DIEP 2013

Thanks Marty, curveball, and movie. I have an appt with ps Thursday, will ask him about the sores if they are still there. Movie, will the wound heal better and faster, if the doc would stitch them up now? Someone suggested that to me, and I m thinking about ask the doc about it. -Tammy

bdavies,

I too have lower back 'love handles' and I was wondering if it will look strange once the belly has gone?

I am now just a bit worried that a Diep might throw 'everything out of kilter' I am sure it won't stop me, but it's just as well to be aware of all. You know like buying a house or a car and thinking 'oh I should have....... 

As we have treatment in the UK free on the NHS, I don't think they will be up for doing other comestic stuff. Just what needs doing.

I guess I will have to ask all. 

Yes, its a good question. The first DIEP PS I went to said he could fix me up in one surgery. But he would have to pull me really tight. So of course I asked him about transitioning the love handles, and he was not that interested... Just said to go to the gym... As a doctor he should know you can't spot exercise. So I didn't care for his reseponse and went to a doctor who up front said he would make the whole picture work for me.

bdavies,

I'm really pleased you found a surgeon that listened to you, that's really half the battle eh?

I just don't want to end up looking a bit odd, or if I do I want to know I am going to....look odd.

Waiting for recon is a real tester, I  think I might have too much time to think about it!  

Kiwi - I think I had about the same amount of skin and fat taken for DIEP.  In my case they got rid of the skin and used the fat to create the filling for the flap.  I had implants for many years so they had already stretched the skin following my 2 mastectomies.  You will be upright before you know it, just don't push it.  Your body will straighten when ready.

3Mom - I had implants for many years.  When they were first put in (after TE), no one told me that they had a life span of 10 - 15 years (often less).  I had them replaced at 14 years.  The PS who replaced them did not break up scar tissue (he was busy removing leaking silicone) and the 2nd set were never really placed correctly.  They got wonkier looking as time went on.  The plastic faux nipples (disks under the skin) were directionally impaired and ended up with one facing straight ahead and one pointing to the left.  In addition, I never knew why I always had a feeling of a tight band around my chest under my bust - Iron Bra syndrome.  I had DEIP 4 months ago.  I knew I needed to replace the implants again and wanted a more permanent solution.  These new boobs are all mine. They are warm to the touch and soft.  Yes, they need refinement and nipples and tatoos, but I will never have to have them removed/replaced because they are leaking.  The Iron Bra is gone.  After 27 years of implants, life is getting back to normal.  Yes, I would have done DIEP if it had been available 27 years ago, but sadly it wasn't.  I am so glad I did the research and committed to the recuperation.  If you can at all manage it, I highly recommend DIEP or the GAP procedures over implants.  

bdavis thanks so much all 3 of those reasons he listed make sense and that's helpful to know going forward. I would say we all have a few lbs to loose in the mid section otherwise DIEP wouldn't work for us After I left my initial meeting with my PS I was excited for the first time ever that I had some extra tummy fat to spare lol he actually said "medically your weight is great" boy was I over the moon after he said that !

Pink - yes, I know the disks were strange.  They were placed with the original implants in 1985.  I always thought of them as pasties under the skin.  The second PS and all other doctors commented on how unusual they were, but he didn't want to mess with them.  And the tatoos were an odd pale cream that did not look at all natural.  I am counting on Vinnie to make this look right as the tatoo circles remain.

I would be happy to get together if we can work it out.  I am out of town when you have your surgery and then I am up one week later.  We'll keep in touch on the Charleston thread.

Hi, all! My surgery was yesterday and so far (knock on wood!) things have gone well. My PS was able to DIEP on one side and a SIEA on the other! I was pleasantly surprised by that, as we really thought a muscle-sparing TRAM would be necessary given my body composition (not much fat in tummy though plenty in bum & thighs).



Anyway, I'm about 24 hours post-surgery and the doppler continues to show good flow. My PS has given the OK to check that every 2 hours rather than the every-hour check last night (which made for one long night). The pain is manageable though I'm struggling with nausea. Not terrible though. I'm hoping the acupuncturist comes soon.



I've been in bed the whole time except for once being helped up and walking around the room a bit. I really feared that first get-up thing, so I'm glad it's done. Doc says if things stay on this track, I could go home Friday.



I'll keep you posted and am cheering everybody else on, wherever you are on your journey!

Joellelee,

I second starting PT asap, especially with an LE-lymphedema trained PT.  When do you start radiation?  Because of my 19 nodes taken out causing pain and extreme AWS-axillary web syndrome/cording, they had to hold off radiation for 8 weeks because my arm could not lift high enough over my head for the radiation beam to target my breast.  PT's therapy still could not (and still does not) get it all the way back, but with an extra high mold/pillow was made for radiation table, and I was able to lay there with arm resting on raised mold keeping it still.  I hope your ALND pain is resolved soon!

KiwiMum - 

I'm sooooo glad to hear your recovery is going well. I'm following everyone on this thread, as I'm waiting for a spring DIEP, date tba. Your progress is encouraging.

My PS told me that he does his best to make the breasts the same - But -  they're always somewhat different. He said 'We make them sisters, not twins.' 

MartyJ

Thanks for  your input on your choice now to have DIEP.  I was most encouraged however to see you had surgery in'85 - I was just a little girl then, and you are still on here offering words of encouragement and wisdom - even to a young mom as myself.  Thank you so very much - I have though of you daily since I read that post.  I am going for 1 more PS consult next week then I told my husband that I am going to make a decision and get this scheduled! So I will be joining the March list I am sure.

Also question to any of you - maybe need to look in another discussion - on how much to share with young children.  Mine are 9,6 and 3 and only know that last month I had to have some "Bad Skin" taken off and they were fine with that.  Now obviously facing much more than bad skin and just want to be sensitive to their young minds and hearts.  

Christina

Nihahi, I was semi awake when the nurses checked. The dopplers at the best indicator of a problem. Some lights were turned on, they checked BP and dopplers. I heard the problem with my right on the dopplers. You quickly get used to the "normal" sound and know when it is off. Lots of drugs. No dressings, just a bra. The Doppler check is pretty quick, but happens hourly. You do wake up, but the drugs put you back under.

3mom/Christina,

I too was very concerned about what to tell my daughter, who was seven when I was diagnosed. I've tried to be open, but not share more details than were necessary. I had neoadjuvant chemo, so she knew I had cancer... But I really struggled with how to explain when I was going for my BMX & DIEP. (I'd had a lumpectomy after chemo and we did tell her that the results showed that the cancer was gone. She sometimes refers to that day she found out the cancer was gone as the best day of her life.) Prior to going to NOLA, my husband and I explained that my excellent super-smart doctors recommended an additional procedure to help make sure the cancer doesn't come back and that I'd be sore and tired for a few weeks when I got home. I was very concerned about not being able to pick her up or hug and snuggle like usual. Also about her being scared or disgusted by my incisions. At some point after returning home from NOLA, I did ask her if she wanted to know what the procedure was and she did. I explained, using the unstuffing and restuffing a pillow analogy that some of the ladies have used, that they were refilling my breasts with tissue from my tummy. I'd been very careful about her not seeing me naked for the first few weeks, which was difficult, since she has always hung around while I was in the shower (when she was a baby, i kept a pack & play and a bouncer across the bathroom where she'd sit while I showered and got dressed.) In any event, within a few weeks of coming home, she was forgetting to knock before coming in. I was then wearing scar tape on my incisions and felt better about having it covered. I did once ask if it was scary to see and she said no. (Now she's in and out all the time and I don't even think about how it looks; it's a non issue at this point.) I think if I had boys who didn't see me naked all the time, I might have been able to share a bit less info. There are a few other old threads here about explaining to children. People have given some very good advice. Let me know if you can't find them and I'll look for you.

Jenifer

scopolamine patch. I also did not have any nausea from the anesthesia.  It was a nonissue for me.