BREAST RECONSTRUCTION

lisa22

Hi I had breast cancer in May of 99. I had a mascetomy with reconstruction done it was lattisimus dorsi flap it's where they use your back muscle tunnel up through your breast and put an expander there then another operation to put an implant. I have been in major pain ever since. When I informed my plastic surgeon of the pain he was very nasty said he never had a case like this that I should see a physciatrist. I said i don't need a physciatrist i am in pain. So there i was had reconstruction with expander in my breast suffering in pain and he was so nasty to me and my husband he wanted to put silicon in but I refused he got mad at me would not set up appointment to finish the procedure so I had to get another surgeon to put a saline implant in then it got hard as a rock they said it capsulated so another surgery we went I am still in tremendous pain on pain meds i go to a pain specialist my life is ruined i am trying to hold down a job take care of a son etc. I am running out of options. All I can say is if you have breast cancer PLEASE DO NOT GET RECONSTRUCTION my life will never be the same. Every day is a struggling battle of pain. If anyone has any suggestions or knows of a surgeon who can fix me please let me know my email is kimbe27973@aol.com
lisa22

hummingbyrd

Lisa, look up 'chronic pain due to lumpectomy 2 yrs ago'. It's a message posted 9-13-02 by geral and its very informative. Just go to bottom of messages, under search/keywords type in title, then click 'this site only' and go. Hope this helps, unfortunately a lot of women suffer from this. Tell your doc its not in your head, its in your chest. If you knee him in the...well I won't go there, but you get my drift! I think it would give him a better appreciation of pain. LOL
Another good message regarding same thing is Post Mastecomy Pain Syndrome. Look it up same way as other one. Prayers are going out for your relief, and that you find a doc with some wisdom and compassion! God bless. hummingbyrd

koenig

My Dear Lisa,

I am soooo very sorry to hear about your misfortune. I do not have alot to offer but i can identify with you since i too have gone thur reconstruction and the job is really botched up. What i have been doing is contacting every agency i can to see how i can expose my surgeon. There is a Dr. Berger in Tampa who says he can fix mine his number is 813-877-7658 he is very well know in Tampa and very good. He has done two of my friends and they were really satisfied. A local lady in Tampa wrote her biography what she went thru for cancer and reconstruction and he was in her book, "Me, Amazon Woman".

The pain thing has me concerned. Maybe they are trying to make you too large?? That is part of my problem.

Keep me posted, Pam email LCDRK@Yahoo.com

geral

Hi Lisa!

I think I know exactly how you feel. I too suffer from chronic pain. Mine started 2.5 years ago after my lumpectomy, and I'm still searching for relief.

It also sounds like we've gone down similar paths. I've had a terrible time finding a doctor to take time and listen and TRY to help me, and I've also been mistreated.

I'm truly sorry you're going through the same thing. However, I'm relieved to find someone else who understands.

As 'hummingbyrd' already mentioned to you, please check out my 9/13 post re:chronic pain due to lumpectomy. You can search on the subject like hbyrd suggested or just enter 'geral'.

Also, please check out a couple of articles re:breast pain I found and posted. Click on 'Resource Library' on the lefthand side of this page, click on 'Article' and 'Find One'.

I hope you too can find pain relief. In the meantime, if you haven't already tried them, try ice packs &/or heating pads. I have alot of other pains too, so at times I have as many as 3 ice packs and 2 microwaveable heating pads on me! I even have to use some while on the computer.

Take care...
Geral

iris48

Hi Lisa,
I have recently been reconstructed Bilaterally and have saline implants. After a very bad experience with expanders for 14 months, encapsulation, pain etc., these implants were a relief but I still was very aware of them. My surgeon has used ultrasound (different wave from diagnosis) to soften the area. Gel is used and it feels warm as the ultrasound is being administered about five minutes worth. The wonderful news was just one treatment made a difference and today I had my second. All of a sudden, I am feeling a normal level of softness in this pseudo breast area and don't think of that body part all day long because I am not in pain!!! Nerve endings come back at different rates and sometimes they do get damaged in the reconstruct process, but it has been such a relief that something worked correctly. Hope this helps you.
Hugs, Iris

martyzl

Hello Lisa, welcome to the network!

I am terribly sorry that you've been through such hell. May you find someone/something which will give you relief soon...

As to reconstruction, I've had the abdominal flap (tramflap) this past July and it's been quite successful. I was lucky to have researched and found a fabulous plastic man who did a great job. Only probs I had were taking it easy and being nearly immobile for the first weeks. Truly, I wish that it could have been the same for you.

Be well, keep in touch, let us know what you've discovered in your journey! All the best to you!

Marty

she

Hello Lisa, I had bilateral latissimus dorsi flap reconstruction in August, 2002 and have been in incredible pain since. My surgeon also told me that he hasn't had patients with this problem before and that I should be happy with the reconstruction. He offered no solution except time. I also feel that my life is ruined right now. I am back at work only part time and am struggling with that and taking care of my family. The chronic pain is causing me to be quite depressed. I recently found a new plastic surgeon who is consulting a pain team and may have some answers for me soon. I will let you know. My heart goes out to you. I feel this surgery was the biggest mistake of my life. I wish you lots of luck in finding help.