DIEP 2013

Crewzer

I, too, am having trouble getting into my former pant size!  I can't figure out how it's possible that I'm actually BIGGER than I was before, when they removed all of my fat!  I have been wearing stretchy pants (I'm 5 weeks out) and dresses until this past weekend, when I finally tried on my old pants, and they are t-i-g-h-t.  My tummy seems flat, but I do think it is bulging out a little bit at the bottom, so I'm thinking it must be swelling.  My neighbor who had a hysterectomy said that she had a lot of tummy swelling that didn't go down for several months.  I've worn compression garments practically 24/7 since the surgery, so I'm guessing it will just take some time.

I, too, am curious about why the pants will fit better after Stage 2? 

I am feeling well enough to start thinking about Stage 2, and I have a question.  How do they do the "scar minimizing", or whatever it is called?  What is this?  I had been so focused on the surgery that I figured I would worry about the rest later, and "later" is creeping up in my mind. 

Those of you who are going in for surgery this week:  My thoughts and prayers are with you.  I can so relate to all of you.  The "nesting" (I think I nested for a few months before my actual surgery), the nerves, the preparations.  My doctor said he would be worried about me if I hadn't been nervous.  It's very normal.  I actually cried when they took me back to pre-op, and couldn't stop.  But here is the thing, after it was over, and I had woken up after surgery, I have not looked back.  I have been so peaceful and happy and each day I celebrate being cancer-free.  I have no regrets, and I hope that you all feel as wonderful as I have felt, with each day getting stronger.  Good luck ladies!

MartyJ

Ah the perennial pant size problem.  Yes, you are still swollen.  I had a pair of below the waist pants that I could wear and nothing else.  It actually took me about 4 months before my former clothes fit.  It sure was a puzzlement - I had this nice flat tummy and couldn't get into my clothes. Then I did Stage 2a and things changed again.  I do empathize.  Why not take advantage of the summer and get a couple of inexpensive skirts or Tee shirt dresses?  Compression can help some, but we all heal differently.  I really think the swelling is a reminder that while we look down and think we have healed, our insides are still in the healing process.  This is one of those patience things.  I am now 3 months beyond Stage 2a and things definitely fit/look better.  Can't wait for the next go around - a little more off and a little more to the boobs.

sweetpickle

Just heard back from ps nurse and she said what you guys are saying, it is swelling. Apparqntly this can last four to five months post surgery, grrrrr. It looks like I will need to go buy some summer dresses and skirts. Im kinda bummed about this but I understqnd that it will take time for my lymph system to rework itself to drain.



To all the ladies having surgery this week, good luck and we are thinking of you. Even being bummed about the pant size thing, Im glad I did this surgery.

Janet_M

Those nerves are so normal. I remember everyone saying to me 'You'll do great!' and I thought 'How the hell do you know?' I was so sure I'd be the patient that would jump off the gurney, or push away the anaesthetist, or start hyperventilating. But ....I was fine. After weeks of over-preparing I felt very calm, and ready to get the surgery underway. The thing is - you can't fight the nerves, so you just have to keep moving forward in spite of them. All you can do is add some faith, and have the absolute knowledge that you are being taken care of by an excellent and caring staff, and that the body is built to heal.



And then four weeks later, you can start start worrying about your shape! I went from worrying about my mental survival, to worrying about fitting into my Levi Demi-curve jeans all in four short weeks. Glad to hear that it might just be a case of swellng. My stomach is flat, but the rest of me looks like a box of Kleenex.



Janet

Janet_M

Oh, for anybody with anxiety, I also want to mention Guided Meditiations for a Successful Surgery by Belleruth Naparstek.



She gently coaches you into being a participant in the surgery, and trusting your body and it's intelligence. She also reminds you that you are loved, and says things that sound a bit cheesy on paper, but are very effective in making you feel safe. I've had three surgeries now, and right before the first one I was distraught. I used Belleruth for the next surgery, and the diffence in my mental state was like night and date.



You can go to her website and download a free demo. Sometimes I just listen to her because her voice is soothing.

Morningsun1

I was a slow healer. For the first three months post op, I was battling first large then small openings on my ab-incision. After all the little pesky openings (from sutures poking out) healed, I tried on my old cloth and noticed that all my pants were very tight. Looking back, those pesky openings were a blessing in disguise. They kept me from worrying about my pant-size. Three month post-op, I started with the program MartyJ suggested: MyFitnessPal. I've lost 8 pounds over the last two and half months with watching what I eat and exercise. I now weigh the same as pre-BC and everything fits. Thanks MartyJ, I will be going into stage 2 (July 30) in much better shape than before I went in for my DIEP.

goldie4040

Bailey,

You are back to work.  First of all, how did that go?  Did they give you a welcome back lunch?

Okay, here is the question...several people are saying even though their tummy looks flatter they can't get in their pants.  How about you?  You went back to work, and have to wear something other than sweats, so...?  Do your old clothes fit yet?

Gini23

So here is how I do a long post with lots of comments....  I open a second window with the reply window while I scroll through the postings!    (Tough to do on a phone, and on a tablet - well, that is when I accidentally hit "refresh" twice while working on it and gave up 1/2 my post....)

Greengirl - the nurses will def take care of you if you get your period.  Although I've certainly worn a tampon for that long on one occasion or another if my period was light.  I was just so "lucky" to get mine the day right after surgery.  Fun stuff with drains and all other kinds of tubes hanging off of me...

Jeannie - The day before my DIEP, I walked up to my DH and lifted my shirt a little bit and asked him if he wanted to "feel me up," only lifting enough to show my belly.  It took him a minute to get it!  

Kad I am also trying to get rid of the rest of my fat all over my body!  I think some of it is migrating back to my belly... suddenly my smooth post-stage 2 flanks have love handles again... grrrrrr ...  sorry that you feel huge!  I wish I could take some for you... I'm feeling too small, even after supposed fat-grafting.  I think my 15 yr old DD is bigger than me - and she is not that big...  I definitely feel that I have gotten smaller since the initial DIEP surgery.  Looking down, I look like me before having kids - not a bad thing, but I was hoping for a little of my post-pregnancy/nursing size with the pre-pregos "lift"!

Damiana - funny you say that about the sensation because when I run a finger along the ab scar I feel something similar.  There is not specific "spot" I feel it, but it definitely radiates out away from where my finger is.  Also was doing some core/ab work yesterday and I swear I had pain in my foob...

More later flappers - time to pick up a kid!

Hugs,
 Jeannie

goldie4040

I swore my upper arms were swollen from my bmx for weeks. Finally I had my husband measure them.  They were both the same, maybe left a tat smaller which is normal since I am a righty.  I think it's because I only semi-feel things around the top of my arms, and everything feels tight even though when I look in the mirror I can see they are not tight at all.

I am not saying this is the case with your pants.  That, I am sure is a very obvious problem when you can't button them.  I just mentioned the arm thing because it came to mind, and not much comes to my mind lately....lmaooooooooo

MartyJ

TammyT - so proud of you!  Have you added endomondo to your apps.  I use it to track my walks and bike rides.  I use Moves to track my steps.  Love these smart phones.  Just wish they would push my chair back from the table.

kuka21174923

My pants fit different now because when ps removed my fat and he pulled down to close the incision I was left with love handles, which I really didn't have before. He fixes this on stage 2 along with lipo. I don't have the pooch on the middle of my tummy anymore and that's nice! All of my swelling is gone, but I never had much to begin with.

I couldn't really tell you if my regular pants fit anymore or not because I haven't tried them on anymore. I've been wearing dresses and elastic sweats.

nihahi

Martyj....thanks for the heads up on some new fitness apps....they look interesting!!! 

I thought I had put my "swelling days" behind me....lately, I have increased my activity to higher intensity, and seem to get slight swelling and increased sensitivity by late afternoon. Going to the PS for followup on Wednesday and plan to ask him what's up. It seems centered around my bellybutton/iron plate area. Anyone else have the same when they get more active????

Sending positive vibes to you faith....tomorrow will go well, another step to being "done"!

MartyJ

Nihahi you have discovered the nasty secret- swelling as you increase intensity. It will dissipate, but will take several months. Time is on your side.



I don't know if this posted earlier, but my doc says that inner thigh fat is the very best of all. I suppose that makes sense as it is in a rather protected area.

sweetpickle

Nihahi- The nurse mentioned that to me today. She said to expect more swelling at the end of the day since it gets worse the more active you are.

sherry35

Good luck to this weeks flappers, you are in my thoughts.

Had an incredibly busy weekend but found time to read before sleeping.

Bailey, I hope work went well today!

Movie, I hope your tooth is better soon!

Boos, cheers, prayers and thoughts provoked by many posts!

Hugs for Robin- we are here for you when you are ready!

Two weeks from now I should be in recovery! Where has the time gone? I have my pre op clinic tomorrow. I'm told it's about a three hour process but I will have a much better understanding of everything that will go on when I'm at the hospital! I'm very excited.

I treated myself to a pedicure today and now my big toes look like strawberries!

Cheers ladies!

Sherry

Gini23

Zoemom -Regarding exercise, the better overall shape you can be in now, the faster you will likely recover after.  I found that strong legs were helpful.  I had been doing lots of squats and such prior to my surgery (just doing my Jillian Michaels videos...) and found it very nice to fall back on my legs when I couldn't bend down to pick things up easily.  Also - lots of core/abs work now because they will be resting for quite awhile afterwards.  I like planks, crunches, whatever....!

Damiana - ugh on the pulled muscle or whatever it turns out to be.  Take it easy on your hot-new-bod!

Liefie - glad the new girl is "settling in" where she should be!

Mammalou - my PS  is a compression guy for 3 months, more or less 24/7 but I did take some breaks when I was just sick of it!  I have to say, I am still wearing it on occasion, now 4 months post-DIEP just because it feels better to get it all tucked in sometimes.  My upper-belly is still swollen, or just FAT with skin stretched over it, as is my "Ken mound."  I have been wondering if I had gotten the good compression garments that Marty J suggested (from Marena) that covered from top of leg up to just under the breasts, if that may have not happened.  Mine was hip to breast, and I kind of think the swelling setteld down in my pelvis because I didn't compress down there.  In any case, I've been wearing it to bed sometimes and when I work out - like Nihahi said, helps to support my back and tummy.

I have to say, when I eat, my upper-belly is what hurts/sticks out even more.  No "full" feeling in the noobs!  But it's like everything gets stuck above my scar line for several hours.

Kuka - I'm with you, I want my pre-baby body back!  I was a work-out-fiend back then and I was toned all over.  I don't need to look like a muscle-builder, but I wouldn't mind a little bit of "pipes" in my arms rather than my teacher-chalkboard-flab.  (I am a teacher, in case that offends anyone!)

Bluebird - I also got my port out during surgery, from the inside so no new scar. What a great feeling!  Do you occasionally get the weird tugging in you neck, like it's pulling on a vein?  I hated that!  Totally agree with Bailey - there is definitely a common trait amongst us.  Damiana - I found if I asked in advance they could use the port for blood draws - only managed to make it happen once - because they had to have the right staff on hand and they had to know what kind of port I had.

I highly suggest splurging on a cleaning service! Enjoy your last couple of days before surgery.  Get a massage, a pedi if you're allowed (I wasn't), spend time having some fun!  Last summer post-BMX I had to stay out of the water while I still had drains, but once they were out I was allowed to cover my incisions with tegaderm to go in the water.  PS even gave me a bunch to take with me.  I was still cautious - no laps and didn't stay under long, but it felt good just to get wet on a hot day.

So on swimming... I took yet another trip to the mall to look for bathing suits and voilà!!  I found several long tankinins that flattered my new figure and high bottoms to match!  Some of the bottoms have fold-over tops so I can kind of play with where they fall regarding my scar.  I was so envious of all the happy bathing suit stories... so glad I finally found some I liked!  In fact - I brought too many home with me because I couldn't decide - gotta get back to return a few before the bills come in!  LOL

I promised to share my swimming experience - but alas I cannot!  We got rained out - or should I say ON - at the beach on Saturday.  We had to pack up and race back to the cottage on bikes!  So my pretty new suit got wet, but not from the ocean!

Sweetpickle/Damiana - I had trouble for awhile with pants/shorts feeling too small/tight.  I think it's swelling.  Even my panties feel small.  I also blame it on the Ken mound...  working hard to drop some weight.  Kuka is right about post stage-2 they got looser fitting.  Agree here with Marty - the flowy skirts have been great this summer.  And my octopus DH seems to like me in skirts, too....!  (TMI??)

So the flip side of getting hit by a car...  you will be surrounded by people who have your best interests at heart and you will calmly go to sleep and will sleep on through the whole thing.  Yes, you will be sore for awhile, but the meds will get you through, as will any pre-conditioning you're doing for your body.  Take a breath, ladies, you WILL get through this and we will be in your pockets!  As Crewzer said, once I got past the surgery, I was relieved and happy and very content with my choices!  We have not talked about meditation in awhile... good suggestion, Janet.  I found the Peggy Huddleston book & CD to be very helpful leading up to surgery, and continued to listen to it to help me sleep post-surgeries.

I'm thinking I need to go peek at that other thread and see all the commotion...  like watching a train wreck....!

 Jeannie

christina0001

Oh how depressing, that my pants might not fit after surgery. All my work pants are a little snug (thanks tamoxifen! or at least that is what I am blaming it on!) and I was counting on being a little thinner after surgery. ugh...

I am just so shocked that everyone is so out of it while they are at the hospital! I was/am really expecting to be frustrated with lying around, bored. Frankly I do not do well with free time and I would be happy with just being drugged up the whole time. lol

nihahi

Soooo......even though I was definitely not showing any swelling for quite awhile, even after not wearing the compression garments, and being (for me) moderately active.....being more intensely active will bring it on now???? CRAP! Marty....would it help minimize it if I went back to using compression??? Maybe using compression while running, etc.?????

Anonymous

Love myfitnesspal....used it to track my prediep weight loss. My old pants do fit....just fit weird, not like before. I feel swollen. I expected to be smaller, too, and is confusing because my belly is so flat. I feel like I have lost muscle tone too, so that makes my clothes fit weird too.



Work was good, 143 voice mails, 1564 e-mails. So....yeah. By 10:30 it felt like I never left and and DIEP was just a dream. By 12:30 I was really missing the recliner! I love my job, though, so it's not hard to go back.



I am sore tonight. Noob is swelly.



I really wanted to put up a sign that said, "Stares, critiques and comments allowed for 1 week then put your eyes back in your head head and shut thy mouth". (Everybody at work knows why I was off and they've been great support)......but that's kind of anti-HR so.....yeah....have to bite my tongue sometimes!

kuka21174923

My pants fit different now because when ps removed my fat and he pulled down to close the incision I was left with love handles, which I really didn't have before. He fixes this on stage 2 along with lipo. I don't have the pooch on the middle of my tummy anymore and that's nice! All of my swelling is gone, but I never had much to begin with.

I couldn't really tell you if my regular pants fit anymore or not because I haven't tried them on anymore. I've been wearing dresses and elastic sweats

nihahi

christina....I wasn't really "out of it" in hospital, cause I didn't really need or take much pain meds. I was absolutely exhausted though, which is a different kind of "out of it". I had short visits from hubby, and people on staff that I used to work with (same hospital, part of same nursing unit) would drop by. 5 minutes chatting.....I was done. When I was less exhausted, I spent the time walking. Visitors would not have been a good fit for me, the days I was in hospital, and not for about 2 weeks after. 

Bailey....sounds like you had a great first day back....I bet you find you're pretty darn tired by the end of the week, though! Yeah, part muscle tone, for me too, I think. But, I do still love the flat tummy, and, I can work on the tone, and I can be patient with the swelling thing. It's not like I look like I've grown a bowling ball.....just different from the super flat that I was post surgery, and it's always gone by morning.

Anonymous

Yes, Nihahi, I will definitely be tired by Friday...or sooner! Nothing scheduled on Saturday, though. Sunday we are going to the Air Museum with youngest son....long car ride oh, well.



Tomorrow after work I am going to a kickoff training event for our local Komen race. ...evenings should be quiet the rest of the week, though.



Gnite ladies!

faith729

Thanks Nihahi !

Also about increasing intensity... I started sprints this week (wearing compression) and also noticed a spike in swelling.



Bailey a very good friend of mine made a similar sign for my hospital room. Saying something like Trish looks great but please refrain from taking pictures and especially posting to Facebook etc

Anonymous

Ha!Faith, that's funny! Sweet dreams tomorrow!

Jeannie57

I had my pre-anesthesia appt. today. Intake by nurse and a newbie-resident. He has so much to learn! Anesth. doc came in and listened to my concerns. She talked about ankle IV's or leg or neck, perhaps heparin to avoid clots and she took notes about my other concerns. Behind her back, the nurse mouthed that I would probably have neck IV, but there are a lot of lymph nodes there so I don't prefer it since I have Lymphedema (LE). I guess I still have concerns about the whole LE thing. But they're throwing everything at me to avoid nausea, which I appreciate. DH can be with me 24/7 in intensive care but I think that's a good time for him to rest since I'll have so much care that day and will probably be out of it. I'm nervous. I hope I don't say or do anything totally inappropriate or mean! My mom, a very sweet person, turns into a shrew after anesthesia. It will all work out,I know. It sure will be a trial of patience to wait for my regular pants to fit! The thought of having a soft chest makes me happy, though. Thanks for all the prayers and good thoughts!



Faith, I'll be thinking of you tomorrow!

damiana9

Kuka- I didn't have love handles before but I do now- I was hoping that would change over time- I guess it might not change without surgery.

goldie4040

Nihani, I don't know if this will help you, but after my hysterectomy I had what the hystersisters's called swelly belly for close to 9 months.  It wasn't awful, but it was there.  I wore Spanx camisoles that came all the way down to my hips.  I got use to wearing them under almost any outfit to work.  They even have ones that are scooped out so they don't cover your boobs.  They kept swelly belly at bay most of the time, especially when I had to sit for long periods of time at work.   I did take them off when I was home because you will stop engaging your core if you become too dependent on them.  Doing simples household chores like dusting, and vacuuming actually help engage that core because you can feel it when it is still sore from surgery, and they are not so strenous that they would cause swelling.  I remember one day I realized the swelling was gone. 

goldie4040

Jeannie,

Did they take nodes on your prophylactic mx side?  If not, you should be safe with IV on that side.  The talked about IV in my neck too, and I couldn't stand the thought of that.  I think it was Kuka that said she woke up with an IV in her neck, and her arm? Kuka, was that you?

I know how you are feeling.  I am a week out from my recon. We are both going to be fine.  I told my husband to go home after they take me into surgery, and come back when I am awake.  Check on me, and then go home till I am in a room.  We have two little dogs that will need tending to, and I don't want to use up the neighbors kindness unless we have to. My bestfriend, and my son will be out of town for my surgery date because the date got changed and plans can't be changed now,  and I am really bummed about that, but we will get throught it. 

Hold on. We will get through this.  Well, I can feel my xanax taking over.  Nite nite.

sbelizabeth

Bailey, on my first day back, I was glancing at my clock at 10:00 A.M. and thinking, isn't it time to go home yet?  And I had the thing with people sneaking looks at my chest when they thought I wasn't looking, too--LOL! I pulled the ladies into my office and closed the door so I could just SHOW them the new twins.  Everyone was most impressed.

Right after the surgery, my tummy was fuh-lattt.  Board-like.  But by the time I got home I'd worked up a little roll right above the incision line.  The PS said it's probably just lymphatic swelling and he'd address it during Stage II, but that some of it will just have to find its own way outa there.  

I called Robin today and she's feeling better.  She'll get two more drains out tomorrow, which leaves her with two left to go.  Her PS will take down the post-op dressing tomorrow, too, and she's a little nervous about that.  She cracks me up--she talks about looking like a Picasso painting, or a science experiment--but I know she's anxious about what the whole fandango is going to look like.  I told her she was still in out thoughts and prayers.

Happy Monday, everyone!  Wearing a dress to work tomorrow, which means I probably won't have the resolve to lay off the high heels...poor me... 

nihahi

Can't say I'm surprised, but it sounds like even our "swelly" experiences are a bit different. My pants still fit (and defo better than pre surgery). My swelling isn't around the whole incision line, or the whole tummy, just literally in a circle around my bellybutton. I realized when I took off the compression I was wearing, how dependent my back had become on the external support, and I don't want to go back to that scenario for a "now it's here, now it isn't" situation. I haven't specifically worked on my abs since surgery, but try to be "ab aware" when running and biking, yoga, etc. I'm going to check with my PS on Wednesday, but I bet I'm not being as "aware" as I could be, until things strengthen up again. Up to now, I've been more focussed on getting the shoulders sorted out, and that is definitely coming along big time, ROM-wise, so now it's muscle time for them too. Swimming sounds like a good plan!

Faith, sweet dreams tomorrow

jeannie....you and jlbloom are going to do GREAT!!!!!!!!!! We've been where you are, we know how it feels, we got through to the other side. I'm still amazed at how little pain I had, how much better the gloob is compared to the implant alien, and even with a bit of swelling showing up at this stage, how much happier I am with the new body shape!!!

sbelizabeth.....can't wait to hear which shoes are going to work tomorrow! Take them off every now and then and stretch out that back! hmmm....obviously no baby news yet!!! Thanks for the updates on Robin. We are all thinking of her and sending prayers and positive vibes to her.