DIEP Flap Reconstruction 2016
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Congrats on your Stage 2, Sportysister! I remember feeling pretty great the first 24 hours, and then it hit me. They must fill us full of lidocaine during surgery that wears off in a day.
Grateful, are you sure you want to know how they harvest the fat? Lol. It's not pretty. It doesn't take much of an incision. They basically make s little hole, insert a needle, and inject saline and lidocaine (an anesthetic).
Then they use alarger needle and basically swish it around, loosening the fat and mixing it with the saline. Then they suck it out and spin it down to prepare for injecting elsewhere.
It is a little tricky during the swishing/suction part that they take tissue evenly so you aren't left lumpy in the donor part. The swishing is also what causes all the soreness--it is like being beaten up. My donor sites were sore to the touch for weeks. It wasn't horrible and I am willing to do it again if needed, but it wasn't the piece of cake I expected!
Anyway, to inject it, the make another tiny incision (1/4"?) at the donor site, usually along a scar line, and tunnel the needle under the skin andput the fat where you want it. Only about half the fat will stick and not get reabsorbed. If it doesn't find a good blood supply, it will die. That is why they are conservative in how much they inject.
Sportysister, hats off to you for enduring all those donor sites! Mine only did inner thighs and waist.
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Grateful99- thanks for all the advice, I will be taking it very easy. Have been telling my home care nurse all the advice, and she agrees. She said I'm really healing well but to still take it easy. She is finally going to let me take a shower tomorrow. She put a couple of the steri strips back on today, I guess better safe than sorry.
Simplicity- I know what you mean about the rouge stitches. My home care nurse was trimming some off today. I kept saying be carful my boob might just pop off. No Im living with lymphedema but as long as I keep my sleeve on the swelling stays down. I was afraid the surgery would make it worse, but so far so good.
Zinny- Im 10 days post op. I was told pretty much the same as you. But from the advice from others on the discussion board, I take it really easy. A lot of watching tv and walking around my yard to get fresh air. My husband is making suppers and my other meals are just what I can grab in the fridge. Other than that Im very board but I don't want any problems and have to be recovering the whole summer. Im bound and determined to be back in the pool before it has to be closed again for the winter..
sportysister- thanks for sharing have be wondering what to expect for next round.
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Oooooh, grateful99, you made me shudder!!! No wonder why I was so sore!
Taag4 - 😀 That's why we're all here!!! And seriously, take it easy! The Diep is a MAJOR surgery and even if we feel good, we need time to recover!
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Sorry, I meant Bigsister! I had a big size difference between the two and hopefully once everything settles I'll be good to go! I'm actually lucky, free lipo!!!
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Thanks, Sportysister and BigSister. Yes, I want to know otherwise my mind gets into a worry spin. Knowledge overcomes fear.
Sportysister, because of the scar revision, is your abdomen tight again with stitches and dressing? Is there a risk you'll split your stitches? How long before you can bathe/swim, run, do sit ups, etc.? So now just the tattoo? Is that all that's left? Do you have a date for that?
Bigsister, did you take pain meds for the donor site soreness? Sounds like you were awake for all this - just in a clinic or in OR? How long before you were back to full activities?
I really appreciate your answers, it helps me plan ahead a bit, although it's never the same with different doctors.
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Taag4, good for you for taking it easy. You're at 10 days, so at least another month or so if you don't split your incission. I'm at seven weeks and still healing. I found some light humour on Netflix "Last Man Standing" - it keeps me occupied and laughing when I get tired.
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Here is my seven week post stage 1 update. All this lying around and not doing much, plus having ran out of Soflax has caught up with me - constipation. Drinking lots of water and eating fiber has not helped all that much so now I'm trying to stay out of bed and chair as much as possible. Might have to buy some Milk of Magnesia. Still tired and stooped over a bit so back ache is a concern, but walking half an hour a day - will need to increase it to an hour.
The incision that has split in the middle of my abdomen is slowly healing although it will take at least another month by the looks of it before I can bathe or swim. The wound is about 3"x1" and I use Inadine plus a gauze dressing and tape on it. I've learned to live with it.
The rest looks ok, some lumps in my foobs that I massage every day. Tried on a bathing suit yesterday and there is a funny bit on one foob that doesn't look normal, sort of an indentation, so no revealing tops yet. The belly is still swollen and the dog ears make my bottom extra wide but hey, I have boobs and they're bigger than what I used to have!!! And I can still wear my old pants and skirts, so it can't be all that bad.
Next check up in ten days and then I hope to go on a bit of a holiday.
Hoping all of you are doing well.
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grateful99-I am also getting lots of use out of my netflix account. I have been waiting for Orange is the New Black season to start again and today is the day, so I will have something to look forward to everyday. Thats if I don't watch the whole season in one sitting lol. Ya I started choking on a crumpet today and couldn't stop coughing, was so worried I was going to split a incision. Death by crumpet would be something that would happen to me lol. I find when constipation hits prune juice alway did the trick, after chemo I couldn't get near Milk of Magnesia without gaging. Sounds like you are on the mend and have come to terms with the split in your incision. I wish you speedy healing. Summer doesn't last long around here and I hope you are able to heal and enjoy some of it before it is gone again.
Hope everyone is having a wonderful day and taking care of themselves.
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Sportysister and bigsister, thanks for the information. I didnt realize stage 2 was son involved. Im probably going to have to put mine off due to work issues.
Grateful, glad you and Taag found something to occupy your time. I color a lot.
Taag, careful with those crumpets haha Not funny I know but naturally this would be the time you'd have a coughing fit. I read somewhere to hold the incision area if you feel a sneeze or cough, or anything else that may strain the area. Not sure if it would help.
My other dies is trying to open
Right now it's just left of center, but the right of center is beginning to open. ugh Trying to take it super easy, thou not sure it will help. I just got to where I can sleep in my bed, but cant sleep on my right side cause I have a boob rock of sorts. Dr says he'll break it up during stage 2. My left hip starts to ache, since thats the only side Ive really been able to sleep on for 4 weeks. bleh. Soon. Soon we will all be at a point where there are more good days than bad.
BTW? Why foobs? Since mine came from my belly, I consider them real, if the 'f' is for fake.......Or OR, 'B' for Belly Boobs hahaha
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simplicity your funny. I never really thought about whether I think of them as real or fake, but I like the belly boob idea. Too funny!
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yea sporty!! Happy your done stage 2, take it easy and give yourself time to heal. Do you have to wear a binder? I'm getting fat taken out of "flanks" and was already told I have to wear a binder
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lol Well, after what we've been through with abdominal surgery to reconstruct, we deserve 'boob' status haha Not that expanders are any easier, or implants. I have known a lot to have issues with both. But we still had a more invasive surgery to rebuild.
Hey, just curious, how many of you had options? If you did, what made you choose Diep or Tram?
I had no options. The radiation damage to my right side was extensive and even more so than initially thought once he got in there.
Oh lol Did I mention I have a boob nose? Part of the compensation for the radiation skin damage during surgery. He said he can fix it eezy peezy during stage 2.
One of my colorings. Someone sent me a coloring book during chemo. I've been hooked since. It relaxes me and I can't hear my TV in my room anyways lol
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I saw someone post about the Dr putting 200cc in one breast? They can do that with tissue recon? My left flap has kind of....caved a bit now that the swelling has gone down. Not much and probably not noticeable to anyone else. It's just not as 'full' looking as my right breast
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When I originally talked to my Dr about surgery I was talking about diep and he was agreeing. But when I did my pre op someone gave me home care instructions for free tram flap. I corrected them, never thinking anything about it. Then the day of my surgery I was giving more information for free tram flap again. So I said this is wrong I keep getting information about free tram but its suppose to be a deip. I was told its basically the same surgery and that I was having a free tram flap I was tired of bringing it up and knew they were pretty much the same except one had muscle taken. I was just hoping it wasn't going to be a lot. I love my yoga and being very active and didn't want any problems. My paper work was messed up and didn't see my PS for my last appointment and only found out I was having surgery four days before it happened. Like you I had radiation so maybe there was more damage than he thought and I never got my last appointment to find that out. All in all Im glad I had it done whether it was a tram or diep. Love the colouring you could actually frame that and put it in a bathroom for art work.
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sporty sister your boobs look really nice! I can't see the scars at all. Were they under your nipples or through the nipples, if you don't mind me asking? Just curious because they look flawless
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Hi Everyone: Just got back from hospital stay. I am pleased with the results overall and very thankful that it was a successful surgery. Does anyone have some advice about cream to put on the scars? I got some sivasorb with puracol dressing pads, but my doctor said, just put lotion . What do you all do? Thanks
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Hi grateful99! I was able to shower the next day. Honestly, my legs hurt so much that I didn't even notice my stomach! My doctor told me at my 1 week post op that I had no restrictions. But I definitely wouldn't be trying to do a sit-up for at least a month! I'm probably going to need one more fat injection on the right side to even them out, then tattoos. I go see my ps in one month. Then we'll have a better idea
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Hi slv58! Thank you! Yep, I woke up from the hospital in it but it was digging into my boobs so my ps told me to get spanx. I picked up 2 pairs from Annie Sez, not spanx a different name, for $10 each. But they were torture to take up and down for the ladies room! If you're having the flanks done, you'll definitely need a binder
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simplicity - that was me with the 200cc to the right side! And I'm probably going to need a little more to even me out. I was always smaller on the right and I found out after mx that I have pectorus excavatum, which is a fancy way of saying my chest wall is deformed
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sorry, hit the post button too fast, lol! I had expanders and implants and a lot of problems. I kept getting encapsulated on the right side. I had 3 or 4 (I can't remember without looking at my surgery list, lol) implants on the right. The last time it was folded and I told my ps lets do the Diep
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oh rdge! You are such a doll! But I'm actually a roadmap, lol! It's too late now but I'll post a pic tomorrow without my "nipple guards" and tape. I have scars but those will fade and I have warm, soft, jiggly breasts that will hopefully match up!!! As far as creams, my ps likes coconut or almond oil but ONLY after you're healed! So glad you're happy!!!
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I am brca2 + and did diep flap with nipple sparing last year. This was prophylactic surgery. There is no sensation, which is what I was to expect, and it doesn't look great. But, I think that is because the breast surgeon was sloppy.
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hi, everyone. After 4 nights in hospital, I am going home today. Most pain is in my abdomen. They are sending me home with pain killers and muscle relaxers. It will be interesting to see how well I will domat home.
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Yay SMRLVR!!!!! Be sure to take those pain killers as prescribed to stay on top of the pain. Do you have someone at home to help? Take it easy and don't do too much.
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Hi smrlvr: I just got back yesterday, the 17th. They sent me home with pain killers and laxatives. I have not taken any pain killers, but I do intend to take aspirin every day and milk of magnesia as needed. I will of course take the others if I feel the need, but so far, the pain is tolerable.
Thanks sportysister and Cherrie for your advice on creams.
Luv ya!
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Interesting to me, how the pain varies from patient to patient. Mine hurt like hell the first couple days, tolerable, but painful. Especially trying to sleep.
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Has anyone had less than beautiful belly buttons right after surgery that got a lot better? Mine looks less than beautiful and I'm hoping it will get better.
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Well,the good news is my wife got her last drain out on Friday - exactly three weeks since her surgery. The bad news is that little red spot on her abdominal incision got a bit bigger and has started to open up and ooze so they have us doing the wet to dry bandage bit. Definitely getting stir crazy being at home all of the time (for both of us), but kids are coming over with their spouses for Father's day tomorrow so that will be a nice distraction.
On another note, for some of you ladies that are months ahead of us, how does the abdominal incision look as the months go on? It is certainly a whopper now (We knew it would be hip to hip, but the actual incision itself seems pretty dramatic - not the "thinner line" we imagined it might be)?
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Hi everyone. Another question: Should one stay bent forward until the tummy stitches heal, and if so, how long does that take? Also, how long to get back to normal where you can stand up straight without feeling like you are stretching your stomach too much? Thanks.
Cabland--I feel for you and your wife--I am hoping that will clear up for her and get better rather than worse.
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rdgc, mine doesn't look like it did.
Cabland, another poster and I have dehiscence as well (abdominal separation). Mine is split open left of center and has been for a week. Right of center is starting to open now and I am just into my 5th week. I go to the Dr Tuesday but talked to a critical care nurse and started the wet to dry dressing tonight. She said it will yield good results.
Mine for the most part is the typical thin line, except the areas of dehiscence.
Hope she feels ok and heals quickly!!!
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