Latissimus Dorsi Breast Reconstruction
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Hey Jo - Great news! Glad it went well. That was fast too! Happy for you to be feeling better about yourself too. That's always a bonus. I hope you enjoy your cruise.
jen
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Sunny - My PS had to cut off a little bit of the "football patch" as I call it. There was too much and it looked like I had a bubble hanging down the underside of my breast. It was pretty smple and quick. I sure hope this is the end. One follow up in 10 days and time to say goodbye.0
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My revision was done in about one hour as an out-patient procedure at the hospital. The first thing the PS did was correct the dog ear from the LD surgery. She did this by cutting off the extra skin. The second thing was to insert an implant for symmetry as the LD side as just a wee bit smaller. This might not be the case with a LD after lumpectomy but I had UMX so needed a bit more 'lift'. I am still pleased with one minor issue - When I am lying down my LD breast is nice a pert while my other breast does what many real breasts do - it sags to the side. My DH asked if I could get some kind of crutch for the real breast so it stays 'up' too. I am going in September for the nipple.
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ftizdc - I had a lumpectomy and did not need an implant. Not enough area to fill which is okay with me. I had quite a bit of breast removed and this procedure was a good choice to fix the defect.
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Rough night! In pain most of the night in spite of taking a Vicodin before going to bed. Did not sleep well. Hope I can turn that around tonight.
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Sorry about the pain - hope you have a better night.
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Jo - sorry to hear about the pain. Sometimes it can sneak up on you. Hopefully tonight will be better.
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Good Morning Everyone - Slept great last night. Just a little bit of blood this morning on the bandage but I think that is about it. Felt great to get in the shower this morning. Follow up appt on Aug 2nd should be my last and I can close another chapter in this BC journey. This are has not really been bad even with the second surgery the day after the LD flap. I love the results and would do it all over again if I had to. This was one of the best decisions I have made. I would recommend this surgery for anyone who had a lumpectomy or even a mastectomy.
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Hi Ladies, need your advice, had a failed expander last year with terrible infection chest burst open and have only just healed now, am seeing my ps tomorrow and really am unsure of the best surgery............i have researched all possibilities but am a loss, does anyone know the success rate for tram flap, or diep surgery versus expanders again?, any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks ladies B:)
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jo1955 - Congratulations! I'm so glad for you... and that you're happy with the results. Fabulous.0
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Thanks Marnie - I am hoping I am finally going to be able to put alot of this BC crap behind me. The only cancer related appts I will have after next Thurs is the MO every 6 months. I can deal with that.
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Hi ladies! I have not posted here before because I hadn't planned on having an LD flap, but my left side sort of capsulated with the expander so LD it was! So my exchange surgery was last Monday and I had the flap procedure done at the same time. I'm sort of dissapointed with the results. I know it's only been a few days but I just expected to be symetrical looking in a shirt at least. I have a lumpy back, a huge bump under in my armpit on the LD side and my LD breast is huge compared to the implant only side. Could this just be swelling? Were the rest of you nice and symetrical right after surgery or does it take some time? I've just had so many complications with reconstruction and I naively thought this would be the end of it and I expected to look halfway decent in a shirt and never have to wear a bra again. I can't even look at myself with a shirt on let alone without
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Twinmom - I was hugely swollen after my surgery. It took well over a month before I noticed it starting to go down. I'm 3.5 months out now and the swelling is gone. The lumpy feeling under my arms is gone and I have full range of motion. My back had fluid build up in it for quite a while. I had those drains x 7 or 8 weeks, and was manually drained many times after that. But, now, it's gone and my back looks normal and the scars are basically thin, pink lines.
It's a major surgery and recovery takes awhile, but for me, the end result has been extraordinary. I've still got my expanders in, but I look pretty darn good in a bathing suit already.
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Twinmom - yes swelling is completely normal. Try not to worry. I'm 8 yrs post surgery and doing fine. My left breast (the surgery side) is a tad smaller than the right but that's the way I was before too. I get regular deep tissue massage for any scarring/tightness issues and do yoga about 5x weekly to keep my range of motion good and I'm doing great. So take heart - give yourself time to heal, all will be well. Hugs and healing to you (and everyone else!) today.0
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I was not symmetrical after the first surgery. Had a revision and now not bad. I did not have swelling in m back, but others have. I do have to wear a bra still - it makes me feel more comfortable.
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Thank you ladies! That makes me feel better!
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Jo1955 and all. As you see I am almost 1 year post lumpectomy. Saw a PS for a consult Thursday and he really pushed the DIEP flap. He is the DIEP flap man in that practice so maybe that is why. He discouraged the LD procedure (reasoning was unclear) . Pushed the fact that the DIEP includes a tummy tuck. The kicker was he would want me to have a mastectomy first. I fought to keep this nipple dammit. I left feeling "deflated". He would not consider fat injections (take too many) or anything else due to the radiated skin. My skin made it through rads basically unscathed. I don t want perfection just round that puppy out a little. He seemed to think that the nipple was not a big deal. They would just make me another one. Thoughts opinions from the group.?
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libraylil - I'm sorry to hear your struggle with this. If you could I would say get a second consult with a different PS. I've read a lot on this site about NOLA, which is in North Carolina I think. Perhaps that would be a place to seek another opinion. I'm on the West Coast so traveling that far wasn't even on my radar. I sort of followed the suggestions given by the PS that works with our cancer center here. I figured he was experienced with the various BC patients and I was so caught up in the whirlwind of emotions that BC brings along that I didn't think to see anyone else. I did have a UMX lat, skin sparing with immediate implant. I wasn't able to keep my nipple due to a prior breast aug/lift. So I definately understand why you want to try to keep yours. I never knew how much those little guys were worth. My PS did also mention the DIEP to me but I also didn't qualify due to prior surgery. So I was faced with the LD choice. My surgery was in Oct and I am feeling good with my decision.
I hope you can find someone that will understand your wishes. Good luck!
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NOLA is in New Orleans, Louisana. I would get a second opinion keeping in mind that PSs will often 'push' the surgery at which they are the best. My PS told me upfront if I wanted a PAP or TUG that was not her area of expertiese and to seek another doctor. However, she did not push implants or LD - just gave me the info and let me decide. (DIEP not at option with her as prior ab surgery created issues). I did not keep my nipple so the PS will make me a new one from the skin on the LD flap.0
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Thanks for the correction on NOLA. I knew it was somewhere in the south. :-)
I think you are right in that you shouldn't feel pressured to get a certain procedure. I didn't feel pressured with my LD flap choice and I also spent a lot of time on the internet researching it so at least I knew what I was in for. This site helped too.
I just finished signing and initialling all the paperwork for my nipple surgery in August. Sometimes reading all the worst case scenarios in those things is hard.
Bottom line is that you have to feel ok with the choice you make and the dr that will do it.
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libraylil - I had a lumpectomy and was almost a year and a half out from surgery when I had the LD flap done. I just wanted the "defect" fixed. Get the nipple back where it belongs and round out that puppy. My PS told me that would be the best option for me and what I wanted done. I think a lot of us could use a tummy tuck but I was not willing to go through that healing process - I can diet and get rid of the tummy LOL!. I did not need to have a mastectomy, I kept my nipple and the good breast has not been touched. No implant on the LD side so it is all natural and I have great range of motion. I might also add that I had radiation and my PS said my skin looked amazing. I also spent quite a bit of time on the internet and of course here so I also knew what I was getting into. No regrets whatsoever!
Bottom line - Like others have said - go get a second opinion and a third one if you need to.
I love the results I got - I needed to have a little revision done which amounted to a 20 minute office procedure. If you like you can PM me with questions or just want to talk about this please do.
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Going to the PS today for what I hope is my last appt. This is a 10 day followup from my revision. I love my PS and he did an amazing job but it is time to close another chapter in this journey. Hope everyone has a great day.
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Hope the appt. went well Jo.
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Hey Jo - congrats on your last PS visit. He will probably check you at 6 months and then at a year - that's what happened with me, but then I went through BC in Australia and they do things a bit differently there.
Hope everyone is doing well today. xoxox
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Marnie - Turns out this is not my last PS appt. Having outpatient surgery on Tuesday. More revision work. I am move the muscle he used for the LD flap and at times it gets so tight it really bothers me. When I asked him about that today he said he did cut the nerve but there could have been another branch of nerves he missed. Also, my nipple is pointing down a bit and he is going to do an areola lift at the same time. I never thought to ask about the nipple. I have gotten used to re positioning it when I put my bra on. He is so picky and I am so glad. I will be first on the schedule - 7:30am so will have to get up very early. That's okay - I should be home by lunch time.
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Hi Everyone~ haven't been on this site since probably last year(june 2011 & july 2011 AC/T, topics). been doing good, sick of my fake silicone boob in my bra. Going to have the latissimus dorsi thing done on Aug. 16th. getting very nervous. not looking forward to "frankenboobie"!!! but i know i want a boob attached to my body, i'm only 42. I did go swimming in public this year with my "uni-boob". wasn't going to pay money for a fake one for just this summer. my sister says it's my badge of courage, ok, so i did it. I just didn't want to scare any little kids!!! LOL Soooo tell me you are happy that you did it, i know it's gonna be painful and i'm not looking forward to those drain tubes again!!! I know not everyone has had a good experience, by now i think we all understand that you just NEVER KNOW whats gonna happen next!!! looking forward to your responses and opinions. (Just have to do the one side.)
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julee - I had mine done on Apr 18th and I am so glad I had this done. I was not in too much pain. In fact, I think I asked for a total of 2 pain pills in the hospital and took very little once I got home. Yes, the worst is the drains. I had two - one came out at 2 1/2 weeks and the other at 5 weeks. I recently had a little revision work done in the office and will have another outpatient surgery done on Tues. The muscle is still contracting and my PS is going to fix that. I really love my results and loving with eachh revision we have done. If all goes well this time and I'm sure it will, then I will be done. I only had the left side done and that was to correct a significant lumpectomy defect. Best wishes for a good outcome. Please PM me anytime if you like.
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Julee, I have bilateral lat flaps & I would make the same choice if I had it to do over again. Best wishes to you!
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Julee, had BMX with immediate LD reconstruction on April 9th. Just had revision to smaller implants this week and very happy with the results. The drains were by far the worst part - had the last one out 7 weeks post-op and so, if you have already been through that once, you know what to expect. Breasts still jump a bit when I use what used to be my back muscles but less each week.
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Had UMX and LD and I think I would do it again. I use 'think' as today I spent an hour in the garden doing weeding and both my back and my front are rather sore. This is new as I never had this type of soreness prior to the surgery. BUT the fact that I can do work in the garden for one hour=== that is a good thing!!
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