Diep 2012

Tammy... I am so sorry for your problems.. Has your surgeon done a lot of these?? It takes a lot of experience. Maybe he didn't have the experience he needed to deal with your problems.. I would be so upset if I went in for DIEP and came out with the doctor telling me i could get implants. I would look for another doctor IMO... And you do have other donor sites, so don't give up. I had mine built from my abdomen and hips (butt). And you are right, you shouldn't be able to stand up straight at this point... I couldn't stand up straight for a few days (maybe 4). And then it was only sort of straight.

Red.. It is WAY too soon to judge your ab incision... It takes months for that to improve.. I am 2+ months post stage II and am still swollen... patience.

BUT the failed DIEP is a total bummer.

I remember when the ps failed the 3rd time, we concluded that possible the rads had messed. Up some of the vessels so he was going to remove a small section of my ribs and that would have exposed a vessel and possibly use that one. But by the time the 4th surgery came, flap had died.

Sadie - you have the same team I had! Dr. Ahrendt is great, isn't she?  I didn't have an ng tube - only the breathing tube which was inserted after I was out and removed before I woke from anesthesia.  I did have four drains, though, and they are kinda miserable.  In addition, my home heath nurse never showed up (!); fortunately I have the best husband ever, and he regularly emptied the drains with no problem whatsoever. Dr. Gimbel removed them 10 days following surgery.  I had talked to him regarding flap failure, and while I don't remember the exact numbers, it was a very small percentage.  During my hospital stay all the nurses and residents told me that my doppler sounds were the best of any of the flap patients on the floor (there were six of us).  You're in very good hands.  I'll be looking forward to your your posts after surgery, and I will pray all goes well.

Tamlyn - I am so sorry to read about your surgery results.  I know Dr.Nguyen has lots of experience with this surgery, and I'm really surprised this happened.  I'll be looking forward to your future posts.  Blessings, Tammy.

Sometimes the root of the clotting issue is a genetic disorder called Factor V Leiden. You can be tested for it. It obviously won't help your recon at this point, but it may be something to keep in mind if you have surgeries in the future or take estrogen replacement.  I have a friend whose DIEP flap failed for this reason, and she didn't know she had it until after the failure.

Red,

My PS said my blood clot was caused because of the size difference in the two vessels they were attaching.  Luckily, he was able to repair mine.  I was on heparin for a week in the  hospital in ASU....not fun

Hugs to you

Sorry to hear about some of the problems you ladies have had. I had my delayed DIEP done 1/18 and am just now starting to function better. It was a 10hr surgery. For me, the pain was pretty bad! I can't take morphine so when they switched me the day after surgery from IV diualaid to oral Demerol I flipped... and it took pretty much all day to get my pain under control with. The one thing now that bothers me the most is just how weak I feel, along with the crazy placed hip drains. Everything i have to wear presses on them making them hurt or if I place my pants lower then its bothering the tummy incision. This surgery for me has made me very emotional and kinda put me in a funk. A funk of feeling sorry for myself even though I know how blessed I am. I think this weakness I have been feeling from the surgery has taken me back to chemo and how weak I was then so making me feel depressed. Did many of you cough alot after surgery? I coughed A LOT and was worried I'd rip open my abdomen but thankfully no such happened. I do see where this is going to be a FULL 4-6 week recovery. I'm supper happy already with my results and just loved Dr. Craigie, Dr. Kline and Christina. East Cooper Hospital was awesome and if you get a chance put your application in at The Hope Lodge because its so quite and peaceful (no parking lot, so you have to use MUSC parking garage) but the quaintness and m-thur dinner meals were soo helpful. When did most of you get your hip drains out? 2 more weeks of these and I'm gonna loose my mind.They stick out catching on everything.

Re: rib resection, I did not have one with my bilateral DIEP. He didn't have to cut ab muscle to get the artery out, either ... He was able to just slightly part the fibers and tease the artery out. I was very, very fortunate on that score. My PS also uses the thoraco-dorsal arteries under the arms for blood supply, so my incisions are horizontal along the sides of my breasts. My blood supply has always been great -- the noobs are actually warmer than the rest of me! I am almost 6 months out now (August 23 was my surgery). Stage II coming up 2/17.



Tamlyn, Betsy is absolutely correct -- there are many places from which they can harvest flaps. I have a friend who had hip flaps, and I have heard of people with inner thigh flaps, too. I am so sorry to hear of the clotting problems ...



Red, I have also been following your story ... I am so sorry that you went through all of that and your poor flap failed, but your attitude and spirit are amazing! I so admire your practicality and fortitude!



Kaseymom, my recovery was very, very long. I have asthma and a-fib, and it took months for me to get my energy back, although that could be because of my co-morbidities. I got very tired of being tired. My surgery was 20 hours with no complications -- I am simply a free bleeder and it took a long time to get the capillaries to reconnect. Dilaudid gave me hallucinations -- Ricky Nelson, Jackie Kennedy and my late mother all visited me in the ICU. I begged and begged for Demarol, but they insisted on keeping me on dilaudid. Ugh. I had 6 drains and I agree, the hip drains were difficult. I caught one on a doorknob once when I was making my walk around the house .... The pain dropped me to my knees! And the pulling up of the pants was very difficult, too ... I couldn't pull them up over the drain sites, but the middle of the front kept riding up over the middle of my incision. It hurt, and it later opened, so I think that is what started the opening process. It is all closed now ... It closed in the middle of November, finally.



I am so envious of everyone who was up-and-at-'em after a couple of weeks. I feel so puny by comparison, but it does help to remember that we are all VERY different!



L

Hi ship.  After reading all these bad outcomes, it does make one stop and think.  My surgery is Friday and I am going to call Dr. Gimbel's office in the morning because I have some last questions.  What kind of pain medicine did you have and when did you stop it?  During my hysterectomy, I had Demerol and was off in two days.  I'm hoping for the same outcome here.  I had absolutely no interest or desire for an implant, so I'm really praying hard that my flap stays healthy. 

sadie5254 - yes, you can cool yourself except for the flap, that's the important thing to keep warm. If you get too warm you should be able to put ice (or at least a cool washcloth) on your forehead and/or the back of your neck.

-Judy

sharont68,

Have you considered Scott & White in Temple? That is my cancer center. I am also having delayed reconstruction- DIEP. My original uni MX was in March of 2009. Dr Mahabir at S&W is my PS. I have heard nothing but good things about him from his patients that I have spoke to and I was very pleased with him during our consultation. My surgery is scheduled for 2/14. I am almost certain that S&W accepts Tricare because Ft Hood is so close. Worth checking it out anyway.

TexasRose--Thanks for the info. Will look into them.

jeskachi--yeah, that's where I wanted to go from the beginning. I called and they don't accept Tricare....which I thought was very odd since San Antonio is primarily military...oh well.

I had my first consultation with UT Medicine....but wasn't comfortable with the surgeon and got cold feet.....we'll see this time around

Tammy, so sorry to hear of your experience.  Sending Gentle Hygs your way!!

Tammy, so sorry your results weren't as expected.... For now, just focus on recovering - the next step will come to you in time. Sending you warm hugs!