DIEP 2013

Goldie - the BMX drains can be placed differently than the post DIEP drains.  I would have never dreamed of pulling the BMX drains as they were much longer and circled around.  They actually hurt!  The DIEP drains are placed differently.  And remember, we are pulling these drains ourselves because our doctors have okayed it.  

Another point about the drains - there are drains that have a different "end side " that may be flat and have perforations in the side that is deep inside you! My Dr doesn't use those and said they really should be off the market - so best not to pull UNLESS YOUR PS says to, as Marty said. My DD pulled mine as my PS was on the other end of the speaker phone walking her through it on 4th of July weekend! She was surprised as I was to see it keep coming and coming out if me!

Bailey - check with your PS to see if underwires are allowed before you spend the big $$$.  Mine prefers we not wear underwires while we go through the process.  I can't believe how prevalent underwires are now.  When I had my BMX 28 years ago they were hard to find.  Imagine my shock when I was cruising the bra market after my DIEP.  Wow, times sure have changed.

Today I went to my last plastic surgein appointment for awhile. My abdominal incision kept opening up because my body was rejecting the internal sutures. Finally, it is healed. My husband, who has been unemployed thru the whole bc experience just got a possible job offer. Finally looking like summer here and we thought that we were just beginning to peak our heads out of the hole. This afternoon my 18 year old son told me that he is gay. It's something I have suspected at times but he never gave any inclination that he was. I don't have anything against gay people and I love and will support my son, I know I will get thru this like I am bc, it's just too much to take at once. I feel like God hates me and is just using me as a punching bag.

Aww, Lilyun - big hugs!!

Hi all!

I'm new, so here's a bit about what I've been going through. Since birth, my PCPs  noticed a difference in my breasts. My left breast did not grow (I have a nipple but was pretty flat), while my right breast was about a DD. When I was 18 (1998), I had a reduction on the right side, and got a saline implant in the left. It made me symetrical, but I lost feeling in the left side, and it has always felt very firm compared to the right natural breast (which was reduced and now I am a 36C-D).So, I am no stranger to breast surgery. I was very thankful that my parents supported this descision, because of the trauma a young woman goes through internally with such a thing.... always having to hide this in the locker room etc. I managed a normal social life despite it, because I had a prosthetic breast that I used prior to the surgery to "even me out." I was never diagnosed as having any specific "syndrome"-oftentimes I am asked whether I have Poland's syndrome, but I don't believe I do. Not quite sure why this happened.

Now, I'm 32, about to be 33 on Thursday. I have not had any children as my life hasn't led me in that direction yet, though it is something I want eventually.

I felt a lump in my left breast (the one with the saline implant) 2 years back. At that time, I was told it was a cyst and that it would be ok to just keep an eye on it. I have had Mammograms and Ultrasounds every 6 months since, and in April, they found "Architectural Scarring" in my left breast. The actual growth/scar makeup was indeterminate, so my surgeon advised a partial lumpectomy. The pathology report came back showing .7cm IDC. VERY small. But, the margins did not appear clear, and they felt that it arose out of DCIS.

I am otherwise healthy, and do not have the BRCA gene mutation.  I got a second opinion and an MRI-why my first surgeon never ordered one prior to my lumpectomy is beyond me. I'm angry at myself for not having requested one before, but my surgeon truly felt this was nothing of concern, though he told me, "I won't sleep at night if I let this go." Good thing he didn't. I am now proceeding with my second opinion team, whose pathology lab feels that there is NO DCIS, and my margins appear clear.

My plan of attack is left mastectomy with DIEP. I'm very nervous about being under anesthesia for so long and am finding this thread VERY helpful-thank you all! My father lives in Singapore, and would like to come home to PA for my surgery, however scheduling constraints have him tied up until August 15th. I am pushing the surgery back unhappily. This weighs on me every day....but I would really like for him to be here for support.

Now my questions-anyone from Lehigh Valley PA out there going through this? Any women who have not yet had children? I am very confidant in my PS-he has been great thusfar. He gave me his cell# but I have been back and forth about using it.

GOOD LUCK to all of you coming up on surgery, and GREAT JOB to those going through recovery now! You're all in my thoughts. I am loving the humor on here as well-BRING THE FUNNY! We all need it right now!

Love,

jenny*~

Welcome to the group Jenny!

Jenny, there is someone new on this thread from Huntington Valley PA a few pages back. I am from Pittsburg PA. If you are planning to have children, you may want to discuss that with your doctors whether DIEP is for you. I do know one young lady who is going through BC who has not had children yet, but I don't think she is having DIEP. She is a very lively and upbeat person. If you want to get in touch with her, I will try to get her contact info for you. please pm me. (((hugs))) Tammy

Jenny-

I've had 3 c-sections so I can't imagine a DiEP preventing pregnancy. They don't remove the entire muscle, only a small section of it to flip up basically. They also use mesh to close any gaps to prevent hernias. You can also ask if your surgeon will do a free flap - which is what I'm doing. Basically, he takes the fat and skin - reattaches the blood supply with microsurgery - and voila. New boob, flat stomach. The only difference really is that no muscle tissue is involved, only the veins, arteries, etc and the fat. So - with that - I can't imagine it would interfere with pregnancy, only a situation where you might want to not gain a ton of weight or be overly active while your belly is sticking out. Just my two cents - not a doc - but - can't imagine it would be a huge problem for you. Good luck with everything - I'd wait for your support. It's really important to have someone there holding your hand.

Jennie.....just had a thought....maybe contacting the NOLA people? They do a wider variety of flap types there and may well have some alternative ideas for younger bc ladies who are still considering the option of pregnancy. I don't believe they provide onco. treatments, though, so again, maybe getting opinions on that may be a good move. Never hurts at this stage of the journey, to get as much reliable info as you can.

Hey.....of all the things it COULD HAVE BEEN, bursitis is a pretty good option!!! If he didn't already explain, it's an inflammation of the bursa (fluid sac around the joint). Totally resolvable....if you behave!!!!!!! Doesn't mean any long-term damage was done......eat "healthy", behave yourself......things should be good!!!!! Life lesson learned...you can't always "pound away at something and expect success"! Thanks for updating...we've been thinking of you.

And another damn thing (sorry for all the separate posts....I am lost without my "drain advantage")....



My huge SWELLING is actually receding slowly and I am looking more bruised than before and the other sort of weird thing is all of the skin on the "belly" portion of the noob is peeling off.....not deep just really superficial.....like after a light sunburn. I wonder if getting STRETCHED during all the swelling just broke down the cells on the top layer??? Nothing really of concern to me....more just sharing experience.



I wonder what day will be the first day I go all day without thinking about breasts?

Ok I need to vent... Tomorrow I get my port placed, have more tissue removed to widen the margins (supposedly to lower the dosage of rads). They didn't bother to tell me they rescheduled 2 hrs earlier, I saw a note on the paperwork I was mailed about removing some fluid from my TE ( I assume prior) then when I asked both offices, neither knew what I was talking about. My PS tech says just come in an hour prior to your check in time and I'll remove 100 ccs. I'm fuming at the moment. NO ONE is communicating!!

WOW Thanks ladies!

My PS did assure me that the way he performs this surgery is the least invasive way possible. He told me that women who have had c sections can have this done as well.



The drawing he did of my breast showed a circle being replaced rather than a football shape because he said the area the my surgeon needs to replace is not too far around my nipple. I asked him all kinds of drain questions yesterday thanks to you all as well.



NIHAHI-Yes, my surgeon is great. Very intelligent and i love her. HOWEVER, one caveat-when i mentioned the diep, she asked me why i was thinking of that. Reason being, she felt this would be such a simple surgery since i currently have an implant. She seemed to lean toward just inflating my current 15 year old saline implant to save on the impact to my body. But I told her that I am 32, healthy, have a pouch that I've hated for the last 10 years, and do not like the feel of the implant, plus it's been in there for a long time. I was looking to look and feel more natural if at all possible, and not have the worry of future issues or surgeries that the implants bring. And who knows what more serious conditions one may develop in the next bunch of years-maybe then when I need a new implant surgery will be risky for me. I have no reason to suspect anything- but you never know. Then she said she would support me 100%. That upset me for a second, but then I thought maybe she was just making sure I fully understood the weight of this surgery, so i am appreciative of that. Thank you for the vote of confidence about his cell. If I call him I will be sure to report back!



More soon. Dream fields low carb pasta with artichoke hearts time!



Xo,

Jenny

Damiana- I just safety-pinned mine to the waist band of my pants or skirts and wore long, rather flowy blouses to cover them up for company. I did have to dress up a bit once at about two weeks and then brought them up through through the arm of my sleeveless dress and pinned them to the inside, side seam of a loose cardigan.



At night I just pinned them to the waistband of my pj's and threw on a robe or sweater so kids and DH didn't have to look lol.



Sleep well tonight, we will be thinking of you tomorrow!