Wednesday, February 18, 2009
I was hoping for someone's input that has had the expander reconstruction. I was diagnosed with cancer in the left breast, but because of my cancer history have decided to do both breasts. I am not totally convinced that this is the way to proceed and concerned about the recovery and restrictions. Does anyone have the same situation?
I have just been through so much surgery already, but want to avoid more pain which will result certainly by NOT having the surgery and having the cancer spread. Thank you to any of you who has experienced this surgery.
Thanks so much for your reply - it helps allot!! I have had several positive comments now, so I feel better about my decision. I have a call in to my plastic surgeon to to over with me, again, a list of the restrictions during the injections and post surgery. None of you really got into that, so I was curious - not really remembering exactly what he told me at my doctor visit. At that time I just was not sure if I really wanted to do the expanders and I suppose I just did not pay close enough attention. I thought he had said you "cannot raise your arms above your head??" At least maybe not at first? I hope he gets back to me today. I do not plan any chemo or radiation, no matter what the prognosis. I have survived the past 6 years after pancreas and colon caner being removed, and our daughter went through agony with treatments and we lost her. I know my story is just my opinion and my experience, but I am taking my chances. If you, or anyone, can give me some of your restriction experiences, I would appreciate that. Thanik youy so much, and I wish you continued success in staying clear of this horrible disease.
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Hi. Sorry about your diagnosis. I had exactly that surgery that you are referring to. I was diagnosed in July 2007 and had a bilateral mastectomy in Sept 2007. (I originally had a lumpectomy in July). I had the expanders put it at the time of the mastectomy and had them pumped up on a regular basis until they were an adequate size. Then in Oct 2008 I had the expanders removed and implants put in. For me personally, I am happy with the outcome. Of course they dont look real naked, but with clothes on no-one can tell. I have chosen not to get nipples made and again that is my personal choice. The only thing I can say, and once again this is my opinion, my story, I guess I thought they would turn out like other womens that have implants. But once I saw them I realised that was not the case. As I said I am happy with the result because I am a 36yr old married for 18 months (8 days before my mastectomy) and the alternative was to have no breasts. But at the end of the day, breasts or no breasts, I am happy to be alive. Good luck to you.
Thank you so much for your reply. Of course, at your young age and newly married you would certainly want to look as normal as you can. What a tragendy to go through this at this time in your life. I was curious as to why you had to wait about a year to have the implants actually put in? I was told that the pumping up would take about six to eight weeks before the actual implants would be put in??? I realize eveeryone is different. Can you tell me what kind of restrictions you had while the expancders were in and about the healing process?? They tell me it is much faster to heal than when they use skin from other parts of the body. I appreciate your response!!! efs
Hi Connie - Just to throw a mockey wrench into your possible plans here, I had a tram flap reconstruction (using body tissue) and could have been back at work in 2 weeks, so as far as healing goes, I'd say it's pretty fast. Sure, I wasn't 100%, but good enough. The recovery was really pretty uneventful. And my breast looks great in clothes, and natural enough that I'm fine getting undressed in the locker room at the gym. It hangs right; moves right, you know? Of course it's numb/tingly, but looks-wise, I'm very happy with it. Good luck, whatever you have done- PJH
Hi Michelle -- I am in the middle of this process having had a bilateral mastectomy about 10 days ago. Interested in one comment of yours, that you expected them to be more like other womens' implants. In what way did they differ? Thanks for sharing your experience. Mary
Hi there again.Havent been on here in quite a while, sorry. The reason I had to wait for so long to get the implants put in was because I was still having chemo and they didnt want to do surgery until my chemo was finished. Just from reading other peoples stories on here, I thnk treatment must be different here in Oz than it is over there. For example, I read one ladies story saying having the implants put in was day surgery. However when I had mine put in I was in hospital for about a week, as I had drains in again and the plastic surgeon was reluctant to send us (there were two other ladies in my room that had the same surgery) home with the drains in. I also read PJ's comment about the tram flap surgery and I was told by my plastic surgeon that there is about an 8 wk recovey from this surgery and it is much more harsh than the implants. This is not why I chose it though. I was also advised that the tram flap surgery was more reserved for those who had only one breast removedas they could "mould" a new one to resemble the remaining one, however if both were removed then implants may be a better alternative, but I guess once again it depends on the individual. I did not choose this surgery as i thought it would "hurt less". I was born with a hare lip and cleft palate and up to the age of 21 I had 21 operations to have it corrected and plastic surgery to make more nose a little more "normal" etc. On average; one surgery for every yr of my life. Then I got a 15yr break and now its back to more ops. Well hopefully they are finished now. But it certainly does come down to one thing for me. Regardless of having breasts or not, and how they are constructed, and what I had to go through to get here I am surely happy I am here. I am not naive. I know my pathology results mean that more than likely this will happen to me again and I may or may not be so lucky next time. So I choose to live in the here and now. Sometimes I get very down, wondering if today is going to be the day that it comes back. I hope to be like PJ. I hope I can get to 5yrs or 10yrs or 15yrs without it coming back, but we will see. Mostly I hope for a cure before my daughter gets to the age of worry, cause with my mother and maternal grandmother and myself having it, it does not inspire a lot of confidence for her. Good luck to us all.xxxxx
Hi Mary:
Wow, you are fresh out of having surgery. I wonder, how did you survive the drains?? I was told I would have a drain in each breast location and one under the arm or area where the lymphs were taken. I had drains before with each of my pancreas surgeries, but I was in the hospital so long, they were removed before I came home. I am not looking forward to the emptying and measuring, but they tell m e they only have to be in a week and I am only supposed to be in the hospital two to three days - I surely hope!!!!! I am nervous and just so not looking forward to yet another surgery and yet another hospital stay. How are your limitations? They tell me I will not be able to do any "repetitive motion" for two to three weeks - YUK - meaning no regular vacuuming or bathroom cleaning etc. regular house stuff which will drive me nuts. If you can, I would love to hear how you are surviving?? Do you have expanders in? Are you having implants - treatments? I will not have treatments, even if they find it in the lymps. I have had many cancers removed and just cannot bear the treatments cause of watching my daughter go through them - she passed away. I feel so bad for all of us having to go through this horror, but it helps to have people to talk to. Lots of luck to you.
Connie
Hi Michelle:
Thanks so much for your response. My goodness, you have been through it - even at such a young age with your other surgeries. I was wondering what you mean by things being different here in "OZ"?? Yes, I was told also that when I go back in to have the implants put in, it should be only a day surgery - in and out in 4 hours or so. I was also told on Friday at my pre-admission testing, that I will have three drains in after surgery that I will have to go home with, since they expect the hospital stay to be 2 to 3 days. I have had drains before when I had my two pancreas surgeries, but they were removed before I left the hospital due to a very long stay there. I am not looking forward to those drains at home - - YUK just so horrible to deal with - and then they say I must measure the fluid, etc. They say they will be in a week only - but no, nothing was mentioned about any drains when I go in for the implants. I guess I decided to do both breasts for the reasons you mentioned about just having them look the same - - PLUS with the track record I have I am sure I will be back in next year to do the other one anyway. I am also having two big hernias fixed by my regular surgeon when I am in for the breasts - ones I have developed from doing too much too soon after my last pancreas surgery. My whole abdomen and stomach is a lovely scar!! I chose not to do the chemo and radiation, even if it spreads, so they will do the implants in six to eight weeks after the expanders do the job they are supposed to do!!! I have always refused treatments - - I guess I mentioned to one of you because of losing my daughter and watching the treatments consume her last days. It is just very hard - - but I know we all have a different story. I am happy for you that you have such a positive attitude and I wish you all the best that this will be the last horror story you have to live with.
Connie
Connie,
You know the Dreaded Drains are like anything else, annoying when you're in the middle of dealing with them, but quickly forgotten. I got mine out today, 14 days post-surgery, and it was most assuredly a relief. Yes, they're inconvenient, but they actually didn't slow me down too much. I just tucked them in my pants pockets when I went out and wore loose tops. No one was the wiser. I was told to keep them in until the fluid level had fallen off to a certain level (30 ml./24 hours) and that took awhile. I just kept thinking that every day that passed brought me one day closer to having them out, whenever that was. The biggest problem they created was sleeping. I don't sleep well on my tummy and having the drains in my sides was difficult. I finally engineered a system of pillows that allowed me to sleep on my side without putting pressure on the drain access points. You'll get throught it. They don't last forever. My most important ally was my sense of humor...and always easier to share what's going on with someone who's been through it, as on this site. Best of luck to you!! Mary
I had my double mastectomy 7 weeks ago and I came home with drains. It was not as bad as it sounds, they were in for just under 2 weeks (my doctor wanted the output to be less than 10cc in each prior to removal), my surgery lasted 5 1/2 hours and I was discharded the next day 23 hours after surgery. I think they hurt coming out but I felt so much better after they were gone. The expanders are uncomfortable and I can not do all that I had done before, but I'm working on that. The chest muscles get tight and uncomfortable when I do to much and cold is another problem. When I get cold my chest muscles contract and feel really strange, no pain just really odd and that takes some getting use to. I know the finished product will not look like my own did but my doctor believes that he can create and sculpt something real close to perfect, or as close as man made can be. If you have complete faith and trust in your plastic surgeon then that is half the battle, positive attatude with a great family support network is the other half of the battle. I wish you the best of luck.
Wondering how you feel about not having anything else done, regardless what you are advised.
I went 5 wks ago for a biopsy felt a small lump on my chest. All the professionals were soooo optimistic ...found it early -doubted highly node involvement,wouldn't need chemo or radiation - just hormone therapy. Well just haD a bilateral mastetomy last Tues. node positive - had to take all the other nodes out. Think IT IS STAGE II, NOT STAgE I THAT THEY WERE SAYINg. DoN'T KNOW WHRE I'LL BE GOING FROM HeRE BUT IT'S SCARYH & DEPRESSING.
What I had been lead to believe would be a lumpectomy turned into a much bigger problem and I'm afraid of how much things are going to get worse now.
Any advice.
Margaret Ann, it is scary that your doctors were not able to recognize that your cancer was worse than they anticipated, but that's why they do biopsies just to be sure that their first impressions are correct. I also think that some doctors tend to go with the best possible outcome when initially talking with a patient. They don't want to scare people with a worst case scenario that turns out to be false.
Stage II cancers can still be cured, and while you will need more treatment than you expected, the long-term outlook is good.
I understand how depressing it can be to get back a bad pathology report that you weren't expecting. When I went in for my mastectomy, the doctors had not felt anything wrong with my lymph nodes, but it turned out that I had 16 positive nodes. Those first days after that pathology report were the worst in my whole cancer experience. I couldn't imagine how I could get better if I had 16 positive nodes. Then my doctor came up with a revised treatment plan, and we moved along. That was twelve years ago and I am doing fine.
Stay in touch and feel free to ask any other specific questions you have about treatment.