Diep 2012

Hello!  I am trying to schedule a consultation with Dr. Massey in Chicago.  I am interested in getting a DIEP so I will probably be lurking quite a bit on this board.  So... just introducing myself.

I posted a couple of times in the DIEP 2011 thread but not much because I had nothing definite going on then. Now, I have met with the PS for the original consult and have my surgery scheduled for 2/14. Yes, Valentine's Day. It seems so far off, but I know that it will be here before I know it. My surgery is delayed. I had a uni mastectomy on the left in April 2009, no recon. Now I am removing my healthy right breast and having the DIEP on both sides. 

I'm nervous, scared, excited, ready...all those emotions and many more! I'm the one on the other thread who was worrying about surgery and a scheduled vacation. We were supposed to go to Hawaii the first week in April. After much thought and with this later surgery date, we have decided to postpone Hawaii until later. I will be one day shy of 7 weeks post surgery on the day we are supposed to leave. I'm sure I will be fine, but I am not comfortable with that. There is no breathing room for any complications and Hawaii is a big trip. Too expensive to go and not feel 100%, so we made the decision to put it off until fall. I'm ok with that and more importantly so is DH.

Just wanted to say hello. I'm sure I'll be hanging around more now that I have a surgery date.  

My health plan is an HMO and they covered my BMX DIEP and Stage 2. There are other fine doctors who do accept HMO insurance plans. Don't let this stop you from getting the breast reconstruction you want and deserve.

The reason I had chosen Dr. Marga Massey is because I have bilateral arm lymphedema, truncal and back lymphedema. She is a LANA certified LE therapist and goes the extra mile to wrap you arms before surgery as well as providing the patient with manual lymph drainage throughout your recovery in NOLA plus her skills are excellent!  I am scared to death to let another surgeon work on me as most Doctors no NOTHING about LE.  If you have never experienced the pain of LE you may not understand how very important this is. Anyway, I haven't given up completely but am extremely discouraged. I'm hoping things will work out. Thanks for listening to me vent!  katiejane 

Hi everyone!  I'm going to join this group as I will be having DIEP later in 2012.  I am finishing radiation (12 more as of today) and then I am thinking that I want to delay recon until the end of summer as I've been in treatment since June 2010 and I would like to enjoy a summer (we live on a lake).  My fear is that I'd have to stay out of the water for a good part of the season if I were to start recon in June, which is probably the earliest it could be done.  Also, we are planning on going to Paris towards the end of May and I don't want to be in any way restricted at that time.  So I may aim for late August.

At the moment I am planning to have it done by Dr. Stephanie Caterson at Brigham & Women's in Boston. 

katiejane - I had my BMX and DIEP in NOLA with Dr Dellacroce in June 2011. My arm was wrapped prior to my surgery (and node removal) and I received lymphatic massages while I was in NOLA. I was also sent home with a small duffle bag of LE items, wraps for my arm for the airplane, and lotion to continue the massage> I was also educated on LE, some things to do to prevent it  as well as exercises I was taught by the PT in NOLA to avoid getting LE. This is Dr Massey's influence on the Dr's in NOLA as she is the one that has started them being so proactive for LE prevention. I know that Dr Massey works in 3 or 4 hospitals around the US - I wonder if they aren't all picking up her LE prevention protocol? So maybe there are other places you can look that will do something similar that you expected and wanted from Dr. M.

bdavis and Laura,  Thanks for your feedback!  I know there are other good surgeons out there and I will be looking into that. There are 2 that I know of that do the DIEP that are covered by my HMO--I have already met with one of them & that's all I'll say about that!!  The bottom line is an HMO evidently won't work with anyone outside of their in-network people. That's  where I was misled, being told they would work with all insurances even though some pay basically nothing! ($2500.00)!!!! I called my HR department yesterday and was told to contact the company that orchestrates our benefits.  HR wasn't very encouraging. So, I guess we will see what I can come up with.    katiejane

That's true.. I have heard that if your HMO doesn't cover a doctor  or procedure, they HAVE to cover you out of network... So maybe go for hip flaps, that are only done in New Orleans if you want Dr Massey...

  If I ever do get approval it will be a bilateral DIEP.  Yes, there are 2 Doc's in Salt Lake City that do this procedure(25 miles from my house and in network). I must be very careful who I choose because of my lymphedema. So, you're saying that they will cover an out of network?? Can't do hip flaps as there isn't enough there to do anything with. And I know they won't cover the guys in Nola that do such wonderful work. Guess I have some work to do myself!   katiekane

With my DIEP, I had my Breast Surgeon who did the double mastectomy and lymph node removal. My Plastic Surgeon came behind him and did the DIEP with an assistant. They would've worked in tandem till it was discovered that I had one dirty lymph node. Once that was found, my PS had to wait till my BS was done.

No, these 2 doctors do not work together or in the same hospital.  That means a very long time under anesthesia.  I'm thinking the Lymphedema may be an angle to use as well.  I really don't even know where to start..?  I guess to call my insurance company?   Katiejane

I sent Dr.Massey my photos and then had a phone consult.She told me she would most likely do a stacked DIEP/hip for me so she would have enough to make me a full C.I am sure there are no in network doctors for you that would do this procedure....just a thought for you.And Dr.Massey told me some times we are better off having an HMO because they do not have in network doctors that do the more inventive flaps.

I am having my bilateral DIEP on January 24th. It has been 2 years since my Bmx and I also had tissue expanders placed at that time. I was planning on going with implants but during my wait after radiation my company changed insurance companys and my ps did not accept my new ins.

I have been researching and decided I wanted to go with a diep instead and found a new ps I feel comfortable with.

I am a little scared but so ready to get these expanders out, it has been way to long.

Good luck to everyone. I had my DIEP flap over a year ago and I just love the results! It was the best decision I made.