I had a double masectomy in 2007 with immediate reconstruction. I developed a severe infection and had to have the expanders removed. Now no one will give me implants and I am not thrilled with the other options available. I still have pain in my chest even after 2 years. Will I always have pain?
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Q: pain associated with a double masectomy
Answers (2)
9/19/09 10:10pm
Hi - Have you checked with the surgeon to see what might be causing the pain? Might it be scar tissue that could be removed? Something that's touching a nerve in the wrong way? I doubt that it'll go away on its own after 2 years; the healing process should have been completed by now.
I'm wondering why you're "not thrilled" with some of the other reconstruction options. Are you able to consider an autologous (body tissue) reconstruction? Many women get very good results with those, and they seem less problematic in the long run... PJH
9/20/09 9:50am
Gosh, I'm sorry you've had such troubles. I had the belly flap (TRAM flap) procedure, 7-hour operation, spent 5 days in the hospital, and was back at work in 2 weeks... but we're all different. I guess if you're more susceptible to infection, any body tissue reconstruction would be more problematic. Anyway, I hope you get some relief from your pain SOON. PJH
9/20/09 11:15am
Thanks PJ
9/20/09 1:36pm
Personally I think that once you get the root of your current pain problem corrected, that perhaps you will be able to go back in and try implants again. You'll just have to be very diligant about your post op care and health. I do beleive that you can overcome this, unless of course there is some medical reason they beleive that you shouldn't have implants....like lupus or another auto-immune disease.
Good luck on getting to the bottom of this problem. I think it's likely massive amounts of scar tissue, and once it is removed you will feel like a new woman again.
Angi
9/20/09 2:28pm
I've been to two different plastic surgeons and neither are willing to give me implants. They say that there is too much scar tissue now because of the infection to do them properly. I had implants before I found out that I had breast cancer so I was quite used to having them and I actually like them.
I guess I'm just not willing to go through the other procedures that are offered. My body has suffered enough trauma to last a life time.
I will however look into seeing if there is something they can do to help with the scar tissue. Thanks for your imput.
9/20/09 2:28pm
I've been to two different plastic surgeons and neither are willing to give me implants. They say that there is too much scar tissue now because of the infection to do them properly. I had implants before I found out that I had breast cancer so I was quite used to having them and I actually like them.
I guess I'm just not willing to go through the other procedures that are offered. My body has suffered enough trauma to last a life time.
I will however look into seeing if there is something they can do to help with the scar tissue. Thanks for your imput.
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By pmcctx— Last Modified: 12/14/10, First Published: 09/19/09
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PJ, I was given two other options for reconstruction. One a belly flap and the other bringing the muscles around from my back.
I was told the flap surgery would be a 12 hour surgery, 5 to 10 days in the hospital, and 4 to 6 weeks recovery.
My oncologist doesn't reccommend it for me as he feels I will be more suceptable to infection. I not only had the peudomonis from the hospital but my chemo had to be post poned after only a couple of treatments because I developed a infection on my chest. It was extremely painful and I had to do IV antibiotics twice a day.
As for contacting the surgeon, honestly I never saw her after she did the masectomy. She wouldn't even see me when I called and said that there was something terribly wrong. I had the surgery done 4 hours from my home thinking going to a larger city would be better. I guess it wasn't. She put everything off on to the plastic surgeon after my surgery was completed. I'm sure that it is scar tissue causing the pain. As for seeing about being able to fix it, I really hadn't thought of that. It is something that I will discuss with my oncologist at my next visit. Thanks for the imput.