SGAP: Results & Recovery

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  • gocancergone
    gocancergone Member Posts: 14
    edited June 2018

    I would like to be added to the Facebook page as well. Do I need to just send a PM with my real name? I am on Facebook already. Thanks so much for the advice and suggestions. I will be staying at the Hope house, which is away from the French quarter and full of cancer patients undergoing treatment. I had a phone consult with Dr. Sullivan and he was thinking he may be able to do a Hybrid on me. If the previous fat grafting hasn’t damaged the blood vessels. I don’t know that I am a fan of that. I have been mulling it over now for a few days. He thought since I just have the one breast to rebuild that he might have enough fat on my stomach. My issue, is twofold, my stomach is pretty flat now, I really don’t want it to be too tight, and secondly, I don’t want another implant. I am in Fl right now visiting my parents, relaxing at the beach with my 5 and 7 yr old, which has been good for all of us. I asked my moms opinion, she thinks I don’t have enough skin/fat. Is the SGAP surgery harder to recover from? I think when I get back home I will call. NOLA seems to prefer the DIEP because it yields more skin. Do your SGAP flaps have more scar lines that you have to hide? I just want to feel comfortable in a bathing suit. I haven’t worn one for over 2 years. Pretty much since diagnosis. I think I am unloading quite a bit here, but gosh, I don’t really want to make any more mistakes. I have had 4 surgeries and I really want to look and feel as close to what I was before the little c got ahold of me.
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  • Lula73
    Lula73 Member Posts: 1,824
    edited June 2018

    gocancergone- I will PM you. In the meantime, check out NOLA’s before and after photos of each recon type. Those photos are not the best if the best...those are their everyday results. I’m living proof of that. They work really hard to keep what little bit of scarring that does not fade within the bounds of a skimpy bathing suit. Here’s a link to a talk Dr Dellacroce (who founded the center with Dr S) did at an international convention of microsurgeons. The very last part of the talk is a case study of a thin woman who had botched recon elsewhere that NOLA corrected with natural tissue recon. Additionally throughout all 3 parts of the talk he shows visuals of where scars should be placed so that the patient can wear skimpy bikinis and not show any scars. I personally wear bikinis to the beach and pool and nothing shows.

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lGmoI21Tfbc

    DIEP is preferred as the blood vessels are bigger than SGAP. SGAP vessels are sufficient but DIEP are just better if you have enough tissue to do it. Do not rely on what anyone else tells you on if you have enough tissue or not. Comments and recommendations are always well meaning but sometimes are spurred by fear of the unknown and (in their mind) for your safety. If Dr S says you have enough, then you do, period. If you really don’t want hybrid, ask about stacked flap or TDAP flap.

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  • greenjay
    greenjay Member Posts: 20
    edited June 2018

    Hi, I agree 100% with Lula73. To add:

    1) My hip scars are perfectly placed so that they never show in bikinis or bikini underwear. They mark up very well prior to surgery so nothing will show. (I personally did not care that much about scars, but that's just me.)

    2) I trust Nola Drs.; they have so much experience with 1000s of women and various shapes and fat distribution. I think they know how much they can cut away and what results you will have.

    3) my only word of caution is to (as I already posted) -- ask what your hips will look like when it's all done.

    My experience was that I now have amazing looking breasts but a dip in my hip area, and if I would do it all over I would probably get a little less up top to keep my hip shape more normal feeling - meaning how my pants fit.

    I do not care so much what it looks like, but it's hard for me to find pants that fit. However that is JUST MY body. I had slim hips to begin with and a very flat rear end all around. Don't let that scare you away - just ask Dr. S to give you an very honest assessment so you can best decide. :)

    4) tightness: I would think everyone has tightness post surgery, but it stretches FAST. I think within 4-6 weeks, I was 50% back to normal, and within a few months I was 90%. Remember there is swelling too, which adds to the tightness.

    Now 7 mos post stage II, I am 98% normal in terms of tightness.

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  • Lula73
    Lula73 Member Posts: 1,824
    edited June 2018

    greenjay- I recently figured out that shopping in the juniors section worked best for me to find pants that fit right.

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  • ItsStillMe
    ItsStillMe Member Posts: 61
    edited June 2018

    Hello. I just madean appt with Dr. Delacroce in NOLA in October. I’m considering SGAP. I’ve been reading all your posts. I just finished rads 2 weeks ago. Currently I have TE and my local ps is suggesting Latflap surgery. So glad I’ve found this thread and now I know that there are other options. I would love to join the Facebook page to learn more. Can you pm me the info. Thank you!

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  • Motherpenelope
    Motherpenelope Member Posts: 1
    edited October 2018

    thank you so much for the information and personal stories! I go in two weeks for SGA surgery. I'm wondering if I could be added to the Facebook group that is mentioned here? That would be so wonderful! Looking for additional stories about Recovery in particular and the appearance of those “shark bites“.

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  • buttonsmachine
    buttonsmachine Member Posts: 930
    edited October 2018

    Motherpenelope, I hope your surgery goes well! Please do keep us posted! I'm still half flat, and I can't reconstruct yet, but I'm very interested in others' experiences.

    Wishing you the best!

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  • greenjay
    greenjay Member Posts: 20
    edited May 2019

    Has anyone had any trouble - long term - with any pain in the Glut area, which may be from pain radiating from scar tissue? If so, how did you treat/resolve it?

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