DIEP 2014
Comments
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I have my stage 2 date, May 18! I'm happy to be moving forward, but disappointed I won't be getting nipples yet. This surgery includes removing my port, fixing the dog ears and a lift to the breasts. PS wants to hold off on nipples till he sees how everything settles. He will do them in the office two months later. I was happy to hear there will be no drains. He said a week off from work.
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Well ladies, I'm in Maryland! My appointment at Vinnie's is at 11:30 this morning. I'm a little nervous, but very anxious to be finished. I don't know why, but I've been second guessing this decision a little this week. Like should I have spent the money and time to do this? What if I don't like the way they turn out? Like I said, feeling anxious. I did have a fabulous week in Washington DC with my family though. We spent four days seeing the sights and had a great time together. It will be funny to see my three teenage daughters' reactions to the tattoo shop. 😊
LAStar, my hairline was pulled up higher too and my PS lowered it during stage 2. She said she "pushed the envelope" and stretched it as far as she could, only 2 cm. That was enough for my underwear to barely cover it. I haven't noticed my "lady parts" being pulled up. Lol. We really do have to adjust to these new bodies, don't we?! I'm not pleased with the lipo suction done on my legs. I just see dents where she removed fat. A smoother look would have been nice. I suppose I could probably help that out if I exercised more consistently. (Sigh)
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jmb5: I am so happy for you today! Best wishes for the most beautiful tats ever!
I may never get to Stage 2 at this point. The Dr has detected a functioning adrenal tumor, which must be removed and tested for cancer. In addition (and hoping at the same time) I will also have exploratory abdominal surgery to determine what is causing my distended belly and pain.
My Stage 1 was performed in June 2014, skin graft August 2014, and then gallbladder removed October 2014.
I am depressed and exhausted from all the testing.
I feel alone in this process.
Lisa
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Jmb - how exciting! Come back and let us know how it goes.
Lili - sorry to hear you chasing so many things down. You have been through enough. I had a number of things come up that we had to image, biopsy, etc., and sometimes I felt like I was playing whack- a-mole. I hope everything turns out ok.
On the depression front, can you talk to your doc, about taking something to help with that? Tamox did a job on me re hot flashes and mood, so I startes taking Effexor, and feel a lot better.
And hopefully posting here can help with feeling that you are alone. We are here for you.
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Kb33 I am sorry to hear things have taken an unhappy turn. This surgical reconstruction can be so traumatic! Physically and emotionally. About the things people say, that's also very challenging. Just like when they first hear we have cancer, it's hard for others to know how to be supportive. Still I don't know why anyone would say something like "you're wasting your money." Wrong! I like to try to see the positive aspect in things so possibly, they feel so bad for you they get to a point where they can't handle it anymore? It's not an excuse but I do try to understand where comments like that are coming from. We are already so vulnerable and weak, it doesn't seem fair that we have to care for other people's stress over our pain but we do. Reconstruction is important! We want to feel whole again. We want to look and feel as normal and whole as possible, and that's not selfish or vain. It's a long haul. I pray you will get the results you need and find support from at least some of the people close to you. You have us!
Jmb5 that's interesting about the 1 mm/day. I'll have to do some math on that one! And Redshoes, I was also told, by my wonderful oncologist, that if cancer comes back, it can come back anywhere in the body. It makes sense to me that after mastectomy, not to mention radiation, it would be pretty tough for cancer to take hold in that same area. One thing I will say, if you feel you're not communicating well with your oncologist, or he/she is not answering your questions in a way you understand, go visit another one. I don't mean drop your current MO, just maybe get another perspective on how to monitor your status from here on out. All cancers and cases are so different! One case may require scans or blood tests or who knows what. For me, it's follow-up blood work and general check-ups. I feel like I'll assume I'm cancer free until something comes up, like if I get an inexplicable pain or other symptoms. Conventional wisdom is, we don't take pains to look for cancer unless there is a particular reason to suspect it is there.
Generally, time heals a ton! We have so much to process through all this. I still feel that plastic surgeons are extremely optimistic by nature. It seems like many here have experience like mine where they are led to imagine a certain level of perfection through surgery. If only they could be more frank with us from the start. Some aspects are predictable and others aren't.
Me, I'm doing pretty darned well! My biggest complaint since the unilateral DIEP last July is that I still don't have my strength and energy back, even to the level it was before the DIEP. It is pretty major surgery and maybe after all the previous surgery, chemo etc it is just something that will take a long time for my body to fully recover from. I am doing as much exercise and strength training as I can and I have always eaten well. I think I'm doing everything right, I'm just anxious to be "back." It's weird, I still have a sensation like I did just a couple of weeks after the DIEP, in my whole chest area. It's kind of like a hot flash but instead of heat it's like a rush of blood or something, like blood rushing in but also the sensation of something having been cut away. Hard to describe. At least it's not pain, ha? Lol. I did injure my rotator cuff, so that may be contributing to the overall fatigue. I've done physical therapy and finally got a cortisone injection but recovery is so slow. And I sure as heck don't want more surgery! Rotator cuff surgery requires about a six-month recovery, no thank you! Patience, patience.
Well wishes to everyone. I hope you all have a good Easter weekend. Things do get better! Just keep breathing. And let's keep up the good thoughts and prayers for each other. -Elizabeth -
LiLi, I just saw your post. In fact I was missing a whole page before. Ugh, setbacks stink! You will get through. One step at a time is all we can do. And yes, I discovered the miracle of antidepressant medication years ago. I was reluctant to try any "mind-altering" med but I finally figured if I wanted to, I could always stop any time. I was amazed at the results. How could life change so much just by taking a pill? It sometimes takes trial and error. One type may not work and another type will. I also started on a pretty high dose and then tapered down. Definitely ask about this if the depression doesn't get any better with time. No need to suffer when a remedy is available.
Btw how do you get these posts to space between paragraphs? lol
Jmb5 I can't wait to hear how it goes for you today! It's amazing how much we can learn from each other, including about tattoos. Hoping for great results!
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Jmb5 so exciting to hear of you finishing up. I so much want to be there. Can't wait to see your finished product.
LiLi please don't feel alone. I can so relate flap surgery June 2013. then incision opened and on wound vac in Aug 2013, then 2 days later in gallbladder surgery. I finally had a well woman exam last week and I am scheduled for a colonoscopy a week from next Monday. I have a very extended stomach as well following my gallbladder removal last August. My PS says it is muscle but I don't think it was this large prior to the DIEP surgeries or the gallbladder surgery. I had fat grafted from the stomach a month after the gallbladder surgery and more fat grafted 3 months later. I wore compression after the last grafting but not on any prior surgery, not sure if that mattered or not but it is still much larger than I remember. Maybe I just see it more since my breasts are much smaller than before.
Please let us know what you find out. I will let you know if I get any answers. I have an appointment with my original breast surgeon for an ultrasound on the 17th and plan to ask her about these issues and maybe get a referral to another PS to discuss these issues before continuing with anymore revisions. Still need some more fat grafting and I need my right flap looked at as it seems to drift to the underarm area when taking a deep breath. I am not happy with that either.
I did get a great test result from my bone density test. My bones look like someone 20 years younger than me. That is my newest thing to celebrate about at this point in the journey.
I hope you get some answers that will give you something to celebrate. This has been a hard journey but we will overcome.
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Jmb5, I hope you have a great visit with Vinnie today and I hope you love your results! All these steps seems to come with some soul-searching. We have to constantly remind ourselves why we are doing what we do, and the tears tend to sneak up on us. Hopefully this is the fun part!
Lisa, I hope you will get some resolution and good news. I can only imagine how frustrating it feels to be back in limbo when you just want to be done. Fingers crossed for good news!
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All went well at Vinnie's, and my new nipples look great! I can't believe it. So real looking. Trent was the one who did them, and he was so kind and was fun to talk to. He really made me feel comfortable. He was super impressed with how good my breasts looked and noted my PS's name to recommend her to others. That made me feel good. I would highlyrecommend him to anyone!! He said they are traveling sometimes to other locations since some women can't afford to travel to them. You can check their website for upcoming locations. They just completely redid the website.
I am not on the picture forum but would be happy to show pictures to anyone. Anyone know the best way? Private message or just text them to your cell phone?
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jmb5 CONGRATS on the crowning glory! I'm so happy you have gotten to this stage and are happy! I'm starting to wonder about nip reconstruction but am a long way off. My crop circle seems quite a bit larger than my natural nipple and I'm still healing, but I can't help wondering what the final will look like! I hope your going to celebrate ;-)
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Jmb5, how exciting! How much does Vinnie charge? Are there choices to make as to size or color or does he do what he thinks is best?
Did he have examples of his work? Is it all strictly nipple or does he incorporate any designs into the tat. I would like perhaps a pinkish rose so it looks like I got a tat on my nipple.
How long must you wait after nip recon? How long is Vinnie's wait? I'm getting the nips in July.
I'd love to see a pic if your able to attach one to a pm. I'm so thrilled for you!
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jmb5 - Wow. So happy you're happy with your results, and so happy your tattoos looks great! Hope you do something fun to celebrate.
slv58 - My crop circles were significantly reduced by the construction of my nipple. My surgeon used a sort of 'origami' technique where the necessary tissue is taken from my new breast. I don't know exactly how they did it, but it only took an hour, and it didn't hurt.
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Thanks everyone!!
slv58, I wasn't sure if the nipple reconstruction was worth it because it was kind of annoying to let it heal. Looking back, I'm sooo glad I did because the oval crop circles became smaller round "areolas" that looked more normal. Trent was able to fill in the whole area so that the scars don't even show now. Pretty cool!
debiann, it is $600 for uni and $800 for bilateral. Half down when you make the appointment and the balance in cash at the appointment. Insurance should cover at least some. Trent mixed up the pigment and put a small amount on my breast to see what I thought about the color. It seemed fine to me, so I just defered to his expertise. When they were done, I thought the color looked perfect. If you go to Vinnie's website, you can see examples of the work from the three guys who do the nipple tattoos. And yes, they'll do whatever you want, but it could change the price. One of the pictures had a nipple ring added. Lol. They also have these little rubber? nipples that he put on top of mine to get a size perspective but I decided to fill in the whole scar area. Their policy is you have to wait 5 months from your last surgery. The wait for Vinnie is about 6 months, but Trent told me the wait for him and the other guy is closer to two months and they will work with you if there is a certain day you need. They will squeeze you in. I will PM you a picture when I get home. We're still traveling. He did tell me the color will soften a little over time. He said it doesn't fade but the darker shading spots will soften and look even better.
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Congratulations -- enjoy!
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How long do you need to wear the protective cups over the new nipples? Are they noticeable? Can you wear them under a bra?
My daughters bridal shower is a month after the nip recon, so I'm hoping to be healed by then.
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Just looked at the site. They do beautiful work. It doesn't hurt at all?
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debiann, I can't remember for sure, but I'm thinking I had to keep them on for 2 weeks, and you have to wear a foam "donut" to keep your clothes from pressing against the nipples and smashing them. When it was all over, mine didn't protrude very much, so Trent did shading with the tattoos to make it look like it sticks out a bit like a real nipple.
Trvler, I didn't feel a thing, as far as pain. I did feel the pressure when he pressed on my breast with his hand and the cloth to wipe the ink away. I have no feeling where the nipples are, but I do have feeling around my breasts, almost right up to the nipples.
I took a picture so I'll PM it to you, debiann. Did anyone else want me to send one?
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Jmb I would like one. I really want to do a 3d after I get the nipples. I want to go to Maryland when I do mine. Good excuse for a trip to the east.
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Jbdayton, my husband and daughters and I spent the week in DC and had a wonderful time. It's only an hour away from Vinnie's. We planned my appointment around their spring break.
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Sounds like fun. I hope for next spring, I want good weather. Would love it to be in the fall but I won't have enough time this year with at least 2 more surgeries needed.
Thank you, you look amazing. My left breast looks like yours but the right one is no where near symetrical at this point.
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Congratulations jmb! I'm glad you got to have a nice trip at the same time. DC is great. I got to visit when my son lived there. I'm glad you are happy with the results. I would like a picture if you don't mind. I just had my stage 2 on March 11 but my PS said I will have to wait till everything settles before I can get my nipples and tattoos. I really don't know what to expect regarding their appearance. Thanks for sharing!
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jmb5, I would love a pic as well- it will help give me something to look forward to. My DD took some pics of me pre op and I just downloaded them, it left me feeling a little sad as I really did have nice looking breasts. However now my breasts are healthy and that is so much more important, it's all so much to get use to especially since this was a recurrence.
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Congrats jmb5! I am so happy for you! I am glad it went so well!
Elizabeth, Ridley, jbdayton and LAstar:
Thank you all for the support! I started Effexor 37.5 about 2 months ago. Maybe it needs to be adjusted. I will ask MO.
When I brought up my concern with PS, he said he had no idea, and he made no recommendations....that was December. Very interesting jbdayton regarding fat grafting after gallbladder? I will not be returning to PS. If and when I get better, I will be looking for another PS.
Happy Weekend to all!
Lisa
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Jmb- I would love to see a picture as well. I'm about 10 days out from nipple recon, so a few months away from tattoos. Maybe this fall.
Lili - I'm on 75 mg of Effexor. My doc said some women need to go up to 150 mg.
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Hi all, it's been awhile since I have posted on here. Jmb I am thinking of having the tattoos as well and would be interested in seeing your results. My ps did tattoos at the same time as phase 2 and they did not take well. My areolas are pretty big after reconstruction, will be talking to my ps on the 17th when I go back to SF for a follow up, thankful the nipple did shrink down (was worried for awhile) the left nipple reconstruction actually looks better than the right one I had nipple sparing and re-graphed. Not sure if I will peruse another surgery to correct. Best wishes to everyone and grateful to have this site. I also ended up with a DDD crazy rollercoaster.
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debiann - congrats on setting a stage 2 date! I'm still going back and forth between the nipple reconstruction surgery and just doing the 3-D tattoos. No matter what I decide, I'm pretty certain I want to go to Vinnie's for the tats.
jmb5 - congrats on the tats! My crop circles were reduced quite a bit during my two stage 2 surgeries. If your crop circles had been smaller prior to your nipple reconstruction, would you still do the nips? Or just the tattoos? I don't know why I've having such a hard time deciding on getting the nips or not. I've read on Vinnie's site that sometimes the tattoo on the reconstructed nipple doesn't take and may need touch-ups. Did Trent discuss this with you? I'm just wondering how frequently this happens. Who wants to bother with touch ups (and the additional expense)? I have a friend who had a single mastectomy a few years ago and had her tattoo done in her PS's office. It faded within a year, she had it redone and it faded again. So I definitely think the ink quality used by tattoo shops is different than medical offices. I also would like to hear how you make out with your insurance covering the tattoos!
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jmb- so glad you are pleased with your tats.
Trying to catch up....I got some nipple shields from Victoria's Secret that I wore over my new nips last summer as they healed.
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I'm a little more than six months out from surgery and still get swelling in the breasts, especially if I wear a bra all day.
The belly was doing good, but I was very active over Easter and the belly suddenly swelled too.
Is this normal? When does the swelling end?
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Debi - I'm 4 months out from Stage I (had Stage II in early February). I haven't noticed any swelling in the breasts but definitely in the belly in the evening after running or biking. I just wear the spanx underwear overnight and it's better by morning. I'm wondering, too - is this forever? (Kind of like when I saw the PT after my MX and removal of all the lymph nodes - she showed me the lymphedema massage and I asked her how long I had to do it....she looked kind of surprised and said "the rest of your life!"). Sigh....
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Mommak - I empathize with your decision making about whether or not to get nipples. I went through the same thing. Although - after making the agonizing decision about the DIEP - this one was much more fun as both outcomes seem equally enjoyable and relatively simple.
In the end I opted for nipples. My PS. who I trust, told me that most woman he knows feels very satisfied after having nipple reconstruction. I also like the fact that the procedure would reduce the crop circles. Anything that can get me closer to my original state is always a bonus. And up until the day of surgery I felt quite ambivalent. In fact, I postponed it twice because I didn't want any disruptions in my life. While my boobs were healing and stitched and wearing nipple protectors I was still unemotional about the whole things - Until the day the stitches were out and I was stepping out of the shower and I looked at myself and I felt this crazy surge of happiness. I felt so complete.
(The next step is the areola tattoo, which frankly, I don't care much about. But my PS is ays I'll like it - so I'll go ahead.)
It is quite possible that I would have felt good having a 3D tattoo as well, but I really like having something there. I didn't realize how much I missed it until it was back again.
Good luck making up your mind. But as far as I know - there is no wrong decision. Just different results.
Janet
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