DIEP Flap Reconstruction 2017

CAdrmn - welcome! I'm here doing the same. lol

FaithWalker22 - for my mx I got one button up after reading on here. I never did were it. I ended up just wearing large stretching pj tops. I had a pant/top set from costco that was super comfy. I just lived it....I also work from home... lol I pretty much wore what I wanted, just nothing tight. When I had problems was when the bandages came off....the skin was unbelievable sensitive. I ended up wearing a tanktop under my shirt and sewing a little pillow for in the car. the seatbelt was too much...this was only for a couple of weeks then good to go.

Does anyone know if insurance covers flights/transpertation to Nola if you have zero doctors in your state and most surounding states able to preform DIEP? Also, does Nola take payments/sliding scale ect? Or want the full amount up front? Trying to find the right insurance for the new year...nothing in my county has less than a $5000 deductible...and they basically pay nothing until that is met.

BBB18, Sorry about your diagnosis. It is tough time to decide on plan. I will share my story in case it helps... I had breast cancer in one breast. Almost decided for double mx but it seems so irreversible and drastic to me. I felt I could always have second surgery is needed. So last minute I decided for uni mx. It was, by far, the best decision! I have loved having at least one of my original breast all these years. Finally I had Diep reconstruction and now have pretty excellent match with good breast. I wish you peace in all you decisions and healing in your journey.

... also, best wishes to all the ladies getting ready for surgery and in the middle of treatment. I am sending you allhealing thoughts!!!

greeneyes- here’s what I have researched regarding your questions:

Does anyone know if insurance covers flights/transpertation to Nola if you have zero doctors in your state and most surounding states able to preform DIEP? Maybe. Depends on your level of coverage. Mine did not but I’ve heard of others whose insurance did. You’ll have to read your policy or call & ask. If they don’t, save your receipts so you can submit it for a possible deduction on your taxes.

Also, does Nola take payments/sliding scale ect? Or want the full amount up front? Yes they do have payment plans. You just need to ask Vickie about it. They will likely want at least 1 payment up front.

Trying to find the right insurance for the new year...nothing in my county has less than a $5000 deductible...and they basically pay nothing until that is met. Vickie should be able to tell you which plans they’re accepting in network next year. Some are national plans like Cigna that they take where the center would be considered in network to help avoid additional costs. And if you go with one that’s out of network you can apply for coverage as out of area since no one local to you does the surgery. This would mean the insurance company would reimburse at a higher rate than out of network.

Hope this helps!

LMichelle, tell me more about this nerve transplant! I'm so curious to what that might mean, feeling wise.

My understanding is that medical grade ink fades faster than a tattoo artists ink, that's why a lot of people go to them instead. Sometimes they do better work, more realistic as well. There are a lot of threads on this site about that.

My Vinnie's are going away tomorrow

they were good. but not covered by insurance, next time will try the insurance covered tattoo artist!!

Twills I am not sure how long it will take till I can answer! i am a lucky gal to be under the care of a surgeon trying new techniques...

(Suhail Kanchwala - University of Pennsylvania)

I have nothing to lose! I hope it works but not sure how long it will take for the nerve transplant and the "delay of flap" procedure to be the standard of care.

tomorrow I lose my FAKE BOOB IMPLANTS! I am so ready!!!

Peace and health to all

Michele

Good luck Michele, hoping all goes well for you.

Hi All.

I just wanted to introduce myself. I have been reading all your posts over the past few months and greatly appreciate your candor and willingness to share your experiences and knowledge with the rest of us. I just received the call Friday that I my BS and PS have received authorization for a prophylactic BMX with immediate DIEP reconstruction, and they have put me on the schedule for Dec 18! I have been contemplating a prophylactic mastectomy since my mother's death from Stage IV BC in July. My older sister was diagnosed with stage 1 at age 38, and my mother with stage IV at age 66. My maternal grandmother had died in her 70's of metastatic cancer (my mom never found out what the primary CA was). My sister tested negative for any BC genes, so the genetic counselor did not recommend testing for me. Due to my family history and dense breast tissue (I always found it ironic that my 34-nearly B's could be described as extremely dense, I have been undergoing yearly MRI's alternating every 6 mo with yearly mammograms for the past 8 years, and just underwent my 2nd biopsy in Sept due to yet another new lesion on the MRI (which turned out to be benign). After watching my mother succumb to metastatic BC, and after realizing that at 43, I have at least another 30 years of MRI's with ensuing biopsies ahead of me, I decided on a BMX with reconstruction. I also have two sons, and I want to do everything in my power to ensure that I'm around to see them grow up.

I'm sure I will have many questions and concerns as the date nears, so I wanted to establish roots here. I feel I already know some of you just from having read your posts. For those of you with approaching surgery dates, good luck, and please keep us updated on your recovery.

Hi aquilegia,

I'm in the San Jose area with Kaiser insurance & I'm considering bilateral prophylactic mastectomy, possibly w/ DIEP flap reconstruction. Would you be comfortable sharing which Kaiser facility you went to, which doctor(s) you have, and how you feel about the results of your reconstruction? (Or I can private message you if you prefer.) Did they do the stage 2 phase that others in this thread describe, to revisit and improve some of the cosmetic aspects? Do you feel that you look pretty proportional as far as chest, stomach, hips, etc.? I know the main thing for all this is to be healthy and protect myself from cancer, but I have to admit the aesthetic side of things matters to me, too. I wouldn't have thought to even ask about all these questions about appearance till I read this thread. It sounds like some people have not been that happy with how they looked overall after DIEP, while some felt that everything flowed better after stage 2. Thanks so much for your help!

(I just joined and don't have a signature yet, but I was recently diagnosed with LCIS. Due to family history I did genetic testing. No mutations, but a variant of uncertain significance for NF1 and I'm being assessed by Kaiser genetics to see if I have neurofibromatosis type 1. I'm not sure if Kaiser will approve BPM, but I'm leaning toward requesting it because my lifetime risk is pretty high and I really want to stay healthy for my family, especially my toddler son.)

Lula....OMG!

Thank you for all the info!

If I have it done it will be Dr.. Robert Allen. From what I understand he is the founder of this procedure.

I keep going back and forth. I want to have it done for peace of mind more than anything but i always start thinking I'm not sick enough. I just do that, self worth issues etc.

Great news about the nipples reacting to cold! I didn't know if all the nerve function would be gone.

I read some older posts from 2012 discussing wether Tricare covers the diep flap on the unaffected breast or even at all. My doctor told me it is LA law that both breast are to be included as part of the reconstruction process if a woman chooses to do so.

Does anyone know where I can get more current info regarding Tricare? I have been around long enough to know to wait until I have the prior auth in my hand before doing anything. I just don't want to waste the doctors time if it's a no go. Plus curious about the auth wait times situation s etc.

Thank you so freaking much!!

CAdrmn- where do you live? Dr Allen is s gem for sure!

Suburbs-do glad you’re doing well. That feeling you’re talking about is a good one - kind of hard to des ribe - but welcome to the post stage 2 club!!!

I'll be scheduling my DIEP surgery soon and want to make sure I have it early enough next year so I'll have time for Stage 2 and any subsequent surgeries within the year, for insurance purposes. Is that time frame doable? What's the General time frame between stage 1,2, and nip recon(if I decide to do that)?

Runrcrb, that's about what my PS said for Stage 2. The earliest he will do the initial surgery after rads is 3 months, that puts me mid January.

TWills- 3 months between stage 1&2 and if you need any additional tweaking to stage 2. About 2 months in between for tats.

Thanks aquilegia! That's helpful info. I'll respond to your PM.