DIEP 2013

Robin, some commonalities with us. I had a reduction just before age 18. Was huge and went down to a B or C. I guess I was still growing and as I aged my breast got bigger as I gained weight. I also lost breast when I lost weight. When I was diagnosed last month right before I turned 45, it was a no brainer to chose the double mastectomy , especially since there were two spot in the left breast. Then I learned of DIEP and realized that not only could I (almost) guarantee that it wouldn't come back in my breasts, but I could get a flat tummy out of this emotional situation. The surgery was not bad at all, because we're motivated to live and beat this disease. I have small kids, a business and so much to live for , this disease does not define who I am.



So thank you to all of you who helped me get to the other side so easily. I trusted my doctors and the nurses took such great care of me. Since my PS is from Italy, somewhere along the way I missed the part that I was going to wake up without nipples. Possibly tattoos are the way to go later, not sure yet.



I need to rest now in my recliner. My kids are bouncing off the walls because I'm home, it's music to my ears!



Love, Lauren

LMO....so good to hear from you....you sound awesome....yep, rest, recline, rejoice....you are now a veteran!!!!

I'm with Liefie, I'm not going for a whole makeover at Stage 2. Glad for those who want it and can get it, glad that it can be a choice, for those of us who don't.

I can say, at 3 weeks post, I feel more "whole, complete, feminine" whatever, than I have for the 20+ years since my initial mx, and I still have very fresh, red incision lines! What a gift this surgery has been. I drove my car for the first time today. Don't really enjoy the feeling when going over bumps, potholes, etc., not painful, just uncomfortable.....each day gets me closer to "normal" again. 

I don't think I'm gonna have issues, as my tummy scar is quite low as it is, but how the heck do they "lower" a scar??? Do they stretch the top half farther down???? I have lots of "bumpiness" on my tummy scar, but they are at very regular intervals. My PS says they are from the internal, dissolving sutures, and will gradually disappear. 

Kuka....yep, every day is different, but it is good to see you more "comfortable" with the new foobs. Time makes a huge difference in our perspective too. Maybe it's cause you're still young, but I can tell you, at almost 63, and a uni....I had a taste of what age does to bigger boobs. Told my PS I wanted to be smaller and lifted on the real side.....couldn't be happier with the result. 

sbelizabeth....glad to hear you're having a good sister visit. Sure wish the wildfires were all put out....stay safe!!!!!!!

LMO, glad you're back at home with your kids. Before the surgery I couldn't wait to go to the hospital to get a break. With 3 small children and DH always working long hours, I never get a break! But once I was there for 2 days I couldn't wait to come back home to my screaming kids, jumping on the bed, asking me for everything and not even letting me go potty by myself. I think my recovery went faster once I got home, so hopefully yours will too. I stopped taking the hard pain killers the second day I was home and have just been taking Tylenol at night and in the morning when I get up. I didn't realized until today that my armpits are also numb. Has this happened to anybody else? Does the feeling come back there? It sure makes it difficult to shave when you don't feel it!

We have to pay $9,000 out of pocket for insurance to start paying 100%. So I figured after paying so much money if I can get plastic surgery done for "free" to make myself look better, why not? I already had the hard surgery, and all is left is kind of a walk in the park so I'm going for it!

One thing my PS told me is to loose weight before stage 2 to get better results. I just need to loose 10 pounds in 3 months, so I'm going to try really hard!

One more thing that happened today is I went to reach up something with my arm and it felt like I was ripping my tendon in my arm from my armpit to my elbow. Is that normal? My PS didn't give me any restrictions other than lifting weight. My blisters are still looking not so good, but hoping they get better and they don't do damage to the shape of my new girls.

Bdavis, does insurance cover the lipo on your thighs too? I wouldn't mind coming out with the body I had when I was 20! Wouldn't that be great!

Good night ladies!

Kuka -

I had restrictions with reaching up. This is a common restriction. I had a umx with immediate DIEP, snb, and partial axillary excision. And the vascular connection was made going through the axillary excision so there were plenty of good reasons for that restriction.



You might possibly have axillary web syndrome (cording). I had physical therapy to release those tight "piano wireish" cords. She also worked with me regarding lymphedema prevention.



Numb underarm - not my entire underarm but a great portion that goes towards my back also. In the beginning I had some strange pain and burning sensation in the area towards my back - nerve regeneration. I still have some numb areas around there still, but none of those painful sensations.



Hope you have continued good healing.



Diana

Kuka,



I agree with Diana, it's possible you have axillary webbing-cording. Ask to be referred to a PT-CLT. Mine works only with cancer patients, primarily breast cancer.



My cording started about 2 weeks post op of BMX and axillary lymph node dissection(followed immediately by direct implants which later failed). Most breast surgeons will inform you of possibility of getting lymphedema from node dissection, but most say NOTHING about the cording. Some don't know what it is and others think it just goes away. Med onc and rad onc? Clueless and not interested. Same goes with my former PS.



Some patients will be lucky enough it resolves on its own, some may need a dozen or so PT-CLT sessions, and then there are rare patients like me that it is severe and refractory to PT treatment. I have had ~100 appointments (fortunately paid for by insurance), where PT was able to manipulate and snap the smaller "piano" cords, but I have a "mother" cord that will not resolve. Tugs and pulls and is painful. Is attached to my chest wall and runs down to elbow. Did have smaller cords that went down to wrist that PT resolved. The big mother cord pulls under my breast flap.



My current microsurgeon/plastic surgeon, who is so patient and caring and focuses only on breast cancer patients, is working on resolving this cording surgically. BTW, I also ended up with lymphedema from ALND. But we know those lymph nodes gotta go like our breasts to help make us survivors.



So please check into getting PT if you can. They also work on scar release and pain relief which many mastectomy patients have. Also lymphedema treatment if needed.



Sorry to get off DIEP natural breast reconstruction topic! Axillary webbing/cording is one of my soapbox topics ...



.... That and plastic surgeons who won't contract medical insurance leaving breast cancer patients to have added financial stress of having to pay out of network for their breast reconstructions.

Nihahi, you moved me to tears when I read that you feel 'more whole, complete, feminine' than in 20+ years. . . . so happy for you that I read it to DH too, and he actually also became a little emotional over the fact that you had to wait and suffer that long with the alien boob. You are doing marvellously well, and are such an inspiration to me. Thank you!

Ladies ..having a moment here and need advice if you've got it !



Anyone else have glue over their ab insision ? My glue has recently finally started to fall off but lat night when I was getting ready for bed I noticed some bleeding and a tiny hole on the inscision I put a bandage with bacitracin on it and covered with my binder. This morning I had another on my other side near my right hip. I am freaking out cause I am afraid that it may be opening and of course it's Sunday so I can't call the PS till morning.

Nihahi, no need to explain yourself. I think these surgeries are very personal and I know that neither you or anybody has judged in the room. I was one like you, one surgery, get it over with and that's all I'm doing. Now I'm more like, why not do more? It won't cost me anymore and I can make myself look better. The only reason I will be doing more is because 1. it's free, 2. I heal fast, 3. I have very high pain tolerance and 4. I'm a perfectionist. I'm even looking at doing laser hair removal on my armpits and bikini area. My armpits is because I don't feel them and don't know what I'm shaving and they burn when I shave. This is one of the things I need to ask PS. And the bikini area is because with me, I haven't read anybody else say this, my PS lifted my puvic area, so now my scar is right where my hair starts growing but it's not as low as it used to be. I refused to have a hairy scar!! TMI, I always shave down there. I don't like hair other than on my head, so this is a big problem for me.

Nihahi, you've always been very considerate of other in here, so please don't change just because somebody took your input wrong. I think you're awesome!

About my foobs, they're not looking any better. DH want me to call PS tomorrow so that he can look at them. The blisters are not getting any bigger but are not getting better either. My DH thinks the PS might have to scrape that tissue off, and I don't know what would happen then. Does the skin grows back or will I be left with a hole there? I'm so scared! Even though I don't mind doing stage 2 in a few weeks, I'm not ready to have another surgery right now.

Bdavis, I agree with you but go even further. I want to be me before all of this and if I can make it better then why not? After three kids I didn't have my 20 year old body anymore. 5,4 and 105 pounds. I looked good!!! So my mission now is to go back to that. I know I can't leave it all to surgery, but the majority of it😄I see nothing wrong with plastic surgery, as long as it makes you feel better do whatever needs to be done!

I don't judge whoever wants to do whatever. I think it's something very personal and like I said its whatever you need to make yourself feel better!

You ladies have a great day!!!!

Nihahi, I'm sure everybody agrees that you certainly did not mean to offend or judge. That is just not who you are and how we know you. Plastic surgery is, was and always will be a controversial subject, even when it's done for bc, it seems. In this, as in everything else, each to his own. Please don't beat yourself up about this. You make such a worthwhile contribution here, and I really like to read your posts. Have a good Sunday!

So much to catch up on and respond to!

Welcome to the new girls!  I hope you find as much support and comfort here as I have.  Another Jeannie!  

Disappointed to hear Nordstron's won't do Anthem directly.   Faith - I bought some "interim" bras to hold me over until Stage 2.  Got some cheap, soft, comfortable, no underwire Warners at Marshall's.  I wanted to hold off on using the insurance until I go get some GOOD ones!  

Dyvgirl - I also did a delayed flap because we waited to decide about radiation (which was eventually recommended but I chose not to.)  My PS placed tissue expanders to hold/expand the breast envelope.  Hated the TEs - uncomfortable, but no problems from doing so.  Makes me appreciate my new nice warm soft breasts all the more!  I had mine in for 8 months - only for scheduling reasons.  The muscle gets put back in place when they remove the TEs.  In Boston at Brigham & Women's, they did not want to risk radiating the new DIEP breast in case it affected the final results.  If I had done the rads, I also was going to have to wait 6 months post rads.  

Lauren - I can't believe how amazing you sound just a few days post surgery!  You are a rock star!!

Ruth - reaching above your head is definitely a restriction from most docs.  Heard that post MX and post DIEP.  Be careful.  Yes - numb armpits is not unusual.  One side for me is numb because of node removal.  The other because I have excess tissue there for now...  will be taken care of in Stage 2.  Hoping some sensation will return.  I had some skin issues across my breast after my MX - almost necrotic, bloody, gooey, icky.  They gave me a silver sulfadine cream to put on it.  I was so afraid I was going to be left with a gaping hole.  It all healed.  At time of DIEP he cleaned up the scars, which otherwise would've been bigger.  I'm sure yours can do the same in Stage 2.

Faith - Try not to freak out - It sounds like you did the right thing to me.  If you need to - can you call the on-call PS?  Are the hard protrusions little plastic-y things (mine were sutures) or are you talking about a bump?  A bump could be the edge of the flap. I saw my MO for 3 mos check in yesterday, first time I've seen her post DIEP.  She felt a little something, but was confident it was the flap, nothing to worry over.

All well over here.  Energy getting a little better, but still finding myself needing to take a break, take a quick nap, along the way.  Caught a glimpse of myself in a store window, walking along in my jeans and I had the girdle on instead of binder which makes me look bigger.  I was looking good!!  

I went to my friend's 40th bday last night.  She is a 2-time cancer survivor (thyroid).  Her friend gave her a butterfly necklace to "replace" her thyroid.  She said to me, if only we could give you some new boobs... I leaned down and flashed my cleavage and said, but I do!!!!

Hugs to all!
 Jeannie

Nihahi, Betsy, et al -

I do hope we can get beyond this moment.  We all know that in an email, post, or text, it is likely to misinterpret what someone is saying.  I see my teenagers all the time end up in drama-issues with their friends over a text.  As I read the above messages, I did not read into Nihahi's original post as being derogatory, simply acknowledging someone else's choices.  Somehow things seemed to spiral after that.

I so appreciate all of the advice and encouragement that has been found here, and know that we have a higher calling here to help and support those that are coming along after us.

Myself - I'm not sure how far  I will go.  I'm only 43 and know I am looking forward to Stage 2 to make things look better than they do now and even before BC came along.  What that will entail and what if anything I would do after that remains to be seen.  

I hope everyone can take a step back from this, take a breath, and then move forward.

Nihahi you have been not only an amazing ongoing contributor, but also stepped up to take charge when BleuGirl moved on.  Please know you are appreciated.

Hugs to all,

Jeannie

I think Nihahi and I are two good examples of being in different places on the reconstruction spectrum.  We are both about the same age (I am almost 61).  She has been a survivor for 20+ years, and I am pushing 30.  We have both been through tissue expanders and have had implants for quite some time.  Her choice that Stage 1 alone provides her with her desired outcome is just as valid as my choice to proceed as far as I personally feel I need to go with surgery to obtain my optimal result.  I rejoice for Nihahi that she is in such a great place - the surgery has given her back what cancer took away.  I, too, will be at that place.  It will just take me longer and more procedures.

We often use these threads to work through our thoughts and feelings.  The support we receive is invaluable, even if we do not agree.  

Nihahi, I hope that you will stay.  Betsy, I hope you will reconsider.  Things can be easily misinterpreted when we don't have the privilege of seeing facial expressions, hearing vocal inflections.  

I know I am done. I just can't take anymore sx. remember my moaning a few weeks back? thigh lipo has to be the worst. looking forward to some tats and calling them done. have just been through too much shit. trying to get my life back in order. it aint easy.

does anyone know about scar massage? I was thinking of getting tiny vibrator massage thing to massage my scar. my "good" breast since the scar makes a anchor, its needing some attention. its trying to tighten up? not sure how to put this. is this something they could fix in a next stage. been massaging that bad boy for last week. what does everyone do at stitches poking through? I've got a couple, kind of annoying.

still having my annoying stabbing headache pain. went to ent friday- said he saw large bone spur on my deviated septum. wants me to see neuro doc. and he put me on prednisone and another drug....thinking....to bring swelling down...decongestant..but insurance doesn't cover. got three pills and it does help. feels like knives behind left eye when I bend over or look over shoulder . I just want to be freaken normal for a change. tired of this crap.... when I feel good I'm going out to dance club with hubby and have some lemon drop and dance

Nihahi-have Pm'd you..........you are forbidden from leaving-we love your honesty AND your enthusiasm......and I got out of my sick-bed to post this! XO



Namaste and God bless -Jackie