Effect of radiation on tissue expanded breast

I had this exact question. I had BMX on Feb 8th with TE placement and found out today that I should get radiation bc an intra-mammary node had cancer cells to reduce chance of recurrence in my left breast. RO said I would have 28 days of IMRT radiation. My plan has always been to exchange for implants. She explained that first I’ll get TEs filled to the right size , then the right breast gets deflated halfway , then radiation , then right gets re-filled, and exchang sx is usually 6 mos after radiation.

OCDAmy - did your opposite side have to get deflated ?

I had IMRT and they did not have to deflate the opposite breast.

Leesa did you have implants put in if so what kind and are you happy with how your breasts look?

Leesa, thanks! Trying to figure out how to move forward with exchange. I'll have had my TEs for almost s year by the time I finally get them out

I just saw my PS to plan for stage two recon. I was given the full dose of rads and then some but the DIEP looks great. Well, it needs a nipple but it's soft and moves like a real boob. The skin is still a little darker underneath like a weird square suntan but I can live with that.

I just added that I had TE s in for almost a year before the DIEP

I had TE's placed before radiation. My PS filled me quickly to try to achieve full size before beginning radiation. Then she over-filled right side (radiated side) and deflated left side to about 1/3 for radiation. I used a knitted knocker (they are free--iwonderful!) on the reduced side to keep symmetry during radiation, it was very comfortable. My skin and TE held up great through radiation. I used a product called Mepitel between radation treatments and over weekends covering my radiated skin after reading studies on it. My RO wouldn't prescribe it (so I had to pay out of pocket) but did say they use it on patients who have severe skin damage--- seems smart then to use as a preventative? No idea if that made a large difference or not but seemed worth a try. I also did PT throughout radiation to try to keep range of motion and keep muscles from tightening a lot during radiation. I highly recommend that.

I waited 12 months to have my exchange, my surgeon said longer than 6 months is preferred by her and I didn't want to spend my summer in recovery, instead wanted family time with kids. So I waited until fall and that worked out well. I was also considering DIEP, but I have a very busy job and already felt like I had taken a lot of down-time for mastectomy and treatment and also recovery time when I couldn't be doing as much with kids, travel, etc. So I ended up opting for implants and I'm very happy with the result and the recovery was very easy. I was back at work (remotely from home) two days after surgery. I am back to normal activity. Some challenges with push-ups, planks and similar pectoral exercises due to the implants under the pecs, but I can live with that because I hate push ups anyway. That may get better after time, I am less than six months from exchange. Appearance keeps getting better as implants settle into the pockets. I am just back to wearing normal bras and they look great.

I still have to do nipples, that will be summer or later and I plan to just do tattoos.

Study on mepitel in case you are interested: http://www.molnlycke.ca/en-CA/news-media/wound-care/study-showing-that-mepitel-film-prevents-radiotherapy-skin-reaction-becomes-news/

Meg, I just keep seeing conflicting information about implants on a radiated breast. I am glad to hear yours look good and you are having no problems. My skin and expanders seem to have held up well but the expander is pretty hard and seems to have pushed up a little higher. I don't need my breasts to be perfect but after all I have been through it would be nice to have them match.