flaps v/s implants

webbwife50
webbwife50 Member Posts: 394
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I read many posts by warriors in the recon. process with expanders, exchange surgeries, ect.. last December I had tram flap recon. It was a huge surgery, and I do have significant scars. I am curious about the implants, I was not offered the option and sometimes wonder if they might have been easier. I am still in the barbie boob stage considering nipples, maybe next year. I must admit I do like that they are my own tissue, but mine are very small and a little uneven. If anyone would like to expand on the inplants at least I'd understand what people are talking about. And if anyone has questions regarding tram-flap, I'd be happy to respond as best I can. Thanks Alison

Comments

  • Heatherbelle
    Heatherbelle Member Posts: 1,226 Member
    #2
    Hi Alison!
    I'm almost done
    Hi Alison!
    I'm almost done with my reconstruction. I had a bilateral mastectomy and had the tissue expanders put in at the time of that surgery. At first, I was getting 100ccs of saline filled in my expanders every 2 weeks. I know this is alot compared to some others on here, but I was a nice size C-D cup (still havent lost all my baby weight from my 2 yr old!) before i got breast cancer, and I wanted to have big boobs again. Up until I was at about 600cc's in my expanders, the fills were pretty painless. My last 100cc fill, however, was the most pain I have been in since my surgery. My plastic surgeon told me to use ice packs (i had been using a heating pad) and to take ibuprofen for the pain along with the percocets that I had. THAT helped tremendously. So I have 2 or 3 fills left, and we're only doing 50cc's at a time, and that is hardly painful for me at all. I'm glad I chose this reconstruction - the flap surgeries just seemed too major for me & with alot of recovery afterward. I have a 2 yr old & a 9 yr old and can't be down for too long! The expanders are rock hard & sore - and when im done my boobs will be pretty un-natural looking - but in all honesty - i ws planning on getting a breast life & implants next year before i was even diagnosed with breast cancer - so I wasn't going for the "natural look" anyway ;) I do have crescent shaped scars across both breasts, but i dont mind them. The only people who see them are me & my husband, and they don't bother either of us. I love the idea of not having to wear a bra, and of always having perky boobs. I will be getting the nipple reconstruction & tattoos sometime next year, once im all healed up. I think the recovery with the expander/implant surgery is a bit easier on you, but then you're not having breasts made with your own tissue, so there's that trade off. The largest size implants I can get are 800 cc's, and those are the ones i'm going for. I'm at 700 cc's in my expanders right now, and once you get to the size you want, they overfill them once, then I'll have my surgery scheduled within a week. Outpatient surgery, not so much downtime because the muscles & skin have already been stretched - just pain from the incisions themselves. You can see in my profile pic that I'm at a pretty large size already - but the implants are always a little smaller than the expanders, so I want to be just a little bit bigger than in my pic (i dont have as much, projection, as i'd like yet) - so that's why im still going on my fills. I dont want to be smaller than they are now!
    Hope i was able to give you a little understanding on this!!
    *hugs*
    Heather
  • ButterFly1234
    ButterFly1234 Member Posts: 6
    #3
    Implant w/flap reconstruction
    I had a latismuss flap reconstruction (they take the muscle from the back) and had an implant underneath it. I am VERY happy with the results of it. It feels just like my other breast.
  • webbwife50
    webbwife50 Member Posts: 394
    #4
    Heatherbelle said:

    Hi Alison!
    I'm almost done
    Hi Alison!
    I'm almost done with my reconstruction. I had a bilateral mastectomy and had the tissue expanders put in at the time of that surgery. At first, I was getting 100ccs of saline filled in my expanders every 2 weeks. I know this is alot compared to some others on here, but I was a nice size C-D cup (still havent lost all my baby weight from my 2 yr old!) before i got breast cancer, and I wanted to have big boobs again. Up until I was at about 600cc's in my expanders, the fills were pretty painless. My last 100cc fill, however, was the most pain I have been in since my surgery. My plastic surgeon told me to use ice packs (i had been using a heating pad) and to take ibuprofen for the pain along with the percocets that I had. THAT helped tremendously. So I have 2 or 3 fills left, and we're only doing 50cc's at a time, and that is hardly painful for me at all. I'm glad I chose this reconstruction - the flap surgeries just seemed too major for me & with alot of recovery afterward. I have a 2 yr old & a 9 yr old and can't be down for too long! The expanders are rock hard & sore - and when im done my boobs will be pretty un-natural looking - but in all honesty - i ws planning on getting a breast life & implants next year before i was even diagnosed with breast cancer - so I wasn't going for the "natural look" anyway ;) I do have crescent shaped scars across both breasts, but i dont mind them. The only people who see them are me & my husband, and they don't bother either of us. I love the idea of not having to wear a bra, and of always having perky boobs. I will be getting the nipple reconstruction & tattoos sometime next year, once im all healed up. I think the recovery with the expander/implant surgery is a bit easier on you, but then you're not having breasts made with your own tissue, so there's that trade off. The largest size implants I can get are 800 cc's, and those are the ones i'm going for. I'm at 700 cc's in my expanders right now, and once you get to the size you want, they overfill them once, then I'll have my surgery scheduled within a week. Outpatient surgery, not so much downtime because the muscles & skin have already been stretched - just pain from the incisions themselves. You can see in my profile pic that I'm at a pretty large size already - but the implants are always a little smaller than the expanders, so I want to be just a little bit bigger than in my pic (i dont have as much, projection, as i'd like yet) - so that's why im still going on my fills. I dont want to be smaller than they are now!
    Hope i was able to give you a little understanding on this!!
    *hugs*
    Heather

    Thank you Heather
    You did a great job of explaining the process. I had wondered if the exchange surg. was a big deal and of course compairing to my own procedures. You are right about the flap surg. It is a big deal and took quite a while to recover. I was a DD before and didn't want to be as big, I love never having to wear a bra!! Hugs back at ya..alison
  • sal314
    sal314 Member Posts: 599 Member
    #5
    ButterFly1234 said:

    Implant w/flap reconstruction
    I had a latismuss flap reconstruction (they take the muscle from the back) and had an implant underneath it. I am VERY happy with the results of it. It feels just like my other breast.

    Lat Flap w/ Implant Too ButterFly1234!
    I had a Lat Flap with an implant done as well. Haven't met anyone else on this board that has had one! Though I'm very pleased, I must say the muscle ache in my back is somewhat annoying!
    Do you ever get what I call a "boob spazm"?! LOL. I'm not kidding! Sometimes when I'm working out with weights or carrying heavy things, that muscle that SHOULD be in the back, but is now in the front, spazms and my whole chest and upper part of my implant shakes and cramps up! It's so CRAZY! LOL. Thankfully, it doesn't happen too often!! LOL.

    Sally
  • Mariannemm
    Mariannemm Member Posts: 136
    #6
    I got on the board tonight to see if I could read up on any discussions on reconstruction. I go in tomorrow morning to meet with the plastic surgeon about my reconstruction. I have read up on it in my Dr Susan Love Breast book regarding the procedures for the different types of surgeries and don't know yet which way I will go. I had immediate reconstruction after my mastectomy back in December but my body rejected the tissue implant that was put in. That tissue was put in the lower part of my breast to create a base for the implant. I had one expansion and then the infection began. I was on 7 weeks of daily IV antibiotics because of the cellullitis, at the same time I was having chemo (it wasn't an exciting time for me). Then I had everything removed in March since the infection wouldn't go away. The last time I saw my surgeon he said we may have to do a flap procedure this time. He said I couldn't do the flap from my tummy because I didn't have enough there for both breasts. I would love a tummy tuck and I told him they didn't have to be big, to little ones like before would be fine with me. I think every breast cancer survivor should be able to have a tummy tuck if they want it! He said he may d want to go with the lap, but that he wouldn't say for sure until after my treatments were completely done. I just finished my radiation in September, I don't know when I will be able to start but I can't wait! I am okay with taking some time for the healing process if it means I can have my breast back. I didn't really like mine before they were gone but now that I don't have any I will take whatever I can get. I just want to feel whole again. Stay strong ladies! Marianne

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