Fat Grafting....recovery & results

Just had my revision and fat grafting last week. You will be sore for a few weeks and yes the binder in a pain. But yes it is worth it. My upper pole is still swollen but looking good no more hollow spot. My surgery was a little under 2 hours, very doable.

Hi ladies -  I just made a post on the nipple reconstruction topic a second ago but wanted to touch base to say my turn is next Thursday (the 1 year eve of bc dx).  Fat grafting from tummy to both breasts, side rippling on on left side and both upper poles need to filled in, I have a boney chest and the implants have dropped.  While I don't know exactly where PS will take the fat from nurse said common areas are lower pelvic and belly button (ew....sci fi..gross). Also getting my a reduction of right nipple as the left nipple didn't survive bmx, I've been living w/ one projected nipple since last August  aerolas look great; I'll be more than happy w/ flat nipples.  PS nurse told me to take more time off of work than I planned, she said I will feel like I did 1,000 sit-ups, pain level will be much, much more than exchange which was about a 5 on the pain scale.  Wish me luck! I wish you the best src3acs, keep us posted your f.g. surgery/recovery.

Hi ladies, thought I give you a 5 days report.  Off Vicodine for almost 3 days (pain only when I accidently hit or move my gut wrong or pull up my spanx).  At my 2nd post op appt today, PS said I look great, am healing well, some of the bruising is turning yellow. Cleared to take Motrin, that will help the swelling go down. Wearing my spanx + binder around the clock,  honestly I feel better (protected w/ both on).  PS said the hypersensitivity I feel in my gut will feel like this for the next 3-6 months, even w/ the tiny incisions of lipo it's pretty aggressive once inside, hitting way more nerves than a large incision surgery. 

Hi Sharon, yes I'm better as the days go by. Returned to work today but was pooped by the end of the day. After my PS showed me my flat tummy I am eating healthier than I have in over 10 years; the 6 # I put on from inflammation post op is gone + 2 extra #'s. I am determined to keep my stomach flat.  It helps wearing these eating control devices a.k.a. spanx + binder, my external lap-band  you can only eat so much when your stomach is pressed in.  Seriously, horray for you, tomorrow is your day and 8 a.m. surgery is nice and early.  I forgot to mention but at my PS office the nurse used on me (and I bought a bottle there) Donnell Super Skin K-Derm Cream for bruise and rosacea control.  Recommended after surgery.  See if your PS sells it, works great.  I'll be thinking of you tomorrow. Yes, looking forward to hear how your surgery goes.  best, jill

I had my mastectomy with immediate reconstruction surgery (by using my belly fat to create my new right breast) was last week on Friday May 24, 2013. I was scheduled to be at Beth Israel Hospital by 9:30am. Got there on time and they gave me a buzzer and when it goes off that was time for prep. We (my hubby and I) sat in the waiting area until this thing buzzed...then I started crying and they told my husband they will let him in later.

They got me all ready for surgery and my husband was allowed to come in. We said some prayers and I made him do a before photo with all the marker markings made from the plastic surgeon. I was still very scared and nervous. The doctor came in again and spoke to my husband and answered all his last minute questions. I was glad for that. We kissed and I was wheeled into surgery which six hours later it turned out good:happydance:. I woke up and my husband was the first I saw. I was super happy and very scared to look under the covers now.

Then on Sunday May 27 I felt this pain in my right new breast that omg words could't express it the doc was called in and he said it was a blood clot building up and everyone in the room had to step out and he and his team did their work right there. I started out being awake but by time he was done I was knocked out cold. I was so happy he was around at the right time. 

I have a follow up appointment with the plastic surgeon tomorrow so, I hope me and hubby are doing things okay. The drainage's are a bit discomforting to do but we get it done. I am still very sore but once things heal it would look better....I hope anyway. I find it hard to look at myself right now.  its really not a pretty sight to see...I thought looking at other women will help me but seeing it first hand on my own body is just a shock for me.

Other then the look I am doing good and coming along well.

for those going through this soon good luck and praying for a speedy recovery and those who had it done praying for a speedy recovery for you too.

melmcbee  - good luck with your surgery today!  It is important to understand that because insurance pays for revision surgery (fat grafting to "fix" a problem is coded as a revision) your doctor has to be careful not to take enough fat that it becomes a cosmetic procedure, like full lipo.  Your doctor submits a surgical report with the total amount of fat removed - it is measured in cc/ml, not sure - and insurance companies know how much should be removed for this type of surgery.  You run the risk of your insurance company denying payment for the surgery if it is looking more like cosmetic lipo than a fat graft.  It is also problematic to combine full lipo with a revision because it opens the door to a denial by the insurance company - I specifically asked about my PS about this. I had fat harvested from a number of locations but that was because I didn't have enough in any one place to make enough after centrifuging to fill in the hollows in my upper chest.

eileen - the way my insurance works is the same - I need to have a referral and approval prior to any surgery, including an emergency one (which I had shortly after BMX!).  I agree that it is nice to know that everything will be covered!  The only thing in my treatment that was denied was Mammaprint testing - for two reasons - the BS office failed to get the referral in advance, and my insurance considers it "experimental" even though it is FDA approved.  If you are not familiar with it - it is similar to Oncotype Dx, but tests a wider range of genes.  Because it was an error on the part of my BS office staff the test cost ($5,000 - and yes, I choked when I opened that letter!) was absorbed by either the BS or Agendia, or both.  All I know is that it wasn't by me!

eileen - every insurance issues I have had all stems back to the scheduler in my BS office - I ended up doing her job for her right after I was diagnosed, on the Mammaprint and the referral for the PS that was being specifically requested by the BS that she worked for!  I found out that there was no referral in place 5 days before my BMX!  I went and sat outside of someone's office until it was done, then had my PS consult the Friday prior to my Monday surgery - sheesh!  The good news is that I have the personality of a bulldog with these matters - that is why I didn't pay that $5,000 Mammaprint bill, they did!  You are so correct that we end up even more stressed because of all this stuff on top of a new diagnosis!

melmcbee - Please check with your PS about using ice on the graft area. You really want the newly grafted fat to find a blood supply and ice may interfere with that.

I had some filling in with the fat grafting on April - was surprised at how quickly the bruises went away and pain went away! Hope you all have same!