Diep 2012
Comments
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CookieMonster, no special insight here but I'll offer an opinion: this crappy disease has a small silver lining in that we sometimes get the chance to reshape our bodies in a more appealing way. I think you should work towards getting what you want. If you want smaller breasts, then go for it! It sounds like your husband is supportive and you can make it work with your teaching schedule... more surgery is never awesome but these will be relatively small procedures, compared to what you've gone through already.
Why not emerge with the breasts you want?
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Cookie, I agree, if your coverage and surgeon are all on board to let you finish the journey with the body that suits you, go for it, but don't rush faster than you want. I am thinking I won't entertain touch ups until at least the Xmas break if not next spring after exams. This spring is too soon for me as my PS prefers to wait 6 months before making strategic decisions and I already have great stuff scheduled for spring. My LE therapist was sort of discouraging further surgery as it's hard on the body. Well, yeah it is, but I'd like to tidy up the loose ends and if I pace myself I can let this heal and then proceed to the next step.
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I totally agree with you both. All things running smoothly, I already have decided that I will wait until Sept. for stage II (technically, 3 months would be late June) so I can spend the summer "un-bound" by binders in the heat and just enjoy puttering for a bit. Gotta enjoy the joy when you find it!! = )
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TexasRose, just for the record, I bet you could. I didn't start until I was 51, and I had a hand injury that prevented me from doing most of my work and I needed something to distract me between physio appointments. I started with 800m around the block. I thought THAT was a marathon. The advantage of starting at 51 is my knees are in mint condition. I will never be fast (there are walkers that beat me -- blast that Team in Training and their outstanding walking speed!), but I have discovered stamina I didn't know I had. You just have to not stop. That's been a metaphor for this whole journey as well. I did my first half 18 months after that first 800m "run". The following week was my magnified views mammogram that started this nonsense. My second half was just before the lumpectomy and my third was 10 weeks after the mastectomy. The most recent half post-DIEP was I think my 6th, judging by the gaudy display of medals. I will never win THE race, but I win MY race. No Olympian here, just stubborn and way too in love with shiny metal on ribbons.
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If you have gone from a G to a D, that must already have gone a lot smaller. My first reaction would be option 2.... But I have DD cup size, and would be happy with a single D. If you did Option 1, you could still lose some weight, and they would get a little smaller still.
Going any smaller off the bat might in the end be too much and be disproportionate to your body size. -
Hi Girls! Tried to catch up on some reading of back posts but didn't get too far. Will be 2 weeks out as of Wed. Doing really well. I have some trouble clearing out anesthesia so I am loopy for about a week and I try not to use the phone or computer. I am doing well now that I can be on Advil instead of narcotics, which usually don't work well for me. Now on Advil, minimal pain and usually forget to take it. The pesky drains are the worst part, but I knew that. Healing very well. LOVE the results and would recommend the diep to anyone and they are not even finished yet. Wish I had of known all of this back in 2010.
Ysa- you will do fine. Not sure if it was you asking, but with my BMX I saw both BS and PS prior to surgery, but the PS is the one who marked me so that the BS would follow his markings. I did not have a BS this time so saw the PS the day before for the markings.
Not sure if I will be ready to run any races in the next few weeks, but no too long after to start exercising again.
Dreeager- I think it was you asking about Paris 4 months after. I say go for it you should be just fine. I know in 4 months I will be feeling just fine and I am planning stage 2 for June or July and camping on Labor Day weekend.
Hope you are all well and those healing that it is going quickly and easy. Talk to you all soon!
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Well, I met with the PS today for Monday's surgery. Apparently, I will stay in ICU the night Monday night of the surgery through at least Wednesday (total bedrest). And, no eating until at least after the Tuesday morning check. But they plan to discharge me on Friday. No wraps or bandages and I'm supposed to shower from head to toe while still in the hosptial.
We'll see . . . going Thursday for the preadmission testing!
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iswimibikeirun- It's almost here! You will do fine and we'll all be pulling for ya! I'm sure the nerves are really kicking in right now, but you'll soon be on the other side of surgery. The worst part for me in the hospital was the not eating or drinking after surgery. They gave me mouth swabs that tasted like this nasty lemon taste. Prior to surgery, I was addicted to Lemon Zinger tea. I no longer drink it. lol
CookieMonster- Not sure how much my opinion means because I actually went a little bit bigger. I was only an A, maybe a small B and I went up just a little bit. But I would say get the body you want. I wonder sometimes if I'm making decisions about this based on what I really want or what is easier, and after everything we have been through- we owe it to ourselves to end this journey with exactly what we want! So, I would say do the two surgeries if that is the end result you really want. So many difficult decisions we have to make. Follow your heart.
goldlining- I have such tremendous admiration for you and your races! I actually have done some running in my younger day. Enough to know that I don't want to be a runner. I do workout, but running just isn't my thing. And I have accepted that. But I am cheering you on with your races! Bring home the ribbons for all of us "over 50" gals!!
mamachick- I've been wondering how you've been doing! Glad to hear all is going so well!! Get your rest and take care!
I have hardly thought about Stage 2 at all. Now that I'm 4 weeks out from Stage 1, I guess I should start thinking about it. I'm not having much done. Shape up the girls and remove one dog ear under my left arm that is leftover from original MX in 2009, maybe nipples- still debating that- and that's about it. I am thinking of waiting until late fall or winter though. I don't want to be in that damned binder in the Texas summer heat. No way!! Plus, we have a pool and I live in it during the summer. Not messing with my pool time!
Doing great here. The last two days have been pretty busy and I overdid just a bit. Planning on laying a bit low today.
Continued healing thoughts for all!
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I am almost 4 weeks from surgery and had a set back with my abdominal incision splitting so I have had a slower than normal recovery, I think. But at this time I have about a 1" place that still wants to open but the rest looks much better. So, as I try to get back on track with my recovery I have a question about when these breasts will move from under my arms and fall into a more normal position. I still have some swelling that makes them seem like they are wide and flat. Any ideas?
Also, anyone with incision issues....how long did it delay your recovery to go back to work?
Thanks for your help, ladies. Namaste'.
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wrsmith2x - I have the same issue. I am 3 weeks post op and my breast appear to be wide and flat as well. The doctor keeps bragging on how great the shape is but I just dont see it yet. I have been hoping that with time they will look better, but I was wondering the same thing. Its so nice to look on here and see that others have the same problem and it is not just me being hard to get along with. I think my doctor did a great job but I feel like my breast are shaped like hamburger buns. Hopefully (for both of us) healing will make it better?? Good luck in your healing process. Prayers for you.
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wrsmith2x and rthrift1, mine are what I would call wide in that they are centred and extend to the outside of the ribcage on the front (not around the corner onto my sides, but also not set in from the sides by a margin). As such they are pretty much exactly the same shape and position they were before, just smaller. One of them projects more because that flap weighed more before installation (according to the OR report). I think I will have them evened out later, after I get bored of things being sort of normal and I have time to take a couple of weeks off. I think they achieve the shape with stitches inside when they build the flaps up (I think some firmer spots are the scar tissue around those positioning stitches) so I don't know that there is any mechanism for them to pull together into a Barbie doll bustline shape if they are currently hamburger buns. Swelling, however, is a separate issue. I've seen a lymphedema therapist for some draining massage. Apparently my swelling is minimal, but I wanted to be on it and not let it get out of whack. Not sure how much the massage does, but it feels nice.
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Had had the fat lipo'd out from under my arms during stage 2. My stage 2 was 11 months after stage one so everything had pretty much fallen into place. I also had a lift on the right side(prophy), fat transfer to fill some slight depressions and nipples built. I am 3 and a half weeks out from stage 2 and things are starting to look normal. The firmness has disapated and I have some jiggle going on. Tattoos here I come.
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Snobird... I am curious about the lipo from under the arms.. do you mean on the trunk or on the arm? I ask because of nodes and LE.
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I meant on my sides of my trunk under the arms but not in the armpit area. The flaps were kind of bulgy and bothered me when my arms were at my side. My PS just lipo'd out those fat areas that would be under the sides of your bra.
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Mine lipo'd there too... but I need more.. It is still lumpy... I was kind of hoping you had your arms done... I have fat elbows.
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had PS consult today. my treatment is through the local VA hospital. luckily, they have a breast clinic here too.
If i want to go with implants, can go with gel. Nice option. PS has done plastic surgery for over 20 yrs and 85% of all procedures he does are recons. He doesn't like PSs who tell their patients what they should have - it's the patient's decision, so long as it fits within the boundaries of what will work. btw, he doesn't recommend nor like to use saline for implants because of the rippling effect. due to how wide my chest and shoulders are, even to be smaller than I was he said it would still be 500-700cc fill.
He and the NP were glad I'd taken a pic of the "before". Turns out that there isn't as much belly fat as I'd thought so it won't be possible to put me back as large as I was - for which I'm glad, glad I tell you! Looks like I'd wind up about a full B or small C. After years of D/DD/DDD, I can live with that!! Like most people, they don't believe I was the size I was. Until he saw the photo that is. His comment - you certain were large weren't you. Oh, said the side bra bulge had to go, would lipo that.
They've begun doing Diep at my VA hospital. He's pretty sure he's going to decide i'm a good candidate for that, but wants his partner to chime in since they'd both be doing the surgery. Compared to a Tram, I'd much rather go with a Diep - if that's how i decide. I'm leaning towards the Diep.
Any comments about why you chose the route you went for recon?
Sally
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GalSal... I don't and have never had implants, but one reason I chose DIEP is because to be what I was, they were going to have to give me 600+cc implants and I was afraid they would be heavy and bothersome. My other reasons for wanting DIEP over implants is that there is a high percentage of implant failure... they need to be replaced after ~10 years... I had not really heard of happy patients (I don't know of one who says it is natural looking (naked))... I didn't want a foreign substance inside of me.... About DIEP though... you say that they have just started doing them at your VA hospital. I am not sure I would want a doctor who is new to the procedure doing it.. it is very delicate and requires a lot of experience. And I definitely did not want TRAM, because I didn't want them taking my muscle...
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Galsal ~ Betsy is right. Your PS should be a well-trained and experienced microsurgeon for DIEP. A recent study said it was more like every 5-7 years that implants need to be replaced and that patients should know upfront to expect some type of complication with implants. I love my DIEP breasts. They are ALL me, inside and out. I went from a DD cup to a B and LOVE being smaller on top. Like something comedienne Wanda Sykes said, I'm still going to have these perkies when I'm 90. LOL Good luck to you with your reconstruction whatever you decide is best for you.
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Galsal I am with c8ndygr1 in loving the smaller size. I have enough random allergies that I felt that foreign bodies were not the way to go. No way was I giving up muscle after I'd just started being physically active and kind of enjoying it. After DIEP, my 2nd choice was flat. But I had access to a flap surgeon that does a lot of DIEP and even flaps on faces where you can't hide your mistakes, and I felt it was a gift that I could have the option. I am very happy with them and think they look great and very natural. I had a totally uncomplicated recovery. I'm leaning to a touch up to adjust the details, but no urgency. As Betsy says, the experience of the surgeon is key. If your hospital has just recruited a black belt DIEP surgeon, you may be condident, but someone learning on you, not so much.
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I haven't yet spoken to the PS's nurse for greater details (met with him once), but I'm not clear on what happens with a unilateral DIEP. I'm working on losing the 15+ pounds that took me from a B to a C. I wouldn't want to match that, as I'm determined to get back to my normal, pre-menopausal, before the bad knee weight.
Should I expect the nonsurgical breast to be reduced at stage 1? If the DIEP breast is smaller, I'll be really lopsided until then! If the breasts match, will I lose weight in the DIEP flap? It's hard to envision how this will work. Sigh.
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Chris, I have never heard of doctors reducing the non-DIEP breast at stage I... usually they will do teh transplant and once things settle, even them up at stage II... the first phase is to get the flap in place and viable... Stage II is for shaping. Now if you wanted fat added to the good breast, I have heard of that happening at stage I, like an augmentation.
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Yikes, so I can plan on being lopsided for six or so months? And one up and one down? (I'm 65.)
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Chris1 - I had a UMX and I joke about perky and droopy. I wanted a reduction so the PS intentionally made the DIEP side smaller, but not small enough as he left some shrinkage room just in case I needed radiation. Turns out I didn't, so next step is actually to do some lipo on the DIEP side to reduce it to where I want (stage II). Then we'll wait for things to settle and THEN do a lift and reduction on droopy. My PS wants to do those two in separate steps, he says that's how he gets the best symmetry. So I'll be even more lopsided for a few months - I'm somewhat lopsided now too - but you don't really notice in clothing.
Also, my understanding is that you lose and gain weight in the DIEP breast just like you normally would.
Hope this helps.
-Judy
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Thanks! To clarify, the PS has been doing Diep in his private practice for years. PS at the VA is a speciality clinic and usually only sees patients one day a week and surgery on another day of the week. Beyond that, he's at his own practice where 85% of what he does is recon including Tram, Diep, Sgap. I have read nothing but good about him. He is board certified and receives very good ratings.
There's only been a few at the VA over the past year or more since it's been new to be done there, not about him doing Diep. And he wanted to become comfortable with his partner PS at the VA who assists him for Diep. They are now comfortable enough together to begin offering this more often.
I consider that since would be starting over with foobs, they'll stand up well for the rest of my life before getting horribly saggy
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I am so glad to hear others talking about the hamburger shape. I am 3 weeks out and right now these look nothing like what I envisioned. I was a double D that gravity had taken a toll on and I asked for a C cup. I now am the same size I was they hang just as low in the bun shape. I was so excited about the chance to make them smaller and perkier.
With that being said I still would choose the Diep flap even if stage 2 can't make them look a lot better. It is my own tissue and I don't have a foreign material in me that may have to be redone down the road.
I do have to ask can stage2 make them a lot smaller and perkier from where I am at now. Just wondering how much a revision can adjust them. -
RaeBob - Stage II can make them smaller. In fact, that's what I'm having done in stage II, lipo reduction on the DIEP side. I don't know that you can go a LOT smaller though. Definitely talk to your PS.
I've heard a number of hamburger complaints, I do not have that complaint at least.
-Judy
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Thanks, everyone, for continuing to share. I keep learning so much and that has really helped me manage my expectations for this first stage.
Turns out I am having a pre-op appt with my PS the day before surgery (they just notified me this morning). I hope they use good indelible ink if that's when they plan on drawing on my body parts because there is no way I'm going into surgery without a good long shower! Hopefully, the drawing will be done on surgery day.
Got my automated MDA "7 day confirmation call" (please press "1" to confirm these appts....I was so tempted to press "2" instead), followed by their confirmation email, followed by this new appt. Suddenly, my knees are knocking and my hands are shaking. And I was doing so well (relatively) until then. Can't wait until this is just a distant memory.
Taking two new editions of Birds & Blooms magazine to the hospital with me. Figure I can look at the pretty pictures if I don't feel like reading anything.
Sending hugs and Light to all....
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Elisabeth- My PS did his artistry on me just before they took me into surgery. You will soon be on the other side of this. I am 3 weeks out and seems I was just doing a case of the nerves waiting to go. We are all with you you have lots of understanding and support on these boards.
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Thanks, RaeBob...I lurk here constantly and send out mental hugs to everyone but am terrible at expressing my love and concern...but it's there for you, too!
Just talked to my sis who is going with me to MDA (she's coming from Seattle to Albuquerque on Monday and then we're flying to Houston together on Tuesday) and she's totally freaked because one of her kids has the flu and she's been around a lot of sick folks this week. She says her hands are raw from washing them cuz she's so worried about bringing down something I'll catch. Poor girl (and I'm so grateful for her mindfulness)!
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Ysa I was asked to have not one but two showers, one before bed and the other after waking on OR day. Don't worry about the marking up. The marking up was done after I arrived at the hospital and was being kitted out for the procedure (hospital gown, compression stockings, balloon leg wrappers, heparin shot, aspirin, questions and answers, etc.)
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