Diep 2012

Yes, we are neighbors. We drive through Georgetown at least once a month heading to Port Aransas. We have a place down there and take the toll road around Austin to get to 183 for the drive down to the coast. We also have mini season tickets for the Express so go to several games in Round Rock. I've heard such good things about PRMA here on BCO. I have never heard of anyone in Austin doing DIEP so I was curious.



I give myself little breaks from the binder daily. It is most definitely the hardest part of this for me. Well that and having to take showers instead of baths. I like the Marena girdle linked, but when I put my measurements in it says I need to order a 2X. Now, I am NOT a 2X. Not even remotely close. So I have no idea what to do.

Hello

Just diagnosed with LCIS and surgeon is recommending bilaterial prophylactic mastectomies.

Meeting with him next week to discuss options. He mentioned I'd be a good candidate for nipple sparing. Is that different than DIEP? confused.

I am trying to get an idea of what is available. thank you. 

DIEP use the abdominal fat, blood vessels and sometimes, skin if required, to replace the breast tissue. It can be used with either skin or nipple sparing as well as complete mastectomy procedures. If you are not going to do RADS then immediate recon is in my opinion the best way to go. Whether or not you have skin sparing or nipple sparing depends on where the cancer is located. If it is close to the skin then the skin will be removed and replaced with skin from you abdomen. Both skin and nipple sparing procedures can also be used with implants and fat grafting procedures.

I've found that surgeons' own definitions of "failure" might be different than ours.  Ask him what complications he's had with flaps and how he dealt with them.  Also ask, hypothetically, if you were his first flap failure what would his next step be? How would he replace it? It's good to know what Plan B is.

You don't get to decide where the incision is, unfortunately.  But you can express a preference that he make it as low as possible. Or cut around a tattoo. Or whatever. I'm sure he'll give you no guarantees on that though.

If you're prone to nausea then tell that to the anesthesiologist in your pre-op.  The surgeon has no control over that. And there are no alternatives, no. Has to be general.

You won't notice a 10-pound weight loss in your breast, especially right after surgery when things are still swollen. Long term though it would take more weight loss than that to make a noticeable difference (unless you're small to begin with).

Hi. I had a diep two weeks ago with a bmx. Does anyone else need to also have implants put in later ? I am going to because I didnt have enough on my stomach to bring me to the size I wanted. I was just wondering if anyone did have implants after diep, are you pleased with results and do the implants bother you? I am also uneven after diep because I have a defect on right side and it is a bit concaved. PS said he would fix on stage 2. Has anyone else come out uneven after surgery and had the problem fixed on stage 2? Thanks for any info you might be able to give me.

I didn't have enough belly fat either, I will get back up to my original size via implants and/or fat injections in stage 2. Does anyone have any experience using fat injections instead of implants? How do they look/feel? I didn't know that was an option til today, I thought it was implants only. The nice thing seems like I can lipo where I want to lose fat and get rid of that to put in my breasts and it seems like it would be more natural feeling/looking than an implant. Any suggestions/opinions/experience in either would be appreciated!



Also random question I forgot to ask my doctor and feel embarrassed to call - how long after the DIEP/recon did you have to wait to have sex? My surgery was two weeks ago but I'm

Still pretty sore so imagine it would at least be a few more weeks?

Hi,

I'm in upstate NY, an hour south of Albany.  I started looking into DIEP flap, and it turns out my insurance has two Doctors who do the procedure both in Albany.  I had wanted to use this other doctor in Westchester but he is no longer an option with my insurance. I had cancer three years ago this July, and in June it will be two years after radiation.  I had the expander changed before radiation and the thing was basically a failure a couple of months later.  I had a mastectomy on my left breast, plus Lymph nodes were removed. One doctor had a couple of bad reviews, the other one seems younger, and has only been doing Microsurgery for few years, 3 or 4.  I had really wanted to have surgery this spring, because this will be the only time my daughter will be able to help me.  I am just upset, why can't things be easy...lol...

There's also PRMA in San Antonio, TX

There is a doctor in Greenwich CT ... maybe do a google search and see who it is and if they are in network... or Dr Levine in NYC

Paula845,you are not far from me,I am about two hours from Albany.Not sure about your insurance,but mine states if there is not a specialist within 60 miles doing a procedure,I can request out of network benefits.That being said,I am still fighting my insurance(MVP HMO) as they denied my request for bilateral SGAP.I will appeal,but we are changing insurance this fall....putting recon on hold until early next year so I can go to the doctor of my choice..out of state.Would be happy to share with you what I have learned about dealing with insurance.

Hi all. Thanks for your good wishes, Texas Rose! I've been following your updates and am so happy for you! And--I agree: binders are a PITA!

So, here's what happened: instead of getting my DIEP recon on 2/29, on 3/5, I went in for total hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, removal of giant ovarian mass, and--if necessary--staging of mass. The week before surgery consisted of me running back and forth for all kinds of tests.... and then retests when they thought the saw suspicious stuff. Here's a hot tip for health care providers: don't tell a breast cancer patient that you see a lung mass on their chest xray unless you are sure you see a mass on their chest xray. Thanks for 36 hours of terror.

Surgery was "quick and clean," per my surgeon. Mass was even bigger than expected (18cm!!!!) but initial appearances were benign. I had the same anesthesiologist that put me under for my BMx and, man, is she ever good -- not one lick of nausea and the easiest possible recovery. I was up and walking within 6 hours of surgery and was released yesterday, the morning of the third day. I got my full pathology results last night---all benign. HOORAY!!

Today, three full days post-op, I feel nearly normal. My incision is about 7 inches up and down, smack down the middle of my abdomen--this was blessed by my plastic surgeon. I am wearing a binder and it's the most annoying thing about recovery so far. Pain is easily controlled by oxy/acet + ibufrofen.

Unfortunately, my eurphoria at being cancer-free crashed a little bit an hour ago: my plastic surgeon won't do reconstruction for three months. I know this is nothing in the scheme of things but I am gutted anyway. The most important thing in my life--horse riding--is still months away. This probably sounds dumb to most but I can't tell you how horrible I feel. Not to mention, I'm not sure how I'll make this delay work with my employer. I'm a project director--working on and off for months at a time doesn't really fly in my field. I don't know what I'll do but trying to stay positive.

I've enjoyed following everyone's stories---and "meeting" the new members that have joined in the last couple of weeks. Hooray for all of us! 

Being the totally crazy person I seem to be these days....I called again to Mayo just to make sure they take my insurance and then called my insurance company to be sure they contracted with Mayo.   A little bit anal right now about this surgery!   All said, I am good to know.  Also was told by Mayo that the estimate they gave me (total cost w/o insurance) included everything anticipated....hospital stay of 5-7 days, everything.   That was good to hear.  

Now...to just be patient for three months.   I know how quickly that can go so it will be upon me before I know it....and then I'll be thinking "yikes, I'm not ready"!

Thank you to each of you who responded about how quickly I might be able to take a road trip.  Reservations are made and we're headed to the Telluride Blues and Brews festival in September.  Will be fun!

Hi Pandazanker...Sorry to hear you have to postpone the surgery...I would love to hear about what you have learned about insurance.  BTW...I'm in the Poughkeepsie area.

Sarahmfallon - I've heard that DIEP foobs will gain and lose like the rest of our bodies. I certainly hope it's not like the belly and hope it's like the other boob. I had a UMX and if they gain and lose weight differently, I may be in for some really goofy looks. OY!  I guess I can put that on my list of questions for the PS who I see on Monday for my 3 month follow up.

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