DIEP 2013

Oh! I meant to ask -- I am not allowed to wear a bra until 6 weeks out, but I have a fancy work event at 4 weeks (in one week). Has anyone found a one-boob stick-on or other option? Help!

Kuka - it really might help you to get on some Zoloft to help reduce the anxiety levels.  It really helps.  Promise.

sbelizabeth - My cardiologist is double board certified in cardio and integrative health.  He suggested I add the following before my next surgery to help with skin healing:  15 mg Zinc w/ 2 mg Copper; 1000 Vit. C; turmeric and green tea extract.  My PS had me stop the turmeric and tea 1 month before surgery.  

Kuka - My bmi was about 26.  My doc assured me I would have plenty available for DIEP.  At this point, I am a large B or small C.  Not sure where I will end up.  My original equipment was a 32DD.  Having smaller boobs can take 10 pounds off visually.  Do not start eating sugar and carbs, you will be fine.  High protein, good carbs from fresh fruit and veggies, good fats.  When I am behaving fairly well, I tend to lose about 1/2 to 1 lb a week.  I can live with that!  If I eat white carbs, I bloat.  I am also very sensitive to sodium as many chefs use way too much.  

MartyJ, thanks for sharing! It helps me knowing other women's real stories ending up in success. I guess because my mom's process hasn't been very successful. She had the expanders and then implants. She's had contracture for quiet some time, but she's too weak for the surgery she will need to take the implants out. She's in pain a lot, but decided to keep her implants as long as she can handle the pain due to the risks of the surgery.

I've always had a sweet tooth, but since I started this diet I don't really crave sweets and I've been doing really good! My weigh always goes to my belly and my boobs, so that's why I was asking about quitting the diet. I've also been taking Paxil and Xanax for some time. But I tend to over think things a lot, and I don't like change. That's my biggest problems. It takes me a while to get used to new things, unless it changes very slowly, which this will not be. All the reassurance I read here helps me so much to calm my nerves, so I really appreciate all of the input I get.

kuka21-- my incision is vertical line from the bottom of my nipple downwards.  I have small "paddles" in the spot underneath my nipples, and it looks kind of awkward right now, but the way the PS explained it was that he had to put some paddles in for the dopplar readings to ensure that the flaps were viable.  Yes, I will need a Stage 2 where he removes the paddles and sew the skin together so there will be just a "line" going down from the nipple.  Unfortunately, I do have some mini-dog ears that he will remove as well. My Stage 1 surgery was about 12 hours, but my PS already gave me the heads up that he doesn't do everything in one stage, and his focus this time was to ensure that the flaps were viable and that cosmetic tweaks would be for later.  As for insurance, I would suggest asking to see what is covered and what is not, since even the same insurance company can have multiple flavors and types of coverage.  I had a nurse navigator with my insurance company that explained my coverage to me.  My PS was out-of-network, so I had to go through some pretty crummy hoops to get him approved to do my surgery.  I jumped through all the hoops because I felt strongly that the PS I had had the experience and qualifications to work on me (and spoke to a few BCO members that used him for DIEP in the past about their experiences as well).  Good luck!

Had a nice long walk in the park with dh in the afternoon. Such a beautiful day.

kuka21, your ps will be able to tell you what cup size he/she can achieve for you. If you want, i can pm you. I believe they can pretty much do anything you desire, if you give them enough freedom to work on you. There are other donor sites beside you ab where tissues can be harvested. cuetang is correct about the percentage. My breast incisions are on the folds so even now they are not obvious. Once the color fades, you won't be able to see them at all. I don't know what my ps will do exactly, but he said that he will be able to make my ab-incision looks like the incision lines on my breasts which are very smooth. I'm very lucky these great docs, both my bs and ps, are in-network docs so there is no insurance issue for me.

Kuka.. All PSs are different. Some have you wear compression and give it to you and others don't. Some have you wear a surgical bra and give it to you and others do not. So you need to ask your doctor's office. I wore loose tops and bought lounge pants at Target (Gilligan and O'malley) Full legs and soft elastic waist. Very comfy. I bought higher cut undies in a size or two larger, so it didn't sit on the hips. I wore these over the compression garment as they are crotchless. Some women go commando.

I am wearing my G O lounge jacket, pants and a tank to the hospital for my stage 2.  That way I have them to wear home.  Looking right spiffy with sunglasses to cover the mascaraless eyes.  6 more days.

What a great tip!  Target G&O pants.  I wondered what I was going to wear.

MartyJ, when I was bald as an egg from chemo, the time I saved every morning NOT doing my hair, I spent learning how to put on eye make-up.  First time ever I wore eyeliner, and I've since become pretty good at it.  

Bald, with no eyelashes or eyebrows (and none drawn on!), I looked like a fat, white, alien.  

LOL, took me a minute though...

Faith....you are in my thoughts....all will go well, and you'll be one of the "veterans" I can get support and words of wisdom from when it's my turn. 

I certainly don't use it very often, but I have found the "perfect response" to the occassional people who seem to freely offer repeated inappropriate or unwanted comments about how envious they are about the boob lift, tummy tuck scenario. My response (again, to the few who REALLY just don't get it) is: "I really just need a breast transplant, so, thanks, it's so great of you to donate your breast, and since I only need one, you'd still have one left.....", they then seem to get the point of the whole journey!

Thinking of everyone today - (((((x)))))

Good luck tomorrow, faith. See you on the other side.

Sending healing hugs your way Faith. You will do wonderful. 😷

Go Faith go! Like sbelizabeth said so well: We'll all be in your pocket, cheering you on & holding you in our hearts. Wishing you the best!

Hi, Nihahi and all! I'm doing well, thank you for asking! At just about the 6-week mark, I'm feeling pretty good. I still get tired in the late afternoons, and I still feel tight and sometimes a bit sore when I get up after sitting for long periods, but for the most part I'm able to live fairly "normally" (whatever that is!) now. I'm not quite full time at work yet, but have been gradually increasing my hours and expect to be full time by next week. I can wear most of my usual clothes and move around OK. Sleep is still not great, though, as my back still doesn't like my sleeping in anything but a "V" position still.

Tomorrow I see my surgeon, the first time since he pulled my drains the week after surgery, and I'm hoping he'll say I can resume more intense exercise and lifting beyond 5 pounds (amazing what a limitation that is, especially with two young boys and a dog running around!). I expect we'll also talk about a Stage 2 surgery - what he calls "revisions" - which at this point I'm a bit conflicted about, though I think my hesitation is largely from Stage 1 still being so fresh...I'm just not into the idea of getting still more surgery. On the other hand, one side is looking a bit different from the other and has a bit of a crease or something...I wonder if this is what folks mean by a dog ear? Though it's not excess skin or anything, more just like the incision on the bottom of the breast comes in above a sort of fold of fat. Agh, I can't describe it. And there's also the issue of the smallness of my new girls, smaller than I was but still cute and maybe enough? I just don't know. 

Anyway, I'll see what he has to say and maybe just give it more time. I know many women get Stage 2 at the three-month mark, but I'm inclined to wait longer anyway. I still feel raw! And really, for the most part, things look good, once you get past the Frankenboob aspects - and certainly fine under clothes. I can't believe it, actually. And I love not having to wear a bra, btw!! In that sense, small has been beautiful!

Someone asked how common Stage 2 surgeries are. My PS claims to only have to do them in about 20-30% of his cases, but it sure seems more common than that on these boards. We'll see what he says in my case.

Sorry I haven't been more active in the discussions! I look forward to having a bit more energy at the end of each day to read and contribute. I so appreciate you all. And a very warm welcome to the new gals!!

Good luck tomorrow faith!!