Diep 2012

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  • Seashellie
    Seashellie Member Posts: 152
    edited January 2012
    redninrah - So sorry to hear that, thinking of you and sending good vibes!
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  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 6,201
    edited January 2012

    Oh... so sorry... good luck.

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  • redninrah
    redninrah Member Posts: 773
    edited January 2012

    Ok girls.so after having surgery 3rd time, flap was good so reconnected blood vessels.

    Unfortunately at 11pm,there was no pulse . So back to surgery for 4th time. Anther blood clot, so

    This time the flap died. They removed everything and I was lucky as they found a one step tissue expander. So that's what they did......I am now resting.... :)

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  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 6,201
    edited January 2012

    oh my.

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  • RetiredLibby
    RetiredLibby Member Posts: 1,992
    edited January 2012

    Oh, redninrah, I am so sorry! (((((redninrah))))) hugs!



    L

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  • TexasRose
    TexasRose Member Posts: 740
    edited January 2012

    redninrah,

    I'm so sorry. You've been through a lot.

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  • c8ndygr1
    c8ndygr1 Member Posts: 186
    edited January 2012

    Redinrah, girl, you've been through so much. What a trooper. I am so sorry. Sending super healing vibes your way. Cyber hugs too.

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  • goldlining
    goldlining Member Posts: 1,178
    edited January 2012

    So sorry to read that redninrah! ((hugs))

    What a stressful adventure, and you are the model of grace under adversity! 

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  • LuvRVing
    LuvRVing Member Posts: 4,516
    edited January 2012

    (((Redninrah))) - so sorry that things have not gone well for you.  Sending healing thoughts your way. 

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  • NannaBaby
    NannaBaby Member Posts: 510
    edited January 2012

    I saw Redninrah today in the hospital, and she said she would still recommend DIEP!

     Ur one crazy girl! LOL 

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  • NannaBaby
    NannaBaby Member Posts: 510
    edited January 2012

    I am considering DIEP too, but now I'm freaked out :s

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  • goldlining
    goldlining Member Posts: 1,178
    edited January 2012
    For what it's worth, mine is great so far. The MO today couldn't believe it was only done Dec 15. I've healed so well and the scars are so faded. Being comfortable that the PS has a low failure rate on a high number of DIEP cases was key to my peace of mind, but in the back of my mind, I was conscious that there is a chance of failure of some kind for any procedure. I'm so sorry that the probabilities bit redninrah. I hope everybody finds comfort in whatever decision they make, whether it is DIEP, no recon, or other kinds of recon, and it's good that she didn't regret her decision. 
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  • beacher4209
    beacher4209 Member Posts: 540
    edited January 2012

     Sorry Redninrah, but gotta say you are one heck of a tough lady! With that said it sucks that you had to go through this! But do not give up yet! rest ,get well, heal ,and than research your a_ _ off ,for another way to go......

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  • LuvRVing
    LuvRVing Member Posts: 4,516
    edited January 2012

    Like every other surgical procedure, things can happen.  Even the simplest surgery can have dire consequences on rare occasions.  DIEP is complicated and there is always a chance of failure.  Many women also have failures with TEs and implants.  We need to keep in mind the facts that the overwhelming majority of these procedures are successful.

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  • FLislander
    FLislander Member Posts: 243
    edited January 2012

    Pastorc

    There are worksheets on the website with questions for oncologist, surgeon and such at the very top of webpage or homepage here

    My first apt was with surgeon and he set me up with oncologist

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  • redninrah
    redninrah Member Posts: 773
    edited January 2012

    If my one step implant works, I'm happy :)

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  • beacher4209
    beacher4209 Member Posts: 540
    edited January 2012

    that a girl redninrah!

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  • redninrah
    redninrah Member Posts: 773
    edited January 2012

    I am home finally with a one step expander implant

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  • TexasRose
    TexasRose Member Posts: 740
    edited January 2012

    So glad you are finally home, redninrah!! Rest up!!

    My surgery isn't until February 14th, but I'm starting to think about what I need to do and buy to get ready. I know I saw some good info on the 2011 thread. I'll have to look back and see if I can find it.

    One thing that I haven't seen discussed and maybe it's because my recon is delayed on one side. In 2009 I had a left MX. No recon. Now I am having the right breast removed and DIEP on both sides. My PS said I need to decide on the skin. On the left side where the breast is already gone, they will use the abdominal skin. My choice comes in on the right side. I can either have a complete MX on the right, removing all breast tissue, nipples, skin, etc. and use abdominal skin on that side also. Or they can remove all the tissue, nipples, etc. and use breast skin on the right. He does the surgery with another PS and they don't agree on which they think looks best. He thinks abdominal skin on both sides looks the best because then they match. She thinks breast skin looks the best. It's up to me to decide. I think I agree with him.

    I am also hoping that if they remove my breast skin, the port scar will also be gone because my BS put the port in a terrible place- lower right breast. I had my port taken out immediately after chemo in October of 2009, but I still HATE that scar. It's like the mark of the devil to me.

    Did anyone else have to decide on which skin to use? What did you decide and why?

    I hope everybody who has already had the surgery is doing fine and healing fast! Thanks for sharing your stories!  

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  • Snobird
    Snobird Member Posts: 593
    edited January 2012

    I have one of each due to radiation on the cancer side. I think that the skin sparing no cancer side looks slightly more natural than the one with the abdominal skin. It has a more natural shape and feel. The abdominal skin side looks fine now with stage 2 done and the skin color is fine on both sides. If I could have done skin sparing on both sides I would have. Good luck with you decision and surgery.

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  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 6,201
    edited January 2012

    I initially had skin sparing on both sides but then got skin necrosis and they had to use ab skin as a patch.., I think my skin spared breast looks better.

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  • CookieMonster
    CookieMonster Member Posts: 1,035
    edited January 2012

    texasrose - I had a unilateral MX with DIEP. They had to take a larger area from my breast skin than for many women because they had to take out my lumpectomy scar. I've not had anything past stage 1 (which was only in December), but right now, there's no way that I'll ever be able to hide the scar. My breast skin and my abdominal skin have a very noticable difference in skin tone (and I've not exposed either of them to the sun, so it's not a tanning difference. My breast looks like it has a patch on it right now where the ab skin is.

    If I were in your situation, I would probably use ab skin for both, just for uniformity.

    That said, for me, the only people who are going to see it are doctors, DH and me. Despite knowing that, I still want to make sure that it looks good and as close as possible to the other one.

    Good luck with the decision, being at peace with the decision is probably the most important thing you can do for yourself.

    -Judy

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  • goldlining
    goldlining Member Posts: 1,178
    edited January 2012

    I had one immediate and one delayed. I am only 5 weeks out and at this point I think the delayed side looks better, curvier, but that may just be swelling. It's too early to say how they will settle. There are still firm spots in both. The immediate side has ab flap skin in a little areola-sized porthole in the middle which seems kind of caved in, with overall a slightly smaller volume. 

    I am okay that they are different because the PS prefers to do immediates that way, and it's no big deal to me. I tend to have scars fade well and quickly and I'm not posing for any centrefolds any time soon. However, if they PS would not make the choice and put it on me, given that skin sparing is not an option on the delayed side (as half the skin went to pathology with the old mx), I would have matched the delayed side and used ab skin for the bottom of both. That's my 2c.

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  • nannykat
    nannykat Member Posts: 12
    edited January 2012

    4 days until DIEP in NOLA.  I don't know what to say at this point. It's been a long wait since my unilateral mastectomy in July 2011. Delayed recon on that. Also having prophlatic skin/nipple sparing mast on remaining side w/immediate recon on it.  I never want to go thru this again after all this is done!

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  • nannykat
    nannykat Member Posts: 12
    edited January 2012

    Hey TexasRose!  I see that you are Triple Neg. same as Me!  I always look for that and we are the fewest kind of BC. Same nodes removed and no cancer involvement in them.  I too am having delayed recon and Prophlatic mast w/ immediate recon on the remaining uneffected breast in 4 days in NOLA, Jan. 24th.  It was a hard decision to make but I never want to go thru chemo and all this again.  I thought it best to get it all done with this DIEP recon.  Why waste the extra tummy and have to go GAP if there was a next time?  That's just it... don't want to risk a next time!

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  • JustLaura
    JustLaura Member Posts: 276
    edited January 2012

    NannyKat - have you ever visited the "NOLA in September" board?? The name is a misnomer as it is for anyone going to NOLA it was just started in September (of 2009 I think!!) and is still going strong (550+ pages). Great place to hook up with others going to the same hospital as you. In fact there are two women that just today had their Stage 1 surgeries in NOLA and will most likely still be there when you get there in 4 days. It doesn't seem so far away or lonely if you can meet up with someone you 'met' from these boards. I know I have gotten a TON of support from that board and you may too.

    Good luck on your surgery in 4 days you will be in excellent hands!

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  • nannykat
    nannykat Member Posts: 12
    edited January 2012

    Thank you JustLaura!

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  • rthrift1
    rthrift1 Member Posts: 21
    edited January 2012

    Hello Ladies- I finally have a surgery date. Its Feb 23rd..(So close, yet so far away. lol) Im extremely nervous and excited at the same time. Part of my biggest fear is the recovery afterward. With my double mastectomy in Dec, I bounced back pretty quick. The pain was there but it was definitely manageable. I know this will be more intense, but Im wondering how much more I should expect. Any tips, advice, suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 6,201
    edited January 2012

    I found the MX to be more intense... I had a BMX and Hip flaps in JULY and then DIEP in August... The DIEP portion was easier, but more painful... if that makes sense.

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  • TexasRose
    TexasRose Member Posts: 740
    edited January 2012

    Thanks everybody. I am leaning towards using the ab skin on both. I think it would look better if they matched, but I told my PS too that I really didn't care. No one is going to see them anyway besides my doctors, my DH and me. I really just want that port scar gone! It's been just over two years since I had the port taken out and it really bugs me to see it. Funny how missing a breast doesn't bother me that much, but that small port scar drives me bonkers!

    Hey nannykat! Yes, I'm a tri-neg too. Almost three years out now. Feeling good and ready to get this surgery over with! Good luck to you!! I'll be thinking of you! I know how hard it is to wait. I've been a uni since April of 2009! I'm ready for two boobs again!!! Laughing

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