DIEP 2011

My PS wanted my drain holes dressed too.  They helped me make an incision half way through the pad and then tape the tube to the skin to give it stability.  You probably heard me jumping for joy yesterday when my last tube was pulled.  How many tubes do you have anyway?  6?  I hope some of them come out soon!!  Finding clothing to wear has been tough.  I ended up going to Target and buying a few dresses that were on clearance.  I hate wearing dresses but the yoga pants don't work for me at all.  They really aggravated the very middle point of my ab incision. 

Betsy, I do have one last suggestion for you.  If I take Percocet, it just knocks me out and I sleep for hours.  If I take 1/2 of a valium, which is a muscle relaxer according to my PS, it's just enough to relieve that back ache from not standing up straight.  I am actually still taking a 1/2 valium in the afternoon when I start getting tired and am not able to stand up straight.  In addition, my PS said that at some point to switch from Tylenol to Motrin.  Motrin has an anti-inflammatory which will help.  I think I had to be off Percocet for a few days before I could switch though.  Definitely ask your doctor before changing.  Hopefully, you have one more day of feeling like you were hit by a truck and by Saturday you will be feeling better.  When do you get to leave the hospital?

Susan

I got my two abdomen drains out yesterday at 8 days out, but my ps is Pretty liberal with that, only need to be under 30 cc. Still have one breast drain in and it is much redder than the others were and putting out much more too. So glad to be down to one drain. The muse said I have some fat necrosis that is adding to it.

How is everyone... Sending out healing hugs to all...

I woke up this morning my stomach is tight as ever...My

stomach feel like it is getting tighter by the moment...

Well ladies, my DH is so excited because I finally get to join the TMI posting club!!!  At 3 1/2 weeks out we finally had our first romantic moment.  Just one more step towards getting back to normal.

Betsy, awwww man, I am wondering if your companion was able to get out of NY or not.  It doesn't look good.  I wish I could come and stay with you.  How does your breast look now?  Does it look like it is surviving and healing this time?  I really hope so!

Sohard and Kay, I think my surgery was about 10 days or so before yours.  I don't feel tight in the morning as much as I used to but as the day goes on, I definitely getter tighter and that's when my back starts killing me.  I usually end up taking 1/2 valium in the afternoon.

I am so surprised.  The tape on my abdomen is almost completely off, I only have three small places where there is still tape and my scabs are nearly gone.  The incisions on my breasts are so small they really look good.  My left breast (immediate reconstruction) is a good bit smaller than my right and it has a very flat spot on the front.  Also, does anyone know if they can give DIEP breasts a little lift in stage 2?

I hope you are all well as well!

Susan

bdavis I have not been on the boards much because my kids and their families are here visiting but I was wondering how you were doing and it sounds like you are doing so much better.  You certainly have had your setbacks.  Hope everything continues to heal well from here on out.

Betsy, so glad to hear you are doing better.  I am doing well except for my rads side.  It is very grumpy, still a lot of red along the incision. The botton incision looks the worst, I had some drainage there over the weekend & is making me really nervous.  I called and told them about it, they said it needed to come out.  I go back to the doctor tomorrow, so we will see. NJ

Kay,

Is your Noob warm to the touch everywhere?  And do you have capillary refill?  Press lightly in different areas, it should first turn white and then quickly the color should come back.  These things determine if you are getting blood flow.  Make sure you call your PS ASAP if you are not warm everywhere and if there is no capillary refill.

Kay, sometimes I think the bruising is so deep that it takes a while before we see it.  I didn't think anything of it when I became black and blue on the flap, I thought to myself that they took tissue from my tummy and smushed it into a breast, so it made sense to me that it would bruise.  But when I went to the PS, they were alarmed.  I did have some necrosis.  I wasn't warned about the capillary refill or checking it for warmth everywhere.  I am not sure it would have had any impact if I had known, I think it would have already been too late.  Most of the noob recovered without additional surgery (so far), it is as hard as a rock though and it has been almost 3 months.  I still need to use a dressing and I keep plenty of hydrogen peroxide on hand for bodily fluid stains on my clothes.

Susan...I would call the doctor about the incision...I think they would prefer betadine not ointment to help it heal... Ointment will keep it moist... Been there, done that.

Oh Susan - Were you freaked when you fell and your incision opened up? I agree with Betsy, give the doc a quick call. 

Good news & not as good news.

Good news is the non-rad noob is doing really well, I just have a small area that still needs healing but otherwise good.

Not as good news, I'm one of the few that my incision has opened up along the bottom incision Unfortunely the surgery has really aggrevated the radiatied skin on that side.  Lord know they radiated the cr@p out of that side.  It isn't infected & that's good.  So I just have to keep cleaning & using sivadene cream on it untill it heals in.  As long as it isn't infected, we're good.  That was a big relief for me.

I kind of had that problem with my incision after my mx. I broke it open (non-bc side) & just had to let it heal from the inside out.   

Leave it to me to not be "normal" ha! I did get several stitches out on that side so it's good!

Thanks for your concern & support. NJ 

Hi all...

Glad we all are progressing... Slowly, but progressing NONETHELESS...

I feel swollen... Feel like I am being strangled around my waist/ ab area

as I type... I have two drains remaining on non- cancer side...

I have off and on pain right between my breast... I am still sluggish...

Since I came home from surgery,someone was here ...I am home alone as of yesterday... Therefore,

my body has to adjust to extra movement... Still using raise toilet seat

and shower chair... Everything is healing properly... Overall I am fine...



IM HAPPY ABOUT COSMETIC RESULTS...OMG OMG... MY STOMACH

IS AMAZING... I HAVE LARGE C CUPS... THAT DON'T MOVE...



Trying to get in school mode ( Online Phd program)... I hope I am off Narcotic pain Meds by Sunday...

School started Sunday... My Dean is supportive...



Thanks again for supportive words and good energy ALL...

Thank you kay

Wow libby... 20 hours? Have never heard of that... I too had my diep aug 23... Went off pain meds yesterday... Just took 800 mg ibuprofen

Yep, 20 hours. BMX took about 2.5 and the rest was DIEP. i am a very free bleeder, but I don't think the doc entirely grasped just how free. He also discovered some abdominal scar tissue that I didn't know I had and don't know where it came from, since I have never had abdominal surgery (not even a baby). My sister, who is 15 years older than I, confirms no surgery. That slowed him down too. On the plus side, noobs seem to be doing fine, ab incision still hurts like hell (the stitches are like pit bulls, only they bite me). One of my drains is down to an unmeasurable 2 drops/day of output. Others higher, but I am hopeful. Thabkfully, I had my last dilaudid Sat. Nite, last tylenol 3 2 days ago. I'm not allowed ibuprofen b/c of the bleeding issues. It was quite a long haul...I was prepared but since I had never had major surgery and had done well with previious o/p procedures, had expected s smoother post-op period. Andthe narcotics gave me hallucinations. Ugh!