Breast implant versus Latissimus Dorsi Flap Surgery

Hi Avalanche
Sorry to hear about your complications with reconstruction so far. I'm not sure how helpful my info will be to you as every case is so different but some of it might be useful!
I had a left mastectomy in 2007 and LD Flap surgery combined with a silicone implant on 3rd July 2009. I'm a 38C bust so needed the implant as well as the muscle from my back to get the right size. Anyhow I was in hospital after surgery for eight days and had to go to the dressing clinic a few times afterwards, but returned to work on July 23rd with no problems!
I was expecting a lot of pain but found it wasn't bad at all and could be easily controlled with Neurofen or Solpadeine. I did my physio excercises religiously and altho I was a bit stiff at first I now have full power back in my arm and shoulder.
From the minute I came out of the anaesthetic I knew I'd done the right thing (has my doubts going into it!) as I just felt so much more like my old self and have never looked back. I do have some tightness and the odd stab of pain in the scar area but it's a small price to pay and only happens occasionally now. The scar on my breast is already fading and is now pale pink and quite thin. The one on my back is angrier looking and thicker but is covered by my bra and does'nt bother me. I have no problem walking round in my knickers and looking in the mirror, which I did before the surgery! Finally, I 'm so pleased with the result that I haven't bother going to get my nipple done yet and may not bother at all.......but I'm 55 so it might be different if you're younger.
Hope this reply is of some use and please let me know how you get on. Best of luck!

Hi Mary,

Thank you so much for your reply. I am pleased you are doing well and are happy with your result. That is great news!

All the info you have provided is very helpful and reassuring. I know we are all different so recoveries can vary but it is good to hear a success story.

I will let you know how things go. I won't be doing anything until Oct as need to let the effects of radiotherapy wear off so just doing my research for now.

I'm hoping to go away for a weekend with Casting for recovery in Sept and meet some other breast cancer survivors for mutual support but in the meantime this forum has been a good starting point.

Best Wishes
A

Thankfully I had successful surgery many years ago & even if not certainly would not require the services of "Breast Enlargement Hospital Dubai" Sounds like a joke to me but a distasteful one on this forum. If trying to advertise not the correct forum so f%*k off with your crazy attempt at this & leave this forum to the genuine people who wish to support each other. All the people trying to advertise everything from golf clubs to surgery in other countries on here need to rethink their ethics!! I wish all the best to the genuine people on this forum concerned about cancer, with cancer at any stage, going through treatment, recovering or living indefinitely with it & the families & friends supporting them. This site is for them and the support they give each other which is so needed.
Avalanche

Hi Avalanche

, just jumping onto your post here as after radiation
I am due to have reconstruction hopefully before Christmas, I have not discussed the options yet with my consultant. How do you decide which area of your body to graft from. I know it is also possible to use stomach muscle (perhaps also giving a tummy tuck at the same time, or is this wishful thinking on my behalf?). If given the option I think I would go for this rather than from my back.
I had not heard of the casting for recovery trips and had a little snoop at their website, and it seems like a good positive environment to boost moral, if not in the throes of radiation I may give it a shot.

Take care.

Hi Georgie,

I did a lot of research before deciding which surgery might suit me best. In the end I decided against trying implants again because of the risk of capsular contraction recurring again (hardening sometimes as a result of previous radiotherapy) & also because I did not find the first ones that comfortable. Some people are happy with implants as quicker surgery & recovery & if not having radiotherapy better outcome. I was wary of using back muscle too as I had a lot of back pain & after scans were done was found to have osteoporosis in my spine thought to have been as a result of chemotherapy (does not happen to everyone) In view of this I did not want to put anymore strain on my back. Sorry if this is a bit long winded but just trying to show all choices are for individual reasons & again the LD surgery using back muscle works well for some people. Eventually I found a surgeon who was able to do DIEP(in spite of my being thin) & recommended DIEP (using stomach fat) I had very little there but he proposed doing lipofilling following using fat from my legs to pad out. So end of 2010 I had DIEP. It is not an easy surgery & recovery is several weeks but for me it was worth it. In 2011 I had 2 lipofillings 6 months apart (if you have enough stomach fat you don't need this done) I can only compare the surgery result with my previous implants & for me the DIEP provided me with a softer, more realistic shaped breast & my chest is much more comfortable than the feeling from the implants being insitu. Although more recently some people with implants are having lipofilling too to make shape better & provide more comfort. So as you see there are lots of choices. Do consider trying to get on the Casting for Recovery trip as is brill so much fun & gorgeous food! When I went we all compared types of surgeries we had pros & cons & where we had them & good surgeons & some ladies showed their scars so can also be educational. Ok I have waffled on long enough & probably have bored you now. I wish you all the best & you can always pm me if you want more detail about any aspect of surgery.
Best Wishes
Avalanche

Thanks ICS for removing the Dubai Enlargement Surgery Ad if you did or maybe my rant scared them off! Was surprised to be notified of a reply to my original post after all these years & then saw that tripe & let vent but was followed by the lovely post from Georgie so all ends good

Hi Avalanche,

Thanks for taking the time to post back. I have a lot to think about recon, I would most likely look at options which require little or no maintenance afterwards if possible, hopefully will make trip and chat to others in similar situ.

Take care

Best of luck Georgie,

It is a difficult decision to make. The website BreastReconstruction.org has useful information and the personal stories section and photos are helpful.

All the best
A

Hi there Avalanche and Georgie,

My reply is really for Georgie. I also looked into the options before my reconstruction, and was going for the DIEP, but when I saw the plastic surgeon he said I did not have enough tissue on my tummy (I had already been told there was not enough on my back either!) We decided to use my upper thighs (TUG). I had the double reconstruction done in February and my first lipo-filling in May. I still have at least one, and possibly 2 more sessions to go to improve the match, but on the whole I am pleased with the result. I had my initial mastectomy in Limerick but they only do reconstruction with implants so I was referred to Beaumont for my flap reconstruction.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

Karen

Thanks Karen,

I will most likely have recon in beaumont. Just wondering in relation to cup size, are you encouraged to go for your normal size or is there an option to cup up. I would not have had generous proportions and think if I am going to go through recon i would consider a slightly bigger cup size. I want it all now, the tummy tuck and bigger boobs.

Before all of this I would never have even considered surgery/implants/having a tummy tuck in a million years, it's funny how things change.

Take care

Hi Georgie,

re-cup size if you don't have implants, it really depends on what fat you have available at the donor site. I was originally a FF cup, but had very little fat elsewhere. I had the "good" breast removed and double reconstruction partly because there was not even enough fat to match my original size for one boob and the reduction to the good boob would have been significant. I have ended up an A cup, I would have preferred a bit bigger, (a B or C would have been perfect) and I am having lipofilling to help improve shape and increase size a bit, but on the whole I am happy. For me it was more important not to have implants, so they had to work with what I had. You just have to decide your own priorities and discuss with your surgeon.

Karen

Spam: surgerydubai

ICS I thought this thoughtless sales person had been removed?? Why are they still registered as a user?

Spam: surgerydubai

Hi Avalanche,

We have deleted the comment and the profile of "Surgery Dubai" from the forum.

We apologise sincerely for any upset caused by this user.

We will always remove any offensive or insensitive users from this forum.

Many thanks,
Orla

Thanks Orla,

Have a great Christmas & New Year!