Tummy tuck reconstruction?

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piseminger
piseminger Member Posts: 35
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi everyone. I just went to a plastic surgeon to discuss breast reconstruction. She talked about taking skin from my back to replace the damaged skin from my rad. and being stretched so an implant could be put in. The problem with implants is that they can leak and have to be replaced every 10 years. I also had heard that they could use my own tissue to create a new breast so I asked. She told me they could do a tummy tuck and use some of that tissue to create a new breast. Healing time is longer: 5 days in the hospital, 6 weeks of no work and then 6 more weeks of with limitations but no stretching of skin from week to week and no implant leakage worries and no replacement necessary.
Has anyone out there done reconstruction this way.
thanks for your comments

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  • jk1952
    jk1952 Member Posts: 613
    #2
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    DIEP Reconstruction
    This procedure is either DIEP (when no muscle has to be used) or free TRAM flap which uses a small amount of muscle. I had a bilateral mastectomy on April 22, and one side was a DIEP reconstruction and one a free TRAM. To date, I haven't really seen any difference in the two reconstructions. These processes take the tissue and reconnect the blood supply under your arm: they are much different from the TRAM flap where tissue is tunneled up to your breast area.

    In 2000, I did have a lumpectomy and radiation, and this reconstruction was recommended to me by my breast surgeon. I was very fortunate to have a plastic surgeon with expertise in this reconstruction only two miles from my house. He found that the blood suppply had been damaged by the radiation, but he was able to reconnect the blood supply from my abdomen.

    This year, I had DCIS in the same breast, thus the need for the mastectomy. But, I chose the bilateral mastectomy partly because they can only do one tummy tuck to get tissue, so I knew I would have to have a different type of reconstruction on the second breast, if I ended up needing a mastectomy.

    I had my surgery on Wednesday and went home on Sunday. I spent two days in intensvie care, so they could monitor the blood supply regularly (every 30 minutes the first day). I returned to work eight weeks after surgery. The first 10 days back to work were hard, because I had some sort of infection (not related to the surgery). Once I took an antibiotic, I started feeling much better and the last 2 1/2 weeks, I've felt good, and have been able to work and have enough energy to do things on the weekend.

    The surgery is long: mine was 8 hours, so it does take a while to regain your energy. The frist time I walked down the street, I was huffing and puffing. I had never experienced this, so it was a bit disconcerting. I've read that it takes up to a year to really be back to your new normal. But, I've been satisfied so far. My one recommendation would be to make sure that the plastic surgeon has the necessary expertise to perform this surgery. It is very delicate microsurgery. Your doctor is the primary key to its success.

    Sorry I've rambled so much. But, I hope it helps you.

    Joyce
  • Terri5
    Terri5 Member Posts: 24
    #3
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    I had the DIEP
    I had the DIEP reconstruction, and I had it done during my mastectomy surgery. The surgery took 12 hours and I was in the hospital for a week. I also had to be monitored for the blood supply. I think the worst was the drains, they left them in when I left the hospital and didn't remove them for another week after, that was painful. But everything else was fine. I was back at work a little over a month later, but I had limited hours because of fatigue. It looks pretty good, I can't really complain, I'm alive.
  • MarthaB
    MarthaB Member Posts: 10
    #4
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    TRAM flap
    I had TRAM flap reconstruction following bi-lateral masectomies in April. 8+ hour surgery, in the hospital for 6 days. Determination is a good friend during the hospital stay! I had skin sparing surgery to save my nipples but my nipples failed and I had skin grafts to repair. I've been fortunate to be able to stay home rather than work during this recovery period. I am just now feeling like my strength and ability to stand straight up has returned (3 month mark). Am very uncomfortable wearing anything around my mid-section, including underwear. Zipper front sports bra has been the best bra type garmet although this past week I've been able to go braless with minimal discomfort. I like the idea of reconstructing with my own tissue and that this tissue will age naturally with the rest of me. Implants need maintenance and potential replacement in 10 years or so. My sister in law did the DIEP flap about a month after my surgery and has recovered at a faster pace. I was in excellent health prior to bi-lateral surgery but I think I was tired from having the 3 lumpectomies under general in the three months prior to the big surgery. I am just now at 3 months post surgery, have begun chemo, and will not return to work until chemo is completed in another 3 months. I don't believe I would be able to work a full time schedule at this point.

    The benefit of my TRAM flap surgery, my breasts are fairly symmetrical, no extenders required, a free tummy lift!, less potential long term maintenance as the tissue is not foreign and will behave "naturally". My teen-aged daughters tease me that when my stomach growls my boobs are talking...

    Johns Hopkins in Baltimore/Stanford in California have great reputations for the DIEP flap. I receive care at the UCSF Breast Care Center in San Francisco and couldn't be more pleased with the care I receive there.
  • susie09
    susie09 Member Posts: 2,930
    #5
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    I had a lumpectomy so I
    I had a lumpectomy so I can't help with any information. I just want to wish you good luck and hope that whatever you do that you are pleased with it. It looks like several here can provide you with information. Good luck to you!

    Susie :)
  • piseminger
    piseminger Member Posts: 35
    #6
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    thanks for the insight
    Thanks ladies for the insight. I think I have decided to have the tummy tuck so I can use my own tissue with the reconstruction. I have also decided to wait until next summer 2010 because my daughter is getting married in the spring 2010 and I don't want to lose 6 to 12 weeks of work $$$$. Thanks again for the comments
  • carnic8488
    carnic8488 Member Posts: 11
    #7
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    MarthaB said:

    TRAM flap
    I had TRAM flap reconstruction following bi-lateral masectomies in April. 8+ hour surgery, in the hospital for 6 days. Determination is a good friend during the hospital stay! I had skin sparing surgery to save my nipples but my nipples failed and I had skin grafts to repair. I've been fortunate to be able to stay home rather than work during this recovery period. I am just now feeling like my strength and ability to stand straight up has returned (3 month mark). Am very uncomfortable wearing anything around my mid-section, including underwear. Zipper front sports bra has been the best bra type garmet although this past week I've been able to go braless with minimal discomfort. I like the idea of reconstructing with my own tissue and that this tissue will age naturally with the rest of me. Implants need maintenance and potential replacement in 10 years or so. My sister in law did the DIEP flap about a month after my surgery and has recovered at a faster pace. I was in excellent health prior to bi-lateral surgery but I think I was tired from having the 3 lumpectomies under general in the three months prior to the big surgery. I am just now at 3 months post surgery, have begun chemo, and will not return to work until chemo is completed in another 3 months. I don't believe I would be able to work a full time schedule at this point.

    The benefit of my TRAM flap surgery, my breasts are fairly symmetrical, no extenders required, a free tummy lift!, less potential long term maintenance as the tissue is not foreign and will behave "naturally". My teen-aged daughters tease me that when my stomach growls my boobs are talking...

    Johns Hopkins in Baltimore/Stanford in California have great reputations for the DIEP flap. I receive care at the UCSF Breast Care Center in San Francisco and couldn't be more pleased with the care I receive there.

    tightness and discomfort
    Hi Martha,
    I had a bilateral mastectomy with tram reconstruction 5 weeks ago. Did you have trouble with alot of discomfort around the stomach and breast area and what about tightness in the stomach area? Will this go away and how long will it take? I can't seem to stand having anything touch my skin.
  • tasha_111
    tasha_111 Member Posts: 2,072
    #8
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    piseminger said:

    thanks for the insight
    Thanks ladies for the insight. I think I have decided to have the tummy tuck so I can use my own tissue with the reconstruction. I have also decided to wait until next summer 2010 because my daughter is getting married in the spring 2010 and I don't want to lose 6 to 12 weeks of work $$$$. Thanks again for the comments

    Whew
    I guess I'm too old or too disinteresed in the opposite sex to even consider any reconstruction.......In my previous life (Pre Cancer) I was a size 10-12 with a 40D bust........It still wasn't good enough.......So now I really don't care what anyone else thinks and therefore will not be doing any reconstructive stuff! Maybe you are younger than me, with more self esteem...I hope so...........
  • jk1952
    jk1952 Member Posts: 613
    #9
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    tasha_111 said:

    Whew
    I guess I'm too old or too disinteresed in the opposite sex to even consider any reconstruction.......In my previous life (Pre Cancer) I was a size 10-12 with a 40D bust........It still wasn't good enough.......So now I really don't care what anyone else thinks and therefore will not be doing any reconstructive stuff! Maybe you are younger than me, with more self esteem...I hope so...........

    Don't listen to Tasha: she's

    Don't listen to Tasha: she's in a funk. I had two lumpectomies that left me with half a breast, and I lived with it. But the mastectomy was another story. I didn't want the prosthesis for a couple reasons: I do a lot of swimming and didn't want to deal with it, and I had a lot of leftover 'issues' about protheses from my teen years, when my dad had both legs amputated. It wasn't really a sexual thing for me...my husband wouldn't care. And, I've got Tasha beat by almost ten years.

    Joyce
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    #10
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    jk1952 said:

    Don't listen to Tasha: she's

    Don't listen to Tasha: she's in a funk. I had two lumpectomies that left me with half a breast, and I lived with it. But the mastectomy was another story. I didn't want the prosthesis for a couple reasons: I do a lot of swimming and didn't want to deal with it, and I had a lot of leftover 'issues' about protheses from my teen years, when my dad had both legs amputated. It wasn't really a sexual thing for me...my husband wouldn't care. And, I've got Tasha beat by almost ten years.

    Joyce

    I just want to wish all of
    I just want to wish all of you good luck with your reconstruction. I learned something by reading this thread. I didn't know that you had to replace your implants after 10 years.

    Good luck to all of you!

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