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NOLA in September?

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Comments

  • cider8
    cider8 Member Posts: 472
    edited May 2012

    LAstar, for me, the marking up was sort of the fun part for me. I find it absolutely fascinating they just eyeball us and mark away. No tape measuring, at least for me.



    Ladies who are getting nervous,the very first thing I do when the anxiety creeps in is to take some deep breaths. I found/find I often hold my breath or am breathing shallow.

  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 3,192
    edited May 2012

    About plication... I did not get it, but at 9 months post DIEP, I am still bloated etc. and when they take just the fat, they can't get it all... so there is still fat embedded around our organs.. nothing the doc can do about that. So for me, I kind of wish I'd had the plication in the first place, as I may need it anyway and will just add another recovery time on to what I have already done. I am a patient person and don't mind a long recovery if in the end I get what I want... so if Dr D tells me I could get a plication and it will improve my abdominal bloat, I would do it. And I am an active person also... IMO, both Bev and EVE look fantastic. No pain, no gain.

  • Soccermom4force
    Soccermom4force Member Posts: 311
    edited May 2012

    Re: swelling of abdomen.

    At some point in my recovery I tried limiting my sodium intake and it DID make a difference. Additionally because of pre-existing IBS and antibiotic induced colitis I went on a serious regimen of probiotics and Activia.I've had significant reduction in abdominal incidents and rarely have swelling. Wish I'd tried these as seriously post surgery.

  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 3,192
    edited May 2012

    Marcia... I also take a probiotic and eat lots of yogurt... I am not sure if it has helped.

  • amym159
    amym159 Member Posts: 173
    edited May 2012

    Hi NOLA sisters! I have been just crazy busy for the last month with work and family stuff and haven't been able to read this thread for awhile. As always, this is a bunch of talkative women:) and there is much to catch up on!

    I'm going back to NOLA for a stage 2B on June 15. It feels surreal to be doing this again, but I am really happy to be having what I assume will be the final tweaks. SallyM I would love to see you too! How funny that we are overlapping again. Or I hope overlapping as we are flying home on June 17. Anniese, when are you arriving in NOLA? Downey30 will be there during this time as well. Anyone else staying at Homewood Suites?

    Nordy, if anyone can challenge the insurance companies, you can! Prayers said, warrior woman energy sent your way. Keep us posted.

     Lastly, I just cracked up at the continued peeing on oneself/going commando discussion. never thought I would do the commando thing, but I like it so much have barely worn underwear since my stage one! 

  • jenlee
    jenlee Member Posts: 204
    edited May 2012

    bdavis, (I know in your case, the diep was for the failed flap, but...) was it the DIEP procedure itself that caused abdominal bloating that still hasn't gone away?  Sometimes I wonder why the DIEP is the doctors first choice for so many women... I was under the impression that it was supposed to give the appearance of a tummy tuck, but it seems like a number of you have issues with continued tightness, discomfort, bloating.  It almost seems like hip or gap flaps seem to have fewer issues at the donor site!  (I'm starting to feel as though it might be preferable to me to deal with my tummy with diet & exercise, which has worked in the past, and request other flaps???)  I'd love to hear any thoughts/opinions on this.

  • Esmerelda
    Esmerelda Member Posts: 156
    edited May 2012

    Got it. Thank you Besa and Betsy!

  • jenlee
    jenlee Member Posts: 204
    edited May 2012

    Esmerelda, Just looked at my calendar -- you must be traveling tomorrow (Monday)!?  And Chellenump shortly after?  Looking forward to meeting you both in NOLA. Until then, thinking of you both, wishing you a safe trip & Godspeed!

  • gmp300
    gmp300 Member Posts: 196
    edited May 2012

    Just want to wish everyone going to NOLA now and safe journey and smooth surgeries with speedy recoveries and safe trip home!  I just got back and I want to share as eveyone else has that it was a good experience all the way there and back.  I felt like I dreamt it all but of course nbow that I am home I have drains so I know it was real!!

        The Center makes it all so easy and makes you feel so special I can't explain the feeling of knowing your in good hands and everhting will be alright.  The Center is so clean and was so quiet (at least when I was there) From having a limo driver for all airport and appt pick ups and drop offs (never get lost) from your own nurse after surgery to giving you all supplies needed to calling and checking on you afterwards).  Nola was a cool place to be in because there are things you can do after surgery and the people are so nice.  Just know where your going.  I took the horse and buggy tour through the french quarter to learn some history and my mom couldn't do all that walking but we did alot including lots of dinners/lunch taking taxis, bike taxi's, streetcars etc so it was easy to get around.  I actually enjoyed the whole time I was there even after surgery.  It was very relaxing.

    wishing all of you's going now the same!  Good Luck!

    Geralyn 

  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 3,192
    edited May 2012

    Jenifer.. Yes, it must seem that way, and its true, the DIEP site takes longer to recover. But it is a better site for blood vessels, and that is why they prefer it. Do not get me wrong, I have a flat lower abdominal, and I believe if I lost 10 pounds, the upper would match... But if you have a few pounds to lose, it is more noticeable. And I do trust that at some point, it will be resolved. So I would have the appropriate surgery that they recommend. After I awoke from my BMX and had just had hip flaps (expecting hip and DIEP) I was glad AND disapointed. Glad cause they only needed the hips and sad cause they just needed the hips.

  • EvaM
    EvaM Member Posts: 272
    edited May 2012

    I survived my first post-op gig. I have a little advice for getting your mind off your troubles: Wear a pair of high heels a size too small. I promise every other problem you might have will fade into the background. They looked really good though!

    Here are a few pix from last night: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3700978335718.148931.1613238858&type=1&l=0e3f905a5a

    Best of luck to our next round of NOLA princesses! Keep us posted on your adventures! 

  • KSue
    KSue Member Posts: 87
    edited May 2012

    Eva - the pictures are great!

    Esmerelda - safe travels to NOLA and good luck with pre op appts tomorrow.  Can't wait to hear what you think. 

  • besa
    besa Member Posts: 289
    edited May 2012

    jenlee- I had a unilateral DIEP done in Maryland.  It was mostly a disaster (the breast reconstruction looked pretty horrible and required 5 revisions before I got to the  Center - and then Dr. D. worked on it some more) but I never had any abdominal bloating and whatever tightness I had initially resolved.     I have no idea why that part went smoothly and everything else was problematic.   I had a unilateral sGAP at the Center.  (I was origially scheduled for a hip flap but it was changed to sGAP during surgery because of the way my blood vessels ran).    Right now, a week out of stage 2B, compared to the other side,  I still have some slight flattening of the GAP donor site.  This does not bother me at all (I think I look really good.)     For me the GAP was an easier recovery.  I think there are pluses and minuses with each surgery.  Talk to the docs at the Center about your concerns then (as betsy said)  I would go with what they recommend.  These people really know what they are doing. 

    Eva- only two weeks after surgery and you are on stage!  The photos are wonderful.

    Esmeralda- You must be traveling to the Center today- wishing you a safe trip.  Good luck!

  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 3,192
    edited May 2012

    Jenifer... If you'd like me to send you photos of my abdomen, I would be glad to... just PM your email address.

  • denouement
    denouement Member Posts: 190
    edited May 2012

    Jenlee - I wish I knew more.  All i know is I had some weight to loss (mostly gained during the stressful period before my stage 1 and the following months of inactivity) and I really thought that losing the weight was the missing thing that was going to make my abs feel less tight.  But for me the opposite happened after losing 20 pounds - when I spoke to Laura about this she said normally losing weight resolves this but this has led them to believe that "something else" is going on.  I should say that my abs were not revised at all during my stage 2 and it's been almost 13 months since my stage 1.  During stage 2 I had an ooph/hyst so I'm not sure if that is more then issue than the DIEP or what. 

    I think really I was seeing the "Wrong" type of PT who was focusing less on my scar (although some of the focus was there) and more on strength and range of motion.  My old PT was right on the scar too, not in the area above it which is where there is the most tightness/bloating.  In a perfect world I would wait longer to see if this resolves itself but life it throwing some timing issues my way.  I'm teaching 3 yoga classes at the FORCE conference in October that I need to be healed for.  My job is crazy busy but the month of July is usually slow so it's a good time to be away.  On top of all that my insurance is changing at the end of the year and I"m sure not for the better.  If I do a revision surgery now it costs me $300 out of pocket and who knows how much it would be if I have to wait until next year.  I feel a bit pressured to get this done now, like i said still going back and forth.  Ultimately I think I will give it a try and will be sure to keep you all posted!  I would like to lose another 5-10 pounds (although losing the bloat could resolve that on it's own) 

    Marcia I had that thought as well about limiting salt and taking probiotics.  I do both these things as well as not eating gluten - in my case it has not helped but perhaps it will help others.  And I owe you an email about travel to NOLA in July...sorry, just very overwhelmed right now...

  • KerryA
    KerryA Member Posts: 184
    edited May 2012

    Hi All

    I have a couple questions for the group...no updates on insurance still working through.

    1) Does anyone recommend PT post hip/GAP flaps? 

    2) It looks like many of you renting a recliner when you got home for a few weeks. Do you recommend for hip/GAP flaps or just with DIEP?

    3) How long before returning to exercise after hip/GAP flaps? I enjoy exercise..good stress reliever for me and just curious when you returned exercise like spinning or running.

    Thanks much!

  • EvaM
    EvaM Member Posts: 272
    edited May 2012

    Hi Kerry,

    1) yes definitely. I started PT right at 4 weeks and it helped SO much with range of motion and discomfort. They do give you guidelines when you leave.

    2) I had hip flaps and rented a recliner. I'm SO glad I did. Whatever the recon, you're only supposed to sleep on your back for four weeks. For hip flaps, you have the hip drains for much longer too - so I didn't feel comfortable sleeping on my side until those were out (six weeks). I slept very well in the recliner on my back even though I'm normally a side-sleeper. I highly recommend it.

    3) You're supposed to start walking right away. I started doing some workout exercises very very gently (half squats, curls with no weights sort of thing) about three weeks and added my PT exercises at 4 weeks. I got back to regular exercises pretty quickly once I started doing PT. I went to a belly dance class at 5 weeks but it was too uncomfortable with hip drains and I gave up after about 45 minutes. Listen to your body. Don't overdo it. Stop when you're tired. Check in with yourself an hour later and the next day. How you feel will be a clue whether you overdid it or not.

    Thanks on the pix, all. The guy playing clarinet in the black shirt with white skulls is my husband.  

  • KerryA
    KerryA Member Posts: 184
    edited May 2012

    Eva, thank you for all the info.

    How did you find it best or how did you sleep when back at your hotel before going home?

    Roughly when did you feel back to your normal exercise routine...how many weeks out? I understand it is different for everyone and important to listen to your body.

  • EvaM
    EvaM Member Posts: 272
    edited May 2012

    Sleeping at the hotel was frustrating. I asked for and got a lot of extra pillows and made a sort of nest for myself. The first night I had a scare when I woke up partially rolled over on my side. What I did then was take two pillows and smash them way down in the bottom of the pillow case so there was a lot of empty case I laid those on either side of me with the empty case part overlapped under my body holding the smashed pillows close on either side. It worked, though it was a challenge getting in and out of bed.

    I was back to my normal exercise routine about a week after my last drain came out, though I took it slower on pushups and other chest intensive exercises.  

  • Del11
    Del11 Member Posts: 398
    edited May 2012

    I didn't feel a need for PT after my SGAP, never felt any signficant tightness there.  Only sought out PT after my DIEP. I'm having the same scar tightness as Denouement. My core strength and ROM have always been fine, it's the scar tissue that's causing the tightness. 

  • bdavis
    bdavis Member Posts: 3,192
    edited May 2012

    I am the same as Jeskachi... never needed PT for anything though... I have full ROM and no issues with GAP harvest site... I have been working on my own tightness by doing ab work etc and it seems to be improving. My only complaint is that when I wear pants that lay over my belly button, it gets sore... and I have a bloat or fuller look above the incision right up to the breasts... I am hoping a little weight loss and continued ab  work will resolve my problems, but if not, will get some surgical intervention.

  • besa
    besa Member Posts: 289
    edited May 2012

    I also never felt I needed PT - have full range of motion.  I had some tightness right under my DIEP reconstruction done in Maryland (I assume it was scar tissue) but it was not a big problem - just somewhat annoying.    It may be gone now after work done at stage 2B - I will see.    With GAP reconstruction (done at the Center) everything was fine.  

  • Downey30
    Downey30 Member Posts: 199
    edited May 2012

    Esmerelda,  you are probably in route to New Orleans.  Wishing you a speedy recovery.  You are going to the best.

    Michele, JenLee, KSUE, Anym159,Anniese, Glostagirl, and Lastar our time is quickly approaching.  Here is hoping and praying everything goes great.  I hope to get to say hi to each of you....some I have sent PMs and I will continue to the rest.

    Michele,  I'm thinking of you because I know how I felt in your shoes.  

    Hugs, Jamie

  • need2new
    need2new Member Posts: 165
    edited May 2012

    No PT for me either. I just walked everyday and never went back to anything more than riding my bike before stage 2. I am 2 1/2 weeks post stage 2 and am still just walking and did a little arm curls with light weights. I worked in the garden today and am a bit tight right now.

    I used lots of pillows in the hotel and slept great. Put two under my legs, slept at an incline at the head and used oillows on my sides. Same when I got home. I found that placing a pillow slightly under your side gives you a mini-tilt that relieves the back pressure but you are still on your back. This alows your muscles to relax into the pillow and support you. Did the same thing at home.

    The best way out of bed anyway is a log roll to your side. Puts the least amount of strain on your back.

    Denoument - could you have some adhesions from the ooph/hyst?  

  • Springtime
    Springtime Member Posts: 3,372
    edited May 2012

    To all the wonderful women on this thread:

    Just a reminder that I will be on a business trip for almost 2 weeks and I have confirmed there is NOT free internet access in the hotel ($14.95 a day! Absurd! In this day and age?) So I am not sure how often I will be able to check in here on the list. I am hoping there is some free internet out there I can hook onto...

    I know you all will continue to support each other, but I am most worried about newcomers who want their surgery date to be posted to the listing at the top fo the page. If you see them here, please welcome them as you always do, and ask if possible that the PM their date to me - this will make it easier to identify and add.

    Love, love love.... 

  • chellehump
    chellehump Member Posts: 374
    edited May 2012

    Hey there ladies!!

    Wow, the thread has certainly been busy and lots to catch up on.

    Esmerelda, there are two others I know of that are right there with you. They aren't on this board, but are members on FORCE.

    @ Jamie, thank you sp much!! It's been a long wait, but it finally here. I am nervous, but knowing that I am going to the best is very comforting!! HUGS!!

    I am looking forward to meeting everyone.  I can't believe how many of us will be down there at the same time. I have been running around like crazy trying to get things in order as my son leaves in the morning for FL :(, but he will have a great time I am sure!!
    My husband and I are driving over early Wednesday morning. I have my son packed, but I barely started on my stuff.

    I got my pictures done today...ahhhh :) It went great though and I did better than I thought I would.  I had such a feeling of relief and pride when I left. I can't wait to see them!! Thank you Eva for the idea & I am SO SO glad I did it.

    Tomorrow will be another busy day, so I am hopefully going to try and fall asleep soon.

    Sending well wishes to all my NOLA sisters and again thank you to everyone on this thread for all the support and wonderful information. I am sure I will be on here with all sorts of questions afterwards.

    HUGS TO YOU ALL!!!
    XOXO

    Michelle 

  • Esmerelda
    Esmerelda Member Posts: 156
    edited May 2012

    Hi everyone - I'm in NOLA. Just had dinner in the french quarter and all checked into the hope lodge. The rooms are actually nicer then I imagined. It looks like they've been recently remodeled.



    Chelle! You arrive tomorrow! Safe travels!!



    I have another question, of course! So, tomorrow I get all marked up and I thought I recalled being told to where a dark shirt, to cover up the drawings, I assume. Does this mean no showering on the evening/night before my surgery?



    Thanks, ladies! I'm feeling a little... Scared and have had a weird headache off and on for the last couple of days... I have this occasional thought that is contributing to my fear: what if they find something more/worse once they get in there? I've had numerous US, mammograms and an MRI... The odds of finding something MUCH different then what they see now are low, right?



    Shit. I'm embarrassed to even share this. I guess I'm just needing some rationality and objectivity from my NOLA sisters... Thank you! I'll be sure to write tomorrow about my appointments with the docs!!

  • Downey30
    Downey30 Member Posts: 199
    edited May 2012

    Esmerelda,  I was told to shower with Hibiclens or Dial antibacterial soap the night before and morning of surgery.  The markings did not wash off.  Being scared is so normal.  You will feel better once you see the Doctor.  Before you know it you will be on the other side.  Wishing you a speedy recovery.  Jamie

  • chellehump
    chellehump Member Posts: 374
    edited May 2012

    Hi Jen, glad you are there safe and sound and all checked in. Hope you enjoyed you dinner and are able to get some rest tonight.

    I will actually be there on Wednesday, but I will come by (if you don't mind) on Thursday (I have all my pre-op stuff on Thursday) to say hi and check on you. If you would rather me not, just let me know and I will completely understand.

    I was told I could shower, but just not to scrub the markings.  They will redo anything that faded the morning of surgery. I was concerned about that part, so I asked.  I have to have my shower in the mornings :)

  • cascader
    cascader Member Posts: 152
    edited May 2012

    Good luck Nola girls! Michelle, I shall be following you as I am scheduled for Stage 1 GAP in Charleston on June 7.

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