DIEP 2014

GeorgieGirl - I've lost the pirate look for the rest of this week. The right eye is doing well. I will get my pirate look (ahoy matey) again next week when the left eye is done. It will be so wonderful to have all this finished (with only colonoscopy left) so I will be able to do copays for check ups next year. I think it is a very doable goal.

Six months tomorrow and I still get swelly belly. PS said it could last up to a year. After exercise my waist is bigger than before DIEP and that is just NOT right!

Hugs to you, Sarah. Get lots of rest. Sisters are a good thing--she'll be back for round 2!

Hi, All,
I've spent the past three or four days really trying to discern what I want, and have come full circle back to my very first instinct, which is to forgo any kind of reconstruction. I know that a lot of people around me don't understand it, but I have to follow my heart.
I have learned so much from this group--about not giving up, and courage, and strength of body and spirit, and community. I wish all of you the best in your journeys, and better days ahead. Be well, all of you. 

Lilith, that's the same scenario I go through in my own head, back and forth, yes reconstruction, no recon.. Whatever you decide, it will be the right decision for you!

Andrea, that must be a scary feeling. I really hope you'll be ok! 

Hi Goldie, the implant looks and feels tight. PS said the skin is paper thin. He had wanted to do fat grafting, but there wasn't enough tissue to inject it into. I wish now I had told him to just do the lat flap instead of trying implants again. When I took a shower this evening, it felt like my skin was going to rip. I'm feeling discouraged now.

Andrea, our bodies are amazing and I am praying your skin gets more relaxed over time.  Sorry you are struggling with this! 

Lilith, deciding which direction to go is never easy, glad you are finding peace with your decision.  Keep in touch with us, we all are cheering you on in any choice you make!

Sweetie, as with everything make sure your doc knows, hope your back feels better soon!  Maybe different shoes with better shock absorption?  

Georgie- are you feeling stronger?

Teacher doesn't it seem super crazy that 6 months has almost passed since our surgery?  You have certainly had the world's record for procedures and surgeries this year, and yet you "keep on trucking".  Will be glad for you when all is behind you and you hit the ground running for 2015 as the new and improved you!  Hang in there, just one more cataract, the colonoscopy... woo hoo!  Hoping the side bulge thing is doing better for you!

Once again not sleeping so great, will try to go back to bed.  At least I am off today

Yesterday I was up at 3:30 because I couldn't sleep. This morning I was I was a slug sleeping til 6:30. I have eye doc's permission to exercise so I'm getting on the bike. I'm also going back to my trainer today to work out a "game plan." Since stage 2 and the bulge, my right side has more limitations. We are going to get through and past that!

Tan72 - so glad you have no regrets. It will get better and you will be walking upright soon.

Yeah, Kat-ski,

That is awesome news!!!!!

Congrats Kat-ski!!!

LiliRI - Oh you poor thing.  You really dont need this on top of everything else.  Be careful what you are eating.  There are definate triggers for the gallbladder attacks. 

Marianne52, When I had my consult with the PS, he told me that they can't guarantee anything until they open you up and see the positioning of the veins and arteries. If they aren't where they should be (for this procedure, DIEP) they MAY have to take a sliver of abdominal muscle (TRAM). I had to sign paperwork to the effect that I am having a "Free Flap procedure" and that I agree that the Doc can do whatever it ends up taking once he gets in there. Noting - this Doc doesn't do CT scans prior to map out where all the pieces and parts are. They may just be covering for if they need to adjust the procedure once they begin? Good to call and ask for clarification either way.

Lilith, I am more stressed about the reconstruction than the BMX.  BMX was a no brainer - where this is a decision with lots of options.  I am delayed (BMX was January, reconstruction is next month) and was told that I could wait 10 years if I wanted to - there is no rush.     I have friends who wanted nothing to do with reconstruction and knew it immediately.  I have other friends who got implants and are miserable.  You are making the right decision for you - and you have every opportunity to change your mind if you decide to change your mind down the road. None of us chose to be where we are, but we do get to choose how we move forward.

To all on the topic of constipation, I have IBS and while it is a strange feeling, a warm soapy enema can end days of pain and cramping in minutes. I was very reluctant (prune juice was always my go-to), but now i swear by them. If it has been a few days, I try the enema solution and it hasn't failed me yet.  TMI, yes, but if it helps, there it is.  :-)

teachermom- iron bra is a function of having implants and for many they are under muscle.  Mine were and I had iron bra for years.  I had DIEP and within the first few months, iron bra was gone.  My PS realigned the muscles and stitched them back in place.  The flap is placed on top of the muscle.  Now I get bothered by a tight bra, but I think the feeling is more the function of memory.

Tan72 I'm in a similar boat to you. Had diep August 26th and still not allowed to walk upright! But, long as it means things will heal as they should, I shall continue with the monkey gait......the day my knuckles start to drag the floor however, I will be bolt upright...lol! 

ChrisInPa, my ps, didn't do any pre surgery scans either, but I gather a lot of surgeons don't , because, apparently the failure rate for diep, is only supposed to be 1% or less. I had minor complication with mine, and was back having second surgery 30 hours after the first. One of the vessels had trouble with blood flow, so they had to connect to another vein, and everything worked as it should after that.  Surgeon said, since the new breast was D cup, it may have been too heavy and that caused vein collapse. It's all fine now though, and besides some incision issues, which I have been assured can take some time to resolve, I am looking forward!! No other option really I suppose😃

Kat  brilliant news on MRI. Stage III always has us looking over our shoulders. Continued good health!

xoxo

hey everyone. I hope someone out there may know the answer to this. I had BMX almost 1 year ago w radiation to lt chest wall. I am opting for a Bil lat flap w implants . But like the thought of the DIEP but want implants w the diep to added volume and less gravity pull later in life. Is it possible to have implants at the same time w the DIEP procedure 

Thank you Trisha! I have my consult on 9/29, but I am having attacks daily now! I do not think this will be simple since I do not know how they extract the gallbladder through my new belly button? Yikes!

brendarj: I had my surgery 6/17, and my stomach is still hard and swollen .... So far from what I have read it just takes time?

Lisa