DIEP 2014

For me it was six weeks no caffeine....so all that vascular microsurgery does not get constricted and possibly ruined. I went through caffeine withdrawal in hospital....NOT FUN. I am not a coffee or soda drinker, but Excedrin was my default migraine OTC med. I haven't used it since and, wowza....much fewer headaches. Twenty plus years of migraines, multiple Rx for control, cortisone injections for neurogenic headaches in C2-4 and now it appears my real problem was caffeine. Who'd a thunk it....

sweetie - my PS would not let me drink caffeine for 3 weeks

Hi all, my stage 2 surgery was last Friday and we were back homo on Sunday. All went well. I am in compression from above the knee to under the breast + a support bra. First 2-3 days felt like I was run over by a truck but today I am just achy, Much better today. Have been taking a lot of naps. Anxious for all the tape to come off so I can see the final outcome. So happy to have this surgery behind me. I think I will be doing the tattoo here locally. 

Seashore, how are you doing? Been thinking about you. Are you up and around? 

pzercher, what is your update!  

Juicy Jackie how are you doing?

Welcom to the group crs629, butterflyzer and Evegibb!

Aff thank you for sharing your insight Everytime someone shares, I believed it helps another going through similar or same thing. Aff congratuatonl. We are all celebrating with you!I am wrestling with what I want to do with my life now. 

Optimi and others who do not like their port scar, my PS noted mine before we went back to surgery Friday and he said he could make it look better. It looks longer to me know but there is lots of bruising everywhere. I guess time will tell the final outcome.

Niaviv thanks for the update. Your posts are always supportive and comforting. Sorry you have an uncooperative BB. Hope that settles down. And wow, work conference afterward. You are amazing! I hope those around you are doing some pampering for you.

Annieb4 I am 135 and 5’6 and the PS did a one sided DIEP. He said it would be a stretch do do two breast and if I had decided to go that route he would have suggested a second donor site for contestant #2, the native breast… C cup

SARAHBB glad you got the date! We will all be out here for you, praying and sending positive love and light.

Love the boxer shorts idea!!

Lemon good luck on your business trip. Hope it helps pass time before surgery

Kat-ski sorry about your blood clot. Do the doctors have a plan around next steps? You have been so much and really are due a break.

Teacher,that is so awesome about how well your surgery went and that they were able to do the fat grafting near your pacemaker.It is simply amazing what P.S. can do these days. 

Lastly thanks for all of you that shared their smoking stories. I know none of you will regret that choice. I started smoking when I was 15 and didn’t consider quitting until i was in my mid 20’s.

Enjoyevrmoment wishing you the best time on your vacation. Soak in all the sunshine. Oh what Id give to have sand between my toes and a yummy umbrella drink in hand! Send us some pictures!

It's good to see you, Georgie! I was wondering how you were doing earlier today, and was delighted to see your post. That's a lot of compression. How do you go to the bathroom, if I might ask. It sounds like a lot to peel off! 

Jackie, hope you're doing well. Looking forward to when you can post again.

Sweetie...Praying it's nothing serious.  I developed cellulitis & ran a high fever after stage 1 & ended up back in the hospital for 3 days. 

what is cellulitis? 

Prayers your way Sweetie. Keep us posted. 

I thought the compression would be a pain to get in and out of and it was the first couple of days because of the bruising on the thighs. Took fat from thighs and flank. I have four little stab marks on my back side, two under the cheeks and two in the lower back. He also revised three parts of the abdominal scar. My nipple on the reconstructed side is "porn" size as someone else mentioned in an earlier post.  I agree Goldie, I've had a good experience with Dr. Pisano and his approach to reconstruction and adding in extra things that make a difference. I took a shower this evening and peeled the rest of the yellow tape off and became tearful. I know everything will heal and look better but when I looked in the mirror today with all the dressings off I saw a lot of scars, bruises, and lefty and righty don't look even remotely close in size or shape. I know some of it is swelling,,,Anyway, I felt a bit sad...quickly took a shower and put everything back on. Perhaps my sadness comes from the end of this part of the journey, expectations that the girls would look more alike? Feelings of loneliness. It's been a year since this whole thing started and wonder, do people get tired of hearing about these struggles, I try hard not to make this a regular topic with friends. Hard to pin point but tomorrow taking bull by said horns and getting out. Still can't drive but know I can find someone who will get me out for awhile! Sorry for the pity party. Just blue today...normal I think. I am glad you girls are out there. Glad to have friends who understand with no judgement.  

Georgiegirl, oh, it all sounds so familiar! I agree it would be good to have pictures all along the way. I should start. I'm just wary of sending them over the Internet but I could keep them on my own computer. It's kind of late now but better late than never, I am five weeks out from my unilateral DIEP as of yesterday.

About the feelings of looking at yourself - boy, did I feel that way after my last two surgeries. Especially when that Week Three funk hit me, I was so disheartened. I could remember the few things the PS said as we were leaving the OR and I thought, oh no, things didn't go the way she planned, that means I'm doomed! She had also led me to believe, probably just a communication problem, that the immediate result would not be pretty but it would be two very similar looking breasts. I had a lift on the other side. So not true! They are now more different from each other than ever!

I also can relate to that feeling like, ok, this is supposed to be the final phase, so this is going to be as good as it gets. That's the feeling I had going into Stage One! Talk about a disappointment. Just remember Phase One and how long it took for things to quiet down, and how much difference it made. Even the nipples will look so absurd at first. It all takes so much time. Don't despair just yet. Get your rest and don't look at yourself in the mirror any more than you have to. That's how I got through the worst. It sounds like you have a great surgeon you can trust to get you the best possible final result.

Best wishes to you. Hang in there and don't forget we're all rooting for you, and praying too.

Good to hear from you Georgie. I'm about 10 days away from my Stage 2 so I'm anxiously reading everyone's experiences. My tummy scar looks so angry right now and my belly button, which had looked pretty good, now has pronounced scarring around it. 

Some of you were talking about caffeine restrictions ... I'm not a huge coffee drinker but I can't imagine three or six weeks without it! 

Sweetie - hope it's an easy fix and you are right back home.

Georgie - I felt the same after stage 2. Give it a couple of weeks. My PS took only from flanks but I'm still bruised from July 30. Because I had bmx, the breasts look good and just about the same and my left flank looks good but the right is not there yet. It has a definite Sponge Bob look to it. Still hoping it levels out. I've taken pictures and put them on my computer. I did have to send some to PS when a couple of issues came up. After 2 I was really down because I thought I would look better and then I got the allergic reaction and looked even worse. It was 3 weeks today and other than the bulge on my right side, I'm feeling good and looking better. I agree with MsW2012 about hanging in because you will look better. Time

Sweetie - thinking of you and praying for you

sweetie: hoping you're ok!! And I hope you're feeling better soon, keep us updated!

Georgie: I think I'd have to maybe do the no mirror thing for a few weeks! I hope that you don't stop talking about what you're going through, and how you feel. It's the reason we are all here! And you can guarantee that everybody feels this way!

Goldie: I'm sure your PS will make good on his promise! But I can imagine it would be frustrating to wait and make do with what you have at the moment. I keep reading that it takes a really long time for everything to get back to normal, and you had surgery 3 months ago, seems like an eternity to you I'm sure. That was a nice story about the Facebook friend! Happy she had a great outcome, I feel like all of the ladies here will be equally as amazing when all is said and done!

They kept me here at the hospital. Probably for another full 3 days. They think it's a drain site infection. There going to contact the main ps and see if they can pull the remaining 3. Still feeling pretty crappy. Thanks all for your thoughts and prayers and I'll kept you all posted

Sweetie, I am so sorry to hear what your going thru. Hoping everything goes OK and you are out of there in no time and on your way to recovery. Why can't anything just be simple in all this. It seems like if it isn't one thing it is something else.

Georgie, This whole thing is such a rollar coaster its crazy..I have good days, I have bad days and it is so nice to come on here and vent and bitch and do whatever and you all understand, and no one gets sick of hearing it. I am not having my DIEP until January so I still have a long way to go. Sometimes I just want to say the hell with it.

And we all just keep trucking along !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The infection was in 2 active drain sites. They pulled them earlier. Hopefully that and some antibiotics will do the trick