My positive experience with Tram flap

I wanted to give my story about my experience with my tram flap.  When I was diagnosed with DCIS grade 3  and after 2 MRI's a 2nd biopsy and a tumor board review I was given the ok to have a lumpectomy with radiation. I was happy with that. I thought great I will be able to keep my breast and move forward. I was thankful my breast cancer was still what they considered pre cancer and contained. Had my lumpectomy October 7, 2014. My pathology came back with no clear margins  and because of where it was there was no where for my surgeon really to go with out disfiguring me.  We opted for A unilateral mastectomy and I was to meet with a Plastic Surgeon, so I would be able to make a informed decision about reconstruction.

My appointment with the Plastic Surgeon went very well and he and his staff made me very comfortable from the very beginning, they are wonderful to work with.  We went through my medical history, my diagnosis , we talked about expectations, what I wanted and what I already knew about reconstruction, his recommendations for my body type and the different procedures that would work. Ultimately it was up to me if , when and what type from there.

I knew from reading the OHSU site, Mayo clinic, John Hopkins and Breastcancer.org about tissue transfers and my Plastic Surgeon was saying I was a candidate for a Tram Flap, it was making sense to me . I wanted to stay natural , keep my left breast , my right breast would be made out of my abdomen even though I knew it wouldn't be breast it would be me.  I would be keeping my left and still have sensual feeling there.  Let's face it;  to some of us that is important. Also I finally was able to do something with the baby flap I had for the last 23 years. Sounded like a win win to me. 

To try and keep this short which I do talk a lot so that may be hard. I chose Tram Flap.  My mastectomy with tissue expander was scheduled for late November 2014.  I went through tissue expansion which I am or was a 38DD , so we're talking a lot of tissue expansion , I did have some issue with some scar tissue forming at the top. But we worked through it. 

My tram flap surgery was scheduled in June 2015, 7 hour surgery, no need for my banked blood to be used, 5 days in the hospital, took a lot of rest, had a little trouble with coming off my pain medicines and anxiety. But Salem Hospital did a fantastic job monitoring me and helping me through recovery. No infections and yes I couldn't walk straight for 3 weeks , I also have limited mobility and the things you thought were easy to do , like roll over in bed are not anymore , or lift your legs up when lying flat on your back. Your 4th AB does have a function.  All in all it has been a positive experience. It is time consuming and you do give up somethings. You gradually get strength back. I am one year out I am taking small hikes again , riding my bike, and exercising almost to my same level. I am currently at 10 miles a day on my stationary bike and I was at 12 before tram flap. 

The only negative I really would say is the 3 drains but I also realized a very necessary and important part of healing. 

During my nipple reconstruction and breast lift on my left to balance them out in November 2015. My plastic Surgeon sent in the fragments ( from the left lift)  the pathology found DCIS my tissue. So between him, my surgeon , my husband and I . We chose a mastectomy for my left I am currently in the process of tissue expansion and will be having a implant and nipple reconstruction done in August. 

My only regret about My Tram-Flap is I didn't opt to do both breasts during my first Mastectomy. because you can only do a tram flap one time.  But I feel very blessed to be placed in the hands of such wonderful DRs who have given me outstanding care. 

I thought it was important to share this because the one thing I did not find was positive stories about reconstruction. People like to only tell about the bad surgeries and the bad outcomes. Almost to a scary level which I am sure they discourage a lot of women from seeking what they really want. I would read them and think, this is probably really in reality a very small percentage compared to the thousands of reconstruction surgeries done out there. And it is too bad more positive stories are not told. Even though it was a long recovery and I truthfully am still recovering , I would do it again. My advice is ask plenty of questions to your Dr's and know exactly what you will be getting and looking like in final result. Make sure you have someone to help for a couple weeks too. 

I'm a little worried putting belly fat into my breast would add estrogen to feed cancer, but there's not supposed to be any cancer there now. I was told there's no flesh in there, just a shell of skin.

So, is adding fat from there to here dangerous? Who knows.

If you don't mind there's a few things I don't understand: why couldn't you walk straight for 3 weeks after surgery? Is it common not to be able to roll over a year after a tummy tuck? Can you sleep on your side now? I'm a side sleeper. I could sleep on my side when I was cut vertically.

Your recovery sounds long and hard and you're over a decade younger than I am. I'm glad I didn't read all the stores you say are much worse than yours. I'm afraid to do it now.

So, a tummy tuck used to form a breast is called a Tram Flap. You're lucky you have such good doctors and a husband. All the best to you next month. Without the tummy surgery it should be much easier and your recovery faster.

To Meow13yes I totally agree so do I . And it has worked out well for me

I pretty much got by on only Tylenol too, after the first 3 weeks and before that it was very little muscle relaxers. I am still really active I just now am very aware if I over extend myself and my body will definitely tell me when not to push it.

I also did not wear jeans the for about month either, I also had a binder to wear not only on breasts but also on lower abs. I wore sundresses

My hope in writing these posts is to encourage other women not to be discouraged and listen to all the bad stories you can find on the web. Follow your instincts, listen to your Dr and ask questions , don't just go by what you read or a friend of a friend told you about their experience. It was definitely the right choice for me and it has been a good experience. Everyone is different and everyone heals at a different pace.