DIEP Flap Reconstruction 2016
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Must love, I am 5'9" and 215#, I am pretty proportionate but still overweight (obese, probably) and my PS is doing DIEP on me with nipple sparing using my own fat. I think it is true that not all PS are comfortable with all procedures. My PS was brought to this hospital just to do DIEP. Especially when they are using your own tissue, it is micro surgery getting all the blood vessels to line up. I think it all started in NOLA, but lots of major hospitals do this, especially teaching hospitals. Good luck and get what YOU want!
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mlp, welcome to the DIEP side:) Though this is no small surgery, and things aren't perfect for me yet ( awaiting stage two pretty-making) am I more than thrilled with my surgery, and so happy not to have implants. Had neither time nor money been an object, from everything I can see, I would have picked NOLA. This is their area of specialty, and all they do every day, and they seem to do it well. Best of luck to you.
As for the hideous bit, I feel your discomfort, even with the DIEP. My DH avoids looking at me ( he is squeamish to start.) As a professed boob man, seeing my current state is hard for him. My body feeling weird and nonsexual is hard for me. So, the DIEP doesn't necessarily fix those parts...
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Must Love, I believe that PSs who don't do the DIEP don't trust it. I know when my implant got infected and had to come out (twice!), my PS wanted to do a lat flap.
When I told him I had decided on DIEP, he tried to talk me out of it. "What if it fails?" Well, I would do something else, just like I had to when the implant failed. Not thing comes with a guarantee.
If NOLA is nervous about doing a DIEP for you because of your weight, there are other places that will. My DIEP surgeon at IU in Indy did his fellowship at Penn State. Their rule was if the woman could walk around and fit through the doorway, they would do the surgery!
The main concern for overweight women is that there is s greater possibility for wound dehiscence, meaning the wound might open up. It isn't the of the world if that happens, but it does mean having to mess with daily dressing changes until it heals.
As to sexuality, my husband has had to wrap his brain around the changes, but we are managing. We had a great relationship before surgery, and by golly, we weren't going to let this mess it up!
I struggled the most to get my brain in gear. For awhile, we focused on other body parts, which was pretty fun to explore. Communication helps. Talk about it--what you and he like, dislike, fears, hopes.
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Thanks for the encouragement, y'all. **oh my gosh, this is going to be long**
I am under 200-lbs, but short, so I fall into the obese range. I'm really hoping I don't have a repeat of the BMX. My right "breast" turned black almost immediately. The PS and her NP kept saying "don't worry, it's just surface tissue necrosis, it'll slough off in a week or two and be good as new." Well, it wasn't. It got worse and worse, until it was about the size of a golf ball. About a week after the BMX they finally got concerned. They went at is with big tweezers and scissors and cut out an enormous amount of dead tissue that went all the way to the chest wall. It looked like a wolf had taken a huge bite out of my chest. I could see the pectoral muscle and the outline of my ribs in the hole. I thought my DH was going to faint when he saw it (he was deep breathing in the corner.) And that wasn't all-- the left "breast" had a 6-inch seroma, despite the 2 drains that were still in place. Bless his heart, DH was so upset. When we got home he blurted out that he could not help me with dressing changes. It was just too much for him. Heck, I've been a nurse for 39 years and it was too much for me! After 3 days of doing these horrible dressing changes, stuffing gauze up into the wounds with a sterile stick 2-3 times a day, I was truly traumatized. My DH took that bull by the horns and demanded that they do something different. He was not going to stand by and just let this happen to me.
At that point m PS said, oh we'll just put a wound vac on you. I don't know if any of you have had a wound vac, but it's a machine about the size of a purse that is connected by a tube to a special dressing over the wound. Rather than me having to do daily dressing changes, I went to the PS office 3 times a week for HER to change it. Sweet relief! But it makes these slurping, pooting sounds so I was really reticent to leave the house. I finally was so depressed, disinterested, and lifeless that my DH took me to another doctor, who almost immediately diagnosed me with PTSD. I have had PTSD in the past, so I shouldn't have been surprised but I was. She put me on an antidepressant used for PTSD, and within 2 weeks I was back to my normal self. I still had to live with the wound vac day and night for 7 weeks, but at least I felt like I could cope. After 7 weeks, the wound vac came off and my PS ordered a special collagen dressing that I changed every 3 days. I was still packing the left "breast" with the large seroma. In all, I dealt with this for 16 weeks until both wounds fully granulated in.
Honestly, I have never gone through such a bad experience in my life. I have had some traumas and crises in my life, but nothing like this. So, just thinking about reconstruction sort of brings me back to that. I'm scheduled for a full hysterectomy next month, but I'm not nearly as concerned about that as I am reconstruction. Still, I soooo want it. I will happily lose some weight, if only they will say YES. In fact, I'm going to start tomorrow. I'm making brats, baked beans, sauerkraut, and cupcakes for supper. Kind of a "goodbye" to yummy food. As my friend ChiSandy would say, I'm gonna be eating nothing but dead animals and leaves, LOL.
Sorry this was so long. I find that I'm still traumatized every time I tell my story, but it does help me to process it.
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mustlovepoodles, thank you for sharing your story. I know it's rough to put it down to paper. You're not alone.
I'm 5'5" and um under 180 lol I am not fit imo I think I started this road at a size 12.
I get the trauma and PTSD
I started ok with BMX, cause my surgeon and I had discussed it. After chemo, she threw out uni, with strong conviction. Ugh. After 1.5 weeks of brain havoc, I decided to stick with my initial decision of BMX.
A few small complications there. One of the drains got infected, etc etc. Biggest boob zit ever, in the history of boob zits, in the pucker of the breast.
Lots of issues during reconstruction recovery, May 20th, 2016. The abdomen started about 3 weeks in and started opening (abdominal dehiscence). It started with one really deep ass hole, then over time, 3 more opened. I had 4 different holes, at different stages of dehiscence, across my abdominal incision (there's pictures pages back I believe). (TRAM breast-non cancer or radiation breast
) DIEP on right.As that was healing, early July (surgery 5.20.16), I had a small leaker on the left side of my left breast, and a longated hard area that extending up from that breast. Within 5 days, that leaker was a 2 hole abscess
And DEEP. It had tunnels going up, tunnels going down, sideways. Ugh. There was a fluid pocket under/around, idk, that big hard area. I could hear it when I moved.I have had a small hole on my right breast as well, but never to the extent of the left one. And the right one healed, no issues.
Up until October 21st (from May 20th) I had been dressing/packing wounds.
It IS absolutely traumatizing!! At one point, I was having to pack 5 wounds, 3-4 times a day.
I have 5 new incisions from stage II
And he didn't get to my abdomen. Not sure I will pursue any more cosmetic surgery after this. 0 -
simplicity, this almost seems like a lawsuit situation
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Jiffrig wrote: simplicity, this almost seems like a lawsuit situation
Why do you say that? Well, you are not the first. All places that became issues were shown to him (and pics taken), prior to becoming issues.
Oy. No work today. Going to work with 2 drain tubes, and feeling like I do. I yi yi. Drains out tomorrow. WooHoo! Hoping some discomfort will ease once those are out.
Hope all have a great day
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Unfortunately, what happened to Simplicity is what can happen--wound dehiscence is one of the things in the consent form we sign off on. She was one of the unlucky ones to have it all happen. And I think for her last surgery her surgeon was under the gun because of the riots? So frustrating.
I am so sorry all this has happened, Simplicity. It is a lot. Your choice to maintain a positive attitude is admirable, but you can let your hair down here and tell us how much it sucks. We'll understand.
Mustlove, how awful that none of your skin that made the breast survived. My first thought for you was lawsuit--was yours just bad luck or was your surgeon incompetent not to be able to preserve or adequately monitor the blood supply in your skin that it all died? Probably not, but it is frustrating that they didn't get nervous earlier.
I am a nurse too, and I too struggled with PSTD after my sepsis last summer. Not only was almost dying terrifying, the knowledge of what might have been done had anyone been thinking clearly made me so angry. I looked to my doc for advice and direction, and he pretty much left everything up to me--the one out of her mind due to the sepsis!
After my first post op appointment where I tried to get more information about why things happened the way they did, the surgeon pretty much fled the room to find more information and would not come back to talk to me. Grr. I had my husband attend all the rest of my PS visits because I was either terrified or super angry. The doc had no compassion.
It took me about a year to get my courage and emotional strength back. I was so glad to find a new PS that I love and trust.
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Morning all sorry it has taken so long to check back in. The road after my diep asnt been too bad I finally got around to taking off the tape off my breast and abdomen. I get my last drain out today and can't wait it has been a pain because the tube keeps turning. Other than that pain I am doing very well and will follow the advice to not over do it. As soon as I get the last tube out ps wants me to start wearing the band..
Hope all is healing well and you receive the outcome you desire.
For those new to the group you are among good people so feel free to ask what you nred it not only helps but also gives you the questions you need to ask your physician.
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You know, the thing I am dreading the most, other that the pics, is the drains. I had a drain after my LX, due to a huge seroma. Then I had 2 drains after the BMX, one lasting for 3 weeks, due to a big seroma. What a pain in the ass! I had pain in my incisions for about a week, but those drains were the death of me--I had to take a narcotic and something for anxiety at night just to get some sleep. Of course, lying on my back didn't help. I had to lie on my back for 16 weeks to get it all healed. Double pain in the ass!
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Drains suck.
Thanks BigSister. I don't do angry really anymore. Takes me mentally to places I don't want to be. Gets hard to get out of those places sometimes with so much going on. I cannot imagine dealing with sepsis
Dlia, glad you popped in. Hopefully the last drain will come out and relieve some of the discomfort.
No drains out for me tomorrow
I am still producing too much fluid. I'd rather leave them in thou, given the alternative.And here comes all the bruising I have heard about. 5 days out. Sheesh. Take your sweet time why dontchya
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I'm back from the,doctor to take the drain out. It feels so much better the nurse says there was a blood clot in the tube glad it is in the tube and not traveling phew!!!
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Drains....Ugh. Four of them headed my way in three days time.
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Maya, I didn't find the drains to be all that bad. They're inconvenient and in the way, and sure they're not really *pleasant* - but I didn't mind them too much. I was certainly glad when they were removed, however - freedom!!
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Question where do I get this band the doctor wants me to wear now that I have my drains out?
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Does he basically want spanx? I suppose you can go with that. My doc didn't use any compression. I mostly wore yoga pants because the gentle pressure felt good.
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Bigsister,
Lucy yoga pants with internal support feel amazing compared to the binder garments!
Dlia,
My PS gave me a Solidea post surgical binder or band after my abdominal drains were removed. I was also give a wide Loving Comfort Belt that had Velcro in the front. You can probably find them online.
HTH!
Tigs
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Simplicity,
On yourattitude! Anger is a waste of good healingenergy. Sending healing thoughts your way! 0 -
So had the followup with the PS today (surgery was last Wed 09-21). All four drains gone, no stupid compression stockings and only need oxygen at night...yay! Have to wear a surgical binder but my tummy is so much flatter!! I take tylenol every 6 hours and 1 oxycodon - not much pain at all. I can't eat much (another yay). I am ready to rock and roll tomorrow (in a slow, easy way at first). I have to go back to work on 10/31 but I feel really good. I am so happy I went with the DIEP option. My PS is so funny. When I saw him before surgery, he had on his We Care DIEPly surgical hat on. I cracked up. Good luck to all!!
Blessings
barb
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Good morning!
I had my 4week check up. I am allowed to finally sleep in my bed :-) yay! The recliner has been okay but I'm lonely at night.
I was also told to massage my noobs. However I'm not quite sure how to do this. How firm should I be? Is the a special direction to help with lymph drainage etc?
Barb- congrats on getting those pesky drains out! It sounds like you and healing quickly after some set backs post op. 🙏🏽🤗🍀 Your doc sounds like he has a great bed side manner!
Love and light,
Tigs
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Morning all had to go back to ps my ab wound has opened a little and draining and part of my navel died so I have to pack it and keep the ab covered the breast is doing really well love the way the breast and stomach looks so imagine without the swelling... very pleased even with the small set backs.
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Dlia,
i am sending you healing vibes! This healing process is L-O-N-G......
As someone once wrote 'patience is one of my new vocabulary words'!
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Just had my bilateral mastectomy and can't wait to find out when I can have my DIEP. I have reading this thread for months. thank you to everyone who has been so candid with your surgeries. Take care.
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Checking in from the hospital. Had surgery Thursday. Had to stay 24 hours in the recovery room due to hospital being overwhelmed with patients. The first day I was in major pain but they upped the meds. The surgeons think the flaps look great, to me they look small.
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I am sorry you are disappointed, Maya. Are they different than what the PS thought he could do
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Maya,
I also feel disappointed as the swelling goes away and I'm an flap A/B cup. Do yours look wonky and lumpy? Mine are wrinkly and the nipples sunken. Plus I feel guilty for whining. I mean after all we survived cancer and made the choice to go for a natural reconstruction. I hope phase two will add a cup size. And fix all the shape issues.
At least I'm feeling better and can get around and outside! How is your healing, Maya? The third week was the absolute worst for me! Here is a flower for all the DIEP sisters. It will get better
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Morning ladies. I think mine are smaller since stage 2.
Sorry. I started as a D cup. I think I am maybe a good B cup now. Idk. Their firm and where they use to be when I was maybe 25 lmaoLast drain removal today!!! I am soooo ready! All incisions look good. Hip has started abscessing again, but nothing serious. Right underarm (radiated side) hurts and BURNS so bad somedays. Skin is so tight and there is no fatty tissue between the skin and whatever, which is affecting my range of motion.
bleh.
Hope all have a good day
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Morning ladies thanks for the healing vibes. I had to call the doctor on Saturday my wound was staring to pour out, and according to my niece the wound opened even more. The on call physician says to call the office on Monday to have them set me up for a wound vac. I call on yesterday and my PS was in surgery but said for them to have me see one of the PA's. Got in there and they showed me my incision and I thought I was going to pass out. It is wide open in the middle and when she began to pack it she was pulling my stomach open even more till when I left there I could hardly walk. My niece had to pack it twice yesterday after we came home. When she was packing it again last night when she would push the gauze in with the qtip it would cause pain above it like she was hitting a nerve. I feel much better today just waiting to take my shower for her to pack it so I can get my day started. Walking much better too this morning.
My question now is why do you have to get the drains again at stage 2?
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Simplicity glad you are getting your drains out today!!
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Dila and Simplicity congrats on your surgery. I hope you both feel well soon and everything comes out they way your wishes. My surgery is a week from today, the 11th. Yeah!!
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