DIEP 2015
Comments
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Wow DeeCee, you are home quick!
Take it gently while you heal. Hugs to you.
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Mefromcc: I am with you on the pre cancer body.
DeeCee: Wishing you an easy recovery.
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slv and Dee Cee...here's to an uneventful recovery and hope that you both are doing fantastic. Stay strong, and remember it will get better every single day.
and DeeCee I know what you mean about the scars, it has been 10 weeks for me and I still hate looking at them.
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Thanks everyone. Annieb4 I find it hard looking at the scars but expected that- what I really didn't expect was looking at my body and not knowing who's body it was. I found that pretty upsetting and miss my familiar body but I also know it was making me sick. I hope with time my new body will feel like mine. Right now I have one 56 year old breast and one 23, being so lopsided looks strange to me but I'm still so early in recovery.
I am still struggling with sleeping. Catching an hour or two here and there. I also feel so emotional and cry easily but I guess that's expected. One good thing, I felt more awake yesterday and more "with it".
Decee I hope your feeling better, gentle hugs.
Shari
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slv & DeeCee, the glue often makes the scars look scarier than they really are. When it starts coming off, you will have a thin red line. I take some comfort in the faded scars from my 2012 SGAP. They are hardly noticeable any more! DeeCee, I'm feeling that "aaaahhh" of getting some drains out -- whew!
slv, do you think your meds are making it hard to sleep? I woke with dilaudid as soon as it wore off. My PS also prescribed flexeril, which I only took in the evening with Tylenol and slept like a baby once I started that. It also helped my lower back tightness. The tears are probably exacerbated by the lack of sleep, but it feels good to let them flow sometimes. This recovery is long! Measure your progress in weeks rather than days. Early on, a good day can be followed by a rough day or two, which can be so frustrating when we expect linear progress as time passes.
Thinking about you, Hopkins!
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LAstar, thank you. I'm only on extra strength Tylenol and two antibiotics (due to the redness my flap was showing). I'm thinking it's just overload from the last 1 1/2 weeks. I appreciate you pointing out the lengthy recovery and good days followed by bad- sometimes I'm very impatient!
I had my first shower today-yeah!!! I bought a shower bench so I could just sit there and enjoy- standing for any length is difficult- sore back from being hunched. It felt so good to wash my hair after so long.
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I don't know how you do it on Tylenol only! I would have been rather unpleasant 10 days out, strong woman!
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Blossom, Ridley and AlyCallie, having surgery this week!
Hope all goes as well as it can Ladies, and a speedy recovery to you all xxx
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Thanks Morwenna -- my surg got pushed to Friday this week, so I have a couple of more days to worry about it
. Actually, I'm not too worried -- I adore my PS, and this is the last one for me -- fat grafting (second try) and nip recon. If the fat grafting doesn't take, I think I'll just live with it. We're trying to even up the slope/centre fullness -- I'm an accountant and like things to be balanced!! I've been reading along and you guys seem to be doing pretty well -- I was surprised by the fatigue that I felt for a long time after stage 1, so take heart that it does get better (and maybe get your iron levels checked if you feel its been going on too long.)
Happy healing to all,
Ridley
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Morwenna could you please add me to the 2015 DIep list. i will be having delayed bilateral DIEP at Toronto General Hospital on June 25th. My surgeon is Dr. Anne O'Neill. Now it really feels real. I am nervous thinking about this, but also very excited. Lois
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Blossom, Ridley and AlyCallie thinking of you this week, we will be with you all the way through! I was a little surprised how much it takes out of you but realize that I sometimes rush things, I'm learning that I need to be kind to myself and sleep when needed without feeling guilty! Quick healing thoughts your way!
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Blossom and Ridley, I was thinking of you yesterday, but didn't get my well wishes sent in time. Here is for uneventful recoveries.
Allycallie, my thoughts are with you for your surgery tomorrow.
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My surgery was on Friday and I came home on Monday. I go back to PS today and hope to get some drained removed. I stopped taking the oxy yesterday because I don't have much pain (except in my back from walking bent over) but I did not sleep well. I can't walk without using a walker. The grogginess and fuzziness is getting to me. I feel like I can't even get my words out. I know I am making progress but it's much slower than I thought and I'm not ready yet to say this was worth it
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Hang in there, Hopkins! The anesthesia is challenging, and using the incentive spirometer helps get it out. I was feeling really weird with vision problems. I thought it was my pain meds but it turned out to be my antibiotic. Hopefully you will be able to start moving around more soon - that will help a lot and might help you sleep better. I definitely had deep soul-searching at this point -- it didn't feel worth it until at least 6 weeks out! Take it a day at a time. This is the challenging part, but you will feel better!
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My first post after surgery...here goes!
13 days post op. I'm feeling good, not great, but moving forward. I'm off the pain drugs (percocet) but using ibuprofen. I had my surgery on Friday the 13th and was released on Tuesday the 17th. So I've been home 9 days. There's nothing you need at the hospital except a book, kindle, charger, whatever you want to read or watch and a toothbrush. Very boring, and I slept a lot when I wasn't being poked at. Doctors oohed and ahhed at their work, so I figure it must look good to them, because right now I still look a bit like Frankenstein! Lots of stitches everywhere.
I used a walker the first week home, and after my drs appt this past Tues, one week after I was released, they told me to incrementally try to stand up and stretch more. So, not using the walker and slowly trying to stand up correctly. Haven't achieved that yet! Many of you wrote about the back pain from walking hunched over, but I definitely underestimated that! My back hurt worse than all my scars! I did get all 3 drains removed at that appointment. I think once those are gone you really start feeling more like a human. One was removed before I left the hospital. Hubby brought me clothes I had already laid out for bringing me home, and that's all I needed.
I did sleep in my recliner for 9 days, and just moved to my bed last night, I can get out of it on my own, and took a shower on my own yesterday too. Freedom!
Everything looks good - they're symmetrical, and nicely rounded and as big as I was hoping. I know the swelling will go down but I'm probably a strong B cup when all finished. I was a C. There is one part of my left side they're watching, where the flap attaches. I've got special cream to put on every morning. It's not really painful, since I can't feel much, but looks angry. My old skin left behind from mastectomy is super sensitive, I do have to say, in that same boob. Hoping that goes away. I knew the abdominal score was hip to hip, but it's a pretty long hip to hip! It's pretty thin, though, and even though I won't ever wear a bikini, it does sink down low.
So all in all, a really great experience, thankfully. I go back in 6 weeks. Fingers crossed my left boob keeps healing!
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Hopkins I was having trouble sleeping too - my brain was just whirling around - so last night I took my two ibuprofen and added a Tylenol PM - just one. Slept real good and that makes all the difference. Maybe that could help you.
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Morwenna--could you put me down for April 9, Stage II DIEP, Dr. W, NOLA. Tx.
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Hopkins and Wallegator,Congrats on making it to the other side. Smooth healing to both of you.
Wallegator, your right about you need at the hospital,not much of anything. And if there is something you didn't bring, and you need , they will get it for you.
This is definitely a surgery that takes a while to recover from, both physically and mentally. I still have my days when I think, why did I even bother ! That is usually when I am just having a crappy day because of all of this. I figure the lousy AI's have something to do with that.
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Hi all -- I'm home with new nips and some lovely new fat grafting -- crossing my fingers that is stays. I'm feeling pretty good -- watching the areas where they harvested the fat from turn a beautiful shade of purple!
Take care everyone and have a good weekend,
Ridley
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Thanks for posting Ridley
Rest up and heal the next few days
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Ridley, welcome home and so happy your on the healing side! I guess I'm going to have to read up on fat grafting as my new breast is quite flat around the outer 1/3 nipple area.
Can I ask how everyone progressed with the exercises? I tried doing the arm raise yesterday and was quite shocked at my inability to get my arm higher than almost shoulder height. I didn't push it but it has me concerned. I know that my BS had to remove muscle to get clean margins but I guess I wasn't prepared for the consequences. Is there somewhere that I can look up the exercises because I was only given a pamphlet showing the neck rolls, shoulder shrugs, arm raises (which discouragingly shows a woman with her arm completely raised) and making angels.
I'm also wondering about scar treatment. My PS said just to use Vaseline to keep scars moisturized, is that what everyone is using?
Wishing everyone restful and quick healing-although the quick part is probably unrealistic lol
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slv, for the first three weeks the usual advice is not to raise the arms (think elbows) above shoulder height, i.e. 90 degrees.
After that try using a cane or stick of some kind, lying on your back and holding the cane with both hands at least shoulder width apart, lift up towards the ceiling and then pushing gently toward the overhead position. Try with your hands further apart/together.
Move to where you feel a stretch, but not trying to force through pain. Hold the position for 10-20 seconds to start with, gradually increasing the range, and the time held as things loosen up. You can also use the cane to push your arm out sideways (abduction), as well as lifting forward (flexion)
I have pretty much full range on my non-cancer side, but the left is still tight, although improving. The left side has now had three surgeries plus radiation, and was very stiff and inelastic in the whole chest/axilla/scapular area!
For scar tissue massage, it is actually a good idea to do some with NO lubrication, as you can get better purchase to mobilize the skin over the underlying tissue. Push only toward the incision initially, until you are well healed, and then progress to moving your fingers in small circular motions without actually sliding over the skin. Stay for a few seconds in one spot before moving along the scar line. Pay particular attention to any area that feels firmer or lumpy. You may find some areas "pop" slightly as you apply pressure. This is OK
If your shoulder range is restricted, try working with your fingers on the tight areas as you stretch the arm up.
You can also stretch against a wall, again both into flexion and abduction. Another good position on your back is hands behind head, and try to flatten elbows toward the bed/floor.
Lying exercises are best done on a firm surface, so floor is good, but make sure you can get down/up without too much strain/difficulty! My first attempt I had to get hubby to help me up! (And lie with knees flexed, obviously, but try not to arch your back when reaching overhead)
In any range of motion exercise, the sensation should be one of stretching rather than pain, which should not increase more than a couple of points while you stretch, and should cease fairly quickly once you stop stretching. The emphasis on prolonging the stretch hold time is very important, and repeat as often as possible.
I am a physiotherapist myself, and I know what I am talking about. If you feel you are not making progress, get a PT to help!
Once you have a reasonable ROM you can introduce light resistance, but start with just the weight of your arm!
Sorry, turned into an essay!
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Morwenna, a BIG thank you! Very well written and gives me something to work with! I will avoid the floor for now as I know there's no way I could get up- probably not down yet either lol! I'll take it slow but compared to my LX this has impacted me much more- obviously but I guess I wasn't really prepared for that.
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slv58 - I was getting nowhere after my left mastectomy and was really bad at doing exercises consistently. I needed to get some movement so I could have radiation without a lot of pain. So I set myself a challenge - and measured how far I could reach up a wall with my right arm (unaffected as I had a UMX) and then measured day by day improvement on how far I could stick a post-it note up the wall with my left. This resulted in this picture of my first weeks progress. I also posted this on Facebook - so I had to continue as I had many friends encouraging me. I would take Morwenas advice regarding what you should do and how much you should try to stretch, but when you do you could measure how well you can do and once you see progress it will feel like you are getting somewhere.
Here's my picture - I named it my most boring Facebook photo ever.
Best of luck and take it steady.
Sarah
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You're welcome!
That's a great idea Sarah!
I don't know about Ontario, but in Alberta, the AHS funds us for an assessment and 6 follow up visits at a physio clinic that has a contract with the health service, i.e 7 visits in total that we don't have to pay for, but must start these within 12 weeks of surgery.
Yes it is vastly different from a lumpectomy recovery, or even a mastectomy! I can get on and off the floor with relative ease now, although I can't remember exactly when I first accomplished that! I still have to roll on my side to sit up, and to lie down I have to hang onto one bent leg to avoid strain on my tummy, so it's not terribly elegant!
I'm using theraband (red) for resisted upper extremity exercises, and trying to be conscientious about my 10,000 steps a day (don't always make that!)
I'm at 12 weeks now, and will go back to work on Monday. I've been sitting working at the computer for a few hours this afternoon, and my muscles around the back/sides of my trunk are complaining. I'm actually better moving and working, although I find I get pain in my right hand and forearm (non-cancer side) veins from time to time. I hope I'm not going to get lymphedema in that side as well, as I have it established in my left arm from my originally surgeries!
I am so cancered out right now. I was saying to DH today: Prior to my own episode (Late 2012) the only experience I had with cancer was that it was something "patients" had! Now, it's me, it's my sister in law who also had breast cancer diagnosed 2012, a friend from my chorus passed away from BC last week, my D.I.L's aunt is in hospital with stage 4 endometrial cancer, a young lady (30's) at work just had a mastectomy .... stop it with the cancer already!!!
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Morwenna, I'm sorry you are surrounded by this awful disease. Big hugs for what you are dealing with.
Are you still sleeping on your back? I absolutely hate the jack-knife position but my hips are too sore to think of side sleeping yet. You mention that you had Lymphedema from your previous LX, did you wear a sleeve for it? I also got mild Lymphedema from LX and have worn a sleeve but I'm not sure if I should be wearing it so soon after surgery? I forgot to ask my PS when I saw her wed. I definitely feel my upper arm is agitated- tingling and irritation and am hoping it's not Lymphedema at a greater severity because I normally just get the heavy feeling in my arm.
I will have to ask about physio but I believe it has to be at the hospital where you were treated and I'm 2 hours one way- which would make it very impractical but I will enquire.
Sarah, thank you for that suggestion, I love that and will try that for motivation!
Hope everyone has a good evening ;-
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I can lie flat now, and sleep on my right (which is my preferred) side. Sometime in the last 2 weeks I found I can lie on my left, but that's still not that comfortable to try and sleep. I do find that if I get up after lying on my back for any length of time I am quite uncomfortable for a few minutes as gravity works on my "floobs"
If it is your hips that are bothering you try putting one or even two pillows between your knees. I really needed to get off my tailbone, so I turned slightly with a pillow behind my back, and another to the side of my knees to support them.
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Hi all, I just came across this thread. I am preparing to have a bilateral mastectomy with the diep flap reconstruction in the next 4-6 weeks waiting on the official date. Is there any advice going into this surgery that I may need. Also how long has your recovery time been? I am a hairstylist so I use my arms often, is it crazy to think I will be able to go back to work after 6 weeks?
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Welcome Melissa!
As for advice, I suggest you browse through this thread, and also the DIEP 2014 thread, where you will glean all sorts of information, but if you have specific questions, go ahead and ask!
Personally I think planning return to a job like hairdressing at 6 weeks after bilateral Mastectomy and DIEP reconstruction is a bit ambitious. (to the point of being improbable, especially if you mean fulltime?)
But that said, everyone reacts differently to this surgery. I think, realistically, you could plan to return around 8 weeks post op, if you are able to do a gradual return. Some people find fatigue to be a greater factor than others ....
Let me know (private message will make sure I don't miss your request) when you have the details/dates etc for your surgery, if you wish to be added to the timeline.
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Melissa, I feel like 8 weeks is more reasonable for such arm-centric work. At 6 weeks I was just starting to get energy back and not need to nap. 8 weeks was much better. Seeing a PT/OT to help you recover range of motion will be helpful.
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