DIEP 2014

Teacher64

The more I read about travel/hotel horror stories, the more grateful I am to live within an easy drive for my treatment and that I didn't have to wear a special bra. I'm also glad I was able to make my own soft drain pockets that I will not need again for stage 2!!

Dyvgrl, car wash sponge? What a hoot! I thought I felt like the foam I used to make a cushion for the dog bed but was reluctant to compare my girls to something the dog scratches. The car wash sponge gives me a better mental image.

goldie4040

hey guys,

kind of freaking out.  yesterday belly button started oozing and leaking alittle.  it stopped.  then this morning I felt something wet running down my legs and it was fluid from my tummy incision.  I called ps and he is in surgery.  I am waiting for a call.  he pulled my hip drain one week after surgery because of low output, but he did say the other day that maybe he pulled it too soon, and if nothing was coming from my tummy incision he wasn't too worried.

Jeannie, I seem to remember you have some leaking from tummy, no?   anybody experience this and it turned out okay?

tlbradyful

Dyvgrl - I turned mine inside out as well. They are really soft and the best option I found; love the bulb holders that can be repositioned. I am so very sad to hear about your recovery. It is hard enough in the most plush surroundings. I wish you had a recliner. I hope something miraculous happens and you get comfort today. Thank you for sharing the information on the ACA. That will help someone avoid your situation.

Zoemom

Goldie - I woke up one morning and my t shirt was soaked.  This was long after my drains were out. It came from my ab incision.  it is better for the fluid to come out than stay in.  It happened a few more times after that although not as bad.  Cover the hole that is the source of the drainage with clean gauze. It will be ok - but keep your PS informed.  I know it doesn't seem possible now, but it really will get better.  

Sending positive vibes to all of you who are recovering. My diep was Sept 2013, I've been in your shoes and have had my share of complications. But I still have no regrets. Hang in there.  

Jerseymom- how are you doing?  

Dyvgrl

went to the doc, got 2 drains out, but my right flap is very swollen so they are going to do an ultrasound tomorrow to see if there's fluid build up inside. Think I might end up with another drain going in somewhere else good news tho we are staying in an Extended Stays handicapped room that's air conditioned, has a recliner, walk in shower with shower chair and hand held shower head. Has a kitchen and the best part, a padded headboard!! Lol where was this place a week ago! Even right next to Bed Bath and Beyond so if I need pillows or anything I can just run over lol. Goldie, hope your drainage issues get worked out but I agree with Zoemom, better out than in!! Keep us posted...

Anonymous

Gentle hugs and prayers for you ladies who are in the thick of it. You may not believe me, but you are doing great.......it's a slow recovery for most of us....you're coming along. Goldie, so happy you thought of the walker. I used my little grandma's. Dvygrl, glad you moved! Sounds SOOOO much better!

Dyvgrl

path report came back NED! I think I will finally sleep now!

AnnBR

Fight, so happy to hear of your splashdown! I certainly can relate to that. Colace is my friend. Congratulations on your good news, I am so happy for you.

I got my final drain removed today, yippee! I feel SO FREE. Tomorrow I will begin wearing the bra I was sized for during my post op appointment. Still wearing the ab binder of course. I couldn't be more pleased with how my breasts are shaping up, even after this stage. Can't wait for stage 2 when the magic happens.

Thank you ladies for the congratulatory wishes. I'm still on cloud nine.

Ann

MartyJ

Goldie I think most of us have sprung a leak. As Zen said better out than in. 

Dyvgrl. Glad you are in a better place. No running to BBB. Let DH go. You need rest and less movement. The more movement early on the more fluids can build up. Relax. You deserve to let your body heal. 

Dyvgrl

ann, congrats on the final drain! Must feel heavenly!!

MartyJ, I will definitely relax now that I can. Hopefully even get 8 hrs of sleep!

jbdayton

Dyvgrl  so happy for the great path report.  I hope you get a long relaxing sleep.  You deserve it.

goldie4040

Thanks guys.  Makes me feel better other's have had similar experiences with leakage.  Cindy, how embarrassing to leak like that when you have company, but he is a man of God and I am sure he understood.

Dvygirl, glad you are more comfortable.  You will probably sleep great tonight!!!

Bailey, it made me feel so old to use that walker, but it's helping a lot.

Marty, I don't know if it's my imagination, but I think it feels less tight since I sprung the leak.

MartyJ

You are probably right Goldie.  That is what happens.  Besides the fluids our body generate during the healing phase, they also pump you full of fluids while you are on the table.  When I went to my first follow-up 6 days after surgery, my ankles looked like balloons.  They put me on lasix and potassium for a couple of days.  I also sprung a leak right after I left the hospital.  They had me in a black (very sexy, not) hook front bra.  When the leak blew around my right boob drain, the black bra created a lovely tie dye pattern on the hotel sheets.  Oops.

Anonymous

Dvygrl.....BEST NEWS EVER! So happy for you!

Teacher64

Leakage seems to be a common issue. I leaked for days after bmx. I had thought the drains were to collect the fluid. Silly me? After DIEP I only leaked after drains were pulled and that was for just a day but it was the low belly ones so, even though I kept changing the gauze pads, it looked like I had wet my pants! Thankfully my pastor didn't visit that day!

k79miller

dyvgrl...So glad you got a better room.  I can't imagine what you were going thru.  It's bad enough not to have a/c when you're healthy but not having it after surgery would be absolutely horrible.  glad you called ACA.  They found us a room for the last week or so that we were in San Antonio.  They will also give you a $50 gas card if you ask. 

 

k79miller

Just found this article on the PRMA facebook page.  They performed over 60 DIEP flap surgeries last month.  Wow!  http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/05/prweb11851006.htm

They did a fantastic job on me.  I've been happy with my girls from the first time I saw them after surgery.

 

Fireball78

Lemon,

If you haven't tried it already use a lanyard in the shower to hold your drains. I also used my children's shower head suction cup adjuster to hang it at my level. I too have four drains- two on each side. After my On-Q pain ball came out I started using that fanny pack to hold the drains during the day. I was able to hide more without feeling so frumpy yet not look like I was back in the 80's with an old school fanny pack. I would rather have people in public see that than anything else. My kids are young (5&7) and being quiet at home is not really an option for me. That and regardless of no longer being a teenager my image in public still bothers me- but that's another issue! 

My surgery was May 9th, a BM with immediate implants. I am praying for a speedy recovery my friend and wish you all the best on this journey. 

nihahi

dyvgrl and goldie....sounds like things are starting to move in the right direction for you both! Happy dance.....at least toe tapping to celebrate. 

dyvgrl...especially great news on the path report. CONGRATS!!!!!

goldie4040

So, you guys were leaking around drain holes and not from incisions?  I am leaking out my belly incision.  I did leak for a day around the drain hole after it was pulled, but that quit draining, and now I am draining from center of ab incision. 

Marty, it seems like it's pretty common to be very swollen everywhere right after diep.  I was shocked how swollen I was. 

JerseyMomOf3

Hi all, just a quick note to say I made it to the other side! 8 hour surgery, I have Dr Levine who trained with Robert Allen and still works with him sometimes but runs his own teams. He is an angel. On day 1 post op. doing well, flaps look and sound great.got up and sat  in a chair and peed today. LOL. Taking Percocet. Started on Dialuid but it was a bit too strong for me. Big hugs to everyone, thank you for the thoughts and prayers. 

jbdayton

Goldie I had my incisions break open in several spots the first one was right in the middle of the ab incision.  It was about an inch long.  My PS had my husband clean it out with a sterile q-tip several times a day and put on Bacitracin then cover with a gauze pad.  I did that for a week or so and it started healing inside out.  When it was almost completely healed another small spot to the side popped open.  Did the same thing.  I still have 2 spots the size of a pencil eraser still healing.

You said it felt like it released some of the tension behind the incision.  It did the same thing for me.  I saw my PS last week and he was pleased with the healing.  He said sometimes you have healing issues like that with long incisions and the extreme pressure on that incision as well.

Hope this helps ease your worries.  I will send you a pm with a picture.

goldie4040

jbdayton, were you pulled very tight too?  I am sorry you went through all that.  This all stinks.  I just looked at your pic.  I read that message before this one, so I asked you a dumb question. Sorry. 

I had this horrible daymare today.  I dreamt I stood up and my stomach opened all the way up.  It was one of those jerk you awake dreams.

AnnBR

When at my last post op appointment, my PS told me to begin massaging my breasts while in the shower. I've been doing that and notice that there are soft and hard areas. Does anyone know if I should be concentrating on massaging the hard areas more than the soft?

jmb5

jerseymom, so glad to hear your surgery went well. Happy healing! 

lahela

Ann, my PS told me to gently massage the hard areas - she was adamant about the "gently". It will help break up the tissue and make it softer.

iowagirl1

Glad all are over the worst and are feeling better.  I am on day 24 on my last drain.  I had a checkup yesterday and they said they will leave it in up to 6 weeks.  The output has really increased and is running 70 to 80 ml per day.  She said the left breast is traumatized because of the big hematoma, radiation, and going back into surgery twice.  They put a new stitch in my drain as it had pulled 2 inches out from the skin opening.

I lost a nipple during surgery.  Is there such a thing as phantom pain where it was?

My dr. Keeps telling me the purpose of the first surgery is to get the flaps to live and we will make them look better in phase 2.  However, I have a huge difference in size.  At least a cup size.  The large one sags about 2 inches lower than the other and will need a lift in phase 2.   I had to get a mastectomy bra with an insert  to fill out the small one.  It's very hard to raise the saggy one to look anywhere close to the level of the smaller one.  It's going to be a long 6 months.

I'm was taken off the pain pump 2 days after surgery and from that day on was not given any drugs except Tylenol and non-narcotic ultram. I'm amazed that most of you were sent home with pain  meds.

There.  I got all the whining out of my system.  Hope you have a great weekend!

MartyJ

Iowagirl - you are not even a month out.  Really, things will change.  I wasn't even in a real bra at 4 weeks.  There is really a lot of trauma that happens to your body and you must give things time to heal inside.  Stage 2 will give you a remarkable change.

AnnBR

Thanks lahela!

Dyvgrl

congrats JerseyMom, welcome to the other side!