maggiemae

Thanks for the bump.  Wow! you gals have really done your homework!  Right now I am wearing a Bestform low impact cotton/spandex sports bra.  They are available at our Fort Worth Wal-mart for $6.97, I have a website so you can look at one, but it is not the wal-mart site so price is a little different.  http://www.cottonbras.com/bb6014.html   I really like this bra because it does not feel hot or sweaty, it has wide straps and front closures.  I don't know if this is what I need to be wearing, I will talk with my LE therapist about what is best for me. 

On a different note, I don't fully understand the swell spots.  I have what my PS is calling fat necrosis around the outside boarder of my new foob (immediate DIEP recon, stage 1 two months ago).  The tissue is very hard and fluid accumulates around it, esp in the evenings at the end of the day.  It is very painful and sometimes has pitting edema. The area is about 6in in length (moving around the outside edge of the breast) and about 3in wide. Does anyone think the swell spots would help?

Andrea

This is such a wonderful thread!

When I was diagnosed, I didn't know much about breast cancer (thank goodness kids don't get breast cancer!).  The doctor that gave me my diagnosis was wonderful.  She sat down with me for about an hour and explained the differences in the types of breast cancer, I was very fortunate to have her.  Later in my journey I found the opposite where I guess some people assumed I could understand what they had to say and were afraid of maybe talking down to me.  It took me forever to get all of the information I needed from my genetics concelor and to understand it all!  I think as nurses we can help our healthcare providers by encouraging them to talk to all patients in a manor that is easily understood.

Andrea

Hi everyone,

I thought I'd add my experience to the mix and hope it will help.  I went in for DIEP but ended up with DIEP on one side and MS free TRAM on the other (perpetrators were too small on one side)  I can honestly say there seems to be no difference in my foobs or in healing from one side to the other.  The only thing I can think of that is different is my new belly button is slightly to the left from center.  When I asked my PS about this he told the area where he took the muscle probably pulled the new belly button to the left slightly (it is very slight) as I was healing, he will be able to fix this during stage two.  If this is the only thing I can come up with, I feel I can say there is really no difference in either procedure to me! 

Andrea

Hi everyone,

I am a nurse as well.  Started nursing in 1987, worked NICU for most of my career, did some pedi ER and now work part time at a large pediactric hospital as a telephone triage nurse.  I just went back to work last week after taking two months off.  The hospital has been great!  I think it does help to have co-workers who can understand all the medical things we are going through. Thanks for starting this thread!  The connection to other nurses is great!

Andrea

Hi everyone,

I had bilateral mast with immediate DIEP on 7/9/08.  Prior to mast I was a size 40B and discussed with my PS that I would like to be a C cup after reconstruction since size 40B bras are so hard to find in the stores without special ordering them.  Most store's inventory start with 40C and go up from there.  It has now been 2 months since my Stage 1 surgery and I feel I am still a B cup, in fact I have a large area of fat necrosis on my left side that will have to be removed during Stage 2 making me even smaller.  My PS mentioned fat transfers from my flank area or using small implants.   I really don't want to go through anymore major cutting (I'm still trying to heal from the first one!) and I chose DIEP because I did not want implants.

 Has anyone else had this dilemma, and if so what did you decide to do about it?

Thanks,

Andrea

Hi D,

The first time I met my PS and he was discussing all of my options, he did mention fat transfers if he needed more fat to build the breast, (he also said he could use a small implant if he did not have enough fat).  He has not mentioned anything like that since, but I too wonder what size I will end up if this hard area does not soften and has to be removed. I was a B to C cup and asked him for a solid C cup.  Right now I don't feel like I am any bigger than I was before the mast. and what if he take all this out? yikes!.  I feel like a have been in pain so long that I am way past my tolerance for pain and fat transfers sound painful!  Please let me know how thinks go with you, I'll be praying for us!

Andrea

I had bilat mast/SNB with DIEP July 9th.  I had six drains and the last one was removed when I was six weeks out.  My PS is pretty conservative, he wanted to see the drain producing less than 20cc for 3 days in a row before he would remove it.  I know the drains are a real pain, but I was glad to have it doing it's job instead of me having to deal with the consequences!

I had bilat. DIEP 4 weeks ago and now have an area on my abd incision that looks like it is trying to open.  My PS was also not concerned at all, but it is really freaking me out!  My sister had DIEP last summer and had multiple areas open on her abd. that took a wound vac and 6 months to heal, I do not want to go there!  Anyone have suggestions on what to do and not do to help?  My area seems to be growing in length, but not depth, it in now about 2 in long.

Hi everyone,

I'm 2 1/2 weeks post-op now (bilt mast, SNB, DIEP).  My spirits are up, but my body feels so run down!  I am still very achy and sore.  My path report was all clear so now all thats left is to heal!  I am lifted up by everyone's progress, there are such amazing women on this site. Thanks to everyone that posts their story!

Andrea

Hi Jaanee,

I was told to "take it easy" and no pulling or straining, no heavy lifting and to keep my arms at my sides, but no difinitions or boundries were ever explained!  I'm so sorry to hear about your flap, what a disappointment.  My drains are also stiched, but one fell out in the hospital and one fell out at home.  I don't know how they came out, I just found them out.  I did not feel the stitch break or pull, I  don't know if the stitch unraveled or broke.  I do think that since the drains that came out were the ones in my breasts and they were still activly draining, that is probably the reason I am so uncomfortable with swelling around my chest and arms.  I will see the PS on Tues and see what (if anything) can be done.  I like your idea with the pillows, I will give it a try. My arms are also very sore, I did not think about the immobility from surgery, but it explains alot.

Andrea