Posted by Dr. D (post) on July 22, 2008, 11:07 pm, in reply to "pain in muscles and tightness"
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Yes, Cheryl I can't mistake your story considering your long history of infections with procedures other than this most recent one. As you know being a carrier of MRSA puts you at special risk and I am glad that it is all clear now.
You are behind the typical DIEP patient for this reason and that is why you are still having symptoms compared to the others you describe having spoken with.
The reality is that even without post surgical complications, it takes time for your body to heal. You are healing from not only a reconstruction but the removal of your previous reconstruction. I tell most that the pains and spasms and overall healing will be mostly complete by 4-6 months but it takes a year to be completely healed.
The firm areas you feel in the breast aren't necrosis, they are the result of swelling in the skin and underlying scar tissue. These will improve in time as noted above.
I won't know about alloderm addition or fat injection until I see you back and determine what we need to do and what will give you the best chance for further improvement.
As I mentioned to you, the only way to know if removal of the implants would help your history of chronic pain, would be to take them out and see how you do. The remaining pain should improve in time and trying to wean yourself slowly from the pain meds will help. If your central nervous system has the information blocked that your body is sending it long enough, then even the slightest discomfort will feel much worse than it would otherwise.
Hope this helps,
Yours,
Dr. D
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