DIEP 2014

This week I nearly cried when I finished my first workout since cancerectomy in December. Rehab paid off because I was so scared I'd never have any arm strength and today I lifted 10 lb weights, even though my right arm needed a bit of steadying help from my trainer. I hope to be as fit as possible for upcoming DIEP.

Goldie, For a week and three days I am thrilled. Not perfect, need to have a few tweaks, but so thankful. 

Nihahi, How's your weather? Thanks for the bra info.

Janet, Love it, "What happened to my filter". A couple days ago I was visited by a bc sister I befriended when she was first diagnosed at the clinic. She looked like me at diagnosis, deer in headlights and I knew she needed a friend. We talked and kept in touch. She came to clinic for her last chemo, and she is scheduled for DIEP next month, so we met for coffee. What did I do first, took her and her sister into a handicapped bathroom to show them my new breast and incisions, and told her she would be okay. That's me, no filter!  :-)

Donna, You look beautiful! So happy for you!

Marty, Thanks for info. Cotton T-shirts, so me. Comfortable.

Jmb, LoL, That's what I'm missing! McDonalds to relieve constipation. :-)

I just want you all to know all is well here in SA and PRMA.  Everything fell into place even the bridging on the Levendox shots.  Monday is a go and it is scheduled 8.30 a.m.  I know Wilbur will be around but I will try to post when I am aware.  Thanks to everyone of you for your support.  Kat

Kat, glad you are doing well. I was very nervous before mine, but I kept repeating to myself....all I have to do is show up... It helped me a lot.

Kat and Rosebud, think positive thoughts and remember to wear loose pants, 'cause we're all in your back pockets!!!

weird observation....since surgery,  I have noticed increased sweating in my armpits.  Anyone else have that issue?  

Since bras and crop circles are topical these days, I have a question.  I'm now finding that most of my old bras have too much room at the front - I think because I don't have the projection provided by the nipple/ areola.   

When shopping for new ones, I have found that the bras that don't have any padding show the outline of my crop circles through them.  Ok if I'm wearing layers or something heavy, but not for thin blouses.  Don't want to take my jacket off at work and run into this issue.  I bought one bra with some light padding, which solves the crop circle issue,  but I don't really need the padding (big enough on my own), and that style gives me a rounder shape that I don't love.  I probably should go and get fitted, but thought someone here might have run into this problem and found a solution - you guys are the real experts!

Kat-ski and Rosebud - will be thinking of you on Monday- as many others have said - just show up and let the experts do their thing.

Ridley

hi everyone,

I just wanted to say that I am joining you on the flap side having had my bilateral diep on Feb 13.

Looking forward to possibly having drains removed next week since they are not draining much.

Bella, you sound great. Donna, you look great.

Curly, sorry about the chemo effects- as another two-timer I know it's not fun. small frequent protein meals helped me then and now and some Mac n cheese.  

Becky, I hope you get news that you have an incidentaloma as the other women call it, but with 16 years between my first and second diagnoses I get the worrying thing. At the same time so many times these things do turn out to be incidentalomas. I'm thinking of you.

Goldie and Nihahi and Jeannie thanks for all the good advice. Even though I don't post often I have really benefitted from your sage advice. Thanks to all for posting about your experience. All the anti-constipation advice really helped me Jeannie this week. Things moving in the right direction.

And I'm looking forward to needing a new bra.

A question for those who have been through stage 2- my breasts seem too far apart. Can they fix that in stage 2?

Best of luck rosebud and Kat-ski.

Deb

Bailey... About compression, I don't think any doctor has women compress their flaps. I know I had a surgical bra that I wore for 2 weeks, but it was very loose. The compression was for the donor sites for me. Is there anyone who has compressed their flaps?

Good Morning Everyone!  This is my first login after surgery, I made it! I was discharged on Friday evening and have been very groggy, so sorry I haven't posted.  

Surgery went well, I ended up having a SIEA flap on the left breast with the Prophylactic Mastectomy. I was surprised about this as I was not clear that this would be a possible option but apparently, they don't know until surgery day if this can be done.  I did have the Diep Flap on the right breast. My initial surgery was over 10.5 hours but had to go back into surgery on the SIEA flap as they felt I had some leaking they tightened up. All is well, just very swollen. walking okay, today feels better than yesterday. They have me in a binder with 4 drains. 

For those that have upcoming surgeries, this went better than I thought overall as many of you know I was very nervous.  I will try to catch up on the posts and how you're all doing

My boobs are just very swollen, when will they start going down?

Good luck Kat-Ski and Rosebud14! My thoughts are with you! 

Yay, jazlaumir!  Congratulations on the clean report!

Katski and Rosebud - thinking of you and sending prayers for good results and quick recoveries.

Jaz, good to hear you are doing so well.  Sorry they had to take you back into the OR, but that is better than losing a flap.  I hope it is all good from here.  As far as the swelling, somebody else will have to speak to that since I have not had my surgery yet.  Some people do swell more than others.  Hang in there!  Keep us posted.

JBdayton, the place you are having your surgery sounds like a dream. I keep thinking about what you said, "quiet."  What a concept?!!!!  I hope your surgery goes just as well as your tour.  I can't wait to hear everything.

Thanks jaz!  Glad you are on the other side!  So happy for you on the clean path reports!

I think I had more swelling and bloating in my abdomen, than the flap.  4 weeks out and I am still no where near able to put jeans on due to bloating & sensitivity of incision.  I am very comfortable in sweatpants & yoga pants. I had some swelling to the flap, but I don't think much.  

How many of you are still taking ativan (or something similar) for anxiety?  I never took it before diagnosis & have been taking it off and on for the past 15 mos to get thru treatment.  Now the only treatment I have left is tamoxifen, stage 2 diep & tattooing.  Should I at this point be trying to do away with the ativan?  I don't like taking anything that is not necessary, but at times I feel anxious, when my mind goes to a dark place - and I worry about my future.    My prescription is for 3x a day (as needed) & I average 1x day.  Should I make an effort to try and not take it?  Or, just continue with it?  

Nihani, NO, that is not me....lol.  I don't know how old those scars were, but according to what I have read, it doesn't matter, they just need to be red to be treated with that laser.  You can start treatment on fairly new scars (3 months old), if you want them gone faster, and old scars that will not go away.

Kat...good luck tomorrow.

Donna, I weaned myself off of everything because I was afraid when I really need it, like hydrocodone, or Xanax, etc.. it wasn't going to work.  I could feel myself becoming immune to them.  I could take a hydrocone and not even feel tipsy, and the Xanax was not cutting the anxiety anymore. At one point I went up to two Xanax, and then I realized this might not be a good thing.  So, I slowly reduced all drugs till I am off everything.  So, when I have my diep and I need pain relief the stuff will work.