NOLA in September?
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Thanks, and here is Jade!!!!!!
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Beverly... I did not have plication and yet when I do ab work I can feel tightness, and wonder if it will ever go away. Is it possible that tightness is just having the DIEP and not from the plication?? Perhaps someone can chime in who is also 2 years post op and was not plicated.
Cute Jade!!!!
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Sandy.... So sweet!!!
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Hi Ladies, As I continue to fight with my insurance I decided to contact The Center to see if they could help get approval for facility use. I spoke with a wonderful gal, Cappy Taylor. She was very positive that I now have both Dr's. Massey and Sullivan covered by insurance. After she took my information she sent it all to another gal named Liz who is suppose to contact me. I was wondering if any of you have dealt with Liz? It's only been a few weeks but I'd like to atleast touch base with her. Any feedback? katiejane
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Assuming there is only one Liz, she is usually the first person you deal with when starting this process... I would have thought Vicky would be helping you. I would call them and ask some questions.
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I'm still waiting for confirmation of my consultation appointment with Dr. Sullivan on May 17. I think it was supposed to come in the mail, Liz said over a week ago. Hmmm, I don't want to seem impatient by calling the center, but I don't want it to fall through the cracks either. Maybe they send it closer to the date. Better give it a couple more days anyway. I think my July 17 date for DIEP is somewhat tentative until the consultation.
Already excited about making the trip in May. We are staying at W Hotel in French Quarter (credit card points - yay). Not staying there in July, though -- planning on Hope Lodge and will take a peek at it on the May trip.
Springtime - taking note: no plication. Thanks for the tip.
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Has anyone heard from Dana25? Hope everythng went well and she is recovering peacefully on the other side of all this.
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((Dana25))
One for and one against. Thanks! Anyone else? When you have diep do you automatically also have a tummy tuck? Anyone else want to weigh in on the nipples/only 3D tats?
Jade!
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Adey... you can have the fat and skin removed without having the plication (that's what I did)... so perhaps you should be asking the doctor what he thinks you'd need... On another note, I did not have the plication, but in the end may need/want it. I will see how things are looking come the fall.
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You bet I will! (c: Just getting some been there done that info/opinions. Hope everything heals up great and you don't end up needing the plication. Unless of course it's something you want! Anyone else feels like chiming in I'm listening. Thanks much.
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Spring, can you add me to the surgery list? June 15 stage 2B
Sandy, congratulations on your beautiful niece Jade!
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Hi Amy.. what are you geting done in June??
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Sandy, Jade is beautiful!!! Congratulations!
Amy, I'll add your 2B. Good for you girl! Doing what is right for you...
Betsy, I had the tightness after my stage 1, I know what you mean. I was also very bulgy. The plication in Stage 2 was WAY beyond this, at least for me. I'd say 20x more and took way longer to resolve... and is still resolving and I had this surgery in 2009. Everybody had to make their own decision about how much recovery time is worth what cosmetic result.
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Adey - there are two things to make the tummy smaller. One is abdominoplasty which does not touch the muscle. It removes the floppy skin usually from being pregnant. The other is with a plication which tightens the muscles. This procedure actually sutures your muscles closer. (ouch) Depends on what you need.
Eva - do you still have any small scabs? I have one on each boob and hoping they are gone by surgery in 3 weeks.
Sandy - yes!!
dbdaze - I am a flasher too!! I work in the OR and all my co-workers want to see.
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Oh Sandy! She is precious! A beautiful name for a beautiful little girl!
Adey - my vote is yes. I know Bev regrets her plication and I feel bad becuz I recommended it, but I had a fabulous outcome. I agree with her that it definitely makes for a more difficult recovery, which is pretty tough to take, only three months out from stage one. But for me, it was worth it. I didn't experience anything as bad as Bev. It certainly wasn't worse than stage 1 for me. I guess it's highly individual. Not everyone is a candidate, either. The docs can tell whose body will benefit and whose it won't really make a difference for. For me, this is the best abdomen I've had in my life, and I only weighed 102 in high school (5'5"), after a whole plate of fries and a milk shake! But my stomach is flatter now! It is actually concave, slightly. I admire it night and day. I did not experience it feeling tighter than after stage one. Maybe my stage one was tighter than some others because i had a stacked diep. I do still feel some tightness from that, but in a good way, at this point. It does motivate me to not stuff myself just too full!0 -
No scabs here, Karen. I did have some bruises that lasted for like two months, but they seem to be mostly faded now. I've still got a rock hard lump on the top of my left breast about the size of a walnut. It's visible from across the room. That side is a little wonkier overall, but I assume Dr. D will fix it right up in May. I'm leaning towards the tummy tuck with no plication. I'm a little nervous about doing a gig two weeks after, but I figure I'll just get through it. I hope I don't still have drains!
Sandy, Jade must absolutely go to cute jail!
This is totally off topic, but I cut a FOOT off my hair yesterday. I'm donating it to Locks of Love. And I like my new do. Here are before, during and after pix: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3420334799805.144491.1613238858&type=1&l=c50ae5af9b
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Thanks Spring! Betsy, the main thing I want is smaller breasts. I have been always been a D cup and still am. I know this is different from what most people want! Then I'm hoping for some more lipo, a little evening up of things and getting rid of a couple puckers. I assume he will have to redo my nipples but we'll see.
I'm interested reading the different experiences with abdominal tightness. I had stage 1 DIEP Aug of 2010 and no plication with stage 2 but still feel pretty tight. I feel it mostly in my upper abdomen and lots of stretching has not had much impact. Is this where others fell the tightness? Has anyone tried myofascial release for this?
Amy
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I'm currently in physical therapy where I'm doing a lot of stretching of the abs and hip flexors, which had both gotten really tight as a result of surgery and/or recovery, ASTYM ( http://www.astym.com/patients/what-is-astym.asp ) and she's doing some heavy duty massage. It's not myofascial, although I've had that in the past; it seemed much gentler than what I'm doing now and didn't make a huge difference.
Things have softened up a lot but I get the tightness if I don't stretch throughout the day. It's as if my body's resisting the release of the scar tissue. One side was tighter, now it's loosened up and the other side is tighter now. The tightness is still really noticeable and uncomfortable when I tighten my abs during exercise. Still stiff when I stand up after sitting awhile. So... I think things are improving, but the tightness is still there. 8 months out from stage 1 DIEP. I'm hoping there will come a day when my body just surrenders and relaxes.
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jeskachi, ASTYM looks very interesting. I tried googling someone local and nothing came up. That's one of the problems living in a small town. I'll have to check Raleigh.
What a beautiful baby SandyinSoCal.
I'm still draining away. I hope I get these things out before my next stage.
Adey, are you confused at all? I'm sure you will sort it out and make the right decision.
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you can search for an ASTYM provider here: http://www.astym.com/provider.aspx
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Thanks for the link. I have one about 45 minutes from where I live. Not bad.
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Thanks all! Still pondering......
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That looks cool, Brenda.
I'm a huge proponent of getting scar release via PT. There is no way I could have the range of motion I have now without all that work. I have hardly any 'stuck' feelings anywhere. I do daily stretching. I can still feel the tightening and the stretches make me feel so good. My flexibility is better than before treatment.0 -
Oh, Adey, I wish I could say one way or the other... My tummy is certainly flat now post DIEP (with hip flaps). I had a little belly "pooch" my whole life, even when I was pre-pregnancy uber-fit. I do not miss the pooch but it is a very weird feeling to have no sensation below my new belly button and to be so tight that I cannot stretch without pulling on skin (?) below my breasts. I also get tighter if I do not periodically stretch and am still dealing with some nerve problem on the front of my thigh post op (maybe due to the pain ball infusion site). I am hoping that this fades and I try not to dwell on these minor issues. I will say that if I did not need to go through all of this I would not have had plastic surgery to "fix" things. Maybe that is something to consider in this equation? Peace to you!
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Re: the P.T. Is this something to do after stage 1 to release the scar tissue or wait until after stage 2? I guess I thought part of stage 2 was releasing this while revising the incisions and doing other fixes. Then I'd look into P.T. if needed after stage 2. Looking forward to hearing about what worked for you. Thanks!
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I didn't have anything in stage 2 related to releasing that kind of scar tissue. But I waited until I was healed from stage 2 to start PT.
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Happy birthday Amy!
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Okay - how quickly did anyone go back to work after stage 2? I imagine I will just have the butt lift?? or whatever they do to fil in the donor sites and a little lipo to fix the dog ears and revise scars.
SoCal - she is looking at us as if to say "what are all of you looking at" ! What a sweet baby, congrats.
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Happy Birthday Amy!
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Karen... two weeks, but could have done a bit sooner.
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