DIEP 2013

christina0001

la2shea - whoa that is amazing! Those wound vacs can do amazing things in many cases. So happy for you that you are moving steadily in the right direction!

Sherry you have every right to vent here, and feeling angry, frustrated and depressed is completely understandable. I had no idea how brutal this surgery was. I should mention that I am 34 and otherwise in excellent health and the surgery was brutal. Those contemplating DIEP need to understand the risk and how rough it is. I know I had no idea despite reading here; I think I had that "it won't happen to me" mentality but it can happen to anyone.

jakig - I can't imagine going through cancer twice. Congrats on your tests coming back all good, that is a huge relief I am sure.

I should have logged on last night! I could not sleep either. I was super anxious and nauseaous! I think I am nervous about stage II! I don't think I can emotionally handle more surgery. Hopefully by November 1st I will feel more confident.

OH and big mistake that I will share in case anyone here is as dumb as I was yesterday (unlikely though). The top I wore yesterday has a pretty wide collar it annoyed me that it was so difficult to hide my bra straps on my nice comfy new bra. So I thought, hey, let's try wearing one of my old bras! As in, pre-UMX, pre-DIEP bras; I have one with clear straps. HUGE MISTAKE!!! By 2pm I was so uncomfortable, and by the end of the day I had wicked indents and redness in both of my breasts. I drove home with one hand holding the cup away from my foob because I was so uncomfortable. I'm still sore this morning. How foolish of me!

sweetpickle

Ouch christina! I dont have my stage two date yet but I am sooo nervous about more surgery! Im still hurting from the first stage and I cant imagine opening all this back up. PS acts like stage two is no big deal and Im being silly for being nervous. However, he didnt have crappy nurses and still have soreness three months later!



Hope you ladies were able to get some rest.

Janet_M

Sherry - Unbelievable crap that you're going through. Please don't worry about offending anybody with your situation - as Nihahi  said, say whatever you need to say.  This is a safe place for honest discussion - the good, the bad, the ugly, and the unfair. I'm so sorry you're hurting.

Liefie, Hrf - It must be a Canadian thing. In our early discussion, my PS never mentionned anything about a 'Stage 2'. After reading about it here I asked if surgery was a one-shot deal and he said yes. A one-shot deal, then some nipples a bit later.  But he did also say, that if anything remained to be done it could happen later, during a much less invasive procedure. I dismissed this as being the exception, not the rule. But it seems to me that everybody has to go through to stage 2, - don't they? 

My dog ears have softened a little bit over the last few weeks, and I was feeling pretty optimistic till I tried on a t-shirt dress, and there they were, little pillow case corners pointing out the side. Just like Sponge bob. Darn it.

mrtw43

Klanders: congrats on completing stage 2. I can't wait until I can say the same thing. you mentioned you don't have drains. Is that typical for stage 2? I didn't come home with drains with the initial surgery the PS took the 3 of them out a few hrs before i was discharged from the hospital. I was hoping that I wouldn't with stage 2 but it seems like more people here came home with drains so I was just expecting it.



Nahiha: thanks for the nutrition information, I just began slacking off and after reading the article it put me back on track.

Moviemaniac

Up again.......6am here.......in all my drama, I neglected to add my voice to the chorus.....Sherry, there is no condemnation here, either. You are simply being honest in what your experience with DIEP has been so far. Were I in your shoes, I am not at all sure I could have been so clear in communicating my feelings. I can tell you that the experiences that you, Bluebird, Mammalou, Gracewrites, and a few others have had has really affected me on a very personal level, because I struggled for weeks with infection issues myself. During that time, they felt never-ending, and I didn't realize what the surgeon meant when he said "we usually see this problem in the flap". I believe (now) that what Bluebird suffered was one example of what he was referring to. You have every right to feel as you do, I sure as hell did, and I didn't have a move, or a divorce I was contending with. Marty, (once again) has some sound advice, thank goodness for her on this thread! All I can add is, it WILL get better-I know, I lived it too........sending you great big cyber (((hugs))) and a prayer for a better day, today.....XO

Moviemaniac

Janet, once again you have made my day (and it is only 6:35 am!)......,,Sponge Bob Square Pants..........rofl.....xo

kuka21174923

Sherry, I'm so very sorry for what's going on with you. I didn't have complications other than a blister on my foob after stage 1 and that drove me crazy!! So I can't imagine going through what you are. I wish you the best and hopefully with some time it will all heal. If there's one thing I've learned through this process is that we must be patience. I know it's hard, I want things to look good now!, but it doesn't work that way. Hugs!!!

Movie, that heartburn is not from medicine but from the compression! Here I am 4 weeks after stage 2 and taking heartburn medicine everyday. At night it gets really bad, and last night it was the worst. I woke up with vomit taste in my mouth and I thought I was going to vomit everywhere. I'm hoping after 6 weeks and I take my compression off it will change. I know the ps made me tight and therefore there's not as much room in my tummy as there used to be!

Try takin something for heartburn before going to bed at night time.

Goodie

Sherry - I think it's important for you to tell us what you are going through.  That's why we come to these boards (or at least why I started.)  We want to know what our peers are going through and what might happen.  It's not an easy process even for the non-problem cases.  I hope in the long run you will be happy with all of this and it gets better for you soon!  Please keep us informed and vent away.  There are many people out there lurking who need to hear it more than we know.  

Stage 2 pain is a lot different for me (than stage 1) but could that be I'm not on that push pain button from the hospital and being asleep most of the time there?  Two pluses though - no drains for me this time and I can stand up straight.  I'm pretty good with the pain if I don't move LOL and keep up with my pain meds.  I take it every 4 hours and I pretty much sleep at least 2 hours in-between doses.   

Janet - I'm hoping PS fixed my spongbob look yesterday!  LOL 

MartyJ

Janet - Sponge Bob, yes!  Mine were fixed at Stage 2a.

A note about Stage 2 - it is different for each of us.  Some need drains, some don't.  Some wear compression, some don't.  My doc belives in compression forever as she feels it also reduces risks for lymphadema.  It does reduce risk of seromas and helps minimize them if they happen.  I am loving compression - makes me feel really tiny.  Now if I could only lose 20 lbs so I can be really tiny.

Kuka - I am a bit concerned about that heartburn.  NOLA girls are famous for wearing compression for a long time, but I have never heard of the heartburn problem.  You are wearing the marena?  I assume it is one of the ones with the 3" elastic band at the top?  Maybe you should try 1 night without compression.  If you still have heartburn, you will know it is not a compression problem.  1 night without whould be fine at this point - some surgeons even let you go to 12 on/12 off at this point.

Jeannie57

I have been having heartburn the last couple of weeks. I've never had it before. Tamoxifen? Compression? Dunno. I was thoroughly checked for it several years ago because I had symptoms of silent GERD but everything checked out fine. It's not pleasant.

kuka21174923

Marty, last night after I almost vomited from my heartburn I took my compression off and I was fine until I put it back on this morning. I'm using the marena one with the elastic band on the top. I also got really bad heartburn when I was pregnant. I didn't have that much room in there, which is pretty much what's going on now. Even when it comes time to eating, I cannot eat as much without getting full! Which is a good thing:)

kuka21174923

Goldie, I really liked the article you posted and agree with it 100%!

nihahi

I agree with kuka...that video was right on! I could so identify with the woman in it...outwardly, she comes across as a strong, self-confident woman.....after 20 years of "no" breast and starting recon, she states she finally feels like a woman again. My scenario almost the same....my feelings....exactly the same..!!!!!

sbe....how's your info gathering for your presentation coming?

Janet_M

MovieManiac - You can thank my sisters for the nickname. Wasn't so funny when they watched me slowly shuffling down the hospital corridor, casually debating about whether I looked more like a 'box of kleenex on legs', or 'Spongebob Squarepants'.

Spongebob won. And it stuck.

klanders

Sherry - we are all fine with you having bad times and sharing it with us. Friends and family just don't get it - but we do as we are on this rollercoaster together! I'll be praying for you!



MRTW - Marty said it well - every doc is different on drains, compression, etc. My revisions were pretty small so that's why I don't have drains. The first stage - I went home with 4 drains and had them for several weeks. My mom pulled the drains (with NOLA approval) once output got below a certain level. I'd take drains any day since it reduces the chance of incisions popping open. So for stage 2 - drains are dependent on the doc and how big the surgery is.



Most of my discomfort today is from the lipo. I tried to sit on the toilet but couldn't do it - the back of my thighs are too sore for hard surfaces. They want me to take a shower before we leave this afternoon so I hopefully will get to see the newly revised me then. Only concern at the moment is that my left nipple seems too far to the side, but maybe that's just because of swelling. I can hope! I don't want a stage 2b.



This is a "walk in the park" compared to my awful stage 1. I was able to walk for a few minutes this morning and I'm eating well. My blood pressure is low (95) so I think that might be causing me some dizziness.



I think maybe I'll try to take a nap now. :-)

mtpeteacher

Cstrong: how are you holding up while waiting? 5 more days and we join the flappers. I'm packing and planning for being gone but getting more nervous. Where are you having your procedure done? (I'm getting forgetful, too, apparently). Chris

Tracy516

I was awake last night til about 3:30am;) and had heart burn. May have been from the whole chocolate bar dipped in peanut butter?! Been over a month since I have had chocolate!!



Hope today brings healing to those who need it.

Hope today brings Wilbur to those that need him.



Off to get my daughter a hair cut before school starts for her on the 9th! THeN a NAP?!!!!

sbelizabeth

Sherry, Mammalou, Bluebird, Robin, all the sisters here who have struggled with flap and healing issues...we are a huge circle of friends, holding hands across the continents, and we are here to carry you when you're discouraged, depressed, exhausted, or regretful that you underwent DIEP surgery.  I know I struggle a little with guilt that mine went well when I read what wretched experiences you're having, but I know that's not what you're looking for...you just want to be healed and whole!  And we want that for you, too!

What we can do for you is listen, support, and encourage.  There are others here who have had wound issues and have since healed, and their stories can be inspirational.  Maybe it's a little like being pregnant--you can't be pregnant forever, and your wound issues WILL resolve.  It just takes time and careful care.

In the meantime, come here to vent, cry, rant, complain, whine, wail, or whatever it takes to get you through this.  If we could, we'd take turns keeping vigil at your bedsides, helping with wound care, cooking nutritious meals, watching movies together.  Since we can't, just know that our thoughts, prayers, and blessings flow your directions all the time.  Katy

nihahi

sbe......PERFECT POST!!!!

goldie4040

Cellulitis question. For anybody who has had cellulitis, how does it start?  Last night my husband and I were watching TV and my left expander felt funny.  Like I had a shirt on that I had a haircut in, and it kept irritating me.  When I changed for bed I noticed two tiny raised red spots. I panicked.  I ran to the kitchen and took two of the only antibiotic I could find (minocycline), and then I cleaned the area where the red spots are, and put bacitracin and sterile gauze over it.  

I woke up intending to go straight to PS office this morning, but when I got up the spots are almost gone. I do have a call in, and I have been waiting for them to call me back.  It is clinic day, and I know they are busy. If I don't hear by after lunch time I will call again.  The weird pinching scratchy feeling is also gone. 

sbelizabeth

Goldie, I've had cellulitis twice.  The redness began as huge, hot, beet-red areas accompanied by smaller, beet-red rash-type spots.  Both times I had a high fever from the get-go. 

I know my experiences were pretty dramatic and cellulitis can begin as small red areas, but if they're almost gone and you have no other symptoms, they might not be cellulitis but a bug bite or something. 

Did you have axillary dissection and/or rads to that side?  These procedures put you at greater risk for infection, since the lymphatic system can't clear out the nasties as well.

MartyJ

Goldie - could they have been tiny insect bites?  Or shingles?  Since it has gone away, it might have been bites.

DebDylan - thinking about your eating problems.  Your antibiotic may well be the cause.  I took minocycline for 3 weeks after my DIEP.  My sense of taste totally changed, as did smell and vision.  Took about 3 - 4 days after stopping the antibiotic before things got back to normal.  You may want to ask for a different Rx as various antibiotics can cause reactions and then get added to your "no" list.  I have been successful on Cipro the last two surgeries.

goldie4040

Thanks guys.  You have made me feel better.  I had just sentinel node out on both sides, but I know in rare instances that can still leave you open to lymphatic problems.  So far, so good, I think.  I don't think it is shingles because I had that a while back, and it was on my back, and very painful, and took a while to go away. 

It just flipped me out because it was on the skin over the expander, and I don't want anymore setbacks!!!!!

Deb, Marty could be right, but your stress level is so high too.  I know when I was at my worst with the stress as soon as my valium, or ativan kicked in I was hungry and looking for something to eat.  Are you taking anything for anxiety? 

Goodie

sbe - yes, perfect post.  I often feel guilty that I've had very few problems with all these surgeries too.  This is a wonderful group of support for all of us because we know; most family and friends don't really get it and it's not their fault.  I was clueless two years ago too.  We are here for everyone to vent, cry, scream, and support each other.  

hrf

Just reading that some of you are experiencing heartburn (acid reflux). I am too!! It must be something connected either to the surgery of the compression bra. I have no other compression garment. It's not terrible heartburn but nevertheless, it is there even when I eat only a small amount. If a gone has an explanation, I'm listening.



Sherry, how are you today? Bluebird, where are you? Wishing everyone a healing day.

nihahi

Hey Movie.....how're you doing today???

jlbloom

Hello everyone!  I've been reading all the posts.  It has taken me three days to get caught up.  As everyone has said, to those of you that are having so many problems, my heart is breaking for you.  Thankfully there are some really knowledgeable and caring women on this thread that have good information.

For those that are new, just know that it can go fairly smoothly.  Everyone's experience is different and DIEP flap is a godsend for many of us.  All of you are in my thoughts and prayers.  ...Julie

christina0001

Hope everyone is doing well today!

Jubby

My woes are pretty trivial compared to some of the battles that are being fought by you brave ladies at the moment. My heart goes out to all of you fighting infections and surgeries that were not as planned.

It’s so interesting how all of our procedures and PS’s practices differ so much.  I have been told I will only need my nipples tidied up.  No further abdominal work or lipo.  Right now, I never want to see another operating theatre again.  Getting myself prepared for my oophorectomy and gallbladder in October is taking all of the energy I can muster. 

Ladies, when you talk about dog ears, are you talking about abdominal skin or skin on the breast?  I have those attractive skin patches on my breasts near the nipples that will be cut out later when the nipples are tidied up.

A question re the tummy tuck….  The right side of my abdomen is quite puffy above the suture line up towards to navel but the left is not.  I am not seeing my PS for another week but wonder if I have ruptured some internal sutures to make the muscle stick out more or if it’s just swelling.  It is noticeably bulging but on one side only.  Weird… Now I have had the tuck (my silver lining!), I want it to be symmetrical.  As I am right handed, I wonder if I have been overusing my right side and disrupted the muscles.  Is anyone else uneven and how long does abdominal swelling last after this procedure?  I had my surgery 2 weeks ago today.

Sending healing energy to all.

Jubby 

Jeannie57

Jubby, I am 7 weeks out and still have one-sided swelling above my ab incision. I am wearing compression everyday and was told not to worry about. I hear ya about wanting that flat tummy! I am assuming my PS will take care of it during stage II if it's still there then. My dog ears are at the ends of my ab incision (well, they are more like puppy ears) but I believe I have heard of dog ears in the breast area, too. That's what surgeons are for! Fix it! You sound like you're doing great!



Christina, I am doing well today, other than heartburn and a cellulitis scare. These bike wounds need to heal, too....patience!!



Movie, how are you doing today? And the other post-op flappers?