I had my right side done in June 2015 after having my implant removed due to too much tightness and constant pain for 3 years. I can reach up just fine now, it does take a while to heal. I actually had to have my PS loosen the under the arm where nodes were removed, and he added some mesh so it would not adhere and be more flexible. Time, it takes time, messages and easy gentle exercises.

@A MyBCTeam Member i had a latissimus dorsi flap reconstruction on my right breast in August 2015. long surgery and it took me 8 weeks to get my range of motion back. 4 drains in on this side and the last one in the back was in 37!!!! days. not to shower was harder than anything else. i cant play golf or tennis anymore and also rock climbing is a nono. my feeling is slowly coming back and sometimes when i touch my boob i can feel the muscle in my back. my pulled muscle is still attached to my back.
i'm very happy with my results. hope i could help

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A MyBCTea...

I am eight weeks out now from both left & right lats used and feeling almost completely normal with full range of motion & very little pain now (mostly from tingling of nerve regrowth). So happy this worked out for me and my foobs look very natural, with no back scars because my surgeon had pulled the muscles through under the skin. 😃

I had bilat mx 5/21/15 followed by chemo/rads then had delayed left lat flap w/TE on 4/6/16. I've recovered pretty well, went back to work after about 3 weeks. Had my JP drains for 3 weeks. The recovery from the lat flap for me was harder than the mx but mostly the first couple days. I'm not going to lie, the first day is rough but it's manageable if you stay as still as possible. My reach was alread compromised from the mx-I can only reach my left arm up about half as far as I can the right. I've had 2 fills and have to say so far I'm pretty impressed with the results. I wish he could fill them up faster, lol.

My post op pain was pretty bad. Not so much from the center of where my breasts were removed (because nerves were severed) but from underneath (at bottom of breasts) and especially in my arm pit area (from drains & lymph node removal). Also I had some pain on my right side back where the lat had been removed.
I'm generally a very active person and expected a couple days of pain pills & I'd be back on my way. This really was not the case & quite a humbling lesson to take it easy, take it slow. I cut down on the pain pills but it was a good 2 weeks to be ok without them.
With physical therapy, a positive attitude & patience, I'm almost at 100% of mobility. I do realize it will take more work to regain the strength in my back, as my other muscles "fill in" to compensate. All in all, I'm quite pleased with the results. 😀