DIEP 2011

c8ndygr1

@X-raygirl - what all did you have done in Stage 2 yesterday? Was it outpatient surgery or in-office?

Re: nips - my DH and I both loved & will miss my natural nips. But we both agreed without hesitation, they had to go in order to eliminate the risk of more BC. I would always worry. We didn't think the nips would be the same anyway if we had spared them.

pinksea

Hi ladies, I am new to this site and have found it very helpful to read through the conversations regarding the diep. I had a double and am just a little over two weeks out now.

x-raygirl

C8ndygr1- nipples and fat grafting. Had lots of fat removed from flanks:-)))



Pinksea-welcome! Great thread!

Sue4LSU

Sherry, I had nipple sparing MX back in Dec.  Immediate recon. with implants, but my body doesn't like foreign objects, and I've capsular contracture with the initial and replacement implant.  So, I'm scheduled for DIEP Aug. 2.  I'm so happy I was able to keep my nipple, tho.  It helps to look somewhat like I once did, except for the "Barbie Boob" affect from the contracture!  My PS says he'll be able to keep my nipple with the DIEP.

Sue4LSU

Oh, My BS was able to check my margins during surgery, and felt that everything should be fine with leaving the nipple.

Sherryc

Thanks Sue

pinksea I am new to the thread as well. I don't have a date for my MX as of yet.  I go back in September to check my healing process from rads.

Dutchy

Congratulations to all of you who have presently had the joy of getting the DIEP done.  Just keep in mind that if you are in pain, that will go away soon and only be a small memory but well worth it.  Good luck to those of you coming up for you DIEP and you will not regret it. My nipples are about healed and they look pretty good but one turns out to the right.  A little disappointing but I am going to see what the doctor can do about it.  May just have to settle with it.

Final stage is getting the tatoos and then I am completely done.  It is hard to believe the journey I have been on with having to fight the insurance company, going through with the appeal to get the DIEP and then actually going through it.  Pretty amazing if you know what I mean. 

I heard today that Illusto won her appeal to get the DIEP.

brigadoonbenson

Dutchy - I have great insurance and didn't have to fight any battles with insurance companies.  I can't imagine the additional burden so many of you have had to bear along with dealing with this threatening and disfiguring disease.  My hat is off to you all. 

I have only had Stage I done but I am so glad I did it. 

x-raygirl

Dutchy- How long did it take nips to heal? When was your sx ? How long did you have to wear nip protectors? My stage 2 was this past Thurs and I'm nervous about showering and having them coming off. Hmm...perhaps it will be a sponge bath day. I hope your dr can do something about the one turning to the right. So sorry that you had a fight with ins over all this. You were right about stage 1 being a distant memory:-).

mscal02

Hi Ladies; I hope everyone enjoys their 4th holiday. The area on my tummy incision that was giving me trouble, turned out to be a stitch that didn't dissolve.It had to be cut out. (ouch!). I have a place that looks like a snake's fangs or a vampire has bitten me. The spot on my breast, my PS's NP, thinks that it may be a stitch too. He was not in yesterday so she took pictures of both areas and sent them to him. I was given a prescription for some ointment to put on the breast area.I am tough as nails and will not let this hinder or stop me.I just hope to be healed and ready for my stage 2, in Sept.

brigadoonbenson

Does anyone know if Stage 2 has to be within a certain time of Stage 1 surgery?  My Stage 1 was done on Mar 14th and I want to wait on Stage II until November or January as I live in the NE and Spring, Summer and Fall are sacred!

XRAYestInMA

@brigadoonbenson When I last saw Dr.T 2 weeks ago, he told me any time after 3 months post-op of the DIEP. He did say some women jump at it and book it at the 3 month mark and some choose to wait quite a while longer. I would love to have mine done at exactly 3 months - but I will have to work around my schedule and will probably be able to have it done in mid- November. It's going to kill me to have to wait so long, but I'll have to save some more vacation time. I see Dr.T this Tuesday, 7/5, for a 4 week F/U...I'll ask him the ? about the time frame for the stage 2 and if there is a limit.  

Ondagrow

Greetings all...

Just reading through the posts... Getting inspired and nervous at the same time... Weird right...

I can not wait to have two breast again... I go for Pre- Op appointment July 14... I have a long list of questions, thanks to you all...

Enjoy the rest of the weekend...

brigadoonbenson

sohardbnme - I think that is what a lot of us felt/feel.  Not weird at all.  Good luck.

x-raygirl

Brigadoonbenson- re: timing of stage 2, my understanding is they want to wait at least 3 mos. Some women stop there and I've heard of others waiting as much as 2 yrs before doing stage 2. I think this is one you can do when it's convenient for you.

c8ndygr1

What is the post-op rule about no chocolate or caffeine?  I'm dying here. 10 days?  2 weeks?

x-raygirl

my PS said there is none :-)))))))

brigadoonbenson

The only concern was that they increased possibility of bleeding, like asprin.  I had a diet coke in hospital because I had a headache.  (Probably caffeine withdrawal )  From then on in caffeine was back on my list.

daisy4ever

When did most of you start moving around and doing things again after having the DIEP? When were you able to raise your hands over your head? My NSM and DIEP was almost two weeks ago. I feel sore, but it feels so good to get up and do things. I watered my garden today. I did it slowly and took breaks, but maybe I shouldn't be doing it at all? I do not want to cause damage.



I had stage 2 surgery yesterday, a little over a week after stage 1. My PS pulled through my belly button and took off the abdominal skin and made one nice clean line to close it. He also adjusted the shape to make them look similar. I don't think I will need any other fixes? But I may, so only time will tell.



My new boobs feel soft, warm and I love them. I think we are all blessed to have this surgery available.

Bethie1

Hey gang --my name is Beth and I'm getting my DIEP done this July 11 with a tummy tuck. I'm 3 years out, and nervous to see the new me.

Mamaoftwo--I'm in upstate NY--Albany.  Where are you located? Maybe we can get together sometime, but kids will keep you busy!

grdnslve

checking in ladies & much thanks for all the kind thoughts & prayers.

first of all, as others have said, waking up to a warm, soft breast where there was once a cavity.. there are no words, only tears of great joy.  if there wasn't a stage II i would still be in the happy camper.  the future nipple & tweeking to even things up is just yummy icing on the happy new birthday to me cake.  surgery went well, no problems.  for whatever reason they decided to take a little bit of muscle too, and looking at the lovely breast they made, someone had a brain storm.  everyone is different.  i love my ps..both of them. they were johnnie on the spot every morning & eve to visit with me.  always making sure i had plenty of time to ask any questions.  in spite of what pain i do have, it is so much better than i was prepared for.

need a nap..will check back later.

bdavis

Daisy... I am confused... You had stage II a week after Stage I?

caltex_catlady

I'm joining those with upcoming DIEP surgeries. Mine is next Thursday, 7/7. I'll be in Santa Clara, CA.

I had a bilateral mx in Feb. 2010 (ILC on the left, some precancerous stuff on the right -- ILC is sneaky, so I said take it all). So that's been about 15 months. I couldn't get on the PS schedule at the time of my original mx and didn't want to put off removing the cancer any longer. Then I went through chemo and rads, then had to wait 6 months after final rads.

Finally the day is almost here. I've been reading suggestions for what I might need once I'm back home, but I'm sure I'll be surprised by something. Some things I had left from the mx I think will still be handy, like drinking straws.That was probably the best suggestion I got.

The PS expects me to stay in the hospital about five days. He says the operation will take about 10 hours. I'ts been interesting to hear what others have been going through. The closer it gets, the more anxious I get, but I'm ready to start writing the end of this story that started in Nov. 2009 when I first found the lump.

Karen

daisy4ever

Bdavis: Yes, my PS brought me back in for stage 2 ten days after the DIEP. Things went well. It was an easy surgery after the 12 hours for the DIEP. I love how he fixed the incision line and made some adjustments to my little mounds of belly fat.

NotAfraid

Daisy, I'm amazed you had Stage 2 so soon!  My noobs have changed so much over the past 3 months that I'm not sure my PS could even have known what he was working with until 3 months.  It's really been in the last 3 weeks that I haven't had any changes to my noobs.  (I was 3 months out on 6/27 and am having Stage 2 on 7/11).  Every PS is slightly different (I couldn't have chocolate or coffee for 4 weeks!)

I will echo what Dutchy said.  The pain will all be a memory very quickly.  

ladym13

My PS said that she doesn't use the no caffeine rule anymore and that there is nothing to suggest that it actually makes any difference. I had a coffee in the hospital the day after surgery.

I cannot BELIVE how good I feel, not even three weeks post surgery yet and you wouldn't even know I have had surgery. I walked the dog yesterday for an hour.

I have my post op appointment this thursday and really looking forward to discussing stage 2 since there are a couple of ripples in the new breast that I want fixed.

This sugery is SO doable and we are so lucky that it's available to us

Hope everyone is having a great weekend

Mo

XRAYestInMA

@c8andygrl1 I "hired" the same PS as brigadoonbenson and my DIEP was 6/6/11 - my post-op instructions had "NO caffeine or chocolate for 2 weeks" written on it as clear as day. I was not made aware of this while I was still in the hospital, so I ordered unsweetened iced tea pretty much every evening with dinner and drank it - it wasn't a giant cup, but it wasn't de-caf either. I asked at my 2 week-op visit and was told I could have caffeine and chocolate at that point, but not to go cRaZy with it, LOL. I'm not a caffeine junky anyway, but I had missed my iced tea and/or coffee. I also asked what the rationale was with regard to the rule (as caffeine dilates vessels, not constricts them), and was told by my PS that excess caffeine may have a tendency to cause the vessels to spasm, and when new vessels are transplanted from one area to another with the main concern being flap survival - spasms in delicate vessels would not be a good thing. I would suggest to just follow whatever instructions that your PS gave you. If you have to wait 2 weeks - it goes by pretty fast. I'm almost at the 4th week mark - where did that time go ???? 

c8ndygr1

Here's what another PS said: "Caffeine, like alcohol, has negative effects on the healing process. It is a diuretic which can lead to post operative dehydration. It also reduces the absorption of vitamins and minerals crucial for healing."  I think I'll err on the side of caution for now.  I see my PS on Tuesday to get my 'good friend' David-the-Last-Drain removed. I'll ask him about it then.

So many of you have had no problem with caffeine, it's probably not a big deal. I just don't want to be the rare case. Know what I mean?

misszed

Hi all - just checking in...3 weeks post op and feeling great, except for wearing Spanx 24/7.....my PS allowed caffein after a week...l was glad to have coffee/tea phew....but lm not having it everyday all day like before. Im glad to see the positive posts here...lm pushing on.  Happy 4th of July holiday everyone!!

daisy4ever

NotAfraid: I was totally surprised when my PS asked to bring me in so quickly for stage 2. I think every case is different. Maybe because I was small (barely a b), and I think he saw some areas that were easy to fix. Anyhow, he did it and things look better. I was already happy, and I am now even more happy. I don't even miss the originals. As so many have shared, this whole process has been amazing. I know my new little mounds will continue to change and move around, but it will be good.



I do miss my coffee and chocolate. I was asked to avoid it for two weeks.



To those of you who are about to have the surgery, I have to say that being able to come here and read, share, and learn from others has been a blessing. The first week is rough. Make sure someone else can care for your children and pets. I needed help getting out of bed for the first few days.