DIEP 2014

tangandchris

Morning ladies!

I'm new here to this thread and had some questions..not sure if ya'll can help.

Yesterday I had surery to remove my TE's, one of them has been infected and it wasn't responding to antibiotics. I need to start chemo ASAP and this was the only way to get things going. With that said, I decided to remove the other one as well and just get thru treatments and heal from that before moving on with reconstruction.

I've had some issues with PS and will probably not be returning to him after the surgery follow up. I was told initially that I was not a candidate for DIEP since I am too overweight. My BMI is 46, I think the cut-off is 40...has anyone dealt with this and do you have insight on this? I felt like the PS just didnt even want to consider this possiblity as he talked to me about it in a very negative way. He said the surgery would be 10-12 hours long and painful recovery.

I obviously need to loose weight, so I'm thinking that over the next several months of chemo/radiation I could loose some lbs and that might help in this DIEP issue.

Have ya'll been happy with the DIEP, any major complications? I'm so over TE's that I just don't want to be stuck with this as my only option for reconstruction.

jmb5

What is the best thing for constipation? I haven't had a bm since Thursday. I've asked 2 different nurses if I could have something and they both said if I was passing gas I didn't need it. So my BS just came to the room and said to get milk of magnesia. She said the nurses should have given it to me 3 days ago. So frustrating. 

kelleyb

Tang, sorry you've had complications with your TEs.  I've heard from a couple friends that they were told by a PS that their weight was an issue - that they were "too fat".  Grrrrrrrr.  I was never told this and I pressed my PS on it.  In fact, I interviewed a few PS and it was not an issue to any of them.  Ultimately, the PS I chose told me it could take a little bit longer to complete the surgery itself but healing shouldn't be impacted.  I have a good 50-60 pounds to lose and debated waiting on surgery to lose this all the weight, but ultimately I wasn't confident I'd have the same insurance, so moved forward.   Glad I did because, sure enough, my DH's company was bought out and we are getting insurance that isn't as good.  So I'm glad I did my stage 1 at my current weight and am in no hurry for stage 2.  My PS said that I can use the mandatory 3 month waiting period to lose weight if I choose to, but either way he can and will adjust a lot of things for me like evening up the size with lipo and maybe a small implant.  

I encourage you to do a lot of research on procedures and options and get several opinions; I didn't like any of the well-qualified PS I met and ended up traveling to New Orleans to have my surgery done.  Very happy with that decision.  I used Dr. Scott Sullivan.  

Good luck as you start chemo, praying all the best for you.

Sharon1942

Tang, I have heard of several ladies on BCO.org that were told by their first PS they were too overweight for the DIEP, but found another PS that had no problems doing the DIEP. Just get a 2nd opinion.  

sbelizabeth

jmb...I am the constipationator!  I can help!  You need stool softeners (colace), Miralax, and Metamucil  All of them can be purchased at Costco in generic form.

Start taking stool softeners morning and night.  Before bedtime, stir Metamucil and Miralax into a big glass of water and chug it down.

If it's too late for this, send someone out for a bottle of mag citrate and guzzle it, along with a bucket of water or gatorade.

Good luck!

tangandchris

Thanks ladies, I will definately be getting more info about this and opinions on my options.

goldie4040

SBE, I can see the tummy issue working better on a bike, but I would be so afraid to fall.  You are so brave. 

Belly button fears, here is what I heard.  Your belly button is attached to a stem inside your body, and it can't be moved higher, or lower.  It might seem like it is because of swelling, bruising, repositioning of your upper, and lower tummy, but you belly button is in the same place.  Of course, after I read that I had to play with my belly button, and it is anchored to something. I read somewhere in my travels about a woman who had a diep, and she said the only thing that bothered her was not having a belly button anymore.  I said nothing.  I wonder what that was all about?

MartyJ

JMB - Those darn nurses - they were treating you as if you had a hysterectomy.  Like SBE said - stool softeners (colace) is a must - 2 x a day.  Drink lots of water.  Magnesium Citrate works very well (liquid from the drug store) usually pushes things straight through - with tons of water.  Miralax is excellent, but takes several days to work.  I actually took prunes to the hospital as I was so concerned about the "issue".

Ridley

Jmb - I had colace and sennakot in the hospital, but ended up also getting a dose of lactulose to get things going.  I had to confirm that things were moving before they would release me!

My belly button seems centred, but about an inch too high.  Not like I ever wore a bikini before this surgery, so I'm not too worried about it:)

Ridley

lahela

I actually wondered why they bothered with a new belly button at all! But I guess I'd look even more like an alien without one 

Jeannie57

Tangandchris, please don't try to lose weight while doing chemo. That is when you need the best nutrition, not limiting calories. Your appetite may change while you are on it, your taste buds could be affected. Eat as healthily as you can. Don't want to upset you but it is not unusual to actually gain weight while on chemo. I'm sorry for your TE trouble and I hope DIEP works out for you. I am very glad I did DIEP. Since I had rads DIEP was the best choice for me. 

Moviemaniac

Ladies....re: the belly button issue.....my PS said he re-positioned mine during my stage 2a......by pulling it through itself.....I kid you not, at that point, I quickly lost interest!  All I can say is, after my 2nd surgery, it was back where it belonged......

tangandchris

Jeannie-I've heard that weight gain isn't uncommon during chemo. I don't know what I will do right now, I'm going to have Rads too. All of this is complicated and overwhelming. The good news is I don't have to decide right this minute, that is how I felt when this all started. Also, I'm going to take more time finding a PS this time.

Thanks for the input!

goldie4040

Tangandchris, I agree with Jeannie, during chemo you need to eat as healthfully  as you can to keep up your strength. I have a friend who actually had a gastric sleeve put on after she was finished with chemo, and rads. She lost 80 pounds and will be having her diep this coming summer.  She teaches and will do it when she is off from school.  She will get a tummy tuck out of the deal because she has been overweight a while, and her tummy is not snapping back.  But, she is strong now, and really ready for the surgery.  I have never seen such an amazing transformation in a person. She looks amazing, and is ready for the next step. She has a strength I can only wish for, and look up to.

tangandchris

Wow, she does sound like an inspiration! I'm not going to diet during chemo, I will just use this as an oppurtunity to eat better.

Ada2014

I took a stool softener pill and miralax in a cup of hot tea or hot coffee in the morning and that helped me. Make sure to put the miralax in something hot or it is too gritty. Something hot in the morning also helps your digestive track start working.

Donna2012

tangandchris,

About weight loss & chemo:  here is what I would do - concentrate on eating only healthy & whole foods during chemo.  You want to have as strong as an immune system as possible during chemo.  Eliminate all processed foods, sugars & white flours.  Again - your entire focus should be to eat healthy ( not weight loss ).  I guarantee that if you do this you will also lose some of the weight, without trying.  

Beebop

Tang - unfortunately many women gain weight on chemo.  I think the steroids cause this, so don't get your hopes up.  I also had my TEs removed, after chemo, but before radiation, so for me DIEP was my only option.   I waited 2 years until I had my DIEP.  Get yourself through chemo without worrying about the weight.  I know, not what you want to hear, but there is no rush.

Jmb - I can't believe they weren't giving you anything for constipation!  I was getting colace and they tried to give me Metamucil, but I couldn't tolerate that.  When I got home I added Senna to the colace and that seemed to help.

Post op Ladies - Is it better for pain control to be somewhat active?  I was off the pain meds, but got sick over the weekend, have not been out of bed much and my belly pain seems worse.  Trying not to go back to the pain meds, but felt so much better when I took one yesterday.

niknak11

My BS just told me that I probably won't be able to do immediate reconstruction like I wanted due to the blood thinners I'm on and need to be on until May.  I'm a little upset.  I just wanted to wake up and be a new person and move on.  I guess this can't be that easy.  I hope I can still do the diep in May.  I'll find out on Monday from a PS recently referred to me if he thinks its safe for me.  Fingers crossed.  

Jeannie57

niknak, I'm sorry for the disappointment. I hope you can have the DIEP, too. I waited 15 months between bmx and DIEP. Even after treatment ended, I waited five months to regain my strength before DIEP. BC has ups and downs but you will be looking back on all this before you know it. You have support here.

Moviemaniac

Nik-so sorry you have hit the proverbial bump in the road........but in the big scheme of things, May is not so very far away, is it?  I hope your consult on Monday goes well.  Is this with my PS?

Anonymous

I gained weight during chemo! Super bummed because I had just worked really hard to drop the weight in the six months prior to diagnosis. Steroids and instant menopause did me in, despite eating well and remaining active. I took a year off after my last Herceptin treatment before flap recon. I felt like I needed the time to get healthy and strong again...and to resolve some lingering rads issues and get truncal lymphedema under control. Yes it's discouraging sometimes to still be dealing with all of this going on three years later.....but my end results (being alive and having noobs) will be worth the wait

iowagirl1

I feel like Jerry Seinfeld but I gotta say it.....   When it's 30 below, why do they call it a "blanket" of cold???

krissy42

An aerobic exercise step next to my bed really helped. Many beds these days arec very tall. I also walked every day after day 6 after surgery. Each day I added a driveway lap...granted this was October in NE Ohio, so it was a beautiful fall scene.

krissy42

I have purchased Pajama Jeans! I cant wear sweats out to dinner.  Love them. 

Zoemom

JMB-colace 2x per day and Miralax with hot water once a day. It all worked beautifully

goldie4040

I saw the generic Miralax at Costco. I didn't get it because you have to buy three huge bottles of the stuff.  Is Miralax a laxative, or a high fiber drink that helps keep things moving.  I refuse to have another episode like I did after my bmx.  I hate to be graphic, but it was like giving birth, and it took a good part of a whole day before the pains produced the fruits of my labor, so to speak.  I would prefer to be ready.  The only thing they gave me then was stool softener, and it eventually worked, but I had no tummy incision at that time.  This time I don't think I will be able to handle that again. Hey Jeannie, I can hear that ambulance siren in my nightmares about this....hehehehehe. 

Jeannie57

Goldie, follow Sbel, the Constipationator's, advice! Colace, Miralax, Metamucil, I think. Mag Citrate for emergencies. I didn't deal with it aggressively soon enough. I also ate prunes, drank prune juice. Stay hydrated!

goldie4040

Jeannie, so are you guys saying you should do a total cleanse the day before surgery, and then keep up the miralax and stool softener right through recovery?  I think SBE needs to post full directions.  I don't want to end up with the runs either.

Jeannie57

Goldie, she just posted it again recently, I think on this thread. I didn't know about it so I don't want I get it wrong for you.