Diep 2012

Evelyn... I have had two stage II surgeries and will probably have one small one making it three revisions. Mine are now ALMOST perfect... You deserve it... Go for it.

If there is a problem, yes. You can't just say I may be even and have symmetry, but want Dolly Partons... But if you have any symmetry issues, then you should be covered.

My bulge is GONE... yay. I did have another revisional surgery this January and it did the trick!!

Hey everyone,

Just wondering if anyone else has continued pain in either/both breasts?

I have continued pain in both the "good" and "bad" side. On the good side it seems to be against the chest wall where I assume the original tissue is meeting the newly transplanted tissue. On the bad side it seems to be in that same place but also I am still getting a burning sensation every now and then where I think my two nodes came from. My two nodes removed were actually not way under my arm-pit but closer to the side of my breast.

Just not sure if I should be panicking about this pain...

Jenn

Beckers. I think weight loss will help even with the mesh. Just my two cents. Hope I am right.



Jenn. Sorry for your pain. Perhaps some of it is nerve regeneration



Mena. Nightmare indeed. So sorry but glad you are pleased with your results. Who was your original doctor? And who will you see at msk?

Great one of my coworkers just posted on fb she iscoming in tomorrow even though she is still sick. If she makes me sick i will be so mad at her. Am almost over my itty bitty cold. Not really appropriate stuff for fb imo.



I have had sinus drainage for few weeksnow. Have been controlling it pretty good with my netti pot. But last few nights I wake up with hacking wet my pants trying to cough up my lung cough. Andwhen ever I bend over I have this horrible pain in sinus.



I havnt been taking any coldmedicine. I am afraid of how they will mix with tamox. I guess mucinex is okay. Its a expectorant. I dont want anything to dry me out. Ie make me more prone to blood clots.

Mena, I am glad you resolved all your issues and are ready to get nipples, I feel like they made a big difference for me.  I am, however, sorry that you had to pay so much out of pocket.  It really is awful when we have to make very important decisions at a time when our minds are reeling from a cancer diagnosis and we are not thinking straight.  Dr. Korn does do fantastic work.  I love my new boobs, they aren't perfect, but they look great and very normal which is what I wanted.  I keep telling him, "I wasn't perfect before, I don't need to be perfect after".  Thanks for your reassurances before my surgery, it really helped me to hear from someone who had the surgery and used that surgeon and to know that the results were good. 

CG:  My BMX and DIEP buddy!  Glad to hear you are feeling well.  I am too.  I am all back to normal activity and ready to move on with life!  I had my Stage 2 three weeks ago and got my nipples.  It really does make a world of difference in making the breast appear "normal".  You will be even happier when you get them.  And that fat grafting worked great.  I am only three weeks out, so I don't know if it has all "taken" as the doc said only 50% will stay, but the area he filled in looks sooo much better!  Good luck with yours!

I kept my own nipples but they took them off and repositioned them. Now, they are not the same color. Hmmm. Do you all get tattoos? Where do you find good tattoo artist? Also, how long is it until you know what fat stayed after grafting because I am 2 1/2 mos out and I think most of it is still there.

I will do that. Maybe he can recommend someone on West coast. Does insurance cover the cost?

I've been offline for awhile....had my DIEP in Nov and supposed to get a date for stage 2 in May or June. Got a question: my chest above my new boobs (sternum?) appears protruded now. I've been asked by friends if its swollen, but I think the loss of tissue in the mastectomy left a concave profile. Has anyone else experienced this? Is it something that can be adjusted with surgery (maybe a lift?) during stage 2? I feel guilty about complaining but it does make my breasts look more unnatural.

Jill- yes, they can do a lift at Stage 2.  Right from the get go there was a hollow area above my leftie and we knew it would need to be lifted (rotated a bit too).  My PS noticed it at a 3 week Post Op and she said it could be fixed at 2. Don't think you are complaining.  You live with these girls and they should look natural.  If you don't ask you your PS will never know what is bothering you.  Can you get a consult before your Stage 2 pre-op?

Rebecca - try to google natural breast tattoo and a number of sites will pop up.  You might just find someone on the west coast.

Rebecca

Go to www.dragonflyink.com I found it in my history. was looking at that site a few weeks ago. don't know how I found it. but they do nipples. they are in San Fransisco-I think. sorry can't remember shit.

19 more days until my nipples are heresinus headache gone

I meant bdavis...what took bulge away.  Sorry Beckers...you were on my mind (and that's what I get for being on bc.org at 4 am!).   Off to play with grandsons & wishing you all a great start to the weekend!  XOXO

How long after rads did everyone wait for stage 2? Also how long was recovery time for it?

Shianne, I had rads after chemo and my bmx but before reconstruction. I'm scheduled in 2 1/2 weeks for one diep/one implant. My PS wanted me to wait at least 6 months after rads.