Latissimus Dorsi Breast Reconstruction
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HotPinkMess....Happy your surgery went well. Good luck with those drains! LOL I think they can almost be the worst part of the surgery. Each day will get better.
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Hotpink-so glad to hear you are happy with your recon so far. The drains are the worst, but as you know they will be out before you know it. The expanders are tight, and will get tighter with the fills. Take it easy, take meds, rest and heal.
In 2 Weeks I have my exchange surgery, had my preop appt and I am sooo ready to get this done, yet getting some butterflies thinking about surgery again. I know it will be easier than the bmx+LDflap recon but it is anesthesia and surgery, and lifting restrictions. Just feeling more like myself every day just to start in again on the recovery bus!0 -
Hot pink- yea for you! So glad you got your surgery behind you. You need to rest and take it easy for a while. That can be the hardest part. I always dreaded and hated the drains but soon those will be gone and you can concentrate on the rest of your breast reconstruction process. Good luck and I will be praying you get the results you want.
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I'm one week and one day out from LDFlap! Several questions for you veterans out there: My boobs feel incredibly tight, is that due to expanders or the fact that my boobs are now made out of muscle instead of fat? If I have a chest wall recurrence of cancer, will it be more difficult to find since it's now covered up with muscle? How long till they soften up? I see the PS on Friday and hope to get at least two out of 5 drains out but I'm still draining like crazy, she took out a lot of scar tissue. The "iron bra" feeling is starting to be exhausting. How soon do they typically start with fills? Do fills hurt? Thanks! I would like to start a new thread on this topic since this one is so long but I'm not sure if that's okay to do. I was not able to have diep or tram cause I have low body fat. So far, they they look pretty good but are still covered in tape. My boobs are so high and tight I can't imagine ever wearing a bra again.
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Hi HotPinkMess -
I had my surgery about 18 months ago. The iron-bra feeling definitely gets better and better over time. I don't feel it at all anymore and I think that by the time I had my exchange (6 months after surgery) it was completely gone. For me, part of the tightness in my breasts was the swelling and over a few weeks, that part got better and better. Plus, the expanders are firmer than what you'll feel with the implants. I actually went and got a special bra from a store that specialized in mastectomy patients - that added support made a world of difference to me and made me a lot more comfortable.
Because of the swelling and draining, I waited over a month for my first fill. I didn't find it painful at all and she loaded 100cc's in each side. As for the drains, I had 2 in the front and 2 in the back. The front drains came out at 2 weeks. I had the back drains longer than most at about 5 weeks and even then, I had to have the PS manually drain my back for another few weeks. I think they're the toughest part of the process.
Hang in there - it keeps getting better and in a couple of weeks, you'll feel like a new woman again!
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HotPinkMess. One week out this is the most difficult time! It does get better! My fills started about three weeks out, it is weird to see an 18 gauge needle in your boob with a 60 ml syringe attached an your boob gets bigger while you watch, pretty cool. Honestly I had no pain at all. I even asked for some lidocaine just in case my PS looked at me like "for real". I'm a big baby! Don't worry about bra's yet you will be in sports bra's for a long time, my surgery was in May and my exchange will be October. I'm sure I will be in sports bra's for two months to follow. As soon as the last drain came out 5 weeks later I wore the cammie spanx walmart sells them and ace wraps. Slow and steady! This too shall pass : And the Tightness in my back is progressively getting better too.
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Hotpink-ditto to all the above. You are at the worst time. Still have so much swelling and healing going on. I too waited for a couple of months for fills to start. Incision infections made it delayed. The drains were the worst part for me as well, kept draining but were all out at 3 weeks. PS still drained seroma from my back about every week for another 3 weeks. My TEs are full at 800cc each. The fills are not pleasant, but the key is to set the amount yourself. My PS wanted to put 100cc each fill. After a couple of fills needed him to slow down as the spasms were too much, took muscle relaxers for the cramping, especially to sleep. Now after waiting 13 weeks for exchange and 6 months since bmx/LD flap recon I do feel more back to my energy level and the iron bra feeling has decreased, but it is still there. I work 12hr shifts and by the time I am done it is still tight and very noticeable, but has felt better and better over time. I look forward to my exchange in less than a week. Hoping to feel even better after that. Get plenty of rest, rest rest and healing hoping you will feel better soon.
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I had delayed LD recon left breast just over two years ago and the thing is although it looks fairly good shape wise, it has just never felt right it feels almost like a stuck on prosthetic. I was wondering does anyone else feel like this ? It feels quiet firm and sometimes I get kind of stabbing pain in it - it doesn't seem to 'move' in a natural way. Had the nipple done but when I contacted my dr to get the tattoo done his secretary just said he no longer offers that service so it has never really been finished off. Maybe I'm just expecting too much but it's not what I anticipated - it hasn't helped me to put this whole issue behind me. Does anyone else feel this way?
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Hi Ainm too fresh put to comment on long term feelings of pain or discomfort but I think Your PS should have referred you to another tattoo artist for for finish work. Perhaps you can see another PS for his recommendations regarding the stabbing pain. I am still waiting on my exchange sx
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Hi all! Exchange surgery complete! PS used the upper elipical incisions and revised them as well, really made it look good. The squishies are sooo much softer and more comfortable than the TEs! Only issue so far is the swelling. Had so much seroma in my back and underarm after bmx/LD recon, so anticipated drains for this surgery, but PS decided not to put them in. Now lots of swelling in both sides but mostly the left. Lots of underarm boob. Anyone else have this happen after exchange? PS says he will not reduce seroma due to implants are now in. Very uncomfortable with the swelling. Sports bra helps some but P S doesn't usually put any compression on just dressings/steristrips. So ready to be done with it all!
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Congrats! I hope you heal fast! I'm several months behind you but never giving up hope!
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Btw, I'm not almost three weeks out and down to two drains. Has anyone else experienced this weird phenomenon? I can FLEX my boobs! It is so weird having these lat muscles .. how can I get them to atrophy?
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mamasixtaz - So glad to hear you are done!!! The implants do feel much better don't they
. I hope your swelling gets better quickly. I had no problems with seroma after either surgery so I can offer no info on that. HotPinkMess - I had my LD surgery in April. My boob no longer flexs unless I am REALLY pulling on something and then it will do it a bit. I hope yours calms down as well!!
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Mamasixtaz I was wondering how things were going. Sucks about the swelling! Hoping for a speedy recovery! I can't wait to get these TE's out. How was the pain after surgery? I'm still traumatized from my last one! My PS told me I will have two drains after my exchange, I thought you would to? Did he change is mind during surgery? So happy this is over for you! Thanks for informing us about your experience!
Hot pink mess my boobs still flex but not as much as they used to. Mostly when getting out of a chair, opening doors, and getting up off the floor can interesting, not painful just real weird! Congrats on two drains! Making great progress!0 -
Jeepster-This surgery rocks in comparison! I was out of it a few days due to general anesthesia, but the pain is easily controlled by motrin and tylenol. Took vicodin in recovery before going home( same day) and then once the next day, felt so nauseated, decided to go to alternating motrin and tylenol. I was told I would have drains, he must have decided during surgery not to put them in, wishing he had as now I have sooo much swelling, especially on the left. He won't drain any seroma due to the implants, so will just have to let the body do its thing! Energy level is low (5 days out) but otherwise feeling good.
Hotpink-I am 6 months out and the muscle still feels weird but has decreased just over time. PT helped some but I focus on strengthening other muscles in my back and arms. The TEs caused so much tightness had more "contractions" with the fills and after. Now much better with the implants, some muscle spasms but not as much or as tight.
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I'm new to the board. I had a left LAT flap done in 2006. It was fine up until 2011 when I started having a lot of pain with the implant. I'm now going to have a DIEP flap done in Nov. because I hate the implant and all the problems it's causing me. ANyway...the flexing boob thing is very common! LOL. I freaked out the first time I discovered I could flex it too! LOL. The really weird thing is when your going about your business and it does it on it's own! It still happens to me when I'm busy bending over and lifting things it just goes off on me. I call it a boob cramp! LOL. It gets really tight and just flexes. It's usually because I've over done it I think. Weird, but when you think about it, it's a muscle that's suppose to be in your back. And when you use your back muscles, because it's still attached, it moves too!
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Sth314. Sorry about your pain! I'm happy you can get re-constructed! Just curious what will they do with your latissimus muscle when they do your DIEP? I wanted the DIEP, however I was not a candidate.
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I wondered the same thing, can they put the latissimus muscle back?
I'm now 4 1/2 weeks and STILL have one drain left that's putting out 80 to 100 cc's every 24 hours, ugh! Have had two 60 cc fills so at least that's going well. My PS plans to overexpand me so she can lose the skin "island" from the LatFlap when we do the exchange, anyone had that done?
Did it work? I've had so many complications I'm always paranoid about incision fail and infections.0 -
Hi All,
I haven't been on the boards in a while. I had the LD surgery in March of 2010. I have not been happy with the surgery but I am excited that at the end of November I'm finally having some revision surgery.
Ainm - Yes you can go to other place to get the tattoo done and from what I've heard they can in most cases do a better job. You can look up on the boards about Vinnie- who goes to NY or NOLA and maybe Chicago... and then there is the woman in Ashville, N.C. but one surgeon I spoke with said they had a tattoo artist who did the tattoos for many of the bigger plastic surgeon offices and the surgeon I'm going to use for the revision said she can do mine (I had them done but they were never the right color and not very well done). I've heard from others that she does a nice job. So don't worry about your PS not doing the procedure - I'd just call other P.S in your area if you are not near the above mentioned.
As for the pain- hmmm is it that funny feeling when you move your arms differently when sleeping? or is it like the "electrical" feeling which is supposed to be nerves reconnecting - which mine never did. I'd keep asking if these are not the pains you are experiencing. I know what you mean about them feeling stuck on... I think it is because they don't have feeling. I guess I feel like Robin Williams when he caught his fake breasts on fire in Mrs. Doubtfire. I don't know... I think we will all miss our real breasts... I try not to think about it too much.
Now on a more positive note I'm excited about the revision. I have been in pain since my original surgery - now they can't promise they can fix and find the pain as no one knows what it is. I haven't been able to wear any kind of bra since my MX and that rules out a tons of clothes as sports bras just don't work - more like the uni-boob look. To make matters worse nor can I NOT wear a sports bra without pain. The pain in only on my left side. If I take my right hand and reach around under my left arm the pain is where my fingers tips touch sort of in an arc from the top of my arm down to below where the lat was brought around. It not only hurts and throbs it is extremely tender to touch- Very strange as it has been over 3 years! My original surgeon wasn't interested in helping me and he also caught up a good amount of fat and maybe there is scar tissue as well so even sports bras I have this glob that overflows under my arms. Very uncomfortable. The original surgeon lied to me saying that No insurance OK"s lipo for BC. Really?? not what I've heard. And when I told my BS he said he wouldn't do anything - said sometimes you just need to live with things. To be in pain for 3 years? So fed up with them!
So found this lovely female doctor! Hopefully it will all go well as I did like the first surgeon before the surgery too. But hopefully all will be well. Anyway, she will try and figure the pain out but no promises - she did ask about the moving breast issues many of you talk about and she said she can go in and clip the nerve which isn't as big of a deal now that I'm healed so will have her do that. Then you won't get all that movement - might be some but much less. Then she is going to remove the fat under my arms, remove the "dog ears" on my back scars and even though I have basically small implants - 240's they are big to me. And they gave me droopy boobs which I just hate. I found out my original breasts were not on the same level but they didn't droop so I never noticed. If I hold them up you can't tell. so she is also doing a breast lift so happy about that. I'm 53 so no spring chicken and I'm divorced so would be nice not to feel like a matronly old lady. I hope it all goes well but just the idea of wearing real clothes and dresses and being able to hopefully feel pretty again means the world to me. Also most of my shirts don't fit properly - I don't think they are that much bigger than my real ones but they are heavier and droopier and being so uneven trying to pull them up doesn't really work then with the globs under my arms.... well you all get the picture... not a pretty one. So I'm cautiously excited!0 -
stanzie - so nice to hear from you!!!!!
I am so glad you are moving forward with the revision and you feel good about this new doctor. I know you are one that has had a lot of issues with this surgery - not just with pain but with how it looks. You deserve a pain free reconstruction with a nice result! yes cutting the nerve will eliminate the "jumping" that so many complain about. It did for me.
now I hesitate to post on this thread because I was told I was scaring the newbies with all my stories of pain so I thought I would post something that is positive and may help those ladies who are having issues.
I am working with a physiatrist (sp) she is a doctor whose specialty is the study of our muscular system and since my issues are primarily muscular in nature I was referred to her. After being in her care for just over 2 months I can happily say that my pain/discomfort and muscle fatigue is probably 40-50% better which is HUGE considering Ive been dealing with this for a year. This is what has helped me:
1. stretching 3x a day, 20-30 minutes each time. I know this is a lot but I do it morning, noon and night. The pain is a result of the other muscles tensing up because they are compensating for the one they messed with - the stretching helps make the other muscles more "limber" therefore able to work harder. If you want the stretches she has me do PM me and I will send them to you. If I cant dedicate 30min I try to do them throughout my day when I have break or in the car (neck stretches)
2. lidocaine injections to the "knots" in my back. I know, ouch! but they work. What it does its help break down the muscle knots and tightness. Accupuncture would also work - just make sure they avoid your arm area where LN were taken (we don't want to induce LE). The lidocaine freezes the area (much like getting a tooth pulled) and again, relaxes the tight areas. I do these every 6 wks
3. massage therapy - I go every 3 wks religiously - she works on my scar area, any adhesions and also does myofacial release on the same tight areas (I know exactly where they are now)
4. Light free weights targeted to specific areas to help re-build and strengthen
so yes it is a full time job in addition to my job, kids, household and its hard some days, but the results really are motivating me to make sure I keep this up.
i hope this helps you ladies experiencing pain and discomfort from this surgery
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Rozem! I'm so happy you are finally getting some relief for the pain. I will say I'd be interested to know what kind of stretches you are doing.
Never heard of lidocain injections- how interesting. I have thought about accupuncture. I was in a car accident in 2012 and have had a lot of pain with my left hip, leg and foot. So much so I am unable to sleep at night. I went to this doctor and physical therapy and his idea was just to medicate me which was horrible as it was hard to get off the med. So I thought I was stuck just dealing with the pain. However recently I found this chiropractor who does microcurrent massage. It is interesting. I've had it once on my back scars and it helped tremendously. I had to switch and go back to just working on my hip/leg/foot pain but I'm really fascinated by this as it really helped. So far my other pain isn't as easy to fix but trying...
He said he has used the microcurrent on lymphadema patients also. Hopefully this will catch on and be more available to everyone.
One thing I'm curious about. What pain meds were you all given after the surgery. I was given oxycotin (sp?)which I didn't like at all as it made me very nauseous. It must have worked as I don't remember being in horrible pain but then maybe it is like childbirth and you forget the pain. Anyway, I'd like to have something different but I'm pretty sensitive to meds so I don't take them much and know nothing about them. Thanks!0 -
I'm two months out from my right side LD reconstruction and a left side revision. It has been a slow road back. This one really knocked me down. I think the combo of anesthesia, pain meds, antibiotics, stress, trauma, and such put me in a state of walking trauma. I'm back to exercise for 2 weeks now and starting to see a light where I might snap out of it. I'm not happy with the LD results. When I lie down it slides significantly into my arm out. But walking, standing, and sitting I look nice. I look a lot better than I did with one boob after my first reconstruction failed. Glad everyone on this thread is hanging in and doing OK.0 -
stanzie so sorry you are dealing with a car accident on top of all this cancer crap. That microcurrent thing sounds interesting. Is it like ultrasound waves? I believe it breaks down scar tissue. As for pain meds I specifically said no to morphine because it makes me really sick. I think I came home with oxycodone and valium for muscle spasms - I only took the valium after exchange. Tell them you don't want the oxy's im sure there are alternatives
mariasnow LD is not for the faint of heart let me tell you. Yes it is an incredibly long road back - longer for some of us for sure. This is why I tell women to really really think about this surgery especially when its just for "asthetics" not to fix rads skin etc. The recovery is so much longer than just implants alone. I don't have the issue when I lie down - not sure what that means. Glad you are on the road back -0 -
Mariasnow - I am a little over 2 months out from my exchange and have the problem with my implant sliding into my armpit when I lay on my back. Very strange the first time I noticed it happening. It doesn't seem like it is going as far down as it did at the beginning. I am hoping the capsule is getting smaller.
Rozem - I am glad you are getting some relief. When I first joined this thread I was worried about the pain mentioned by you and others, especially since I already have issues with pain that are both related and unrelated to my BC. I was not a candidate for other flap surgery and my rads skin was pretty bad so LD was my choice.
A quick funny note: I have no feeling on my left side after all the surgeries. I was wearing clothing with no pockets and my hands were full so I put my phone in my bra (on the left side). Needless to say I forgot that I had put it in there almost right after I had done it. I thought I had lost my phone. Called it twice and never felt it vibrate. I finally called it again and happened to lean over so my arm touched my chest. If I hadn't done that I don't know how long it would have taken me to figure it out. I felt so stupid, but it was really funny.
I have now been cleared by my PS as I decided against nipple reconstruction or tattooing. Even though I still plan on checking in periodically, I want to thank all of you for your support before, during, and after my LD and exchange surgeries. It really meant a lot to me. ((hugs to all))0 -
Hi. I want to introduce myself as I had a diep flap surgery on July 2 of this year. Right side failed so on Dec 4 I'm having a lat flap on the right side. I'm less nervous about the surgery, but find myself very concerned about the tissue expander he is going to put under my pectoral muscle. Any advice etc., to help me get through this? Thanks gals!0 -
Robin, This is just another bump in your road - the one on which you have become a masterful survivor. You will handle this with flying colors! I'm doing really well after my surgery. Doc thought I would need an expander but decided to go straight to implant.
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Robin, I think any surgery after one has failed is certainly more nerve wracking and I'm so sorry you have to go through this. But I remember my doctors saying that is type of surgery doesn't have the kind of failure rate others do so it even though it can be a harder recovery than some of the other surgeries it "holds" better - if that makes sense. I wish you the best and hope you will be pleased with the results.
I have a question of those of you who may have had this. My surgeon said he "caught up fat or tissue" under my arm when he brought the muscle around and now the next surgeon said she can liposuction it out. I have never had lipo but have seen how it is done so thinking of the tender skin under my arms... well anyone here had it done? If so how bad was the recovery? Thanks so much!0 -
I would be scared to do any lipo if you had any lymphnodes removed. The likelihood of setting off lymphedema with additional procedures is very high.
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I had a double lat flap surgery in March 2011. I experienced many of the side effects described in this forum on a short-term basis (tightness, spontaneous flexing, etc.), but have mostly been fine. Within the last month I have started experiencing soreness and throbbing pain on one of my sides (the side without the cancer). My reconstructed breast doesn't hurt, just the muscle on my side. The first time (about two weeks ago) I figured the pain was due to repeatedly lifting a heavy suitcase & it lasted for just a couple days, but it's happening again and I haven't been lifting any heavy objects.
Anyone have a similar experience? I apologize if people have been posting about this before - I haven't taken the time to review all 94 pages of comments - pain and impatience go hand-in-hand with me.0 -
zapladybug- I'm sure it is just muscle pain. This surgery effects those muscles forever! Especially if we do something to stretch or pull them, just as any other muscle. I am not that far out as you are, but did have a new pain on my right side (non-cancer side). It just pulled on underarm and radiated to the front. I realized I had just carved a pumpkin for several hours the day before. It was a fairly intricate cat design! That sawing motion by my right hand/arm made for a more painful next day! LOL! Who would have thought? Hang in there hope you feel better soon!0
