new member--bc survivor

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone. I just found this group and am so happy I am here. I am a breast

cancer survivor (one year in April!) and am second-guessing some decisions I

made regarding reconstruction. I had a bilateral modified radical mastectomy

with immediate tissue expander reconstruction. I was planning on having what my

PS calls the " switcheroo " surgery this summer. This is where he will remove the

expanders and replace them with implants. My PS does something a little

different with this reconstruction--after the breast tissue is removed, he

implants an Alloderm patch at the bottom of the pectoral muscle to support the

tissue expander and implant. Has anyone heard of this or had this done? He

started doing this because some of his patients' implants were failing due to

lack of coverage at the bottom of the pectoral muscle. Anyway, so far, I have

had no complications.

After my diagnosis, I researched all of the reconstruction options. I chose this

one because it was the fastest initial surgery with the least amount of hospital

and recovery time. After I had finally made my decision, I was ready to start

chemo and radiation and this type of reconstruction allowed me to do that just 3

weeks after the surgery. Other reconstruction surgeries have longer healing

times. So that was the primary reason I chose tissue expanders with implants to

come later. That may sound crazy to some of you, but I was really anxious to

start fighting the cancer with adjuvant therapy.

Now that I'm getting closer to the " switcheroo " surgery, I'm getting very

nervous about the implants. I guess I'm writing to hear about other people who

have had breast reconstruction due to breast cancer. Should I not get the

implants? Has anyone had this surgery and then not had the implants put in? Is

it possible to do DIEP flap now that the pectoral muscle has been expanded? What

are my options other than implants? If implants are my only options, what is the

safest route?

TIA for any advice, comments, opinions, etc. Sue

[Guest guest]

Hey ladies,

I saw something on WebMD about fat transplants instead of implants. They have a video that you can watch. There is a doctor in the states that does it.

Janine

From: cmyork33 <cmyork33@...>Subject: new member--bc survivor Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2009, 9:32 PM

Hi everyone. I just found this group and am so happy I am here. I am a breast cancer survivor (one year in April!) and am second-guessing some decisions I made regarding reconstruction. I had a bilateral modified radical mastectomy with immediate tissue expander reconstruction. I was planning on having what my PS calls the "switcheroo" surgery this summer. This is where he will remove the expanders and replace them with implants. My PS does something a little different with this reconstruction- -after the breast tissue is removed, he implants an Alloderm patch at the bottom of the pectoral muscle to support the tissue expander and implant. Has anyone heard of this or had this done? He started doing this because some of his patients' implants were failing due to lack of coverage at the bottom of the pectoral muscle. Anyway, so far, I have had no complications. After my diagnosis, I researched all of the reconstruction options. I chose this

one because it was the fastest initial surgery with the least amount of hospital and recovery time. After I had finally made my decision, I was ready to start chemo and radiation and this type of reconstruction allowed me to do that just 3 weeks after the surgery. Other reconstruction surgeries have longer healing times. So that was the primary reason I chose tissue expanders with implants to come later. That may sound crazy to some of you, but I was really anxious to start fighting the cancer with adjuvant therapy.Now that I'm getting closer to the "switcheroo" surgery, I'm getting very nervous about the implants. I guess I'm writing to hear about other people who have had breast reconstruction due to breast cancer. Should I not get the implants? Has anyone had this surgery and then not had the implants put in? Is it possible to do DIEP flap now that the pectoral muscle has been expanded? What are my options other than implants? If implants are

my only options, what is the safest route? TIA for any advice, comments, opinions, etc. Sue