Latissimus Dorsi Breast Reconstruction
Comments
-
Maureenb--Look into New Orleans. After reading this forum I started researching and was quite impressed with New Orleans. They do not believe in cutting muscle which is important to me because I do not want to trade off anything in order to have boobs.
0 -
I am! I have been talking with them. Sent in photos, got insurance approved and spoke with both a patient advocate and the Dr. that would perform the surgery. They recommended SGAP for me. I am pretty sure I want to do it but just have to find the time to do it! Summer would be terrible with compression garments and drains, but I am a teacher so if I don't want to take time off work, I need to do it in the summer. I just want someone to make this decision for me and tell me what to do!
0 -
I am 10 years out from my reconstruction. I had prior radiation to my left side from a first breast cancer 6 years before that. I couldn't, at least at that time do any stomach flaps, I have a horrendous back issue. My Dr. told me I'd have beautiful boobs but I'd wind up bed ridden with my back. I had the Lat Flap with an implant and just an implant on my right side. The Iron bra feeling is still there. My itching has never gone away. But what really bothers me is I still can't touch a part of my new breast under the arm. It hurts and another part is numb. I was told they could cut a muscle to loosen things up, but I said no. My Lat flap has a much better shape then the other one which is just implant. The implant only side looks like a hamburger bun.. I don't know if the problems I've always had are from the Lat flap, or the mastectomy... Surgeon always said from reconstruction, Plastic surgeon always said from Mast... In all fairness I also hate the implant only side also. I find implants are very uncomfortable, and I feel like when I sleep and turn from side to side, they move a bit. When it is time, to remove them, I'm not replacing. I'm going flat.. I wear fake boobs anyway because I was a D cup, and the most I got from this reconstruction was a B cup.. I carry all my weight in my stomach, and need the larger boobs to make my clothes drape on me and help cover the big belly lol. I have had to sleep in a sports bra all these years, because when I don't, sometimes I get panic attacks in my sleep (the implant must move a bit)...And by the way, I was in a major Cancer center, so top surgeons all the way...
0 -
Hi there I have similar problems. How were you diagnosed with the nerve damage? I just had implants removed for the second time and right side was ruptured again. I don't have any implants now but the pain is happening in my arms now. The back I have had pain since day one.
0 -
My recommendation would be to not have Lat flat. I had it done in 2010 and since that time I have had nothing but pain and problems. I have seen two different plastic surgeons since it was done and both asked me why did I have lat flaps were there no other options. They both told me that lat flap so many people have major problems with. Wish I could turn clock back. I think there is something now that was not available when I had this done or no one told me about it. Diep flap does not touch muscles I think.
0 -
HI,
I had my lat flap surgery last December. Still doing good, some shooting nerve pain every now and then. I'm wondering if anyone here has had this and radiation and has experience capsular contraction on the radiated side causing the doc to remove the implant.
i know it's is a mouthful but I am getting slightly paranoid about it especially since it's a wait and see. If he has to remove the implant I'm down a breast with a big scar on my back for nothing
0 -
El Tiger Yes I had the lat flap and the radiated side has encapsulated again. I have had several opinions from Doctors Who have different things they have suggested but as of yet I'm just living with it. Partly because I just am not ready to deal with another surgery, partly because I'm afraid of losing the implant completely, and partly because I just keep thinking the longer I hold out maybe it will be some new invention
0 -
El Tigre, shooting pain is fairly common and will happen for a while not just with the LD flap reconstruction. This type of reconstruction is also fairly known to have the least capsular contraction.
Are you doing the required massage to prevent capsular contracture? Did you discuss it with your doctor? It helps tremendously with breast reconstruction for both "drop and fluff" and to prevent capsular contracture.Tbh I always wondered if the natural look I have on my foobs is not partially from the fact that I religiously did the massage. My ex used to always tease me on that "every time I look at her she fondles her new breasts"
The video below is for breast augmentation but it's valid for breast reconstruction too, just search more on youtube and you'll find them. I got a ton of stuff to do right now so I grabbed the first one I found.
0 -
Sorry to hear about your trouble Tangles, if it happens to me i would prob wait like you are doing. I am tired of surgeries and had him do a fat graft at the same time as the implant swap. He also widened the "pocket" so that might up the chance of capsular contraction.
Seachain, thnak you for the input. I asked about the massage but he said not to do it yet. How long after you implant swap did you start massaging?
0 -
El Tigre, I didn't have implant swap, I had direct implants. I think the dr. ok'd the massage 3 months after the big surgery and on the revisions I had to wait 1 month after the surgeries to continue. But I dutifully massaged daily for about 3 years. It did pay off. Frankenboobies look great and feel like natural (as long as I don't bend, because then they jump out of the bottom internal bra and I am left with some balloons hanging down from right below my chin while the bottom pocket of the foob looks like it's deflated)
0 -
Seachain - thanks I checked again with my doc her said 6 weeks due to the surgery tweak of my frankenboob. I hope all is well with you. I can't wait to squeeze them and feel like I am doing everything i can to prevent them migrating north.
0 -
the danger is mostly them migrating towards the breast bone or towards the armpit. Or not lowering enough
0 -
Does anyone have pain from wearing an underwire bra? Lately I've been having pain in the left breast and the pain is relieved by removing my underwire bra. I'm not sure if the wire is pressing on nerves in that region?
0 -
You're not supposed to wear an underwire bra at all.
0 -
Hi Ladies-
I just had a LDF on Monday (APRIL 9) on one side. I had BMX in May 2017 with tissue expanders placed and right side never healed right/ skin was thin and circulation was compromised. I ended up opening up a pore sized hole that was draining fluid (not on incision sight and on right side) after almost a year of having expanders placed, and I was ready to go for exchange surgery. LDF was always under discussion, but then just became a quick reality.
My range of motion is fantastic so far, I have very little pain, the coverage from the flap and skin/circulation looks fantastic . I'm only taking Tylenol occasionally, but I have this click that happens at the base of the scapula when my arm on right side crosses the midline of my body. Anyone experience this ? Comments?
0 -
Hello,
I too has my exchange surgery on April 2nd with a lat flap on the right side. My left side is doing great, implant feels good, drain removed, arm range of motion pretty good. The right side with lat flap is a different story. Of course this side has been my “problem child” through this whole process.
CBK, my story is very similar to yours., which is why I ended up getting a lat flap on the right side. The right side is def taking longer to heal. I now developed an eczema rash on the right side which I’m treating with cream. My range of motion is getting better each day. I don’t notice any click when I raise my arm, in fact my back feels pretty good. I’m still stuck with two drains, which are starting to slow down now.
Since my intitial BMX surgery back in May 2017, this has been such a long process. I never would have anticipated all the set backs I’ve had. I just hope everything finally comes together now. Good luck to everyone out there and their upcoming procedures
0 -
HI dp1
Ohhhh man what a year it's been!
I actually didn't have my exchange on left side, I still have tissue expander in. So my procedure was LDF on right side with silicone implant placed. I have two drains on that right side; hoping to lose those on Monday after another recheck. Then wait for the right side to heal and make sure we have size we want on the right, before proceeding with the left exchange.
I hope your eczema rash leaves you quickly. I developed an allergy to bacitracin on my right side when it opened up early in my reconstruction, in addition the skin on that side was angry with certain types of bandage tape. I hope that heals for you and you can put this behind you. My left side never gave me one problem through this whole ordeal, but that is usually how it goes according to my PS.
Please stay positive and thank you for your note. I'm wishing you much healing!
0 -
JO-5,
Hi, I am very sorry you have to endure this. It sucks big time. I also have a big scare on my back and my lat muscle was apparently in very good shape and thick. I have some puffiness on my abdomen and do tummy lymphatic massage. If you are near Portland OR my physical therapist is lymphatic certified and might have some insights to help your side and stomach area.
PS I hate Spanx I've pulled a muscle just putting those damn things on
Alicia
0 -
Trying to find posts on this procedure by a linda54................cannot maneuver my way around can someone help
0 -
Sandra, go to “Menu" (top right of the page on mobile site, left hand side of page on desktop site). Go to “Member List". Type “linda54" into the search bar. When her user name comes up, click on it. Her posts will then be listed below her profile information
0 -
Hi ladies I am new to this tread. I had my mast and recon done in 2011 have had 3 fatgrafting sessions My recon still looks bad and am now scheduled to have a rerecon using latissimus dorsi on June 20 Can anyone please let me know what to expect
0 -
Hi Ossa
I had a lat flap on April 9th, but only on my right side after very thin skin opened up a pore sized hole and I was leaking fluid. It actually wasn’t leaking from tissue expander but it became clear that my right side probably wasn’t ready to take a c sized implant that I wanted to be.
Recovery for me was a non event. I healed beautifully and the skin and circulation look amazing. If I had known how easy the surgery was I would have done it much sooner. The silicone implant my surgeon placed in dropped nicely and my incision to thread the lat and tissue donor site healed perfectly.
I held some pain meds in arrears for recovery but honestly only took Tylenol. Yes, I had two drains on one side and one came out on my first recheck and the other I believe about a week after surgery. Caring for the breast area was simple just shower, place on sulfidine ointment and place a pantyliner inside my tank top over healing breast and go!
Oh it’s common with this procedure, post surgery to have fluid buildups at back incision area. I had to have that drained 3 times in ps office. Not a big deal in the least, little poke and fluid comes out. No pain after.
I’m scheduled for myfinal exchange finally😬for end of September. 🙌🏻
Please DM me here with any detailed questions or concerns. I know that scary feeling before surgery and hopefully I can help in anyway I can.
0 -
you say your reconstruction looks bad? How much does it look bad? I thought my reconstruction looked bad that is why I chose to do the surgery. Looking back I would give anything to turn back time and just accept what I had. Most of us that have reconstruction have bumps and lumps and lots of unevenness. I honestly thought that when I had reconstruction I would look like my friends that had a boob job. When things didn't look that way I wanted them fixed and I wanted them fixed ASAP. I signed up for the surgery way too quick without doing enough research. My reconstruction doesn't look any better now than it did before I had this done. My side that was tight from all the radiation it's just as tight as it was before the surgery if not even worse. The surgery did not work for me. The other side has pulled away so now I have one hard high implant and one saggy low implant. Now I am left with no latissimus muscles in my back which makes things like supporting myself on a bicycle very difficult. And I was the one with the Unlucky complication of having my long thoracic nerve compromise during the surgery so I will forever have nerve damage and pain. Thank hard and do your research before having this surgery. It does work for some but for some of us it has caused us a lifetime of misery and pain
0 -
Ossa, I agree with Tangles. If you're currently not in pain from your reconstruction, I wouldn't recommend doing a LD flap for cosmetic purposes.
Some women do very well with LD flap, others do not. I live in 24/7 unrelenting pain and discomfort from the LD flap. There's no way to tell how you'll do until you do it.
I wish I'd know that there was the potential for feeling like I'm locked in an iron corset that is digging into my body at all times. If someone had told me that, I never would have done the surgery.
0 -
Joanne I too have pain at the bottom of my lat scar I have tried epidurals trigger point injections and medication. I stand for a living as I am a hairstylist. I have gone from being able to work 40 hours a week down to about 18 hours a week. If only I had had a crystal ball
0 -
Ossa- please, please, please read through the other members’ comments about lat-dorsi recon. You really do need those muscles in your back. All lat-dorsi is going to do for you as far as appearance is make a pocket along the bottom half of the breast for the implant to sit in. That’s it. It may be smoother across there but chunkier under your arm and your back strength is compromised. Is DIEP or SGAP flap an option for you? Unless you’re super thin no implants required, plus you get a tummy tuck or butt lift in the process. Here’s a link with more information:
0 -
HI Ossa,
I just had my LAT flap surgery last December. It was very painful recovery but It got better. I had puffiness before in my armpit area and this increased it. My pectoral muscle feels better with the flap but i still have numbness and weird feelings on my back. I also had a moon shape scar that is very long, which i didn't consider before. My LAT muscles was thicker than most women my surgeon has preformed this surgery on so that might have something to do with the puffiness I am not sure. I don't feel weaker on my left side most of the time but i just started swimming laps after a few years and i can tell my flap side is weaker than my right but i am not sure if it is form the surgery or me babying it for 3 yrs.
Read through everyone's postings, every one is different but this is a major surgery and it adds another "swap out" fat grafting surgery.
I did mine for tightness and cosmetic purposes. I weighed my reasons and then decided. My doc said I'd hate him for weeks after this surgery due to the pain, he was right i did lol, but I do believe i made the right decision for me.
Alicia
0 -
thank you everyone for your replies This is a decision i am not taking lightly. My first recon was a horrible job. And i am in constant pain. I realize I will never look “normal” but the way it looks now is terrible Scartissue in several places A big “divit” under my arm. I have had fatgrafting three times to correct this but nothing works.
0 -
If you don't mind the question... I’m curious... why a recon that uses muscle with 4-6 week recovery time and multiple incision sites vs a recon that spares muscle with the same or fewer incision sites and the same recovery time? Open to anyone for answers.
0 -
Lula
Not a 4 week recovery in the least with my situation, now I had my lat flap after a failed tissue expander situation on one side only. Not at the same time as BMX.
And there are not "multiple incision" sites either.
Do you have any experience with a failed lat flap?
0
