DIEP 2014

Thank you all so much for your replies and well wishes.

LAstar: ((hugs)) right back. I wish you the best in your upcoming surgery. I hope you have a healthy easy recovery. Yes I had BMX with immediate DEIP. I'm happy with the results so far.

Sassy01: I did start taking the stool softeners even before surgery, but apparently did not work for me. I've been working on standing straighter and that has helped with the back pain. I'm glad to hear you are doing well post stage 2. Thank you for your prayers.

Saltyjack: Its so good to hear you are doing well. I see the MO on Friday. I'm nervous but ready to tackle whatever else is thrown my way. Wishing you continued speedy healing.

mary625: Thank you for your reply. I see you had your surgery in September. I hope you are doing well. I have not been without the binder except to shower. I worry about the swelling I have been reading about.

Julieho: Thank you for your reply. We had surgery on the same day, interesting how each person heals so differently. I wish you the best and continuing healthy healing. Sending you positive energy as well. Hopefully this will all be a distant memory soon. " slow and steady" is my new motto. LOL. I will ask the PS if I can start stretching. I've been doing some arm exercises but nothing for core.

Teacher64: It's so good to read your positive outcome. It gives me hope. Yes, I was devastated by the DX. I went into this surgery as a prophylactic measure, to get the news after that I actually have cancer hit me hard. Wishing you the best in your continuing recovery.

Have you ladies experienced lack of concentration after the surgery as well. I usually love to read but have not been interested in reading since the surgery.

Jmb5, LiLi-RI and ALL you lovely ladies that come back and are willing to share your experiences and lend support. THANK YOU!

Good luck to those who have upcoming surgeries. You will do great. It is totally worth it.

@caligirl, I have problems to fall sleep and eating...a LOT.

LADY PARTS?? do i even want to know?

hmmm.... I don't understand, lady parts lift? What?

I'm still swollen down there and feels really hard and tight just a few inches under them scar and I'm just 1 month and half after my diep. I can't imagine hoe much longer I need to wait to fully recover from my surgery.

I went to see my consultant for my 3 week post op check and was met with his registrar who advised me he had been called to urgent surgery. So I sat down and she says to me 'I hear you are interested in having the Diep' . I was temporarily stunned as I said 'I've had it'. She says 'you have?', so she looks in my notes and nothing is recorded....

Moving on, she examines me and I tell her about these lumps about 11 on the recon. She has a feel (you really can't miss them) and she says it's likely a haematoma or fat necrosis, and that it will disperse in time. However she added she wants an ultrasound 'just to make sure nothing worrying is going on'. I went up to the department as told, but was informed that I couldn't be seen today. They will ring me.

Not my best day and this is just 3 weeks post.

"Lady parts" was mons area, which I've been told frequently gets lopsided and/or puffy. My PS did a little lifting of the area and it was no longer lopsided.surprised about remembering the "Ken doll" reference.

Janet M - I do squats at the sink while I brush my teeth, so you weren't too far off. And my trainer actually suggested the sink push ups

Wintersocks - I had several lumps in my reconstructed breast and was also told they were probably fat necrosis or seromas. They did not bruise, but they did hurt and I was concerned. PS and BS said we should wait and see. Three months after my MX I was due for my first MRI screening and the radiologist rated one of the areas as highly suspicious for malignancy. Of course I freaked out. My other doctors were sure it was nothing but went ahead with a biopsy to reassure me and sure enough it was just a seroma. The radiologist was from a different clinic than I normally go to and was not very familiar with my history. The radiologist at my clinic has a lot of experience he interpreted my MRI completely different and wasn't concerned about the lumps. Part of me wishes I hadn't had the biopsy - it was painful and my body had been through enough trauma. But I was really scared and wanted reassurance. The lesson I learned was to trust the doctors that know me.

Now, 7 months post op the lumps are all gone and I am going in for stage 2 next Friday. They have been gone for about two months now, so give your body time.

Saltyjack - my PS wouldn't do Stage 2 until my seromas were gone. It does take time to heal and you may not be ready for Stage 2 before your trip in May.

Rubyiat,

• Wow, that sounds really horrible to have to go through biopsies, I am pleased to hear that the lumps are now gone. It's disappointing to have them in the first place as I think most don't following recon. Mine are still there, but the bruising is less pronounced. I am having an ultrasound tomorrow, Monday, to see what they are.They are on the upper part of the recon only. I am also having my yearly mammo as apparently it is now due. So, I think it will be quite a stressful day, so I'd better start gearing up for it I guess,

goldie4040, my that is a lot of procedures, you have had done there! no wonder you want a break for a while. I don't think here in the UK we get to have all these revisions. I now know what is meant by the 'Ken Doll effect'!

All the fat grafting has "stuck" to the breasts. My PS put some fat over the tangle of leads by my pacemaker and it has begun to shift south. There is still enough so I don't see the leads but can now feel them. I just did muffin top and was bruised beyond belief. Lipo isn't for sissies

Been to the hospital today to get these lumps checked out on my recon. I have a mixture of a small seroma, lipomas and fat necrosis. She did show me on the ultrasound, but to be honest I didn't know what I was looking at! All will resolve by itself apparently. She told me at one point they used to aspirate but they don't do that any more. So I am pleased. I also had a mammo on the left and that was reported on straight away and thankfully all is ok there.

I have also been to the GP and have a dx of tonsillitis, I feel very unwell I have no appetite and have an rx of penicillin. This has been going on since the 2nd Jan. I wonder if I picked it up in the hospital at the time of recon? The pain I am having is far far worse than anything the Diep has thrown at me! honestly! I cannot even drink water without intense pain. I wish as we all do, I guess, for a period of good health to be on the horizon. It seems a long time since i have had that.

christinabel,

Hi there, I am four weeks post diep. I have had nothing like the pain that you are describing, I have been very stiff around the underarm/shoulder area only. Do you think it might be a muscular thing? I think you do right to keep on at the team, It sounds like they need at least to take a look at you.

Well I did hear back from my doc about this pain in my sternum area. He said the same thing you just mentioned, LAstar, that I had just stopped my Oxycodone and are feeling the affects of the surgery where a bit of cartilage was removed in that area. He also mentioned that the new flap tissue was sutured to cartilage and can be painful up to three weeks out. So it's back on Oxy until the pain is manageable.

In regards to the flaps themselves, the coloring and softness is good and incisions are healing nicely. I never imagined how much I would appreciate the warmth of living flesh. It makes me tear up with gratitude that I am fortunate to be able to get this done and remove those horrible, cold implant/rocks that I've had to endure for two years.

Thank you again for your responses.