DIEP 2015

Best wishes for a smooth surgery and a restful recovery. While in the hospital, ask for what YOU need before you need it. ie pain medicine. Lis

I hope you post-DIEP ladies are healing well! I'm going to have to look into some fancy pillows. I know that lying down was an issue when I had my mastectomy. In more important (exciting) news, I finally have a DIEP DATE!! I will be going in Monday April 13th . This is really happening. I got to figure out a way to tell my supervisor that I can't attend this work-related trip anymore.

Congratulations on your surgery date Sheri Cola! It goes by fast. I wish you the best:)

hi everyone !

2 days post op. SHEW! Accprding to nurses and surgeons , all went very well. Was told whole surgery ( bilateral mastectomy and immediate DIEP recon same time would take 8 hours +\-, and it actually only 6 1/2.. Looks good, today is the day where I walk 3 laps around ward....yikes! I'll let you know how or goes!

Hi, all - i hope everyone is healing well! I'm about an hour from Charleston, and my hubs and I are both feeling like we are coming down with a cold or flu. I'm trying not to freak out! After weeks of working late, trying to get everything ready, and then traveling across the country, my body is protesting. Fingers crossed that my worn-out immune system kicks in and I can still have surgery Wed morning.

Hi ladies!

I am glad to hear those who have had the surgery seem to be doing well! I wish you continued healing!

I finally got the date I start chemo, so it looks like my surgery will be around the beginning of September, if everything goes roughly as planned.

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences!

LA star hope you feel better. Sorry you had to postpone but you definitely don't want to be sick while recovering from such major surgery.

As for compression, had to wear an abdominal binder since surgery, only take it off to shower. No bra post op first 2 weeks then cleared to wear a sports bra (no underwire bras).

It's only been close to 6 weeks since my Diep. Although it has not been easy I am very happy with my choice.

Hi everyone. I am starting the process - have a consultation this Thursday. I've been lurking for a bit reading posts to get more info, and I am wishing continued healing for everyone who's had their surgery, and best wishes for those going into it. :-)

I originally had a consult in 1/2013, just a couple of months after I finished rads. At that point, the surgeon I saw (Kaiser-Denver), said the only option for me was lat flaps with implants, which I just don't want. I don't want implants or to involve muscle, and I wasn't ready for another big surgery anyway, though, at the time, so I've just gone on with life essentially since. Only thing is, I have (ackkk!) put on 30 pounds since. I didn't plan for it, and I'm not loving it; it is more than I've ever weighed in my life, and I am setting a goal to improve my fitness this year. However, I am hoping that it could at least mean now that more options, like DIEP and GAP, are available to me. My BMI (27) needs to be better but it isn't so high that the surgery couldn't be done for that reason alone.

I've reviewed the questions to ask, and jotted down a list. Crossing my fingers that the surgeon is willing to work with me on these procedures now. If not... then I'm going to pursue referrals to outside, like the University of Colorado. I would do NOLA in a heartbeat, but even if all of the referrals, etc. worked out so that I could use my current insurance, traveling that far away around such a major operation is pretty daunting. My husband is disabled, and my grown sons are awesome, but they have their lives too.

Anyway, if all works out, I'm thinking about later this year, after our busy time at work has died down, but before the holidays. I'm open to suggestions for more questions, etc. aside from the obvious ones!