Reconstruction after radiation?
 

Has anyone had breast reconstruction after having radiation? I was told implants would be difficult to do.
I'm facing a decision (soon) to have a bilateral prophylactic mastectomy with immediate implant reconstruction.
I am BRAC1 positive and am 9 years out from lumpectomy with chemo and rads, along with 10 months of Herceptin. Had to stop due to declining heart results.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Can I have immediate implants after radiation 9 years ago?
How is the scarring?

therocky
dx: 6/5/05, age 46 premenopausal
lumpectomy
er-, pr-, Her2+++
AC then Taxol
10 months Herceptin
Radiation

Re: Reconstruction after radiation?
 

I had a bmx with tissue expanders, chemo, then radiation. Had exchange surgery 5 months after radiation (tissue expanders for silicone). I also had radiation on the other breast (see my signature) 14 years ago.

The most current radiated breast is a bit harder than the other one but I do massage all the time per my plastic surgeon's instruction.

Scarring is just the mastectomy scar - a little tight, but really, not bad at all.

They are worried about implants in the 9 year ago radiated breast? Mine older one is fine

Best
Janis

Re: Reconstruction after radiation?
 

I had radiation then I had to wait 6 months before I could do DIEP flap Surgery. My radiation doctor told me I would be a perfect candidate for it because I was so burned and my skin was so tight (she was a woman). I had the surgery done in Indy by Dr. Cacioppo which is the only type of Breast reconstruction surgery he does every day and has for 6 years now. It took a long time for him to do it because it is microscopic surgery, but I feel the results look pretty good considering all the damage done before hand.

The pros for me is it matches my other breast rather well! If I gain or lose weight it will gain with me. You don't get a full cosmetic tummy tuck but my Dr just pulled it tight without any need to cut into my core muscle in my stomach.

Now, I got next Friday to fill in the "Defiencey" areas, and he is going to put my new nipple with a skin graft from my weight that he left what the call "dog ears".

When I woke up the pain was OMG.....And I remember thinking I self inflicted this pain on myself what was I thinking!! I was thinking I went thru all this treatment, so this isn't nothing but a thing!! But WOW I thought it hurt like hell when I woke up!! It took me a while to recover from that, and I am not very patient.

I want to do the process, and on to the next and then be done!!

I had it done in August, and I am finally 6 months later starting to feel okay with it. Only for next week to face another unknown of the last surgery.

I hope this helps. :)

Re: Reconstruction after radiation?
 

I had the latissimus flap done after radiation. Same as above hurt a lot at first had to do therapy on my shoulder due to capsular tightness. The results were good my radiated side has a little different shape but unless you are really staring at it you can't tell.

Re: Reconstruction after radiation?
 

Linn,

I am 3 months out from radiation and am waiting to trade my expander (one side) for an implant or DIEP. I'd like to do DIEP but my goodness your story makes me thing twice. It sounds like the recovery from DIEP is months rather than weeks, but the final result is more permanent/natural.

Also interesting that you had the DIEP 6 months after rads rather than 12. I was thinking I'd have to wait for 12 months, but I've read that some places are saying 6 months is fine. I'm very tired of my expander and would rather get this show on the road as they say.

Shirley

Re: Reconstruction after radiation?
 

Shirley,

I tried to talk him into doing it after 4 Months....He said NO!

It took a while, and I don't know about you but it all blur's together after awhile. I thought it wasn't going to hurt much after, so I was naive or maybe a sissy! :)

I rather be told straight up by experience and each one's pain tolerance is different...blah, blah, blah.

The surgery "Completion" next Friday. I asked the nurse and she said....When you wake up it will feel like someone hit you really hard in your AB's with a bat! I said...Yuck. Immediately, she said it isn't as bad as the first surgery! Sweet, that is refreshing!! haha