DIEP 2014

Moviemaniac

Just popped in to wish this week's gals safe surgeries, and speedy healing.......you CAN do this!

Beebop

southerngirl - best kind of pants are loose draw string pants so you can adjust them depending on where it feels comfortable.  Good luck!

jenjenl

I am exhausted and my sleeping scheduled is all fucked up.  3 drains removed today and the last one tomorrow.  so nice getting some drains removed.  I am laying flat but can't get up.  he said he did some repairing of my upper abdominal area (guess the kids really separated them) and that is where i hurt the most.

I will need some work in stage two.  they made the radiated side a little bigger in case some died.  there is an area in my armpit area that will have to be removed.  Overall they are so soft and amazing and mine.  I have small B's which fit my frame well.  Still hunched over but stretching each day.

I am so bored of reading and watching tv.  

I tried to sleep on my side where i have no drains and it hurt a bit.  2013 DEIPers is it too early?

goldie4040

Donna, glad you got to go home.  That will make things so much more comfortable.  Glad you are happy with your girls!!!!!

Hope everybody else is doing well. 

JMB, don't push it.  Take is slow.  You will be upright in no time. 

Moviemaniac

Jenjen....it is way too early for side sleeping...check with your PS...I wasn't allowed to side sleep for several MONTHS......Patience, Grasshopper........

Anonymous

Jen - I have more than a few years on you lol...so I am sure you've got some stuff in your "bounce back" that I lacked...but I didn't sleep on my side for a good month or longer...and even then it was probably too soon. Imo side sleeping is likely putting pressure on your incisions that you might not fully feel due to surgery numbness, not to mention you don't want to compress that new vein connection. 

I did  have DH slide a pillow behind me, sort of halfway, sometimes that I leaned back on to kind of give me a break from straight back sleeping. I'm a side sleeper, too, I know how hard it is! Patience, sista!

Ada2014

Beebop, 

My BS increased my dosage of Gabapentin and that has helped with the nerve pain. I am on 5 300mg pills per day. It seems like a lot but she said I can take even more if I need to. 

I hope you feel better. Ginger ale always helps my nausa.

Donna2012

I am miserable!   My fear was the surgery & immediately after - that has been relatively easy.  Now my back is killing me, I am totally hunched over (not allowed to straighten up at all) & the 4 drains are annoying & disgusting!  3 of the drains do not seem to be putting out a lot - I am hoping to have them out by Friday.  I do not want to go thru the weekend with them!  I am not taking ANY pain medication (including Tylenol),  but decided I will take a sleeping pill tonight to try & sleep.  I spoke to my visiting nurse on the phone & talked things over with her.  Since I am just really frustrated & totally uncomfortable ( not in any real pain), she recommended the sleeping pill instead of the pain meds.  I have recliners in my home, but have decided to try and sleep in my own bed with lots of pillows.  

MartyJ

New DIEP gals - Don't push the laying flat in bed too soon.  You really, really need to give your body time.  I know it is hard, but it is really best not to side sleep for at least a month as you are putting pressure on your new boobies.  Use pillows to prop your knees and your back so that you aren't putting tension on the abs.  Besides giving those muscles a break, you will be giving the incision an opportunity to heal nicely.  By stretching it when lying flat or standing straight the scar usually widens.  Just stay focused on the end result.

Anonymous

Donna- give yourself a break, please. You are only three days out from major surgery. Tylenol and ibuprofen are also anti-inflammatory meds so they can help control the inflammation ...as well as control pain. There is no medal for toughing it out. Did your ps give you any muscle relaxers? Many of us are prescribed Valium after surgery. That helps with the Braxton hicks type tummy spasms and can help your back, too. And yes to the sleeping pill. You need sleep for proper healing. 

Bed with pillows, recliner with pillows....whatever works! My son said I was responsible for a worldwide pillow shortage after my surgery!!

This is a slow process for most of us. It may well take some time.....more than any of us wants, of course....but you will not feel terrible forever. 

So sorry you are having a bad time of it today 

LucyV

jenjenl and Donna- each day will get better promise. Sleeping is hard but so important for healing. I basically made a little nest. Wedge pillow behind me, wedge under the knees, pillows under each arm. I am not a sleeping pill person but did use ambien for the first few weeks. I think others have used Ativan. I also kept a small water bottle, my phone and any meds I might need during the night by my side since it took a lot to get out of bed or even reach the nightstand. I also did not lie in bed during the day. I was on the couch or sitting at the kitchen table. I feel for you guys but just take it day by day

jenjenl

So happy I asked and very good points.  Many thanks!  

sbelizabeth

Ah, yes...nighttime...the bane of fresh surgical patients.  Here's what I did:

Two standard pillow under the head and shoulder area, two long "body" pillows (one alone each side of me), a pillow under my knees, a pillow in my lap for my hands to rest upon.  Elbows rested on the body pillows.  Ambien every night, along with a pain pill if I was uncomfortable, and a valium if my back was having spasms due to the artificially bent-over position.  Drains go into a fanny-back on my lap.

Build a nest, and medicate.  SLEEP will help you get well!  

I kept track.  It took a good three weeks for me to stand upright, and I'm very aggressive when it comes to post-op recovery.  No walkers for me--I used an old cane my grandfather used, and it helped a bit.  I walked (and rode my bike...shhhhh...) and it all helped with the recovery, but recovery takes time and rest and good nutrition and being patient with your body.

Blessings to our sisters going through this now!  

jenjenl

Donna. If you take the pain pills it makes the tubes and uncomfortableness more tolerable.   

LucyV

Beebop- how are the antibiotics working? Feeling better?

Anonymous

I stole this from another thread.....

Donna2012

well something is going well today - no more fear of constipation!  I was scared that this would be a problem for me, since it seems like many of you had this problem after surgery.  Besides not really needing pain meds, I was also hoping to avoid them for this very reason.  For those of you heading into surgery - this is what seemed to work for me:  walk as soon as you can, drink a lot of water & I was taking a colace 3x a day while in the hospital.  In the hospital I did have gas pains yesterday, which they said was a good sign that the bowels are starting to work again.  One less thing to worry about I guess.....  Taking an ambien now and heading to bed, which I hope will be a restful good nights sleep - I need it.  

Kat-ski

I had to post a snow angel for everyone.  For some reason when I made them as a girl, it was so darn cold on the body!!

Donna, please let Wilbur be your friend, well your best friend for now.  And yes take the sleeping pill.

Jen, please find some comfort in those pillows!!

And the Ladies showing-off in the public restroom(well, in the stall), I just wonder too how much of the laughing and awesome exclamations were heard too.  As my mom would say, what a "hoot"!

All of my "duckies" are in a nice row now!  I even have a bc nurse navigator from the methodist hospital as a "ducky" !  She called this morning and will be meeting me Feb. 18th at PRMA.  So as you veterans say, 'All you have to do is show up'.  Next week is packing the clothes that I want to wear for a month.  And right now, I feel like I want to run from this but know I can't.  I am not brave nor courageous just resolved to get it done!  

I am so lucky to have all of you!  Don't know what I'd do without ya'll!  ((((((hugs)))))) Kat

goldie4040

Donna, please don't think not taking your pain meds is a good thing.  Pain slows healing.  Yes, the meds might cause some constipation, but that is what stool softeners are for.  Please, re think the pain meds. 

SBE, you robe you REAL bike after surgery?  Not a stationary bike?  Shame on you.  hehehehe

Ridley

Lots of good advice on sleeping.  I didn't have any restrictions from my PS re sleeping on my side, so here is what worked for me.  I slept in a recliner for the first 2-3 weeks, but at some point, I couldn't hack that anymore for sleeping.  So I moved to a couch and slept on my side.  I found the back of the couch was easier on my back than the recliner, and it kept me sort of immobile (was worried about rolling over on a drain.). After a week or so of that, I moved to a bed (by then all the drains were out.) I had a wedge pillow, but could never get that positioned in a comfortable way.  Just used lots of regular pillows.   I took ambien as well for a week or so after I got home.

I hope you all figure out comfy sleeping nests that work for you.

Good luck to all of you with surgery this week - sending positive vibes for minimal pain and beautiful, well connected flaps.

I'm 6 weeks out now.  Heading to see my PS on Wednesday about the little crater in my abdo incision that is not yet healed.  I still have Homecare nurses coming every two days to look at it and change the bandages, and their view is that it is not deep enough to pack.  The other incisions are  healed or almost healed, so I'm hoping this last inch will start to cooperate.    I'm heading south out of the polar vortex at the end of next week, and while I know I won't be able to swim in the ocean/pool, I'd like the "hole" to be getting smaller before I go.

Sweet dreams!

sweetpickle

I slept in a recliner for eight weeks with six pillows stuffed around me. I didnt really sleep on my side, it was a weird twisted position but it worked for me. I was also hunched over for several weeks. It is a massive surgery and even if you dont feel pain, remember that you have a lot of internal stitching that is healing too. I started to feel more myself between ten and twelve weeks out and felt great when I got the all clear to workout and stretch.

I am all nested in now after stage two with nine pillows, one is in my lap so I can type on my pad, and my soft purple blankie. Perfection

I am still really sore and hurting in one spot but I am taking advil and resting. I will be two weeks post op on Wed. so I think Im doing darn good all things considered.

Good luck to all the ladies tnis week, we are thinking of you and will be here when you wake up!

As a side note, my sister just got her first chemo today. As my journey ends, hers begins and how blessed I am to be able to be there for her!

jmb5

Today starts day 4 of healing. Last night I felt really good. At 3:00 am I woke up and feel miserable. This is the worst I've felt the whole time. My back aches, and my body just hurts everywhere. They gave me Percocet, which should help. They never gave me some before I fell asleep so I guess the pain started since it wore off. 

Donna2012

jmb,  you will be able to rest much better once you are able to come home.  When do you get released?  At the hospital I barely slept at all - last night (after taking ambien) I slept from 11:00-6:00 straight thru - only waking once to use the bathroom.  I think that having a good nights sleep will make a world of difference in my day today.

Has anyone ever felt that their belly button is too high up?  I am not sure if this is just because the skin is so tight and once I am allowed to stretch it things will get back to normal.  It looks good, but just seems to be about 2" higher of where I would expect it to be.  

lahela

Donna, that's very common! Mine's definitely higher than the original, but I guess they do that because everything will eventually stretch back into place. It can take a long time, though, so we just need to consider this part of the "new normal" until that happens.

jmb5

Donna, looks like I get to go home today! Yay! I am feeling much better since the Percocet kicked back in. The doctor gave me a plan to wean myself off of it over the next few days. I am really excited to go home, but it is really quiet here in the hospital, believe it or not. There is a special women's unit and I am at the end of the hallway. I have slept really well here except for the part where they wake me up every couple hours. My belly button looks smaller and doesn't look quite centered but I could care less. 

kelleyb

Medicate and nest - that is such a great summary of how to get through the nights!  I found that 1.5 or 2 of Ativan put me out enough that I basically stayed on my back without being aware of it.  This after two weeks of struggling through the night and dreading bed time.  Hope you can find a system that will get you through these tough first weeks of recovery.

Also discovered that wearing my front zip terry robes was much better for my tummy incision than PJ or yoga pants - no pressure on the incision, less pain.  

Beebop

Lucy - slept well last night and woke up feeling not so terrible.  I had been off the pain meds, but was so uncomfortable yesterday I broke down and took one.  I felt so much better after that.   I guess I just feel like 3 weeks out I should not need them.   Going to try and spend some time out of bed today, although with temps of -15 and -30 windchill, I won't be going outside!

Zenful

Southerngirl, sending hugs and positive energy your way.  I found a similar cotton nightshirt that buttoned up the front, and I love it. Very stretchy cotton yoga pants work well, and many of the ladies use cotton lounge pants from Target. 

Donna2012

here is a good tip about showering:  I showered once in the hospital and also this morning at home.  I am fairly self-sufficient and don't really need help, as long as all of the things that I need aren't too high or too low.  When I get out of the shower instead of using a towel, I just put on my thick terry, absorbent robe & that is how I "dry" off.  Worked well.  

I also am very comfortable in pajama pants or sweatpants.  The elastic waist bands hit me above the abdominal incision, but below the belly button, so they are fine.  

Jmb,  I feel like my belly button is also not centered!  I do feel like I have a bloated stomach with swelling & bruising, so maybe there is just more swelling on 1 side (1 stomach drain puts out much more than the other) that is "pulling" the belly button, so it is not centered.   You will feel better to be home later.

I feel good - 2 biggest complaints are the drains & not being able to straighten up.  Based on my calculations, I should be able to get 3 of the 4 drains out either thurs or fri.  I think I will still have 1 over the weekend.  I am not pushing it, because I realize the problems that can occur from having them out too soon.  

I am going to continue the ambien at night for the next several days, since it allowed me to sleep so well last night.  

sbelizabeth

Goldie...yes, I rode my "real" bike, because for me, it was easier than walking.  The bent-over posture on the bicycle accomodated my own bent-over position, and it was easy to just glide around for a few miles. 

My belly button seemed too high, a little off to the side, and full of dried blood.  I resisted the urge to go digging around in there to clean it all out!  Now, ten months later, it's all clean, has drifted into the perfect position, and is cute as a...well...button.

Gotta run!