How long between mastectomy and reconstruction

Thanks for that. Good insight. Good luck with the reconstruction 

@Hazla I finished radiation in April, burns and dressings thru to May after a right side mastectomy and axillary node clearance in December and January. My radiologist said no reconstruction for at least 12 months due to a combination of recurrence and healing time.

I see the reconstruction surgeon next month. My last appointment with him was pre-mastectomy and he is very likely to give me a different story to the radiologist cause he wants the work.

As a public patient there are waiting lists for everything but I didn't know that it differed so much from state to state (like car rego). I have gone private for radiation and found the medicare gap to be extremely generous - the more you fork out, the more they give you back, lol.

If my recon guy wants to do it now then I'll go private and pay the gap, but if he agrees with the radiologist then I'll stay as a public patient and wait the 12 months or so...

We should all be living in Perth, which has the highest breast cancer survival rate of anywhere in the world!

Thanks for that. Hope all is going well for you. 

I had a double mastectomy July last year. Last time I spoke to my surgeon she advised no surgery until at least 6 months after radiation.
x

Thanks again everyone all so helpful and supportive 

Hi @Halza, the girls have given you great advise that I don’t need to repeat. In our choosing breast recon group we have members who have had all sorts of time frames for various reasons. Some have immediate, some delayed, for various reasons. Radiation is sometimes a game changer as some have stated due to skin damage, but getting an expander put in at the time of surgery whilst you decide what you want can also be an option. Most delays are to do with the public system and what category you are rated at. If you decide to join the group and have any trouble please let me know as there has been a bit of a glitch in the last week. 
Paula xxx

hi halza

i've had neoadjuvant chemo (finished in march) followed by a skin sparing mastectomy with exapander of the right breast in april.

i will have 5 weeks of radiotherapy starting in june. i will be having a DIEP recon (using tummy fat). my plastic surgeon's preference is that recon takes place 3/6 months after radio as it gives the skin and underlying tissue time to settle down so that he knows what he's working with, so to speak. i understand this is particularly important in relation to the blood vessel in the chest area that the transplanted tissue from the abdominal area will be connected to.

i believe that some plastic surgeons do immediate DIEP recon after radiotherapy (reverse sequence), but my surgeon preferred not to and i'm happy to go with his recommendation. at first i wanted to get it all done in one op, but i actually feel a bit better that i have them spaced out as i felt things were moving rather quickly (even though my treatment path has been over the last 6 months!). 

this is just my experience and understanding, but i hope it helps answer your question somewhat :) 

lvlw
xxx

Hi there depending on where you are will depend on where you live. I’ve been waiting 2 years in the public system in qld and will wait at least another year before I can have surgery.  I didn’t have rads just the chemo. Margie x

Thanks everyone. It’s been very helpful