Anyone else get this advice?
 

I had my port removed last week and my surgeon said he would not recommend I get reconstructive surgery. His primary reason was because I had radiation and who knows what scar tissue will result from another surgery. I don't get his reasoning? I had very little, I mean barely any skin irritation from radiation (33 in total). Right now I have a lot of scar tissue to the point it is as if the lump that was removed is still there (I have been assured it is not). Sometimes the breast hurts so I thought getting the scar tissue removed would help with that. But then I would most likely want reconstructive surgery as the tissue/tumor removed was 5 cm x 3cm.

My question is, does it make sense that this surgeon would be so opposed to reconstructive surgery/removing scar tissue? My general practitioner thinks I should get the scar tissue removed. My onc doesn't see the point to removing scar tissue.

Re: Anyone else get this advice?
 

I had reconstruction and also had radiation. The radiated breast did have a lot of issues with healing both from the bmx and the reconstruction. I'm wondering if your doctor is just wanting you to wait before getting reconstruction? In hindsight, I'm thinking waiting might have worked better for me but you just never know.

Re: Anyone else get this advice?
 

So I was told the same thing. The lumpectomy left me with a pothole and a very large scar ball which always freaked out my radiologist oncologist. My surgeon told me it was full of water and it would take at least a year to shrink. She advised not to do any reconstruction until it shrank because my skin had to heal from radiation and cutting into me would make the scar ball worse. She was right, my pothole is more pronounced noe and my scar ball went from the size of a large meatball to the size of a pea (though I just felt my boob and I can't find it). I plan on getting reconstruction this year at some point.

Re: Anyone else get this advice?
 

My understanding is that radiated skin is extremely unpredictable in how well it heals. Sounds like you had a lumpectomy? I think that if you are unhappy with how it looks and are hoping for some relief of discomfort, it's certainly worth exploring. Also, did your plastic surgeon remove your port or was it the invasive radiology surgeon?

I had reconstruction after I had radiation. My plastic surgeon watched me like a hawk. Supposedly, the failure rate of reconstruction (with implants) is 50%. I'm glad I did it, but I find wearing a bra extremely uncomfortable because my scars are on the crease under the breast.

Good luck. I'd definitely get another opinion.

Kathryn

Re: Anyone else get this advice?
 

I had reconstruction after a BMX and radiation. You just need to wait after radiation for a certain amount of time. I waiting 6 months, some wait longer.

I would make an appointment with a plastic surgeon who specializes in breast reconstruction and get an opinion from her/him

Re: Anyone else get this advice?
 

I had reconstruction after radiation. My PS waits anywhere form 6 month to a year before doing it. I did a latissimus dorsi flap. There are some differences in the radiated side but only if you are looking at it closely, otherwise mine came out great. I would talk with a plastic surgeon, one that does a lot of reconstruction and get his/her opinion

Re: Anyone else get this advice?
 

I listened to my body after rads and also read up a lot on how to help support the tissue as it healed and here is what helped me heal rather well. I had a LX and not a MX with recon though so I'm not tested in that particular way.

The first 6 months are the most critical for tissue remodeling post rads

Daily massage of the area was critical, applying lymphatic drainage techniques from a licensed LT therapist; she taught me how my body wanted to drain.

Every other day vibration massage with Clarisonic fascism brush. My body asked for this and it turns out that vibrations can improve regeneration of minor blood vessels and lymphatics. I just used general cleanser and again, applied the targeted knowledge of how my body wanted to drain.

Myo-fascism release work to chest walk. Exceedingly uncomfortable during the treatment, once done, this treatment was phenomenal at rehabilitating the area. My chest wall no longer swelled in day areas and lymphatic drainage was a breeze.

Nightly application of castor oil, an anti-inflammatory.

Daily applications of Derma-QOL lotion from Thorne.