advice on reconstruction???
viky331 posted:
I am 38, under radiation for breast cancer, i just want your opinions aabout reconstruction, i have appointment with the plastic surgeon on the 30th of May. I had a bilateral mastectomy back in December.
7 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:advice on reconstruction???I am 38, under radiation for breast cancer, i just want your opinions aabout reconstruction, i have appointment with the plastic surgeon on the 30th of May. I had a bilateral mastectomy back in December.
judyfams responded:
Viky,
There are two different types of breast reconstruction. One uses implants only and the other uses your own breast tissue.
There are pros and cons for each type so you need to do your research to find the ones that you are interested in. The absolute most important thing is to choose a PS that has lots of experience in doing the type of reconstruction you would like.
Please know that each type requires more than one surgery and has different recuperation times due to the different lengths of time for each type of surgery and you might not be a candidate for each. So my advice to you would to research them all and pick one or two as your choices. A place to start your resesearch would be www. breastreconstruction.org
The types of reconstruction that uses your own tissue are:
DIEP, SIEA, TRAM Flap - both the pedicle flap and the free flap, Latissumus dorsal flap, GAP and any combination of these.
Most women on this site have had implants and one lady is considering the DIEPP reconstruction. Hopefully you will hear from these ladies.
But remember, the choice is yours to make and is a very personal choice. There are no right or wrong choices, only the one that will bring you peace of mind. You do not have to rush to make your choice as reconstruction can be done at any time.
Good luck and please let us know which type of reconstruction you choose.
Judy
There are two different types of breast reconstruction. One uses implants only and the other uses your own breast tissue.
There are pros and cons for each type so you need to do your research to find the ones that you are interested in. The absolute most important thing is to choose a PS that has lots of experience in doing the type of reconstruction you would like.
Please know that each type requires more than one surgery and has different recuperation times due to the different lengths of time for each type of surgery and you might not be a candidate for each. So my advice to you would to research them all and pick one or two as your choices. A place to start your resesearch would be www. breastreconstruction.org
The types of reconstruction that uses your own tissue are:
DIEP, SIEA, TRAM Flap - both the pedicle flap and the free flap, Latissumus dorsal flap, GAP and any combination of these.
Most women on this site have had implants and one lady is considering the DIEPP reconstruction. Hopefully you will hear from these ladies.
But remember, the choice is yours to make and is a very personal choice. There are no right or wrong choices, only the one that will bring you peace of mind. You do not have to rush to make your choice as reconstruction can be done at any time.
Good luck and please let us know which type of reconstruction you choose.
Judy
Report This| Share this:advice on reconstruction???Viky,<br />There are two different types of breast reconstruction. One uses implants only and the other uses your own breast tissue.<br />There are pros and cons for each type so you need to do your research to find the ones that you are interested in. The absolute most important thing is to choose a PS that has lots of experience in doing the type of reconstruction you would like. <br />Please know that each type requires more than one surgery and has different recuperation times due to the different lengths of time for each type of surgery and you might not be a candidate for each. So my advice to you would to research them all and pick one or two as your choices. A place to start your resesearch would be <b><i><u>www. breastreconstruction.org</u></i></b><br />The types of reconstruction that uses your own tissue are:<br />DIEP, SIEA, TRAM Flap - both the pedicle flap and the free flap, Latissumus dorsal flap, GAP and any combination of these.<br />Most women on this site have had implants and one lady is considering the DIEPP reconstruction. Hopefully you will hear from these ladies.<br />But remember, the choice is yours to make and is a very personal choice. There are no right or wrong choices, only the one that will bring you peace of mind. You do not have to rush to make your choice as reconstruction can be done at any time.<br />Good luck and please let us know which type of reconstruction you choose.<br />Judy
brcansur responded:
Viky,
Hello and welcome, Judy is so very right research til the cows come home because you have time. You do not have to get the surgery right away I didn't have mine until a year later. I had to have implants due to being cut from hip to hip from others surgeries more then 4 times. I guess that muscles is not good any more for anything including my stomach don't I know that
... Anyway I have implants and I am starting to not feel so tight they are lossening up more finally. I had the last surgery in Nov. But I also have been doing a lot with my arms so using the muscle and that also keeps that muscle tight.
Make sure to write down all your questions before you go into the doctors and ask away. The only stupid question is the one not asked. I asked a lot of them and still ask when i go for my follow ups and even call with questions sometimes.
But remember what matters most in the end is what is going to make you happy and what is going to work best for you. Plus what is safe ,healthy no one else can make that choice for you that is something you have to do once the doctors tell you what they feel will work best then you decide if you think that is what you think is the best for you. You are the one that has to live with them after not any one else just you !! I am wishing you all the best and sending angel hugs your way Roberta,
Hello and welcome, Judy is so very right research til the cows come home because you have time. You do not have to get the surgery right away I didn't have mine until a year later. I had to have implants due to being cut from hip to hip from others surgeries more then 4 times. I guess that muscles is not good any more for anything including my stomach don't I know that
... Anyway I have implants and I am starting to not feel so tight they are lossening up more finally. I had the last surgery in Nov. But I also have been doing a lot with my arms so using the muscle and that also keeps that muscle tight. Make sure to write down all your questions before you go into the doctors and ask away. The only stupid question is the one not asked. I asked a lot of them and still ask when i go for my follow ups and even call with questions sometimes.
But remember what matters most in the end is what is going to make you happy and what is going to work best for you. Plus what is safe ,healthy no one else can make that choice for you that is something you have to do once the doctors tell you what they feel will work best then you decide if you think that is what you think is the best for you. You are the one that has to live with them after not any one else just you !! I am wishing you all the best and sending angel hugs your way Roberta,
Roberta
Report This| Share this:advice on reconstruction???Viky,<br />Hello and welcome, Judy is so very right research til the cows come home because you have time. You do not have to get the surgery right away I didn't have mine until a year later. I had to have implants due to being cut from hip to hip from others surgeries more then 4 times. I guess that muscles is not good any more for anything including my stomach don't I know that <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/frown.gif" align="top" border="0"> ... Anyway I have implants and I am starting to not feel so tight they are lossening up more finally. I had the last surgery in Nov. But I also have been doing a lot with my arms so using the muscle and that also keeps that muscle tight. <br />Make sure to write down all your questions before you go into the doctors and ask away. The only stupid question is the one not asked. I asked a lot of them and still ask when i go for my follow ups and even call with questions sometimes. <br />But remember what matters most in the end is what is going to make you happy and what is going to work best for you. Plus what is safe ,healthy no one else can make that choice for you that is something you have to do once the doctors tell you what they feel will work best then you decide if you think that is what you think is the best for you. You are the one that has to live with them after not any one else just you !! I am wishing you all the best and sending angel hugs your way Roberta, <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0">
kiwiallright responded:
Hi,
I had the DIEP Flap procedure, I am very happy with the results. I did not want implants, the tram flap is where they take muscle from your abdomen and use as your blood flow. The DIEP uses your stomach fat and they take blood vessels from the abdomen and connect them to blood vessels in your chest. I went to two different PS and glad I chose the second one, she did a really great job. Check them all out. I could not have an implant on my right breast as there was not enough skin. Do your research. The PS I had had completed many of the DIEP Flap surgeries. Also read through some of the feeds on this site and review some of the posts by the women who have had different procedures.
Good Luck
I had the DIEP Flap procedure, I am very happy with the results. I did not want implants, the tram flap is where they take muscle from your abdomen and use as your blood flow. The DIEP uses your stomach fat and they take blood vessels from the abdomen and connect them to blood vessels in your chest. I went to two different PS and glad I chose the second one, she did a really great job. Check them all out. I could not have an implant on my right breast as there was not enough skin. Do your research. The PS I had had completed many of the DIEP Flap surgeries. Also read through some of the feeds on this site and review some of the posts by the women who have had different procedures.
Good Luck
Report This| Share this:advice on reconstruction???Hi,<br /><br />I had the DIEP Flap procedure, I am very happy with the results. I did not want implants, the tram flap is where they take muscle from your abdomen and use as your blood flow. The DIEP uses your stomach fat and they take blood vessels from the abdomen and connect them to blood vessels in your chest. I went to two different PS and glad I chose the second one, she did a really great job. Check them all out. I could not have an implant on my right breast as there was not enough skin. Do your research. The PS I had had completed many of the DIEP Flap surgeries. Also read through some of the feeds on this site and review some of the posts by the women who have had different procedures. <br /><br />Good Luck
JLAMB26 responded:
I'm about your age and I just had the DIEP Flap done in December. I'm very happy with the results. I talked to two different surgeons before I decided which route to go. I also talked to other women who have had the proceedure done by the PS I chose. It was very helpful. The upside of the DIEP Flap is that your breasts will look and feel more natural and you don't have a foreign object in your body so need to replace them in 10 or so years. You also get a "tummy tuck". The downside is that the recovery time is much longer. You will have two surgical sites and abdomen surgery. You also may not be a candidate if you don't have enough fat or tissue to spare...that wasn't the case for me:) I also have two small children so I had to consider if I would have help during recovery etc. The recovery time was actually much less than they warned me about but it was painful for a couple days. Good luck with your decision! Jennifer
Report This| Share this:advice on reconstruction???I'm about your age and I just had the DIEP Flap done in December. I'm very happy with the results. I talked to two different surgeons before I decided which route to go. I also talked to other women who have had the proceedure done by the PS I chose. It was very helpful. The upside of the DIEP Flap is that your breasts will look and feel more natural and you don't have a foreign object in your body so need to replace them in 10 or so years. You also get a "tummy tuck". The downside is that the recovery time is much longer. You will have two surgical sites and abdomen surgery. You also may not be a candidate if you don't have enough fat or tissue to spare...that wasn't the case for me:) I also have two small children so I had to consider if I would have help during recovery etc. The recovery time was actually much less than they warned me about but it was painful for a couple days. Good luck with your decision! Jennifer
cindy12345678 responded:
viky,
Like the ladies said. Research it as much as you can.
I had bi-mast with expanders and implants. I am happy
with my choice. I had nipples and tatooing added.
Things to think about. How long the surgury will be,
How many surguries . How long will it take to complete.
Like how much time between surguries. You have to
,make your own choices. Choose what feels right to you.
I don't think there is a wrong choice.
Cindy
Like the ladies said. Research it as much as you can.
I had bi-mast with expanders and implants. I am happy
with my choice. I had nipples and tatooing added.
Things to think about. How long the surgury will be,
How many surguries . How long will it take to complete.
Like how much time between surguries. You have to
,make your own choices. Choose what feels right to you.
I don't think there is a wrong choice.
Cindy
Report This| Share this:advice on reconstruction???viky,<br />Like the ladies said. Research it as much as you can.<br />I had bi-mast with expanders and implants. I am happy<br />with my choice. I had nipples and tatooing added. <br />Things to think about. How long the surgury will be,<br />How many surguries . How long will it take to complete.<br />Like how much time between surguries. You have to<br />,make your own choices. Choose what feels right to you.<br />I don't think there is a wrong choice. <br />Cindy
Thanks Judy!!!! I am thinking about it.
viky331 responded:
Thanks to every body that answers my question, I when to the PPS got some explanation she gave me her opinion about my ccase, most probably goint to be a latiss.. from the back and small implant, I have to wait 6 months after the last radiation, and that will be on next Friday!!!
Report This| Share this:advice on reconstruction???Thanks to every body that answers my question, I when to the PPS got some explanation she gave me her opinion about my ccase, most probably goint to be a latiss.. from the back and small implant, I have to wait 6 months after the last radiation, and that will be on next Friday!!!
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