DIEP 2011

alexanjb

nicurn4222, treating the skin wounds on the noobs like burns makes total sense to me, since the skin blistered.  My PS said just to put a thin layer of vaseline on the noob but it has been 1 month and 2 days since my surgery and I still have boo boos, so I have started using the cream I was given when I was burned during radiation.

grdnslv, I stopped using the pain meds about 3 days after I got home.  Everyone is different, but if it is mostly a sleep issue maybe you should try Tylenol PM or other sleep aid?  The problem with the pain meds is that it could lead to constipation and that is NO fun.  I like to sleep on my stomach or on the side that I have the noob and that is not happening for a while (if ever, since my noob is rock hard) so I can relate.

mscal02

ladies: I drink tart cherry juice about an hour before bed time. I soon drift off  to sleep, usually within the hour,and I sleep through the night.I don't have to drink it every night. My niece asked for a sample of mine before she purchased some to see if it really worked. She called to tell me that it worked for her and helped with her hot flashes too. She went and purchased a bottle.

c8ndygr1

Today we had a lot of company coming over so I put on a Barely There bra, light, soft, stretchy (I'm 2-1/2 wks post-op). It worked great. I felt like I had breasts again rather than a beat-up, bruised, wounded chest.  I have one remaining wound still healing. My PS said to put Bacitracin Zinc ointment on it and cover with a non-stick Telfa pad. The pad doesn't stick and it absorbs any ooze.

@Daisy4ever - I'm still sleeping on my back in my souped-up recliner nest with pillows under my knees. I think I sleep better not having to worry my DH might curl up and grab my boob in his sleep. Yow-ch!

@grdnslve - I stopped the pain meds about a week after I got home. It really caused constipation so now I use Tylenol when needed which isn't very often anymore. 

Welcome to all the newbies - this group will answer any questions you have. I don't know how I would have made it through this whole process if I had gone into it blind, without the preparation these generous ladies gave me prior to surgery. The doctors don't really tell it like it is. We do. And I don't know of any one of us who regrets having had this reconstruction.

ladym13

grdnslve- I stopped the pain meds at 3 days, I hated them they made me sick, and honestly I just didnt feel like the pain was bad enough for the pain meds, I only took regular old Tylenol from 3 days after surgery and only needed the tylenol for about a week, I was lucky.

NotAfraid

I have a pretty high pain tolerance and I took vicodine at night for quite a while.  I didn't take it during the day, but at night it helped me sleep without any uncomfortableness.  I'm pretty careful about drugs, but I wasn't having any constipation from them, so I used them when I needed them.  Then one day I was fine and went completely cold turky on ANYTHING (tylenol, et al).  

I'm onto stage 2 tomorrow!  Time flies when you're having new boobs created! 

ladym13

NotAfraid- Good luck with Stage 2!!! YAY you, I can't WAIT to be there.

treesprite

Consider asking your docs for a prescription for physical therapy. You can get scar massage and also attention to any muscle issues. You have to wait on the scar massage until things heal up and you also have to get clearance on when you can start doing the muscle work. I was lucky to have a physical therapist very close to my home that specializes in post breast reconstruction work.

daisy4ever

MrsMot: Glad to hear they got your cancer. What a blessing!

x-raygirl

treesprite ~ good tip about the PT.  Sometimes I wish there was a "like" button on here just like on FB.  

NotAfraid ~ you're right about time flying when having new boobs created  I feel like I'm "under construction" and I can't stop marvelling at what the PS can accomplish! 

treesprite

x-raygirl: like button would be a good idea . .

everyone probably knows about insurance covering two bras a year after you have BC. I'm using my rx for bras after I'm healed up from stage 2. Might or might not be a good deal depending on where you buy bras and how much you usually spend. Nordstroms processes the insurance; not sure about vicky's secret.

Sherryc

treesprite thanks for that info.  I knew they would take care of it with prothesis but never occured to me they would after reconstruction.  I will def keep that in mind.

nicurn4222

@grdnslve: I still take vicodin 2-3 times a day alternating with motrin. I have been lucky to have never been constipated! I don't get excruciating pain but my chest wall gets so sore and almost feels like it burns sometimes and vicodin seems to be the only thing right now to relieve that. I am one week ahead of you in recovery. For sleeping I have used unisom for a long time. Mostly because I work swing shift and have a hard time staying asleep.

@notafraid: Good Luck Tomorrow!! I can't wait to hear all about it!!

@alexan: I hope you have more success with healing using the cream instead of vaseline. I seem to be healing pretty quickly!

I hope Everyone has a Blessed Day! Lynne

daisy4ever

Two questions.



I am wondering about exercise and going to the gym. How long should I wait to go back to the gym? I was going to a Zumba class and using the treadmill before the DIEP surgery. I have started to do light chores around the house and I water my garden. I take breaks, and I work slowly. It feels okay, but I don't want to do any damage.



I am almost three weeks post-op, and it still hurts to lift my hands and arms up very far. When should I be able to raise my hands over my head again? What exercises do you do to help with the arms?



I really like the idea of going to see a physical therapist, and I had no clue that my insurance would pay for bras after surgery for breast cancer. I am going to look into that with my insurance, so thank you for sharing, treesprite.

goldlining

Re the insurance and bras, neither my workplace extended health plan nor Ontario Assistive Devices Program paid for surgical bras after my uni-MX despite the fitter clearly noting as surgical bras on the receipt. ADP paid for about half of the cost of a prosthesis, and the work insurance paid for the whole cost of the same prosthesis, so I was reimbursed for 150% of the cost of a prosthesis, and that partially offset the nonreimbursement of the bras, but they were spendy so I was still out of pocket. If it's important, it's something to check in advance. But I figured it wasn't like I could NOT get them. And post-DIEP (Fall-ish, date TBD), I won't be getting a prosthesis, just bras (hopefully in a whole new size), so I don't expect to be reimbursed, but I think I will ask ahead of time just so I know.

NotAfraid

Stage 2 was a piece of cake, but nipples are going to have to wait for later.  I don't want to repeat what I wrote in the Stage II thread, but basically my PS wants to wait until things are complete so the nipples end up in the right place.  

 x-raygirl  - I think we all need t-shirts that say "Under Construction".  Or we could go the Disneyland route and say "We're sorry.  This attraction is temporarily closed for rennovation."

 EDIT:  I posted that on FB and my husband replied  ‎"Please visit other fun attractions open now in Fantasyland".  LOL! 

goldlining

I believe the official theme park terminology is "this attraction is being refurbished for your future enjoyment."

:-) 

SAMayoFL

OMG, I am cracking up laughing!!!  Other fun attractions huh?  Men are soooo funny.  NOT!!!

Betsy, I think you are up next!!  Time is flying by. 

I have just a little more than three weeks to go.  My way of dealing with stressors is denial and avoidance!  I have been working myself to the bone so I won't have time to think about it.  The doctors, the hospital and the place that does the MRA have all confirmed my appointments.  I have 4 pre-op appointments on August 2 and surgery is August 3.   I am planning to stay busy, busy, busy until then! Every night when I lay down I do dream of my cleavage and being a member of the 2hotboobs.com club!

Susan

grdnslve

nicurn4222---thank you!!!!  i feel so much better.  starting to think there was something seriously wrong with me.  i've been off pain meds for a good part of the time, but sleeping & occassionally during the day depending on what i'm doing, it is just sooo uncomfortable.  today has been the worst  & its 2 weeks out from surgery.  i don't think i'm being too active.  with me it is the upper abdomen--not even the surgical line.  did i straighten up too soon? was it lugging the hose about the yard??  carrying laundry upstairs??  dh keeps asking me what i did & i just don't know.  but it hurts to the point i feel nauseous.  nothing looks off like infected or anything.  i'm not having any constipation either by the way.  anyway--thanks for your input everyone.

afield

just caught up on this thread for the past few weeks (had switched over to the Stage II thread) and had two thoughts, well, three.

1) PT is fabulous.  A correctly trained massage therapist can also do the same - scar therapy and muscle release.  I've been working with an amazing massage therapist since my mx and she has done wonders on both.  She does a lot of work with cancer patients, though, and is really focused on these issues, so truly knows what she is doing (if anyone is in Norther Virginia, let me know, b/c I can't recommend her enough)

2) I have a tee shirt I bought from Zazzle.com that I wear a lot.  It has a yellow diamond on it, like a road sign, and says 'please pardon our appearance, this area is under reconstruction.'  It cracks me up, so I wear it a lot. (I also have a 'yes, they're fake, my real ones tried to kill me' tee but don't wear it as often as that's not quite in line with the message we gave the kids, who are still pretty young).

3) I am still in awe of the strength of so many of the women on this board, and the openess of everyone to help, support, share, and pull what humor there is to pull out of the situations.

x-raygirl

afield ~ great t shirt!  How did you find your PT?  What does correctly trained mean?  Is that different from Lymphedema therapist?  I better quit dragging my feet and start calling around.  How often do you go?

bdavis

Susan... I am one week from tomorrow.,. scared, apprehensive and somewhat in denial... I might need drugs BEFORE surgery...LOL

alexanjb

Betsy,  I know what you mean.  Drugs before surgery would have been good.  I will be thinking of you.

Girls,  I wore a bra for the first time yesterday.  A "Barely There" as someone on here suggested.  It was comfortable but it was a mess after I wore it from my unhealed skin on the noob.  So, I bought some disposable breastfeeding pads!  Has anyone tried that?  I am tired of being all bandaged up and bunched up under my clothes.  I don't know how it works yet, I'll let you know.  The cashier at the pharmacy did look at me funny when she said "these aren't yours are they?" and I said "yes, they are."

c8ndygr1

@alexanjb - when I wore my 'Barely There' bra for the first time, my still-healing wound was covered with a non-stick Telfa pad and I stuck a maxi-thin pad on that side of the bra to protect from any leaks. Worked perfectly. No mess.

Think I'll head to Target today to look for a soft bra with a little padding to provide some shape that will temporarily even things out under more form-fitting tops until Stage 2. Living with Stage 1 breasts for 3 months is going to be a long wait. Sigh.....

alexanjb

Yes, living with stage 1 Noob will be a challenge even after the skin heals because one is UP and hard as a baseball one is

                                      down and soft.

sunflowerE152

I had surgery June 27th and met friends for a short lunch today - dressing was a challenge.  I am wearing a wife beater all of the time to cover my breast incisions and to go under the binder I am still wearing around my abdomen.  I wore a soft front opening mastectomy bra over it so I could somewhat even up my noob and 55 yr old sagging boob.  Luckily my shorts stretched over my binder and a loose fitting polo camouflaged my under construction breasts.  The front opening soft mastectomy bra has been a staple throughout this journey.   I have added padding to alternating sides as necessary to even things out.

Good luck to everyone as  we continue our recovery, and thanks for sharing ideas.

IowaSue45

Hi DIEP sisters, I thought I better check in and say Hi. I am 8 weeks post diep, time goes by so darn fast. Still feel good as far as surgery is concerned. I have been back to normal for weeks. Here is a pic. from this last weekend  my sister and I

c8ndygr1

Sue, you look awesome! And look at that cleavage. I've got a long way to go to look that good. You're an inspiration.

brendaclee3

I had my bilateral Stage I DIEP this last May 25th and this week has been the first that I'm not really uncomfortable.  I'm walking around the block and shopping, but it has taken me over 6 weeks to get to this point.  I am very pleased with the right breast because it's soft, but there is not much projection.  The left breast that I had the mastectomy in feels like it has a golf ball in it.  I sure hope that softens up.  I'm not symmetric yet, but I know that will greatly improve on October 18th when I have stage II.  I know people say to buy a lot of the soft, yoga type drawstring pants, but my midriff was so tight and sore that I could hardly wear pants at all.  Little shift dresses with no waist are much better.  I wear little bikini underwear that come up under my stomach scar.  Even now, my stomach scar is soooo sore and there's a hard swollen area between my belly button and the scar.  Did anyone else have that?  How long does it take that to go away?  My belly button was a little infected too, but I think that is getting better.  I hope that stomach swelling is not a hernia.   Any feedback would be great.  I'd still do it all again.~Brenda

momtomygirls

HI Everyone,

Saw PS today (3 weeks out from DIEP) and he says that everything is looking good.  I asked him about the swelling and he said it could take up to 6 months (ugh!).  Because my breast has been through so much he wants to wait at least 6 months for stage 2.  He said that over the next while, my breast will shrink under the bottom scar.  I also asked about what to put on the scars and he offered me laser genesis (at no cost).  My next visit is in 6 weeks.  I guess I have to keep on  wearing the binder until then (I forgot to ask).

Hugs to everyone

mscal02

Ladies: How do you post a picture ?