Has anyone had DIEP with an implant?

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weety
weety Member Posts: 1,163
edited February 2018 in Breast Reconstruction

I asked this same question about 4 years ago before starting the reconstruction journey. Ultimately I decided to go with implants due to my small frame and lack of much belly fat. However I lost one of my implants to a severe infection so now I'm back on here looking at other options again. It's funny how I'm right back where I was 4 years ago. :(

I probably don't have enough fat to make much of a breast. Is it possible to have DIEP and then add an implant to it?


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  • IronMom3
    IronMom3 Member Posts: 26
    edited October 2017

    Yes, it's possible, but I think it needs to be done as a second stage surgery.

    I am having diep due to lack of other options after BMX with rads. I'm small, with very little belly fat. My surgeon said he could make me almost a small A, and then afterwards, we could do some fat grafting or place a small implant if I'm not happy with the size. My surgery will be in February.

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  • weety
    weety Member Posts: 1,163
    edited October 2017

    Thank you, IronMom for the response. I don't really think I have another option unless I search for a surgeon who does the less common ones such as SGAP or TUG. I have Kaiser so that complicates things as I have to use one of their surgeons for insurance to pay.

    I'm just wondering if it is worth such a long surgery to know from the start that it will not match or be big enough to complement my current implanted side. Because of my small frame, it only looks to be about a B cup, but my bras are either 32C or 30 D. So I doubt if they'd be able to find enough tissue to match that. Will your DIEP surgery be for both sides?

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  • IronMom3
    IronMom3 Member Posts: 26
    edited October 2017

    Yes, I am having a bilateral DIEP.

    Are you open to taking your other implant out and doing bilateral? Since you can only do DIEP a once, you may run into problems if your other implant fails at some point. Or do you still have a natural breast on the other side?

    If you're just doing one side, they can stack your tissue to create a fuller breast.

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  • MommaGin
    MommaGin Member Posts: 28
    edited February 2018

    Weety, wondering if you have made a decision or otherwise progressed on this issue. If so, would love to hear what you found, how things have gone. I'm sorry to hear about the infection and having to address recon again .....

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  • cindyanne
    cindyanne Member Posts: 44
    edited February 2018

    I was recommended a lat flap with implants due to lack of tissue and fat elsewhere


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  • NotBrokenJustBent
    NotBrokenJustBent Member Posts: 394
    edited February 2018

    i was warned that i did not have enough body fat for a uni but it could b built up later with fat transplant, a small implant could be added or i could just get reduced on my natural breast.

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  • weety
    weety Member Posts: 1,163
    edited February 2018

    Mommagin, Yes, I have progressed...

    I decided against both LAT and DIEP and instead opted for fat transfer to the site to try to rejuvenate the skin and try just a regular implant again. I had fat transferred from my outer thighs to the chest area in November. The skin looks and feels so much better! The downside is, though, that I think my PS was a little too aggressive in removing the thigh fat to get enough for the chest, that now I have dents in the sides of my thighs where it was removed. I don't wear shorts/bathing suits very often, but it is making me very self-conscious at this point. :( I feel like I just traded one body part defect for another. Sigh. At this point, I just want a second boob again. Lol. But I'm just disappointed in the thigh dents. They make my legs look pretty unshapely and my pants hang in weird places now since I can't really go down a size (since my butt is still the same size.) Onward I go with this journey that never seems to end, though.

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  • MommaGin
    MommaGin Member Posts: 28
    edited February 2018

    Oh, Weety, thank you for sharing, but I'm so sorry to hear about the onward, continuos journey this has been for you. Can the PS do anything about the dimpling in your thighs? Sending love and good thoughts your way.....

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