DIEP 2013

RHGSR

bdavis - just read your post after I posted the 24 hour question. Makes sense. Thank you. 

I love that I can come on here and ask questions and get such great responses. Thank you all so much!!

goldie4040

Thanks, guys. I am trying to look at it like Nihani said, not a total failure, if he doesn't think a revision of these will work.  I will have pockets for DIEP all ready to go.  What I am hoping is it's a lot like having an exchange with a tummy tuck?!  No? Since I had my bmx already there really shouldn't be any T-rex syndrome, right?  Just drains, and tummy stretching problems?  I am getting ahead of myself.  Maybe he can fix what I have going on here. Jeannie, Nihani, you both had implants/expander's replaced with your tummies, the upper body pain isn't as bad as mx, is it?

RHG, sorry you are having discomfort.  Since several other's seem to have had a similar reaction I wouldn't worry to much, but there is nothing wrong with putting a call into your doc if it continues.

christina0001

Goldie, so sorry you are unhappy with the implants. You've been through so much. I hope kuka's PS is able to offer some assistance.

Well I am in the hospital... long story short, severe abdominal pain turned out to be getting my period for the first time in 22 months. Hadn't had a period since the first month I had chemo. My hemoglobin is low, so they are keeping an eye on it; if it gets too much lower I may need a transfusion and possibly a D & C. Hoping that tomorrow's lab work is better and I can just go home though.

bdavis

Goldie... I had my MX and GAP flap in July 2011 and then a fix with the DIEP flap in August. I then realized the discomfort and heaviness I felt was all from the MX, not the flap surgery.

OceanWarrior

Christina - that must have been a surprise!  Hope everything balances out quickly and you can go home.  

Jeannie57

Christina! I'm so sorry! I hope you get out of there fast, hopefully tomorrow. 

Goldie, I don't remember my chest hurting from DIEP. I only remember being so thrilled to have soft warm boobs instead of TEs! You do guard your arms for awhile but I don't think I was really T-rexing it. I just didn't want to "dislodge" anything, even if it wasn't necessary.

nihahi

christina!!!!!! WTH????? I'm so sorry you're in hospital. Hoping you are being well cared for, and that the labs show you strong enough to be released tomorrow. {{{X}}}

goldie.....you keep up that "optimistic outlook"!!!! Nothing in life should be looked at as a total failure, something can always be "learned or salvaged"...right!!!!

Honestly, my mx was so long ago, I'm not the best resource for you on that topic.Things were done differently back then. I do remember the pain of the TE..... that process can be a whole other side of pain for some ladies, and is definitely NOT the "easy side" of recon, so goldie....I think you likely have been through the worst of the pain, if you do end up with a flap of some kind. I had very little pain at the tummy incision....sure, some discomfort, but definitely not pain. Having had your bmx awhile ago, I imagine your sensation has already been compromised in your breast area, so I wouldn't expect the pain there to be significant either. I haven't had any other kind of flap, so won't offer any comparison on those.

Jeannie57

Lahela, I'm ok. Vision in right eye still sucks. Fat necrosis on left side has pink skin over it ---not cellulitis because I've had it for about ten days. I see PS's PA on the 7th to see what we should do about it, if anything.  Nipples are scheduled Feb. 7th in the procedure room. I really don't want to go to the OR for necrosis removal for many reasons, but especially because a sudden drop in BP could cause the other eye to go cuckoo, too. Mine has been known to drop. I dread having to explain that to PS/anesthesiologist because so far docs look at me like, "huh?" I always get the weird stuff. Somehow I have five medical appts. and a procedure scheduled within the next six weeks when it is most inconvenient to have to pay insurance deductibles with DH out of work. He says he'd sell everything to take care of me so I'm one blessed wife, truly. Lahela, I hope you are all healed up by Thursday and can just move on and start the new year fresh!!

Moviemaniac

Christina-hope you get feeling well enough to go home really soon........as if we don't have enough on our plates.....

Goldie.....so sorry that the implants aren't working out......but I understand the desire to get them out and move on ASAP......I iwll keep fingers crossed that all goes smoothly for you.....

Jeannie....you have an awesome DH....a keeper for sure!

Lahela-hope you are doing better....

RHG-you will do fine w/chemo......we're with ya!

Everyone else......hope all is well.....

And........I am certainly fixated on these face icons tonight......sorry Ladies!

Love you all....tired and going to bed.....

Jeannie57

Whoa, I was just reading the Center for Disease Control's website (CDC) about how long/when people are contagious with the flu. The site stressed that people who have had cancer are more susceptible to complications from the flu, no matter when they had cancer, and should contact they're docs at the first sign of symptoms so they can get an antiviral and it shouldn't be the nasal spray form. Cancer sucks.

goldie4040

Oh my gosh.  So much in the last few hours.

Christina, I am so sorry.  Those must have been some bad cramps to send you to the hospital, but of course not having them for a while, and certainly not expecting a period would scare the pee out of me.  Why a D&C? Are you clotting, or is there just so much build up in your uterus from not having a period for so long?  I thought you were on tamoxifen?  Isn't that supposed to stop your period?  Ugh...too many questions.  I hope you feel better, and get home soon.  You are our Poster Child for the perfect recovery.  Don't ruin you reputation....hehehehehe.  Only kidding.  Get well soon.

Jeannie, yeah for nipples, boo for necrosis and low bp.  I have SVT almost all my adult life, and the anesthesiologist always says there is no problem, just glad you told us.  I think they are pretty good at dealing with all blood pressure and heart rate issues.  I believe you should be fine.  My BFF's mom just had her right lower lobe of her lung removed and she has A-fib. They dealt with that just fine.  I know the eye problem is more than scary, but I really think they will take extra special care of you.

Oh, that is interesting about the flu.  I had my shot, and keep my finger's crossed.  Texas is having a big outbreak this year.  My grandson got it even after the flu shot.  But, two days on Tamiflu and he was bouncing around again.  Youth is of course on his side.

Thanks for all the feedback on the foob pain after diep.  I had a feeling I would probably only be dealing with tummy discomfort.  Also, it would be a much shorter surgery without having to do bmx first, I would hope.

lahela

Christina - OUCH! I hope it settles down quickly and your labs come back okay!

Jeannie - your DH sounds like a truly good man. You are going through so much right now, but having him and your sons by your side must be such a comfort. I wish we had that magic wand already!

Movie - you sure did let loose with the funny faces! LOL!

Jeannie57

Thanks, Lahela! I have two sons-in-law and three lovely daughters as well as my guy. And a granddaughter--8 years old.

lahela

Oops! Sorry Jeannie, I'm terrible at remembering things like that! I even have a list of my DH's nieces and nephews so I know who my mother-in-law is talking about! LOL!

LucyV

Christina- Hope you get released from jail today! Hope they figure everything out quick!

Jeannie- what a sweet husband you have!

Goldie- I heard about Texas and the flu. Stay away from the germie folks.

I'm getting in a routine at the gym and looked at myself in the mirror yesterday and my belly was popping out. Good thing I knew it was swelly belly. Want to know how to upset everyone in your family? Keep saying "swelly belly". Haha they just don't get it like you ladies!

RHGSR

I hadn't heard about the flu out break in Texas. Is it all over the state or concentrated to just one area? I had them give me a flu shot in the hospital after my port placement. I usually don't get them but I figured with chemo about to start I needed it. 

Christina- how are you feeling this morning? Positives thoughts being sent your way 

Great time with hubby!! Had a pre-chemo-moon!! Nice to get away for a night and just spend time together. We haven't done that since our third was born (unless you count our time together in hospital after DIEP... Ha ha)  and the baby is almost two!! 

Have a great Sunday ladies!

goldie4040

RHG, I am pretty sure it's all over, but here is a link to one of the news reports.http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2013/12/20/texas-h1n1-deaths-prompt-some-to-get-flu-vaccinations/

You should be fine since you got the vaccine the other day.  Just be extra careful for the next week or so until the vaccine kicks in.

christina0001

Jeannie, your husband sounds like such a sweetheart. Can't wait to hear about how your nipple procedure goes, I'm scheduled for the end of March and it's all I can think about.

I am doing much better this morning. The bleeding is just like a normal period now. They checked my blood levels again this morning and my hemoglobin is still low, but it is 0.1 higher than last night, so at least it did not drop any more. My pain is just tenderness right now, and very tolerable. The doctor should be in to see me any time and I expect she will send me home. I am ready to go home! Thanks for all the well wishes, I appreciate it. goldie - yes, the ob/gyn at the hospital said my uterus lining was built up from not having a period for so long, so there would be the chance of needing to do a D&C, but she did not think it would come to that. She was mostly worried I would need a transfusion if my hemoglobin kept dropping. They gave me IV iron last night and again this morning. I'll be making steaks for dinner tonight! Medically necessary, right?

Sharon1942

My uni-origami & tattooed nipple has shrunk to almost nothing & no longer matches my much larger natural nipple. What the heck do I do now?  I went to show it to my daughters & when I lifted my bra I said, "Oh my gosh, it has fallen off!"  I even looked for it in my bra. It seemed to have happened overnight! 

nihahi

Absolutely....steaks for dinner.....ask your doc for a rx....maybe your insurance will pay for them !

bdavis

Sharon... Reconstructed nipples always reduce A LOT.... When I first got mine, it was huge, and I was assured it would shrink to match my natural nipple... and it did... but you can have a tweak and have a filler added behind it. Ask your PS about that.

Sharon1942

Thanks for the info, bdavis. I'm just wondering if I can trust my PS to fix it?

Moviemaniac

Sharon, my PS assured me that my two matching fipples would shrink by about 50%......I am counting on that......

Christina, I am glad that you are doing a bit better.....steaks it is (for dinner tonight!)

Happy Sunday, everyone!

Cherrie

Christina- Hope you get put of there soon!! 

bdavis

Sharon... Nipples are not a complicated procedure. I say procedure, not surgery, cause that's what it is. So, if you want to try someone else, go for it. I am sure insurance would cover it, and it would be an outpatient procedure. Maybe ask around or look at the forum. But its still baffling why they disappeared after such a long period of time.

goldie4040

Oh, good idea, Bdavis.  Sharon, filler is a good idea.  Maybe fat grafting could fix it.  Then you could have a quick little office procedure under a local.  It's a pain that you have to deal with it because you thought you were done, but I think that sounds like a good option.

bdavis

I think "filler" is collagen or something like that... Not sure fat grafting would work in a nipple.

goldie4040

Oh, I knew what you meant, Betsy, but if you can get the fat grafting to take it's forever.  Most filler's have to be redone every 6 months to a year.  I have friends that get it in their faces and they are always having touch ups. But, it is a great idea, especially since Sharon had her tattoo already, and another surgery could mess that up. 

Are collagen injections forever? They might be. 

bdavis

I think that there is a filler that is forever... Kind of like Alloderm... or maybe it is alloderm.

goldie4040

I have heard of them using alloderm for nipples, Betsy.  That might work too.

Okay, I have an important question for all ladies who ever suffered with iron bra before they had their diep.  My husband and I are at our wits end with my situation as it is right now.  I have suffered with iron bra since the day I woke up from my bmx with expanders back in April.  I suggested to him that we might open the door to thinking about diep again since this new surgeon is very open to working on women with not a lot of body fat, and since I have gained some weight I could very well be a good candidate for him to do surgery. My husbands biggest fear is that the iron bra would not go away even with diep.  I told him I had posted the question to the forum a long time ago, and the response I got was overwhelmingly "yes" my iron bra went away.  Some of you didn't even realize it till I brought it up.  I was hoping some of you might chime in again, and help us add a pro to our pro and con list.