Latissimus Dorsi Breast Reconstruction
Comments
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nurseronda - Thanks! I will look those up.
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Jo1955 - Appreciate your comments! A big old Colorado (((HUG))) right back at you! Did you sign up for my newsletters? They get e-mailed to you about once a week and cover lots of info that my blog doesn't - more in depth information. All my best stuff! Have a wonderful weekend.
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Marnie - Yes I did. Wish I had all that wonderful information before I had my LD flap. I am making a good recovery. The tip to reduce adhesions is great. Thanks and I look forward to reading your newsletters.
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Hi there jo1955: Great! Yes, I also wish I'd had the benefit of all this information and this wonderful forum when I was going through it all. I am glad you are making a good recovery, that's the best news of all. Wishing you a beautiful week!
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Had my 6 month MO appt today. Got a good report, labs are all good. Don't go back now until Dec 10th. Yeah!
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How long were you all in the hospital after your LD flap surgery? Also, if you can include any other surgeries you had at the same time, so I can take that into account, and also if you had both sides done or just one. When I had my uni-mx, I went home after 24 hours, and have been assuming this surgery will be similar. I am trying to plan my recovery out with my mother flying out to take care of my baby. Thanks!
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I was in hospital 3 days for UMX and ld flap. The LD flap is a longer surgery than the UMX and does require a longer hospital stay, I have read.
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sunny321 - My LD flap surgery was 2 1/2 hours. I had one side done and did not have an implant. It was supposed to be an overnight stay but ended up staying 4 days. Had to go back to surgery the next day after LD - developed a hematoma. It is not common but can happen. Went home with 2 drains.
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Hmm - longer than I was hoping. Thanks for the info!
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Sunny321, I was in the hospital the night following the surgery & then 1 more night. I had a right lat flap with TEs placed. For my second lat flap on my left side, I had implants placed & the hospital stay was the same. Your surgeon will want to make sure the flap is getting adequate blood flow before discharging you.
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Sunny321- I was in the hospital 48 hours. I had LD flap on the left, nipple sparing prophylactic mastectomy on the right and bilateral tissue expanders. He also excised some thick cords in my axilla.
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I need your help with feed back please!! Ive been reading on this subject. So many different issues with the LD flap!!! My heart and prayers go out to all of you!!! I will be 7 weeks 2morrow from the LD surgery. I had the LD on both sides; had a skin sparing masceptomy on right with full implant placed. The left was the radiated side (33 trtments)ended 6/2011; scar from the 3/2011 total masceptomy. PS placed a TE in and he has filled it 2 times @ 60cc each. Came home with 6 drains. All drains out in 2 wks. All was good per the PS. Pain in back, etc was normal. Abt. 3 wks ago, my LD scars started swelling, PS said this was not fluid, but edema. He could not drain and should go down. He would lipo if still there when the TE exchange time came. Well, 1 wk. ago the left TE side started having more sharp shooting pains, swelling more at the LD scar and moved into the armpit area, and around the port area (under the TE). My PS is out of town & also 2.5 hrs from me;his assist said this is normal; being radiated on that side will take time. PS wanted me to wear only camisoles with the built in shelf only since surgery. My back from the middle all the way down is so painful and feels like its on fire continuously!!!! Im taking more lortabs, Ibuprophen & oxycodone now just when I was weening off. The assist to PS still wants me to continue walking, stretching and keep moving. Any suggestions, please leave feedback?
Thanks for caring, Jeri
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So sorry for your pain - I have no input or advice - only want to offer my support from afar.
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Hi Jeria - I'm so sorry that you've got all this going on right now. Is it possible for you to get a 2nd opinion from another surgeon that has experience with breast reconstruction? It sounds like you're a bit nervous about what your PS is telling you. He may be completely right, but another opinion can't hurt.
I didn't have radiation, but I had a skin/nipple sparing BMX with LD Flaps and TE's on both sides. Your swelling may be totally different than mine, but I had swelling and redness on one breast and the PS determined it was an infection and put me on antibiotics, which helped. On my back, I had significant fluid build up once the drains came out, so she's been draining me once a week. I'm 11 weeks out from surgery and she drained just over 25cc's from each side of my back last Thursday, so it's still going, but getting a lot better. She also referred me to a physical therapist that does manual lymph drainange (MLD). It's like a light massage that stimulates the lymph nodes into action and helps them do their normal job.
I hope you can find both answers and relief very soon.
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Jeria: I definitely agree with Jen78 - find someone who does manual lymph drainage (like a specialist massage therapist). Failing that, getting someone to do massage for you on your back and over the scars (lightly) would benefit you so much. I'm a massage therapist and when you described what you were going through, I was itching to get my hands on you to help relieve some of that pain. Some of that pain may be due to adhesions forming from the scar tissue and massage therapy will help to free those adhesions.
BTW, if there's an infection present, the area will be red, hot and swollen. You'd want to treat the infection first before doing any sort of massage.
Sending you loads of healing today - hope this helps even a little! Hugs from afar.
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Jen - i am so sorry this is happening to you. I don't have any advice to offer but want you to know I am thinking about you to offer support.
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Jeri,
I say better safe than sorry. Make the drive and insist that the PS look at you to be sure you don't have an infection or cellulitis brewing there. Post op time is precarious and battling back an infection that takes hold is not a good place to be. Even if you are being overly cautious , it is worth it. Take it from someone that has been there, had a complication and wished that she had went to the hospital sooner rather than self doubting. Only you know your body. Trust in that and let us know how it goes.0 -
I agree with what others have said, get checked by a dr just to make sure it's not some infection. I would expect soreness after the surgery but I think it's that you said it felt like it was on fire that would have me worried. Although if you don't have a fever it's probably not infection, still, better safe than sorry.
I hope you start to feel better rather than worse. Please check back in and let us know.
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Thank u sooo much for ur support & feedback!! Lots of great suggestions & expressions of concern! I want to reply, but right now I'm very medicated & grateful that all of you cared enough to reply!! Nice way to end my night knowing I'm not alone & have support in this Journey of our lives! Will check back tomorrow p.m. to share more. :-)))))
Be blessed, Jeri0 -
I want to thank you all soooooo much for your support & feedback . I'm still wanting to know what NOLA is? Marnie, I checked out your blog & joined your newsletters, sounds very interesting! I don't think I have an infection in the back, it's not red, hot or swollen except at the LD flap scar line. It started swelling abt. 4 wks post op. Very sensitive also. PS said this could not be drained. He said it was not fluid , but edema. My surgery lasted 6-1/2 hrs with 4 nights in hospital. Came home with 6 drains. I'm still having the hot fire burning sensations in my middle back. Have appt. with PS on 6/19, will talk to him abt. the massage therapist. Also, I'm gonna check into the Yoga, sounds like that would certainly help with stress as well as the stretching. I've heard you talk abt. vidacon pain med, is this the same as OXYCODONE or stronger? Im back to taking the same dose of pain meds when i was discharged! They are the 10/500 lortabs, 5 mg oxycodone & 600mg ibuprophen. Also, have any of you experienced your arms going numb when you lay down to rest or sleep since surgery? and now, if both my arms don't go numb, my fingers are stiff & painful when I awake during night or morning. My left side does concern me since it is the radiated side where PS placed the TE. Not only has the swelling moved up in the armpit, I feel a hard knot or lump as well. The right side, I had the LD flap as well with skin sparing masceptomy & full implant placed with nipple reconstruction from my back skin. Any more suggestions or feedback, I'm open! Thanks again for your concern & support!! :-) Jeri
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You may be my blessing. If I can save one women from undergoing this surgery mine will have been worth it. I had the double mass/ and latissimus
Dorsi Breast Recon in 5/2010 and had complicatations from the third surgery on. Like most of who are so afraid when diagnosed and just want this out of our bodies. I Choose this surgery as well as the double mass, could have had just a lumpectomy but did not want to every do this again. Two years later I still have pain and muscle spasms 24 hours a day. I sought out a second opinion from UCLA and the diagnosis is all the same, we can cut your nerves for the spasms to stop. They conclude the first surgeron did nothing wrong. I disagree that when you take your back muscle and pull it under your arm it creates a bulk under your arm and leaves you disporportionate. Not to mention the continual sorness from the 12" scars running vertical up and down your back. I have never adjusted to this and feel a tightness across my chest at all times. It is like my center a gravity has been moved and I have no abdominal control. This could be due to my lack of energy to exercise. One insert failed and I have a flat chest on the left side. Please consider all other forms of treatment other than this one. If I can save you then my horrible LatissimusDorsi Breast Reconstruction will have meant something other than buying my surgeon a new mercedes. After 4 times under the knife. Blessed Love sent to you and please explore all of your options before making a decision.
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Carolyn, I think your experience is the exception, not the norm. There can be complications with any form of reconstructive surgery.
I had lat dorsi flaps on both sides & I would wholeheartedly do them both again if I had to go back & do things over.
My scars are about 4-5 inches & are on a diagonal, so they are mostly hidden by my bra band on my back. I do not have any bulk under my arms from the muscle. I did have a spot where you could see a slight fold in the muscle, but wearing a tight bra has smoothed it considerably. I have zero pain or muscle spasms & have no issues with abdominal control.
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I agree with DLL66 - I have had few complications with my LD flap surgery and what problems I did have were easily resolved with certain essential oils and massage therapy. I'm really sorry that you (Carolyn3683) have had so much trouble! That's really unfortunate. Muscle spasms can often be eased with regular massage therapy, good hydration and certain supplements like magnesium. I also highly recommend yoga - the gentle stretches help to balance you and help you to reclaim your body. Sending you lots of love today.
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Had reconstruction after BM. Because of previous radiation, didn't go well. Breasts are very small and i am concave. Sought out another doc and will be getting latissimus dorsi flap grafted onto breast and new larger gummy bear implants put in. These implants are tear drop shaped to fill out my "dents". They will remove the flap, not go under skin.
Anyone else ever gone thru this exact chain of events?0 -
jeria, I replied to your question on June 7th...guess you missed it.
NOLA stands for New Orleans, LA.......The Center for Restorative Breast Surgery
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Carolyn, I had an LD flap done 8 weeks ago and I am doing really well. I chose this procedure to correct a significant lumpectomy defect. I did not need an implant. My only bump in the road was I had to go back to surgery the day after the LD for a hematoma/seroma. Instead of being in the hospital overnight, it turned out to be 3 nights. No other issues. I would do this again in a minute. Am so happy with with results.
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Linda54, thanks, I did miss it. Never have heard or knew of this place. Is it supposed to be THE BEST for BREAST RECONSTRUCTION? Do you know the website? Thanks
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Helmel~
You said the surgeon did not take the LD flap under the skin, so I assume it was a "free flap" microsurgery using the LD?
I had only heard of LD flap surgery with it being tunneled under skin and axilla, which is a problem for me.
Warm wishes.
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Marnie, thanks for emailing your website with the oils, hope you got my reply, my email server was playing games witn me. Your blog site is very informative also, will continue to check it out. Very interested in the Yoga, hope this will stop the knocking noise in my hip area, which also has a fire burn pain when trying to sleep on either of my sides since surgery, and the numbing & pain in arms & fingers. I sometimes wonder while I was in the OR, if I was accidently dropped on floor. .?? I will never know, I just pray over time my other body parts will return to normal & this long journey with LD Flap will be worth it in the end . We are all so unique in our body chemistry, health issues, ages, attitude, etc. play such a huge roll in the healing process. But, I have learned since my diagnose that we must be pro active with our life, we must advocate and support one another who has been there & got the T-shirt. We are "Ta-Ta Sisters" as someone posted earlier, I love that phrase!
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