Radiation AFTER Reconstruction

Domzie30218
Domzie30218 Member Posts: 58
edited November 2018 in Breast Reconstruction

Hello Ladies,

I wanted to start a topic specific to our experiences getting radiation immediately after reconstruction. I still have my TEs in and will have them for the next 3 months during chemo. Then after I recover, I will have my exchange surgery. Shortly after, I'm set for 33 doses or rads. My PS has repeatedly warned me that my implants will likely not look good on the radiated side (left side too, I know) because of the 50% - 70% risk of capsular contracture. Also been told that moving forward, I have a 30% of getting an infection on that side the next 5 years, and a 25% after that. I'd love to hear from you if you received radiation immediately after reconstruction. I guess I'm hoping that there's hope it won't look so bad! Thanks in advance!

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Comments

  • nash
    nash Member Posts: 2,600
    edited June 2018

    I'll be having radiation with a tissue expander in after my mx in July. My PS has been pretty positive about getting good results.

    This is my third bc diagnosis. I had to have LD flap reconstruction for diagnosis #2 due to prior radiation. I'm willing to take the risks associated with radiating a TE with this new diagnosis in order to avoid another flap surgery.

    Thanks for starting this thread! I'll look forward to sharing experiences.

    EDITED TO ADD--I just reread your post and realized you'll have radiation with the implant in place. I won't get my implant until after radiation.

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  • OCDAmy
    OCDAmy Member Posts: 873
    edited June 2018

    I had rads on my breast with TE. Now my TE is so high it's almost to my collar bone. It's very tight too. I had planned on implants too but now I'm getting DIEP.

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  • Runrcrb
    Runrcrb Member Posts: 577
    edited June 2018

    Domzie - I am not who you were asking to reply as I did radiation with TE in place. No one in my medical ever considered completing reconstruction prior to completing the treatments (chemo, radiation). My radiated breast was pretty beat up by radiation. Feel free to private message me if you want to see a picture. Not everyone has the same experience but I'm glad I waited. I did not do an implant so, again, not the woman you are specifically looking for but thought I'd share.

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  • star2017
    star2017 Member Posts: 827
    edited June 2018

    I had my implant (round gummy) placed mid April and started radiation a month later. So far it looks fine.


    My ps preferred to reconstruct before radiation, if possible

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  • Domzie30218
    Domzie30218 Member Posts: 58
    edited June 2018

    Hi Runrcrb, thanks for response--I was looking for women who had implants radiated. My PS has strong opinions about doing the implant exchange pre-radiation (highly prefers this approach), but also told me that the outcome may not be that great because of the possible capsular contraction etc. on radiated implant. I guess I was looking for hope that it could still look ok after radiation.

    HI star2017, my PS also highly preferred to do the implant exchange pre-rads. Glad to know that yours still looks fine! I'm doing the exchange sometime late August/early Sept after chemo.

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  • star2017
    star2017 Member Posts: 827
    edited June 2018

    I’m halfway through and the implant doesn’t seem affected at all. My ps did say the firmness of the round gummy implant should help maintain shape as skin tightens in response to treatment. I haven’t noticed tightening or thickening, but I still have three weeks to go

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  • fishingal68
    fishingal68 Member Posts: 56
    edited June 2018

    Hi, Domzie,

    I finished my radiation (25 rounds) yesterday. My PS said he wasn't worried about my implant being affected by rads, other than capsular contraction. He told me to keep massaging my implants daily to help with it. Thankfully, other than redness & swelling on my right side, I didn't blister. My PS also told me that my implants might shift a bit within the next couple of months, but to not worry.

    Good luck with your progress!

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  • Domzie30218
    Domzie30218 Member Posts: 58
    edited June 2018


    star2017, thanks for the info and good to hear that your implant is holding up!

    fishingal68, may I ask what type of implant you have? I'm going for round saline as it's the least maintenance, and my PS suggested that the type matters, but if I can get better results with another type, I may reconsider.

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  • Domzie30218
    Domzie30218 Member Posts: 58
    edited July 2018

    Bump

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  • Passant1
    Passant1 Member Posts: 7
    edited September 2018

    bump

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  • determinedat54
    determinedat54 Member Posts: 11
    edited November 2018

    Hi Domzie,

    I too am facing radiation after implant surgery. I just finished chemo and will have my TE replaced with implants in 3 weeks. Once I recover from the surgery, radiation will begin. I'm wondering how your experience has been.

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  • Domzie30218
    Domzie30218 Member Posts: 58
    edited November 2018

    Hi Determined! Big Congratulations on finishing chemo! I just finished 33 sessions of rads, and though the skin is red and angry, it was definitely not nearly as bad as chemo. So far my implants are doing fine! I know they say that extracapsular contracture can happen up to 6 months after rads but here’s hoping by that it stays soft. The radiated skin is definitely a bit thicker but I don’t mind that so much! Good luck!!

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  • determinedat54
    determinedat54 Member Posts: 11
    edited November 2018

    Domzie, glad to hear you are doing well. Thanks so much for your quick reply

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  • star2017
    star2017 Member Posts: 827
    edited November 2018

    radiation went fine, no long term problems. I do think maybe the implant projects less (I’m not really sure) and the skin is a little tighter, but it’s subtle.



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