delayed reconstruction? stories please!

I don't know where you are located, but check into the DEIP if you can. Its available many areas. It does not use the muscle that the Tram does. It is still invasive, but I wish I had had the option of the DIEP. I did not know about it though.

Deb

Hi! I had a Tram Flap 5 1/2 years ago. It was no where near as bad as I had expected. I'm not saying it wasn't difficult but I anticipated much worse. I was able to drive after about 2 weeks and back to work parttime(I'm a Physical Therapist in a nursing home) and back on the tennis courts in 7 weeks. Yes, it was hard at times and uncomfortable but totally doable. I never felt that I should have done it another way. If I had to do it again, I would do it the same way. I still have tightness in my abdomen and am unable to do situps the right way but you learn to adapt. I'm also numb up my abdomen and breast but you do get used to it. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me here and I will try to help you out. Good luck! HUGS!! Cathy

I had the Tram flap in 2001, had bilatural mastectomy in 1998. I felt for myself that i had a forgien object taken out of my body i was not going to put one in, meaning implants. Yes the recovery time is somewhat long, however to me it was worth it. It is all natural.

jdubious said:

Thanks for all your stories! I'm looking at the DIEP procedure - it's what I wanted all along, but they don't do them at Swedish (that's where I've had all my treatments) but it turns out they do them at the University of Washington, here in Seattle, and they no longer do TRAM. I have an appointment next month to get the ball rolling.
jill

Can anyone tell me what the DIEP Procedure is? My surgeon recommended the Lat Flap under arm procedure. It scares the heck out of me. At this point I'm looking into the light weight foam prosthesis cuz the one made of rubber is way too heavy for me. Still at 8 months recovery from heavy chemo and radiation and still have bone pain. I know it will take at least a year to get close to being more normal and not in pain. But interested in that DEIP you guys are talking about.
Thanks,
Kathy

I had my mastectomy and a pedicled tram flap reconstruction done all at once. I realize you're not in the same situation, but I just wanted to get it all over with. This was exactly 3 years ago. I had ductal carcinoma with a micro-area of invasive cells--negative lymph node involvement--no radiation.
I had a GREAT surgeon and a terrific PS. He made all the difference in my experience. He wasn't happy till I was happy with the results. I had a reduction made about 3 months afterward, then a tattoo and nipply construction. I'm happy with all of that. Now for the less pleasing parts:
Numbness in the reconstructed breast, along the solar plexus and parts of my abdomen. The scars aren't bad--I rubbed them daily with oil. Occasional twinges of nerve pain--not bad. I am a moderately active person and was concerned about my lack of strength in tummy muscles post-op. My back was also hurting post op, I think because of the strain put on my core trunk area. So I decided to get strong again. I've been doing Pilates for the last 2.5 years. I started about 6 months after the operation. I can now do Pilates curl-ups if my feet are anchored. Curl-downs are a snap. My back pain is minimal (normal for a person with a slight scoliosis). I love the Pilate regime because it concentrates on the core trunk muscles. You learn to use those underlying oblique tummy muscles and your butt to do the sit ups. Without a fully functioning rectus muscle--it was harvested for my breast reconstruction--your body learns to adapt.
I would've like to have had the choice of a DIEP or free flap, but these weren't options at my HMO.
I think flap reconstruction is MUCH preferable to implant, particularly if you want to feel almost whole again!

mellen said:

I had my mastectomy and a pedicled tram flap reconstruction done all at once. I realize you're not in the same situation, but I just wanted to get it all over with. This was exactly 3 years ago. I had ductal carcinoma with a micro-area of invasive cells--negative lymph node involvement--no radiation.
I had a GREAT surgeon and a terrific PS. He made all the difference in my experience. He wasn't happy till I was happy with the results. I had a reduction made about 3 months afterward, then a tattoo and nipply construction. I'm happy with all of that. Now for the less pleasing parts:
Numbness in the reconstructed breast, along the solar plexus and parts of my abdomen. The scars aren't bad--I rubbed them daily with oil. Occasional twinges of nerve pain--not bad. I am a moderately active person and was concerned about my lack of strength in tummy muscles post-op. My back was also hurting post op, I think because of the strain put on my core trunk area. So I decided to get strong again. I've been doing Pilates for the last 2.5 years. I started about 6 months after the operation. I can now do Pilates curl-ups if my feet are anchored. Curl-downs are a snap. My back pain is minimal (normal for a person with a slight scoliosis). I love the Pilate regime because it concentrates on the core trunk muscles. You learn to use those underlying oblique tummy muscles and your butt to do the sit ups. Without a fully functioning rectus muscle--it was harvested for my breast reconstruction--your body learns to adapt.
I would've like to have had the choice of a DIEP or free flap, but these weren't options at my HMO.
I think flap reconstruction is MUCH preferable to implant, particularly if you want to feel almost whole again!

While DIEP is, I am sure, 'better' overall, I had radiation for the first cancer and therefore am being told the blood flow the muscle brings with it in tram flap is most important. Radiation has damaged the blood vessles in the chest and trying to tie them to tiny vessles in the stomach as it is brought up will set me up for a higher potential of rejection. I believe there should be a better understanding of what radiation does at the beginning of a cancer diagnosis. I got only this general: it's hard on you, and that was focused more on going through it, not what it ravages and leaves behind for the long run. If I'd known then . . . But I didn't. I didn't know my cancer would come back. I didn't know the radiation would up the chances for infection (which I got after mastectomy) and impeed future reconstruction choices (implants are not an option.) I didn't know a lot. I go forward with the best choices I can. Tram flap in 18 days. Then life as best I can live it from there.
Things keep happening to make we want a second bump on my chest for balance and symetrical clothing and hot weather comfort.