DIEP 2015

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  • Morwenna
    Morwenna Member Posts: 1,063
    edited February 2015

    Rest up RangerWife. Hope it all went well!

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  • missygirl
    missygirl Member Posts: 3
    edited February 2015

    hello fighter friends! I'm heading into week 4 of DIEP surgery recovery I'm 41 diagnosed a year ago tomorrow. I had a mastectomy with immediate reconstruction and it failed I had a horrific infection hospitalized 8 days and another surgery to remove infected expander. I waited 6 months found new doctors and hospital and a successful and caring surgeon on this long over 10 hours surgery. I was scared and nervous but it/is looking successful. I am finally feeling "normal" somewhat again. A long tough year but 2015 is starting well. Recovery is tough but not as bad as I thought. I can see a light at the end of tunnel. I have 3 children 5 yr old twins and 2.5 yrs old. i can't change diapers till drain openings close:) thank you to all for support and writings I read them all and I needed it. stay strong………………..

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  • Morwenna
    Morwenna Member Posts: 1,063
    edited February 2015

    Welcome to the thread missygirl!

    Sorry you had a tough time last year. I can't imagine how much harder all this sh*t must be with a young family to worry about as well. Hopefully you have a good support system to help out!

    I'm glad the diep is looking good at this time, and may you continue to do well! I have added you to the timeline. :)

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  • LAstar
    LAstar Member Posts: 1,574
    edited February 2015

    Three kids 5 and under?!?!?! You are amazing! You might be the one person that wouldn't mind having drains in a little longer. I hope you are getting rest and healing well. I have a 7-year old and she loved my surgical recovery time -- lots of lounging, movies, reading in bed. It can be really special time once they figure out to be gentle. I'll never forget the look on her face when I gave her a real hug many months after my MX. She jumped back and said, "Mommy, you hugged me tight!" Oy -- brings me to tears still.

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  • Trvler
    Trvler Member Posts: 3,159
    edited February 2015

    Aww….LA…that's nice.


    My 9 year old who is usually bouncing off the walls and kind of destructive gets very sweet and nurturing if she thinks I am sick. She will stroke my face and say sweet things to me. It is so wonderful!

    She had a thing at school the other day where the parents come. I was dealing with a new body crisis and trying to get in to see a doctor about an area in another part of my body. When I picked her up and realized I had forgotten to go and she was saying 'why didn't you come'? I started bawling. She asked me why and I said how sorry I was that I forgot and so on. She was so forgiving and sweet. (Made me cry even more).

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  • mefromcc
    mefromcc Member Posts: 188
    edited February 2015

    First visit to my PS since my surgery two weeks ago. Got all my drains out(yeah)! I asked the med student interviewing me for any path results. Turned out they had done a frozen section on a suspicious node on my prophylactic side, and no one had told me about. Fortunately it was negative. I still need the narcotic pain meds and they wrote another script without protest. I'm still not supposed to wear any consticting garment on my foobs because they might compromise the circulation he put in. I am supposed to start massaging all incision lines. Oh, one last thing, my bellybutton did not make it. So he debrided that today.

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  • nmh35
    nmh35 Member Posts: 96
    edited February 2015

    mefromcc- It's so weird how all plastic surgeons say different things. I was told to wear a bra from them after 1 week, and I was actually worried it could cut off circulation!

    2 weeks out for me, and still have 1 drain hanging on. The doctor removed tape that was covering my abdominal incision yesterday and I feel so exposed now. I'm so worried something will split open!

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  • Morwenna
    Morwenna Member Posts: 1,063
    edited February 2015

    I peeled off all my own steristrips after about day 11, as I decided I was having an allergic reaction to them! It made me a bit queasy, as some were a little "moist" underneath, but turns out it was the right thing to do :)

    I did go see the on-call PS to get checked out next day, and he agreed with my diagnosis ;p

    No more drains nmh! Yay!!!

    My PS and his partners are in the "no compression" camp. I'm just starting wearing an old Genie Bra, but quite happy to go without! No tummy compression either!

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  • Neta69
    Neta69 Member Posts: 203
    edited February 2015

    My heart goes out to you mommies of young kids. Mine were 9 and 11 when I was diagnosed and I worried constantly (and still worry) about the impact my BC has had on them. I also missed important moments and felt so guilty. They came through ok though.

    I'm 3weeks out and have a few small spots that won't heal 😁. I think it is where stitches haven't dissolved and are poking out. I've sent pictures to Nola and been told to just wait, watch and keep it clean. Also the underside of the radiated boob feels really firm and a bit hard. I hope it's just from swelling. The nurse didn't seem worried. Oh I just want to be out of the woods from infections and wound complications now. So ready to start building my strength back up again and I can't until everything is properly closed up

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  • nmh35
    nmh35 Member Posts: 96
    edited February 2015

    i feel like I have a couple of tiny openings after getting the tape off, but hopefully it won't turn into something big. I'm sensitive to adhesive, so I feel like tape has ripped off a lot of skin and left me with a lot of raw spots too. Do you guys cover your incision with a gauze or anything once the tape or steristrips or glue is removed?

    Plastic basically said whether I wear the bra or not is basically my decision. I wear it for a little while during the day and remove at night. Never had to do a binder


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  • Andrea623
    Andrea623 Member Posts: 959
    edited February 2015

    I have a few questions for those who have already had surgery. How long did it take for you to be able to stand up straight again? My PS told me I'll be pulled pretty tight, and would be hunched over for a while. How soon did you start walking after the surgery? Was there anything you would do differently in preparing, such as what you brought to the hospital, or what you bought for your recovery?

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  • mefromcc
    mefromcc Member Posts: 188
    edited February 2015

    okay, sisters. We sound like we are progressing by coming unglued 😏. My PS said sometimes what he has done on the stitching requires compression, and sometimes it doesn't. So it looks like all we can tell our sisters following us is we don't know if your foobs will be compressed or no

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  • nmh35
    nmh35 Member Posts: 96
    edited February 2015

    andrea623-they had me up and walking at the hospital by day 2 or 3. I definitely felt like I was pulled pretty tight. I am 14 days post op and I still walk with a hunch. But that is because my surgeon told me that he actually doesn't want me to straighten yet. I could straighten up more but he asked me not to. This once again is an area where different surgeons will say different things.

    I didn't bring much to the hospital and I'm glad because I didn't need much. The things I used was my phone charger, Chapstick, some facial wipes, and clothes to go home with.

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  • mefromcc
    mefromcc Member Posts: 188
    edited February 2015

    I had told my PS about being on this website, and sharing information with everyone. I think he keeps hammering into me that what is done depends also on the patient, not just the surgeon 's preferences.

    I am still walking stooped over based on how my incision is healing. I don't have a strong corded feel to my incision, so it is not ready to be stretched yet. I didn't feel well balanced walking stooped, so I used a walker in the hospital. We were able to get use of a walker when I was discharged, so I used that or a cane to get around our place so I wouldn't fall.

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  • Morwenna
    Morwenna Member Posts: 1,063
    edited February 2015

    You are quite right, mefrommc.

    Each of us is different in our presentation and probably in how tight we end up being post-op, plus the amount of pain and everything else, so you cannot say for sure that somebody else's experience will be the same as yours.

    The surgeon's plan is also law as well, and each has their own preferences.

    I think it is a general rule that after a surgery one gets up at least to a chair for a short period, on day 2 normally, in order to minimize the effects of prolonged bedrest.

    Some surgeons seem to routinely have their patients in ICU for 24 hours under close observation. This is more to monitor viability of the flap/s than because you are acutely ill. They check the flaps at least hourly or even more frequently to start with.

    Also, don't expect to be allowed more than clear fluids for the first 48 hours, in case one should have to return to the OR for remedial surgery. If flap failures occur it would often be within that period.

    Here's wishing success to each and every one of us, including those who have had surgery, and those who are yet to come!


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  • Andrea623
    Andrea623 Member Posts: 959
    edited February 2015

    Thank you all for your responses. I have to admit I'm pretty nervous about this whole thing.

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  • nmh35
    nmh35 Member Posts: 96
    edited February 2015

    Andrea-I'm only 2 weeks out and although I may come on here and complain about some things, they really are minor. I was very scared and nervous before the procedure, and it honestly was not as bad as I was expecting at all. I would make the same exact decision if I had to do it again.

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  • Morwenna
    Morwenna Member Posts: 1,063
    edited February 2015

    I would too! even though I have had a few problems with post op complications!!

    Normal to be nervous, but all you have to do is turn up and have a nice long sleep while the experts do their thing!! :D

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  • Andrea623
    Andrea623 Member Posts: 959
    edited February 2015

    Thank you for the reassuring words. As you can see from my list of surgeries, I've had a few over the past two years. I am very much hoping this will bring an end to my reconstructive journey.

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  • slv58
    slv58 Member Posts: 1,216
    edited March 2015

    Hi Ladies, I'm wondering if I can ask, have any of you been warned that having a diep may make finding a recurrence more difficult? I've just been dx with a recurrence at scar from LX and a MX is in order. I will get more details on mon, but on my my electronic patient chart from hospital, it says that 'diep flap is reasonable but may make recurrence more difficult to find'. I know I have to make a decision quickly and I'd really love to have a diep for the way it will emotionally empower me, but I'm nervous about this statement. Any advice appreciated,

    Shari

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  • Morwenna
    Morwenna Member Posts: 1,063
    edited March 2015

    It will be interesting to hear the outcome of the discussion on Monday!

    That doesn't seem to be a very helpful statement on your chart, but it is something I wonder about too.

    I have been told by both my cancer centre nurse and by my breast surgeon, that following reconstruction there is no reason to continue routine mammograms ..... but what about that recurrence that might grow from a few cells left at the chest wall, deep to the DIEP (as it were!)?

    I have been told that what happens now is careful regular palpation/examination of the flaps and surrounding area for any changes, and any new lumps would be investigated by ultrasound. BUT I do know that my local imaging centre DOES perform mammograms on breast reconstructions, so maybe it comes down to the opinion of the individual doctor?

    This is an uncomfortable reminder for me, that medicine is an art as much as, if not more than, a science!

    You raise a good question, albeit one that I've been trying not to dwell on!

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  • nmh35
    nmh35 Member Posts: 96
    edited March 2015

    this has been my fear also. I already feel like I'm lumpy and bumpy after surgery, so I always wonder how I will know if I have a bad lump. My Breast surgeon said the same, no scans, just manual exams.

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  • Morwenna
    Morwenna Member Posts: 1,063
    edited March 2015

    Once you are sufficiently healed, and when your surgeon says it's ok, start gentle scar massage. This will not only help to mobilize the scar itself and soften some of the harder bits, but also help you to become familiar with the lumps and bumps, so you are more likely to notice if something did develop.

    As I say, it is something I have thought about, but I have resolved not to let fear (especially of the unknown) prevent me from taking positive steps in my life more than I can possibly help, ........ And I viewed PMx and bilateral recon as a positive, the most positive thing I can do at this stage to recover some normality in my life.

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  • slv58
    slv58 Member Posts: 1,216
    edited March 2015

    Thank you, do they ever do breast MRI on a diep for high risk patients? I have my apt. tomorrow to get all the info on my case and I'm trying to pre-prepare.

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  • Morwenna
    Morwenna Member Posts: 1,063
    edited March 2015

    I believe some do have regular MRI follow up. It does seem to depend on the doctors'opinion, how determined the individual is to have them, and sometimes (I guess in the US) the insurance coverage you have!

    Be interested to hear the outcome tomorrow!

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  • nmh35
    nmh35 Member Posts: 96
    edited March 2015

    slv58-my Breast surgeon said no to Mri, but I'm going to try to push him to do it every year. I had 2 separate cancer areas, and neither were found bymanual exam, mammo, or US. Both were MRI, so I would feel more comfortable if I could continue to be monitored that way.

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  • slv58
    slv58 Member Posts: 1,216
    edited March 2015

    I wonder what the reasoning would be no to? Financial? I often wonder why US aren't done routinely as a screening tool.

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  • Violetphisch
    Violetphisch Member Posts: 15
    edited March 2015

    hi all

    Needing to vent. I am 6 weeks post op, can't stand up totally straight yet, still hurt/numb/nerve pain under arm. Tummy muscles still hurt and are weak. I don't start PT for another 2 weeks and I'm just sick and tired of all of this. If i do one thing, like load the dishwasher, or make some meal, then that's it for the day. I can't really get out and walk much , it has been ridiculously cold and snow and ice every other day.

    Doctors all say I'm doing great, and I have been using a tummy binder without their telling me to, but it just feels better and right now, that wins.

    Anyone else sort of plateau

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  • Morwenna
    Morwenna Member Posts: 1,063
    edited March 2015

    Hi Violet, good to hear from you but sorry you are having a tough time. :(

    I hit a wall about 5-6 weeks post op, but put it down mostly to my lung clots, which were discovered around that time.

    I can straighten up well now, but still have to unfold slowly if I've been sitting for a while. My tummy is tender above the belly button right the way across, and it hurts to sneeze!!!. My PS said there are loads of internal stitches in that area, and it will take several weeks yet for that to settle down. I'm trying to massage it, but it feels hard and sore. This is where it hurts if I try to use my tummy muscles when I sit up!

    My chest still feels stiff in the pectoral areas, and my left shoulder range is frustratingly slow to improve! I'm quite tender in the chest region, and still no return to sensation under my arms.

    It feels like I have a too-tight sports bra on, even when I'm naked. I still have one scabby area of delayed healing outside my left flap, but it is gradually shrinking and again the surgeon doesn't seem concerned about delayed healing, so long as it doesn't get infected!

    Having said all the above, I do feel like I slowly started turning a corner over the last couple of weeks. The snow and ice have been bad here too, but I have managed a few longer walks recently. I'm not allowed to do strong abs work or heavy lifting until 3 months post op, but my dragon boat race team starts indoor training this week, and I'm planning on attending to do some cardio, lower extremity and light upper limb work, within my limits.

    I just want to feel normal again! As do we all, I'm sure!!

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  • Violetphisch
    Violetphisch Member Posts: 15
    edited March 2015

    Morwenna-

    Thank you do much for posting detail.... Excluding the blood clots, it is exactly what I am feeling. All the details, right down to sneezing and the too tight sports bra.

    I'm just so frustrated, and really want to be back to normal. I want to sleep normally, move normally, just want to be able to move eithout pain. Last night was particularly bad. My arm was having a lot of nerve pain and nothing seemed tohelp.

    I am grateful for this website and all of you out there. It really helps to know I am not alone. XO

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