Latissimus Dorsi Breast Reconstruction
Comments
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rallytay...hi, i had left mastectomy/LD flap at the same time. My surgery was 6hours, i woke up with 2 drains to my back. I know it all sounds allien to you at this moment. my thoughts will be with you tomorrow. The drains were the most uncomfortable part for me, and having a nurse help me with a shower because i was a bit wobbly.....hugs xxxxx kaza
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Surgery times will vary depending on how many surgeons are there and etc. I did bmx and LD with 2 BS and 2 PS. It took about 8hrs. Went in the OR at 7:00 out at 3:00 to recovery for 2 more hours. So, 12 hrs for only 1 BS and 1 PS could be the deal. I had my son take me and he stayed but all other family stayed at home and jobs until he called them. It would be a long time to wait in a waiting room! It all seemed fast to me as I was in pre-op one minute and in my hospital room the next! So, don't stress how long it will take- it will be over and done before you know it and you will be on the recovery side. Best wishes to all having surgery, will be praying all goes well. Keep in touch when you feel up to it. Many ((HUGS!))
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No worries you will be in good hands, does not really matter how long it takes, as long as the job gets done right. Perhaps your PS did not add the prep time to the actual surgery. I had BL reconstruction too. Good luck! I will say a prayer you and your surgeon. P.S. Practice yoga breathing when you begin to move around this helps a lot !
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Hi special ladies, I had L/D surgery Oct 09, since having this surgery i have had constant pain, to back scar area, under arm, the pain is unbearable at times, affecting my quality of life somewhat, i saw my consultant 2 weeks ago, i again told him about the pain which is constant, he just said have you tried physio, i have to say i have a very strong freshold of pain i had both my sons naturally no pain relief at all, the first son i was 24hrs in labour, i just want to make others aware of this awfull outcome from this surgery, i know there other ladies on this forum, who like myself suffer everyday, pain pain pain, housework is difficult, shopping is difficult, sitting watching TV is difficult, so you see our whole lives are affected forever...3 and half years since my surgery no let up same pain as it ever was...please ladies think carefully before having this nightmare surgery...i would hate for any of you planning this surgery to suffer this way. sorry to be blunt..kaza
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Hi, i know we all have choices, i so wish i hadnt had this surgery...suffering all this pain, my surgery didnt rearly go to plan, the L/D decreased in size after surgery, so you see, constant acute pain, no boob, still have to wear foobs!!!!!!oh well x
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Kaza, so sorry you have had such a terrible experience. Mine was similar, except I had only one side done. I had the LD in Dec. 2010. Mine included a small implant. Did yours? Mine looked like a hamburger bun, so I also had to wear some kind of padding in my bra to get sort of a match. After 2 years of pain, burning, constant spasms & fatigue, I had surgery in Jan. of this year to remove the implant and have the thoracodorsal nerve cut. I'm stuck with the Lat muscle in my chest. Last month I had some fat grafted into the crater that was left where the implant was, to try to soften where I had thin skin stuck right to my ribs. What a journey! I still have that uncomfortable tight, "iron bra" feeling, but I definitely feel a lot better than I did! I almost feel human now! I hope you can find a way to get some relief!
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Hi lalove55.....oh what a journey, i only had L/D to my left side, i didnt have an implant, my reconstruction also looks like a hamburger bun (small one) so unattractive, i rearly do not feel i can do any more surgery at this time. The pain and tightness is so tiresome, i am going to try a TENS machine i have ordered one today, a fellow L/D sister on this sight said it has helped with her pain.
I am pleased you have slight relief from having thoracodorsal nerve cut, i hope you are recovering well from the fat grafting, treating yourself well.
The only way is up so they say, so pleased we have this forum to support each other. Please keep in touch kaza xx
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Rallytay, you are in good hand with Dr. Copit! I love him, he is great!
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Kaza so sorry about your pain. I saw a special rolling massage technique specifically for incisional pain related to the LD muscle along with essential oils. This was developed by a breast cancer survivor with LD pain. Can't imagine being in so much pain for so long
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Jeepster1......i am hoping a TENS machine is going to help, i have ordered one on line carnt wait to give it a go. I have a massage sometimes, which does help, she uses oils and sort of rolls her lower arm over the whole area, i am wondering if this is similar to what you saw.
How are you,i hope you are healing well, HUGS kaza xxxxxxxx
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hi ladies! well i had my bilateral LD flap surgery on friday. it was 5 hours with 2 hour recovery. my anest. knocked me out before i knew what was going on and next thing i know i'm in recovery asking for my husband! lol. shortly after i woke up i was taken to my room. i woke up with delauded.....but didn't push the button til around 11pm....and only because the nurses convinced me too. i didn't take any pain medicine after that. i have 4 drains and 2 OnQ bags hooked to me. they're a pain but expected. the OnQ bags actually help with the surface pain. i get those out on thursday. i also have one drain that didn't really work so i was leaking in my back really bad.....so my husband went to the store and got one of those nose baby booger suckers.....and OUALA! i was able to drain everything. i have to stay on it every 30 minutes or so but at least i'm not leaking anymore. i'm doing pretty good with pain....i was able to leave the hospital yesterday after lunch (pizza from my husband! lol!) and go home. my pain has gotten better every day....and again i only had it when i moved around.....otherwise just relaxing i was totally fine. my nurses were amazed......PRAISE GOD! so i'm home and being taken care of.....seem to be more tired then anything...naps have been great.....i loved seeing my husband go grocery shopping but i think he bought the most expensive of everything in the store. lol.
i got in for my post-op on thursday....hopefully he will take out my OnQ's but i think my drains might stay in for a bit longer. we'll see.
as far as my foobs.....he really did a good job. he told me that i had A LOT of scar tissue from my first attempt with the PS that wasn't very good.....he actually said worse then he had every see.....but was able to clean it all up for me. he was hoping to fill them half way up but went with a quarter cuz i had had so much scar tissue he had to clean up he didn't want me to have soooo much to heal right at the beginning. i am very thankful for him. they are symmetrical and small but that part will change. the grafted skin is the same color as my chest skin so that is really nice. i know teh incision scars will eventually heal and i won't be able to see them as much.....but either way....i'm happy with the outcome. my husband was impressed with the job he did as well.....
so hear i am.....just healing more and more every day and thanking God for a good outcome.
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ps.....ladies with the bad experiences.....my heart goes out to you. my first attempt was a bad experience....it was awful.....i'm praying every day that this one works for me and i will keep you all in my prayers as well. this is such a difficult journey we are all forced to share......and to have to deal with these crazy issues on top of it all can be very bitter. like the BC we went thru....don't give up.....keep the faith.
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dnadebbs - so happy your surgery went well and you are home and getting better each day! Keep the positive attitude and the faith. Both will get you through this.
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dnadebbs - sorry you had to have a redo but this one sounds like a winner. It's a sad fact of life that we not only have to deal the the monster breast cancer but go through so much physically with the surgeries. Wishing you a speedy recovery. Be sure and ask about starting stretching with a PT 6 weeks out and then slight strengthening with PT 12 weeks out. Be sure PT gives you some simple exercises you can do at home to lessen the visits. Don't do them until you hurt. Do them until you just start to 'feel' it.
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dnadebbs-So glad your surgery went well. It is now time to recover. Take it slow but you sound so good! Many ((HUGS))!
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For Linda54,anyone re-"tightness"- I loved myofascial release way back when I had PT after surgery('95)..but it never lasted, Still feel tight to this day (18 yrs!!!) Having my implant out in 2 wks..need to PM the girl who does rehab as Im pretty nervous about function afterward..Im an OTA in schools and at 61 cant afford any extra loss..lol Debbie
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If I can add, I have had difficulties for so long as well 18yrs!!..the tightness never seems to go away and how fair is it to get itchy on my right ribs but cant feel the scratching!! what the..!!??? lol so many things we have to deal with and who wants to listen? my new surgeon is very straight forward, said I did get 'scre***'..no one has ever acknowledged that its a weird and iffy surgery..I man, putting a piece of your back muscle in the front??! i cried when he said this, all the PT and massage and chiro never made me feel 'heard'..so..Im removing the grapefruit (stale hamburger bun..VERY stale lol)(so hard I worry when my school kids hug me and bump their heads!!) and hoping PT after the fact will help me get strong and stay that way..flat and fantastic!!! geez what a trip huh? SOOO happy to find this outlet..thnx ((hugs)) Debbie in FL
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debbie - 18yrs wow -now i depressed! thats a long time to be dealing with this crap, sounds like your issue is that you have a lot of scar tissue build up, thats what makes it hard. I agree this is a awful surgery and no one should even consider it. I cant even believe that the are still doing this in this day and age. I try to warn other women but lots of them think that because their surgeon says they will be fine they think complications are due to surgical skill (like i did) THEY ARE NOT - complications result because of comprimising the muscle, some of us do ok and some of us are in chronic pain. Even those who do ok have long lasting effects. I think there are enough of us out there that they should never do this surgery. I stay on this thread to warn other women
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Rozem, I disagree. I am sorry that you have had complications, but saying they should NEVER do lat flap surgery is such a broad, sweeping statement. Warn people of the potential for complications, for sure. Anyone considering any type of surgery should do their homework & research the pros & cons.
As for me, I have bilateral lat flaps with zero issues & would do them again in a heartbeat. The vast majority of people don't have issues or they wouldn't continue to offer it. I decided against DIEP & the other TUG/SGAP surgeries. I still feel that lat flaps were my best option & have zero regrets.
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Rozm-I think any surgery has complications and unexpected outcomes. Checking out other discussion boards there are people who have many of the same problems after bmx,umx and have not had LD flaps, but other surgeries for recon. Or even no recon with still muscle and back tightness, chronic pain . Cancer is the bitch and dealing with it and what it leaves behind is what sucks, both physically and mentally.
DLL6 -I am early in the process but have been doing well so far. I knew from the beginning it was not an easy surgery but each day is getting better. I did research and 2nd opinons and found it the only option besides prothetics which I did not want. Glad I chose to fight the fear and wake up with foobs!0 -
hi everyone! so here i am 8 days from my surgery. i came out doing really well....healing up quick.....and then went to my post op. my doc poked and prodded me so much i almost passed out when i left the office! ugh! i found out i had a small hole in one of the incisions which is why i had so much air in my back and the drain wasn't staying compressed. he taped it up and its good now but sore. my back in general is sore.....i think the muscles are trying to figure out what to do and how to act! lol! i still have all the drains but they're decreasing in cc's so that's good. i'm feeling better every day which is good.
phew! what a journey! lol!
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Glad you are doing well. I had my surgery over a year ago and at this point have zero regrets. I feel so badly for those who are in chronic pain and continue to suffer, however I am one who would undergo this surgery again in a heartbeat. Yes, sometimes I have a pain in my back or under my arm, but I have found that stretching helps - I know this does not work for everyone.
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i definitely feel the tightness but again....i'm only 8 days out. it gets better every day. i understood the consequences when i went in and continued on the path......i have faith that God will work it all out for me.....
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DLL66 - actually, there are hospitals in the US not offering this surgery anymore. John Hopkins hasnt done a lat flap in over 10 years - I contacted them to see if anything could be done about my issues and they gave me this info. Mayo doesnt offer this anymore either. That has to tell you something.
There is no reason why any woman should have any loss of strength, pain, discomfort, years of healing, hip issues, balance issues etc etc for breast reconstruction. I am happy to hear that you have had zero issues (and fitz) -however I think there are enough of us with varying degrees of pain and discomfort that doctors need to be very upfront with potiential complications. I guess this is my biggest "bone" on this one. Telling women that this muscle only affects "mountain climbers and olympic atheletes" is completely untrue - and i have connected with so many women who are told this out right lie. Talk to any physiotherapist/sports medicine doctor and they will tell you exactly why this muscle is so important in day to day living and why its not surprising that so many women have issues after. I cringe when I read about someone who says they are happy with the surgery only to mention that they are having shoulder issues or hip issues or whatever and dont know why - its all connected to the surgery and shifting the bodies core balance.
all the issues of women who have posted on this thread are not "unexpected outcomes" (sorry mama but its true). Moving/comprimising one of the largest muscles in the body you should "expect" that there will be issues - some small, some big, some that you may or may not be able to overcome but I doubt there are zero (sorry DLL)
thats all im going to say on the subject as i see I am ruffling some feathers here -
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Not ruffling feathers, but I do think you are scaring people unnecessarily. Mayo & Johns Hopkins not offering this surgery anymore doesn't tell me anything without a specific statment from them regarding why they do not.
A lot of women suffer post-mastectomy pain syndrome too, so maybe surgeons should quit doing mastectomies by that logic.
Doubt me all you want, but I am active, work full time & swim with no problems whatsoever. I am more fit & stronger now than I ever was.
Lat flaps were the best option for me. Bilateral DIEP or any other flap surgery would have required too much time off from work & too much time under anesthesia. There were other considerations as well. Everyone has to weigh their own risks vs. benefits.
I am very glad that I did not let this thread scare me away from this surgery. Again, sorry that you have issues, but just because you have issues does NOT mean that no one should have this surgery.
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I too feel badly for those that have had ongoing complications from this surgery, but I keep reminding myself that those that are happy after the fact generally leave this discussion board and get on with their lives. As a result, there may be a disproportionate number of posters with issues, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are the norm.
I have a good friend who went through this surgery 10 years ago and to this day has never had a problem. She is active, does yoga, plays golf, and in general, the surgery did not change her QOL. Does she get a little sore after a particular strenous activity where her back muscles are used more than usual....yep, who doesn't.....but it's not a debilitating pain, just a level of soreness that goes away after a couple of days.
I am not a good candidate for the other surgeries due to my low BMI. Top this off with a prior 34DDD bustline, and I simply need a surgery that will make me somewhat proportionate to where I was before (no, I do not intend to be that large again, but am shooting for at least a 34D). I've investigated all the other surgeries ad-nauseum, and each comes with it's own set of issue/problems/potential complications. I have chosen to go the LD flap route because it's the best option for me under the circumstances. I have a very responsible job that doesn't allow me to be away for an extended period of time, coupled with young kids at home.
I'm thankful for those who have posted positive comments on this board along the way. We need to hear both sides of the story.
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Thank you DLL66 i am only three weeks out from this surgery, comments made here were beginning to scare me! I even questioned my surgical decision. My breasts were huge prior to BC, I did not want to go from a DD to b/c. I saw my PS and he reassured me that I am making great progress. I was very active, running and kayaking, golf, and bike riding prior to BC. as soon as he gives me the OK, I will be in physical therapy to get back as much as possible. I feel real bad for the women with poor results, I can just pray I can make it through with minimal deficit, and that they can get some relief. P.S. Just had the last two drains out yesterday
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well guys i guess i am one of the very unlucky ones! and i have done everything humanly possible to re-hab myself (3 PT's, yoga, strength training, accuptuncture, meds, etc etc) to no avail. Yes, Raelen - most women who are happy go merrily on their way. But i think as a percentage of people with complications (as confirmed by another PS) more women complain of issues from this surgery as opposed to muscle -sparring procedures. Just look at the lengthy thread on this surgery in the PAIN section of this board. I dont see one for DIEP or any of the other procedures (and TRAM is done so infrequently these days). I just want newbies considering this surgery to proceed with caution, know what the POTIENTIAL complications can be (the ones the PS never bother to tell you) and explore ALL your options.....
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yup....totally scared me. all that talk. i'm sooo mad that someone is taking a bad situation.....and turning it in to something worse. the LD flat wasn't good for you. and it may not still be good for me. but i can tell you one thing....if you had God in your life....and faith in your heart.....you would take this bad situation that you're in and instead of trying to scare every woman out there who has just gone thru a life threatening situation and is only trying to help herself to feel whole again.....you would believe in yourself.....believe that this might be the path that God has you on right now for a positive reason. here's a thought....tonight....get on your knees and praise God that you're here. Praise him that he's in your life. Ask him to help turn another sucky situation in to someting good and all along giving praise and worship to HIM!
I just had the surgery and i still don't know what my outcome will be....but i trust God when He says he's not going to let me down. He did not bring me this far to turn His back on me......and i don't think He's planning to turn His back on you either.
Sorry....but i'm tired of hearing all the negativity. some of us don't have so many choices.....remember that when you're scaring the crap out of someone who just is thankful to be here.......and oh.....was thinking it would be nice to feel whole again.
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wow "if i had god in my life" and "faith in my heart" - how do you know what i do and dont have?????? sorry but you dont know me and that entire post was completely out of line
this is a place where we go to share experiences - good and bad - if you dont want to hear the bad/negative stuff then dont read this thread or any others.
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