hcmatlin

   I have an appointment today with the PS. I was almost in tears last night it hurt so bad. I am not leaving his office without a plan that is for sure. I also got this funny looking rash on my chest. Not really my breast but on my upper chest.

   I agree that there is some kind of infection or damage and we need a plan!!! Thanks again for the support. If you all would have not spoken up about your experiences I likely would not be persistant this afternoon in making a plan. Antibiotics, ultrasound, something. This is crazy, it literally hurts more than the abdominal incision did after the diep.

Susan

PS I had the diep 4 weeks ago, but a revision on the right breast 1 week ago to fix the inframammory line. That is when the trouble started.

The Mederma made my skin itch after about two weeks. Big time itching.

If you google 3m micropore tape and scars you should be able to pull up some informatioin from medical journals about comparisons of scar treatments. From what I read there is good benefit from silicone sheets. Also proven benefits from taping the incision as it is healing with micropore tape and leaving it on until it peels off.

 My PS said it doesn't work but the journal said it does. I am trying it.

Susan

 I had a bilateral diep 13 days ago. I am wondering when the majority of the swelling goes away. I realize it's to soon to expect it right now though.

  I like the size with swelling!!! So I am kind of wondering what I might end up with when all is said and done.

Susan

  I did have my diep two days ago by Dr. Houle in St. Cloud., MN. He did an amazing job. I guess it was three days ago on Monday. I am feeling much better and wil be happy to go home tomorrow.

   I should have done this years ago. I can't beliive how my breasts feel, theeey are so natural, not hard or coldd like the immplants.

A nyway, this keyboard is not wworking right so I will check in in a few days.

Stay well

Ssusan 

I do feel much better now.

We did see Dr. Houle, in St. Cloud, MN. He put me at ease and made me feel 1000 times better. I guess just that no matter what happens, which I choose, we can tweak it until I am satisfied.

He is much more experienced with the DIEP and makes a pretty nice breast with that so I will go this route first. I say first because I have a fairly large scar on my abdomen from an emergancy apendectomy as a child. If the vessel is damaged the diep is a no go. He can put an implant in after too if I need more projection.

  He will, pending a sucessful diep, do lipo to the flank/hips anyway in a few months as there something that needs a fat graft or transfer or something like that. I have a pretty noticable hollow area that the diep will not fix. Anyway, I will add, on my own, thigh lipo to even things out. If I do it in the same procedure as the fat grafting the price will reduce signifagantly as the insurance can pay for the "first" part and I will pay for the second.

  So he will do it in one surgery, one day, and this will help greatly too.

  I will write later. Kids need baths now.

Thanks again

Susan

This is going to sound crazy but I consulted 4 PS's prior to deciding one one. I even went to SC to meet Kline. I had a SGAP scheduled with Dr. Kline/Allen in SC in Aug. but then my insurance raised it's out of pocket by many thousand dollars and the market has been poor. Sooooo canceled that surgery and started looking more locally.

  I found a surgeon in St. Cloud who does lots of DIEP's but has only done a handful of GAPs. His bedside manner, length of conversation and caring personality far outweighed all the others combined. Including the famous Dr. Kline. I have seen photoos of a woman he worked on locally and he did a smashing job. So I am at piece with the surgeon finally.

  Now my big delema is diep or gap. I bet I will go with gap, this is what's scheduled but my husband and I are going to talk with him again on the 30th.

Stay well

 Susan

   I am having a bilateral GAP on June 16/19. I am very very very very nervous too. My ca was in 2001 and I have had implants since then that I really never liked. They move when I flex my muscles. I look freaky. I have thought about it for years but last year my youngest son had more medical problems than usual. We met our out of pocket max quickly and my husband said, " honey, you know that surgery you talked about? Well now would be a good time to get it done as we have maxed the out of pocket for the year." Just like a guy huh!!!  So although we are into a new insurance year he still supports me getting it done. My son's health has stablized ( knock on wood) so we can afford it now. This is most of the issue but I do also have pain on the radiated side. Not severe but annoying.

  My biggest issue right now is I feel so torn between having a diep and have size B breasts or a GAP and have size C breasts. I think I would like C breasts. I kind of miss my old ones. But then remember I would have enough for bilateral B cups on my tummy with C cups on the chest. Worried that I will be front heavy. !!!

  I am also scared that my GAP will turn out saggy like my natural breasts were. I am going to tell him again.....no saggy boobs!!!

   I hope I remember right that women with GAP's recovver faster than those with dieps too. I have a 16y/o and two 5 y.o boys who need Momma. I think one of the boys will do fine but the younger one has delays and he might not understand I can't lift him for several months.

   I am not so scared of the surgery but am a little freaked out that this is the final option I will have. When I had the implant I knew there was another option. What if I hate them? OK now I am getting anxious. I must remember the doc is great and I trust him.

Stay well and look forward to hearing from you

susan

Not really capsular contracture. Confirmed by 3 PS's. It is the loss or death of tissue. The PS at Mayo said that it continues my entire life, as I had radiation on that side.

I kind of wondered if changing the implant shape to high profile would fill in the sunken shape.

Thanks for the comments.

Susan

I have an implant, it is a curved shape, more natural my ps had said. Anyway, as I contemplate less invasive procedures than the gap or diep, I am wondering if anyone has had atrophy of the tissue on radiated side.

 Apparently this is why one part of my breast looks flat and there is a cave in above my breast. He talked about about alloderm and fat transfer but I am wondering if there are any other options?

  Has anyone changed implants from the curved type to high profile and it changed the cave in?

Susan

I am glad someone said something. I was getting pretty worried!!!

What was your post op like?

What about stage 2. Was there a need for much revision?

Susan