Both a free flap AND an Implant? Calling any chimeras out there!

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FierceBluebird
FierceBluebird Member Posts: 758
edited October 2014 in Breast Reconstruction

(Chimeric animals have two genetically distinct tissues that fuse together in a single
creature.)

I
had a double mastectomy with immediate DIEP flap reconstruction. One month
later I lost one of my flaps due to unknown reasons. It was devastating
to lose my new breast mound after so much time had past. Currently I'm
undergoing the expansion process on the failed flap side. I'm still
undecided on what type of reconstruction to attempt again. Not sure I
can go through yet another long flap surgery and cut yet more of my body
elsewhere so I am considering an implant.

Does anyone have both a flap and an implant? Do they match fairly well and are you happy with he outcome? I've read the DIEP flap forums and the implant forums (and those who switched teams.Winking lol...)  but have not seen one devoted to women with both a flap AND implant. I'd love to read of others and their experience who have both an implant and a flap

image

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  • FierceBluebird
    FierceBluebird Member Posts: 758
    edited February 2014

    No one out there has one of each? I'm surprised! 

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  • Chevyboy
    Chevyboy Member Posts: 10,786
    edited July 2014

    Okay little Fiercly, but I didn't have a clue what you were talking about!  Since the Cat picture, now I DO!  I just hate to see you haning over here, with no-one to keep you company!

    But I don't know about flaps and implants...

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  • ShazzaKelly
    ShazzaKelly Member Posts: 909
    edited July 2014

    I had a flap done on one side on 2007. When I got a new cancer on my other side I had an implant. I won't say they looked the same but not too bad. Unfortunately I recently had a bad infection on the implant side and had to have it removed after 2 weeks of IV antibiotics didn't make any in roads into getting rid of the infection. Now I have one flap boob and one side with nothing. I'm stage 4 so I don't think I'll bother getting the implant replaced. It sure don't look pretty I can tell you. 

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  • FierceBluebird
    FierceBluebird Member Posts: 758
    edited July 2014

    oh shazzakelly, I'm sorry to hear that.  Ultimately the decision was taken out of my hands. While the expander was in, i had to have emergency brain surgery and they needed to do an MRI. They cant do MRIs with an expander because they have metal ports. So then i needed an "emergency" tissue expander removal. Luckily my plastic surgeon was able to put an implant in and it matches in size pretty well to the flap side.

    Waving to Chevy!  {{{{{{hi}}}}}} 

    Venus the famous chimera cat:

    image

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  • Friebee
    Friebee Member Posts: 3
    edited October 2014

    Hi, I'm from NewZealand and 7 years ago I had breast cancer at age 29. I had a tram flap. Next week I'm going to have my right breast removed for preventive surgery and I'm having an implant put in. This is my only option as looking back probably should of have prophylatic mastectomy and implants but I wasn't given choice at time. What sparked me to have a preventive surgery in right breast is my mum is dying of secondary breast cancer and I'm terrified to go through breast cancer again. Like you I wonder how many woman out there have had both a flap and implant. So next week it wil be me Lol

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