DIEP Surgery in Seattle

Ladies: I agree with you that health care is too expensive. My family is in the healthcare field and we see it first hand. Its a very hard and demanding field to be in. You can make a good living but its not so easy any more with having to pay high salaries, high costs of supplies, high malpractice ins. premiums, as well as less and less reimbursement for services. That's why we're seeing more and more good docs get out as they can't afford to keep the doors open as well as way too much paperwork/regulations. I also see how much free care, we the healthcare providers, give away. We get no assistance from the gov. for this. Its out of pocket and our costs still go on. Might want to look at the facility side of healthcare as to where the monies are going. No one has had the common sense yet to put a price freeze on costs/healthcare/insurance premiums, which keep going up faster than you can blink an eye. Until this happens as well as torte reform, no system changes will work. There has to be some common sense. Also, who's going to pay for the free healthcare for everyone; our broke government. People in this country have got to learn to pay for things, not just wait around for handouts on one hand as well as demanding the best care in the world on the other. These services cost money.

I grew up in a large family and we as kids, learned to work out buts off and if we wanted something, we earned it, and because of those basic principles, we were taught at an early age, that you don't buy what you can't afford. With that in mind, we also learned to educate ourselves about what we are after, such as med insurance, then make the best choice as well as live with the decision. We didn't learn to go out and complain everytime things didn't go our way, or, if we made a bad choice and had to buck up, learn from it, then go on. I do agree that insurance companies (own washington dc) need to pay their CEO's less and cut prices. But, we still need free choice to keep coverage and prices competitive. I would like to see some solutions offered instead of complaints about healthcare. Its easy to complain and takes an effort to fix it. We all need to start and if you do have great ideas, write/call your congressmen/senators. Remember that old saying, ask what you can do for your country, not what your country can do for you. Its amazing how fast we forgot. Like in the past, America was known throughout the world as a leader and today, we've become followers.

We're all dealing with the field of Plastic Surgery, which is a very specialized area of healthcare. I do feel that costs do need to come down into a more realistic range. But, you also have to realize how high their malpractice insurance is as well as how many yrs of education it takes to get there. Never hurts to talk to your docs and negotiate a price prior to having procedures done. Worse case scenario, they say no, but then again, you might be surprised.

Now, I will also get off my soapbox.

JSeda

That quote about asking not what you can do for your country, but what your country can do for you was written by Karl Marx.  He would have expected us all to work for the greater good, but he would most likely have been pro-socialized medicine.  The Canadian system is far superior to our own.  In America, you get the healthcare you can afford unfortunately, and it leaves a great many people out in the cold.  We are fortunate to have receive the care we all have, and some of us are still receiving, but then we are the privaliged few that can type away on message forums worrying about the astetics of our reconstructions, not if we will receive the care we need to save our lives.  Bragging about being lucky enough to be employed with good insurance when you happened to need it seems insensitive.  Many people have had hard lives and grew up poor, but never had the opportunity to better themselves, should they receive lesser care than us because of this? 

Sorry for the side track golfer.  I will be having diep surgery in seattle in a few months.  I have looked into the surgeons available in the area.  Dr. Isik is impossible without the right coverage or a thick wallet. 

 I am going with UW medical. They have an excellent team there and the doctors often work together so the surgery is shorter.  I have heard some complaints about the care there and being given the run around, but that has not been my experience.  I never waited more than 15-20 minutes for an appointment. Perhaps wait time to see your doctor and scheduling have improved over the years or maybe I have just been lucky.  Good luck Golfer, check out the U, they have surgeons that have performed hundreds of surgeries and perform them weekly. 

Good going Golfer; so close in getting on with your life. You won't regret it. ARe you having this done at the U or at Virginia Mason? I'm glad to see you aren't having to wait much longer. Keep us posted and know that you're in our prayers and will be okay. You will be in good hands!!

I'm now 3 1/2 month post DIEP and swelling is gone. Hardest thing is to be patient with the slow process of healing. It does happen, just have to give your body time to heal. My DIEP is still firm but slowly softening; they say it can take months and up to a yr, which I believe. I still think it was well worth it. I do have a frozen shoulder from the lack of activity left arm from DIEP surg., but no biggy. Will have a manipulation (under anesthesia) with full range of motion back right then and there. Hang in there and soon your stress level will be much less and get back to your normal life.

You will do fine!!! You'll be amazed at how doable post surgery is. Like I said before, just get up and going as soon as you get home. Healing is 99% mental. The sooner you get back to normal, the better. I went right back to work (though from home on my computer) 10 days after surgery and am glad I did as it totally took my mind off of my health and put the focus on work. Good luck an dknow that you will be okay as well as not the first or last woman to go through this. Anxiety is okay, we all had it and wouldn't be normal if we didn't.

PS Borrow a few hospital gowns and use immediate surgery at home. Much easier to get in and out of these for a week or so. Also pick up some antiobiotic/zinc ointment as well as pads (menstrual) to use on inicisions and create buffer between incision and your underwear etc. Much more comfortable. Also have big safety pins to pin your drain tubing to your gown so as not to accidently pull them. I'm sure all ladies having had DIEP will be a wealth of information  re: little clues to make things easier if you just put a posting out for helpful hints post surg.

Sorry I haven't checked in for a while!  Went back to work full time, parents are going to need a nursing home, adopted a new shelter dog, holidays....

So, since my surgery in mid-Sept with Drs. P & B - the first month is slooowwww, the next month not so bad, I just needed way more sleep than usual.  I went back part-time on 11/16, full-time two weeks later.  The only real pain I experience is that for some reason the muscles to the sides of the breasts and around the back get a little sore.  One of my new boobs is a bit hard, the other has a bit of tissue maybe higher than it should be, but my follow-up is mid-March, I can wait till then.

Dr. P is doing more surgery on my sister on the 22nd - she had her recon a few years back, but with implants, and 1 ruptured, but she's pretty happy with his work.

Mary

Virginia Mason.  Yeah, my follow-up appt is March, figured I'd see what Dr. Paige thought then.  The other one has kind of a flap of tissue up above the "boob line," I think that might need readjusting, but I knew there would be touch-ups.  Over all, I'm happy I had it done, and know that it will take a while till I'm finished.

Mary

Good luck. You'll be a-ok as well as in good hands. Prayers your way!! There is life on the other side as well as a new boob!!

Yeah Golfer!!! So glad to know you're A-ok and things went as planned. It really is a doable thing. Its just that the mind goes crazy when dealing with the unknown. You just have to trust God as well as your PS and staff. Don't get too attached to your new breast size as it will decrease in size by at least 1/3. They take care of that the next stage with revision and contouring etc. Take it easy and ask lots of questions as I'm sure any of us would be happy to help.

Dear golfer, Your cancer is about identical to what I have just been diagnosed with, March 18 of 2016. If you are still reading or posting on this site, I would really love to know how you're doing now. I am at the start of my journey and have an appointment tomorrow to talk with Dr. Paige.

Warm wishes,

LeAnne

I find it strange that the latest posts are on the last page and not at the top like an email chain... Besides the point. I had a double mastectomy immediate Diep Flap reconstruction. I am 5 weeks post op and things are progressing mostly well. I am still moving a bit slower than normal and have only about 50% range of motion in left arm (4 lymph nodes removed) and about 75% in my right arm. PT started week 4. The first 3 days home from the hospital I was wondering what the heck I had done and seriously questioned my judgement. I wanted my own tissue to be used and really did not think strongly on how the recovery would be. Well thank goodness for my husband and sister in law to help along with a hospital bed rental as I could not handle just being propped with pillows on my own bed. But today that seems so long ago, I know only 4 weeks ago I came home and felt that way but it seems much longer. It is a tough road for sure but so far today I can say I am mostly happy this was the route I chose. I think I am healing a little slow on one of my flaps but vascular production is right on. There is a strange sensation that is hard to describe as everything just feels different than before and I suppose to a degree it always will. My main Dr. at UW in Seattle was Dr. Otway Louie. I know I will need some revision as where the drain tubes came out the sides of my stomach it left little poofs or little dog ears my PT called them but my breasts look good. I think I had a lot of fluid production as it took almost 3 weeks for my last drain tube to come out and I did get a cellulitis infection at the drain tube site that quickly cleared with antibiotics. As long as everything keeps healing as it should all should be good. AC-T chemo starts in 3 weeks so all needs to be healed. I had multi-focal invasive and non invasive cancers in left breast and I am triple negative Stage 1a. It was a lucky catch. Stay strong and follow your instincts. With love for all the new sisters I never wanted to have but am grateful to be able to share with.

LoHaNow, I had my DIEP at UW also just 3 weeks ago. I too wondered if ii was doing the right thing it hurt so bad at first. Right now I have rib pain anyone else get this? It hurts when I breathe in

Nancy, I am having my DIEP surgery at the UW in October. It has been a long wait for surgery but I really like my doctor. Did you have a good experience at the hospital

No pain, a little sore on tummy area, i had more discomfort with 2nd surgery the fat grafting. Dont do it in the summer like i did. One it is sweaty under the garment and harder to hide bruising in summer clothes.