DIEP 2015

Tulip21

I'm scheduled for a mastectomy, other breast was removed last year, and DIEP reconstruction for both this Thursday, August 20. I will have a caregiver for the first week. After she leaves I plan on microwaving frozen food, however, the freezer is at the lower part of the refrigerator which will require minor bending. I live alone and was wondering how long a time period it was before any of you could bend post surgery.

Jillybee

It will be stretching out that is difficult.I advice to get your meals brought to the front of the freezer,and not bend,but get on to your knees.However,need strong core to get up again,as you won't be able to pull on the arm.I had both breasts reconstructed last year,DIEP,and for the first 2 weeks I could do no more than put the kettle on.And lift the mug!!!!Just don't take any risks......After 2 weeks I was told I could peel vegetables.....whoopydooo!!!!.....take it easy....

mefromcc

I was not able to get back up, either. I suggest having a chair near the fridge that you can push easily across the floor a few feet so you can open and close the fridge doors.

Law828

I am scheduled in October for diep flap at MdAnderson. I am very excited and less nervous each day. But, I will have to stay at a hotel for about 5-8 days after I am released from the hospital before I can fly home. Please if you could share any "do's and don't" I had a mastectomy in 2011 on one side only, I am not super active, but I have been trying to exercise and possibly loose a few pounds by quitting sugar only (cookies, cake, candies and sweet stuff like that). I don't care to be a size D or care to get a tattoo either, I just want to be able to buy a bra anywhere and clothes are that not neck high. I have been looking at pictures on the internet and the few I saw right after surgery looked super painful. How long did it take to recuperate to where you can clean your home, run around to shop, walk for exercise or simply lift your arms. Any advise or pointers will be appreciated

phoebe58

Thanks for the welcome advice Syl. I borrowed a bath bench from Red Cross -- you just need a form signed by a health care person and make a small donation, and got the waist hi panties already whoooo! I looked for a grabber - great idea, but no luck. Will try bbq tongs!! And Tulip - we are on the same day, Aug 20! Best wishes with your surgery. I live alone too [ ok dog and cat great fun but not much help] but will be in Vancouver for 2 weeks post surgery staying at a good friend's, and then friends back home are rotating coming to check in when I return. I can be pretty darn independent, so part of me cringes at the help, but I am trying to learn to graciously accept it, and do genuinely appreciate it, and even ask for some stuff [like chopping kindling at the lake which I won't be able to do all winter:(...... Spookisgirl, Victoria is my hometown, though now live up north. Best wishes Js5 too: I will think of you as Aug 25 should be the day I leave hospital.

I had read that a few of you are having a tough time with your shoulders -- frozen or tight. I really like the Classical Stretch exercise dvds by Miranda Esmonde White. She does gentle all over stretches for strength and flexibility --I have been following her for years [off and on] on PBS and taped several on my pvr. It turns out she had breast cancer at 50, and now has a free video on her website classicalstretch.com on specific stretches post breast cancer surgery to view and follow along. It's about 15 minutes and she suggests to do your best a few times daily.

I leave tomorrow, so back to packing! My head is a bit like a squirrel in a cage just now hoping I have remembered everything important, but overall feeling positive!

nihahi

Just wanted to say "hi" and good wishes to everyone.

A group of 2013 gals are currently making plans for our 2nd annual "get together", and it has brought back so many memories...happy and difficult ones...of the struggles and triumphs that we shared as we went through our surgeries and recoveries. I hope many of you are also finding the connections you make here to be forever friendships. What is such a "big thing" at this point in your lives, truly will become a distant memory in the rear view mirror. Hang in there!!!!

jlking

Hello all. I'm new here. Was just recently told by my plastic surgeon that she doesn't recommend me getting an implant in the radiated breast. I'm really upset about this, was hoping to have 2 beautiful implants. I've been reading some of the posts on here but still have my questions and concerns. How long is the actual surgery? Do you have drains? (I'm guessing you do) How do they look and feel? What was the recovery time? Was it better or worse than the mastectomy healing? I'm sure I have more questions I may post.

THanks in advance.

jlking

I've been reading some of the posts on here and still have a few questions. One is, does everyone who has DIEP have to have physical therapy? Is 6 drains the norm? Or is that because some had their mastectomy at the same time? And what is this about when I hear stage 2 of the surgery? Is fat grafting something different and not included in the first surgery? I know it's allot of questions. I have a consult with the plastic surgeon that will be doing my surgery and know I can ask him these questions then, but now I'm curious.

kathy744

Hello everyone! I'm new here. I had a left mastectomy in April and was advised to have delayed reconstruction because I had two areas of IDC and two areas of DCIS in the same breast and they were concerned that it had already spread. Well I lucked out and there was no lymph node involvement, and I again lucked out when my Oncotype DX number came back as 15 which means no chemo, yea! I have a tentative date of October 21st for DIEP flap reconstruction at Brigham & Women's Faulkner Hospital, Boston, MA. I met with the plastic surgeons PA last month and she believes I will be able to have the surgery, I meet this Thursday the 20th with the actual surgeon and hopefully she will agree that I'm a candidate. I'm already getting nervous, not so much about the surgery but about the recovery. I'm not a sit still and do nothing person, two days after I got home from my MX I was up and making lunch, my husband was doing yard work and didn't realize how late it had gotten or that maybe I needed food. I told him this time I'm getting a loud bell.

Any advice or suggestions to prepare for surgery and recovery would be greatly appreciated. I have started reading all the posts but it will take me a while to get through all 33 pages (never mind reading the 2014 posts).

Thanks!

mefromcc

I didn't need physical therapy after my DIEP. My left shoulder was a little stiff because I had all the IVs in that arm, but a gentle stretch by a medical student took care of the problem.

mefromcc

okay 👌. Saw my PS today. My body is ready for the next reconstruction phase. He plans to liposuction my abdomen and sides (good bye pouch and muffin top) and do the first fat grafting in the area that had the fat necrosis. He said he's only going to do about 300 ml of suctioning and will take about four sessions to fill in the defect. I remember someone on this thread saying she had good results after she needed grafting because of flap problems. I tried a search but couldn't find it. So, I have a question for anyone who has experienced the abdominal liposuction. How many days before you were able to be active enough to walk long enough to take in a quilt show?

Trvler

I wish all of you having your surgeries coming up soon the best. I will be having a BMX and DIEP on Sept 1 at NOLA.

websister

Good luck to those having surgery this week - looking forward to hearing from you post op.

Tulip21 and Law828 - everyone is different with recovery and what they are able to do. I was able to bend and straighten on coming home from hospital with PS's approval. I started walking slowly once home also, PS said to be careful re: distance - need to be able to get back same distance . I went shopping with my DH at 2 weeks - lasted about one hour but it was OK. Gradually did whatever light housework I was allowed I.e.dusting, rested when tired; every week got better. At six weeks had permission to go back to regular activities.

JKing - my PS also advised against implant on radiated side; it was a lot to wrap my head around also. Four drains is pretty standard for delayed reconstruction. Typically they suggest 12 hours as surgical time - I have seen as little as 6 and up to 14 or so. Mine was 9 hours. Stage 2 is the finessing - adding fat as needed, fixing dog eared incisions, sometimes nipples. Even with implants there are usually at least two surgeries - placement of tissue expanders, fills in PS office then exchange surgery- implants. I hope this help

jbdayton

Mefromcc : I have done 3 different fat grafting sessions. I had small amounts each time, areas used were upper abdomen, hip and underarm so far. I was apparently lucky I was able to resume normal walking distance and stride by about day 5. In fact, I had my first one on a Monday and walked a 5K Komen walk that Saturday with no complications. My PS gave the ok as long as I promised to keep the breast as still as possible while walking (no bouncing) and no compression on the breasts but good support on the donor areas. Good luck with your fat grafting and quilt show.

Have to run hubby wants to go surf. I am celebrating nearing the end of this recon journey and am in Hawaii for another week while I have no open wounds or incisions. Next and hopefully the last fat grafting in September. Only fat left is some in my back. Aloha.

Bunnybumps

jlking, since everyone is different, I will only be able to share my experience. I had the reconstruction done immediately after mastectomy (in the same surgery). The mastectomy itself was about three hours and the reconstruction was another eleven. Of course, for me, I just went to sleep and woke up.

I had six drains, but the amount you have depends on your body and what the surgeon feels is necessary. They were not painful unless they got tugged, which did not happen much and then it only felt like a little sting. I was able to shower with them and, although they got a bit heavy when they were full, they were really easy to empty as well (they teach you in the hospital). The first five were removed after about two weeks, and the last one at about day 20. For me, the drains were more a psychological annoyance than a physical one. I was able to go out with them, though, as I had bought Pink Pockets add to my clothes and "hide" them in.

I had PT after the surgery for my legs, back and arms, but the PT came to my house, which was more convenient. It's now four weeks out and I'm almost standing straight, no back or leg pain, and my left arm (where they took 19 nodes) can go up to about 75 degrees and is still really sore because the brachial nerve is inflamed. My right arm (only 1 node) is a little bit sore, but fine and with full rotation.

As far as other stages, those happen later. Some doctors call them stages, some call them revisions. These are because as the swelling goes down and the tissue settles, sometimes there are little spots that need filling in to get the best shape to the breast.

As for recovery time, that is dependent on the procedure, how involved it is, and the individual. For me recovery time is always longer than the average because I have other chronic illnesses that interfere with healing and pain control. This is something that your doctor can help you better estimate, although keep in mind this is a major surgery and cannot be rushed. I hope this helped and best of luck!!

trying2staypositive7

good afternoon my surgery sisters!I am 7 weeks post op and I have a question for my sisters. How many of you still have fatigue at 7 weeks post op? I just went back to work this week and every day I come home exhausted to the point I go to sleep by seven each night. Did you find this to be normal? Thank you for any help you can provide

dismay15

jlking I had bmx and immediate deip - surgery 9 hours. I had 6 drains removed day 10 post op. I am now 20 days post op. Bunnybumps explains the drains just as I would. Still have discomfort, mostly tightness and nerve sensations below the skin. I have full range of motion in my arms and shoulders (not without discomfort though). I was able to bend and stand up straight a few days post op. My stomach muscles tighten up when I walk which is about a quarter to half mile now. I'm still on pain medication - two pills or less a day - but they won't last much more. I'm hoping that is because I won't need them. Everybody is different. I've had some impatience and a bout of the blues. But everyday I am better. I have benefited enormously from the sharing on this board, and I hope you do too.

magiclight

Phoebe: thanks for a most informative post. I was just exploring the site as a friend of mine just had DIEP surgery. Your info on classical stretch and the video for cancer pts is most helpful. I've taped one of her shows and do the stretches several times a day. I will pass this info along to my friend. Thanks again.

P.S. Here is the link to Classical Stretch for Breast Cancer Rehabilitation

http://www.breastcancerrehabilitation.com/watchthevideo.html

websister

trying2staypositive - I still had fatigue at 7 weeks and I wasn't back at work yet - I remember driving my son to another city for a college orientation at the end of a busy week and then driving back and being absolutely exhausted and needing a full weekend to recover. I am now three months out and it is better but I still can't push it, on days I try to I get nauseated from the fatigue By late afternoon.Is there any way you can return more gradually? Sounds like it is full time work? Listen to your body, you are still healing, take good care of you.

mefromcc

jbdayton, thanks for the answer on recovery following liposuction / grafting. You are the member I was thinking of. When I was despairing after losing 1/4 of my foob to the necrosis, your telling of your experience gave me hope. Enjoy your time in Hawaii, you deserve it.

trying2staypositive7

Thanks websister! It is full time work. I'm going to see about going to half days. Thanks!

Morwenna

I took three months off work, straight. I told them beforehand. I had restrictions on how much I could lift for three months anyway, and I wanted to devote the time to recovering, and returning to work WELL rather than draggy my sorry self back too early and feeling exhausted.

I think in the event I really needed that time, especially as I developed lung clots from the surgery. When I did go back, I struggled to cope with the amount of work that had piled up in my absence. I had fondly imagined that my caseload was being fully covered, but apparently not! I had a bit of a meltdown after a few weeks, that resulted in my manager allowing me to take LOA through the summer months, taking Wednesdays off. This I LOVE, but unfortunately I can see the endpoint coming. Boo.

I'm keeping my ears open for an opportunity to only work 0.8 FTE. I'm tired of being tired out after work!

CarolynAnne

Hi ladies! I am new to this topic. Just had my right Mx, SLNB and immediate DIEP reconstruction on Aug. 17.

I've been home 2 days and my 3 drains are driving me crazy! Really hoping they come out on follow up with PS on the 26th , 10 days post surgery, is that just wishful thinking??? I know the rule is under 30 ml per day so fingers crossed!

Anyone have any tips for keeping the stomach binder in position? Mine keeps riding up and hitting my breast and breast drain tube insert (ouch!)

I am so generally miserable. When did you all start feeling like you could atleast walk normally and sleep on your side- not back. I am still taking Vicodin - 1 every 4 hours but it doesn't seem to ever Stop the pain.

Thanks for sharing your stories !

Health and happiness!

dismay15

CarolynAnne, hang in there it does get better. Slowly but.surely. Hopefully you will lose the drains, I had mine removed after 10 days. I am now 24 days post op dmx, slnb and immediate DIEP. I'm down to one to two pain meds per day and starting to feel stronger. I can walk a bit farther every day and faster too. Sorry I cannot help with the binder, my PS did not require one. Not sure why, I guess they are all different. I did get a few bras three weeks post op to wear every day for three weeks and I hate them. Maybe some one knows the point of them, I forgot to ask the PS.

I still can't sleep on my side - could just be me but I'm using a Leachco body pillow just to sleep on my back, but I think I still prefer the recliner.

Since your post was two days ago - I am hoping you are not as miserable today. May you be pain free and peaceful - not too much to ask considering what we are going through..

LAstar

CarolynAnne, can you take a Tylenol with the pain med? I've heard of people padding, cutting, or rolling their binders over to keep them from bumping into their breasts.

TallyLassie

CarolynAnne,You will probably get rid of the binder soon. My nurses cut mine in half the long way because it is so wide, I wonder if that's why yours is bumping up on your breasts? So instead of being 12 inches high, it was only 6 inches high and sat just around the incision area. Not long after post op I ditched the belt and bought some Jockey Tame That Tummy underwear that has some compression, which helped a lot. I found that the compression kept the fluids from building up in my tummy, which caused some pain. We have lymph drainage in the abdomen, too, which gets disrupted by the surgery. I wore compression for many weeks but now almost 5 months post surgery almost never.

It took me a very long time to lay on my side, and I now do it only with pillows propping against me. A body pillow is a great idea. Everyone is different, and you'll know when the time is right.

You're through the worst!

indyaskye

Hi Ladies,

I have my DIEP tomorrow and have been anxious (nervous, not excited). This will be delayed immediate as I had my bmx in Feb with tissue expanders. I can't wait to get those out. I know how miserable the first few weeks were post bmx in February. For those who had delayed/immediate delayed recon, I was wondering how the DIEP recovery is same/different from the mastectomy surgery. I am also anxious because I will have help at home during recovery. My in-laws will be staying the next few nights to help with our kids (4 and 10). Then my mom will be coming to help after I get out of the hospital. While I do greatly appreciate the help, I do find it frustrating to not be able to take care of my family myself.

Also, what did all of you find to be the best clothing options post DIEP. I really don't have button down shirts, were you able to get in and out of t-shirts. My PS says no bra for the first month. And for pants/undergarments: did high or low waists work better?

TallyLassie

Indy, I had immediate reconstruction, so can't help you with that. It strikes me how different the doctors are in what they recommend. Mine insisted that I wear a bra even at night for the first 6 weeks! And the bra had to be very specific--open in front and bigger than my current one to allow for swelling. They will probably give you whatever you need if they didn't tell you to bring one. My husband had to leave the hospital and buy 3 different bras because the nurses kept rejecting them, the most frustrating part of my surgery.

You will be glad for the help right after surgery. Your family wants to help you, so let them! No way will you be able to put a T shirt on--you won't be able to get your arms over your head for a while. I went to a discount store and bought: button front pajamas, button front shirt dress (these are in style now, too!), button front shirt, high waist "granny pants" undies, and XXL elastic waist shorts/pants. You will need a lot of room to accommodate binders and especially drain bulbs for a few weeks, so if in doubt, go big.

You'll have to get up out of chairs without using your arms. I had my right side only done, and I learned to mimic the Pledge of Allegiance, putting my right hand over my heart to avoid using the arm to prop myself up. You will be glad for core strength to help you out. I did a lot of squats prior to surgery. Your focus will be on your tummy, as that's the big difference from the MX.

I hope I'm not scaring you the day before surgery. It seems very hard at first but we all got through it fine, and you will be writing advice to others before you know it! Good luck to you.

LAstar

indyaskye, I got some size-larger granny panties for surgery. 6 months out, I'm still wearing them since panties that hit my incision make it itch terribly. My poor husband will probably be glad for me to start wearing some more attractive underwear!

I wore my husband's button-down shirts while I had drains. One or two is all you'll need.

Please just let your family help and don't beat yourself up. Rest and let them bring you things. The people that love you feel so helpless as you go through hard times. Letting them make you food, enjoy time with their grandchildren, and clean your kitchen gives them something tangible to do and strengthens the bonds you all have. It's just for a little while.

Best wishes!

dismay15

Indyaskye I used men's sleeveless undershirts. The large ones were pretty easy to get on since they stretch so much. It was very warm when I had my drains and pinning the drains to them was easy. I put a sleeveless hoodie with zipper over them so I could go out. Yoga pants and slip on sneakers. Good luck!