Forum Discussion

Sammie's avatar
Sammie
Member
7 years ago

Wound Healing after Rads and Implant

Hi All,
my first post so hopefully I’m doing this right!  I was diagnosed 2.5 years ago with 2cm Tumor in left breast.  I had lumpectomy and Rads with my existing Breast  implants kept in place as recommended by my surgeon.. As a result I ended up with very painful Grade 4 Capsular Contracture of the left breast.   I lost my patience with the public system and saved hard for a private open capsulotomy and replacement of implant.   The PS did a great job of regaining symmetry for me also.  
Its 4 weeks post and I’m concerned, my incision just does not seem to be healing as well as the other side.  The nurse does not seem concerned.  Unfortunately my anxiety is off the scale as I had hoped to be back at work this week , and my incision is nowhere near healed enough.   Have I done the wrong thing 😢 Would like to know if any other ladies have gone through this and had a successful outcome.  
breast-implants
lumpectomy
side-effects
  • iserbrown's avatar
    iserbrown
    Member
    7 years ago
    @Sammie 
    Hope you are now in a better place, all healed and happy with the result!
    Take care
  • CarmelS's avatar
    CarmelS
    Member
    7 years ago
    Sammie. I had similar problem 3 years ago. I also had bad contracture with implant trying to head over my shoulder. Had that cleaned out & replaced. Following  on with surgeries to try & reshape inframammary fold had wound healing issues. .....passed on to plastic surgeon for emergency repair of wound with Lat Dorsi  muscle. More wound healing issues. Despite my constant nagging ( 5 weeks)  5 days before we headed across country (for 3 months) more surgery to restitch with nylon which were then removed in WA. What a pain !!......
    Keep pushing & make someone listen. 
    Carmel
  • Sammie's avatar
    Sammie
    Member
    7 years ago
    @Zoffiel thank you , that is a great idea.  I sent photos to my Surgeons nurse and she has told me to manage the wound a bit differently, taking some of the fixamul off and putting a Vaseline barrier on.  I will give this a go and give it a couple of days to see if it helps dry it out.  I don’t have private cover and this surgery has taken all my savings so GP is a good idea.   I just couldn’t live with the pain of the capsular contracture any more and had to give it a go.  My scar tissue was growing and pushed the implant up towards my collar bone.  I’ve just got to pray it does not reoccur and I can get this wound healed.  On reflection mentally I’ve invested way to much on this being a success and need to just chill and take what comes.  My husband saw this surgery as closing the chapter but we all know that’s not the case at all.. it’s always there even when it’s not.  X
  • Sammie's avatar
    Sammie
    Member
    7 years ago
    Zoffiel said:
    It's a big op @Sammie with lots going on under the surface though there is not much to see from the outside.
    I can't give you much encouragement as my personal experience has been that my body hates dissolvable stitches and that they have been a major issue for me. The internal ones aren't so bad (as far as I know) but any on my skin are a nightmare. I encapsulate them too /:
    After 4 weeks these things should be settling down. If worse comes to worse, get your GP to write a referral to a public hospital for an ultrasound to see if there are mechanical issues preventing healing. You can then take the report to your surgeon and avoid some charges. Mxx

  • jennyss's avatar
    jennyss
    Member
    7 years ago
    Dear @Sammie, no experience of this, just 

    from  jennyss in Western NSW
  • Zoffiel's avatar
    Zoffiel
    Member
    7 years ago
    It's a big op @Sammie with lots going on under the surface though there is not much to see from the outside.
    I can't give you much encouragement as my personal experience has been that my body hates dissolvable stitches and that they have been a major issue for me. The internal ones aren't so bad (as far as I know) but any on my skin are a nightmare. I encapsulate them too /:
    After 4 weeks these things should be settling down. If worse comes to worse, get your GP to write a referral to a public hospital for an ultrasound to see if there are mechanical issues preventing healing. You can then take the report to your surgeon and avoid some charges. Mxx
  • arpie's avatar
    arpie
    Member
    7 years ago
    Welcome to the forum @Sammie  I am So sorry you are having these complications.   Others will jump on soon & give you lots of advice ....

    Where abouts are you?  Our members may know of other BC resources that are nearby ..... City/Town?

    We also have a dedicated Reconstruction group that is 'private' - jump on here & contact one of the Group Leaders down the bottom to join the group.
    https://onlinenetwork.bcna.org.au/group/1-choosing-breast-reconstruction

    All the best with your ongoing recovery - I hope the incision starts to heal asap xx

  • Sister's avatar
    Sister
    Member
    7 years ago
    Welcome @Sammie  I don't have the experience to help but maybe one of the other women can.