Radiation and expanders then implants

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LoverofJesus
LoverofJesus Member Posts: 255
edited February 2022 in Breast Reconstruction

Hello ladies! I don’t even know if this is the place i should be!

I’m trying to kind of find out some stats on something.

So here it goes

I will be having radiation on expanders that are under the muscle. My plastic surgeon said we will overfill and max out the expanders so that radiation won’t shrink that side so much.

My question is for those of you that had radiation on expanders, did you have to have extra surgery to make up for the difference in the radiated side versus non radiation side? In other words is there anyone that has expanders, went to implants after radiation and did NOT need any subsequent surgery to repair damage the radiation caused?

Thank you guys for helping me. And if you think I should put this question somewhere else let me know.

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited January 2022

    The doc should be able to fix any radiation 'damage' when he/she does the exchange surgery. You can check the topic "exchange" and find references.

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  • Lalbo
    Lalbo Member Posts: 70
    edited January 2022

    LoverofJesus - I had BMx May 2021, expanders were put in at that time. Right BC side was filled all the way, left side partial fill. I then had 28 rounds of radiation on the right BC side only. Then PS filled left side and replaced expanders with implants in Sept 2021, one month after radiation treatments ended. I am now looking at having revision surgery in NOLA to remove implants and have DIEP flap surgery. I am not happy with the results of the reconstruction and I don't want to have multiple surgeries before I get them even close to looking the way I would like. Original PS said he would not work on the radiated side (unless I lost the implant), he would work on the left non rad side to make it more symmetrical to the right rad side. PS said to me "well, this one looks good" (the left side). I have two of them, I'd like them both to look decent. UGH! I was also not told upfront about the possibility of multiple surgeries to get normal looking breasts.

    I don't know where you are or who your PS is, but it sounds a lot like my situation. I'm in Alabama.

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  • LoverofJesus
    LoverofJesus Member Posts: 255
    edited January 2022

    Lalbo what part of Alabama are you from? I am in Alabama as well being treated and my pS is in Alabama.

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  • morningstardust
    morningstardust Member Posts: 22
    edited February 2022

    I had 6.5 weeks of radiation on my expanders last year. I was told from day 1 that I would have to wait a year post radiation to get the implants and that joyous day is next month. I'm so tired of the expanders, they are so uncomfortable. The reason they had me wait so long is because the plastic surgeon said you get a better result the longer you wait post radiation. It allows your tissue to heal up a bit. My radiated side looks tighter and sits up a little higher than the non radiated side but they seem confident they can fix it up during the implant exchange. Good luck to you!

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  • Lalbo
    Lalbo Member Posts: 70
    edited February 2022

    morningstardust - I'm sure you are very excited! The TE's were very uncomfortable to painful. I can't imagine having them in for a year. I had mine in for 4 months and that was enough.

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