - Thanks for keeping up on this forum so long after your surgery. It is helpful to those of us in the process. It's nice to hear people can have full range of motion and can do strength training. I've done some strength training post uni-mx and my mx side is definitely weaker than my normal left half. In the beginning I felt stupid with a heavy weight in my left hand and light one in my right, but oh well. I also struggle with push-ups post mx, but should probably stick with it.
Nurseronda10 - I hope I will easily be lifting 25 pounds 9 weeks post-op. Glad that you feel you are able to!
I have a 12 month old daughter who expects to be carried all the time. My mother is flying in for my surgery and will stay for hopefully 3 weeks to take care of my little girl, and then my husband will take off a week or two. Then after that, I don't know how I can possibly avoid lifting a 25 pound toddler all the time. Being a stay-at-home-mom is the wrong 'profession' to avoid constant lifting, even after major surgery.
Happy Mother's Day everyone.
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Westieluv, good luck with your revision.
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jo1955 - Big celebration when the last one comes out ... hope it is Wednesday for you.
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The way it is looking right now the last drain will not come out on Wed. PS told me to start emptying the drain 4 times a day instead of 2 times. The numbers have gone way up and just not coming down to that magic number of 30 for 24 hours. The least amount I have had in 24 hours is 50 ccs. Still way too much. Don't understand why I still have so much drainage.
I will get a reminder call on Tues and if the numbers have not dropped big time - I will just cancel the appt and try for next week. Wed will be 4 weeks with this one in. The other one was removed at 2 1/2 weeks. Sorry to whine but this is just so frustrating and the drain site really hurts this morning.
Happy Mother's Day!!
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jo1955... I am with you. I will be 5 weeks out this Wednesday and still have one drain producing about 45cc's every day. I was really counting on losing this drain this Tuesday, but does not look like that will happen. And so it goes....
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joan - This is getting old with the drains isn't it??? Seems like it will never end. My side has been hurting all day. Getting a burning sensation when I turn the right way. When I woke up, the drain site was very sensitive to the touch. Now it is down to a dull ache and every once in a while or again, if I move just right. Hope you get yours out real soon.
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After the drains have been in for that long, the skin around the entry and the top 1/8th of the tubing really starts to aggravate the skin. Most of the rest of the tube hasn't moved, so that inflammation is pretty pronounced up close. You can only hope to get the cc's down and get it pulled. Mine were in so long that a couple of the suture sites never did lay completely flat. The underskin started to heal separately from the skin layer, so it feels like there are 2 layers there now. Actually, there are 2 separate layers of healing. Drains really are the worst part of the process. I feel for you gals. Hope you can pull them very soon.
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