DIEP Flap Reconstruction 2016
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Simplicity - Looking good! Much better than it used to!
Lemint - Hang in there. Don't get discouraged. It IS a long road to recovery, even without any complications.
Dila - I would definitely NOT do the heavy lifting it sounds like you might be required to. Maybe your PS can write you a letter giving you restrictions at work, which would require them to get you help if you need to move equipment around.
Saw my MO today and am happy to say I don't have to see her for another 6 months! Since I hit the 2-year mark in December, that's when they switch from every 3 months to every 6, so she said go ahead and make it 6. Woohoo! She was very happy with the shape of my new breast! As she said, "all you need is a nipple and a tattoo and you'll be looking great!" I'm a little nervous to see the PS next week. I REALLY want him to say I'm ready to do stage 2, but I know he's very careful and won't want to rush things if he thinks waiting would help him get better results. I just want to do it and move on! Since we are dealing with radiated skin, two months ago he said he wanted to give it some more time. My hope is to get it done by the end of the year. We'll see!
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Simplicity, it looks like you are doing rads after DIEP? I met with RO today and she said the PS would not do surgery before rads for fear of Messi g up the new breasts. I am so disappointed because I want to do all as one surgery rather than removal, rads, reconstruction. I will have lymph nodes and chest wall rads, DIEP with my own fat
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Thank you ladies.
Jiffrig, no. I did chemo, removal, rads, recon, recon2, and still have to get my abdomen done. I'll try to get pictures today for anyone interested in the stage 2. *Warning thou, mine was not standard stage 2-so bigger incisions for me. My right breast is my favorite. Nice and round. My left, bleh, is kind of caved in where the flap is. Much smaller flap on the left side. But they have become so soft and Jiggly!!!
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Wow Simplicity you've had so much, I hope you are done and feeling good.
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Lemint-Really? I seem to be in a stage of doubt lately. I stayed home form work today and came home early yesterday. Ever since my last round of Vanco (IV anti biotics) in the hospital I've had bowel issues (on top of various other discomforts). Not really diarrhea, but I never really get that. Just really loose stools. When my brain knows I am hitting that house door thou after a work day-yea, then it seems to be a rush lol Other than that, my stomach just hurts, and I know I have to go asap, or trouble.
So, yea, doubting myself a bit, and my lack of speed in recovery. Last surgery was September 21st.and it seems like each surgery, I get pushed behind another wall that I have to again climb.
I know you guys understand.
The fatigue is still an issue too. I know a lot ahead of me have told me it'll take time, but how much freaking time?!?!?!?! I'm trying to eat better, but the fatigue seems never ending. bleh.
I hope everyone is doing as good as can be today. A beautiful day here in NC today. Oh! I did manage to mow 3/4 of the lawn last weekend! lol I moved slow, very slow, and had my DD finish, but I trimmed and got 3/4 done Kind of proud.
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Simplicity I'm sorry, it's so hard to deal with all of this plus work, household chores and family. People sometimes say wow, your are doing great, I'm like ok. I also have stomach issues. Never know what or when to eat. Everyone says I should get out more but I'm always afraid my stomach will act up. Also still have major fatigue. You are an inspiration to me. I hope I dont bug you to much with questions. This surgery has kicked my a$$.😀😀
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Simplicity, my stomach has been upset since last October, after the very first round of chemo. My MO kept saying that diarrhea was just a SE, so I put up with it far too long. By the time I saw a GI doctor I was having diarrhea 7-8 times a day. Very difficult because I am a community health nurse. I swear, I know the location of every McDonald's and Shell station in North Georgia. Wish I was exaggerating even a little bit. My GI doctor is pretty sure that I have microscopic colitis. Won't know until I have a colonoscopy, which isn't scheduled until December.
In the meantime, he has prescribed me a drug called Welchol. It's actually for cholesterol, but the main side effect is constipation. Well, I've never been constipated one day in my whole life (I have IBS-D, diarrhea type.) Welchol has really done the trick for me. I still have the occasional diarrhea, mostly when I forget to take the medicine, but at least it's controllable now. Instead of having 7-8 diarrhea stools/day, I am having 1-2 diarrheas stools/week. Win!
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Simplicity, I totally understand. The fatigue, the questioning why I am not healing as I should. I discussed it with my PS this morning and we both think the culprit is the amount of chemo I've had because I have no other medical or lifestyle risk factors for healing problems. My incision is open in the same place as yours was. I am having to learn packing. Ugh. It's not so much the packing as seeing the wound that's so creepy.
I've had bowel issues too, courtesy of Taxol. It's caused some damage that won't heal so once I heal from the DIEP surgery my GI Doctor is sending me to a colorectal surgeon and it looks like I'll have to have a surgery just to deal with the side effects of chemo.
Jiffrig, I too was disappointed I couldn't have everything done in one surgery. My BS and PS both advised against it because rads can cause a flap to shrivel. So in the interest of the best possible long term cosmetic result, I had a tissue expander placed and delayed the DIEP. After the mastectomy the path showed a complete response to chemo, so they gave me the choice whether to do rads or not, and I opted not to.
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Hi everyone. I had my DIEP at the end of July and this week I just started having stomach bloat. Has anyone else had this issue? It looks like I am pregnant, and my diet hasn't changed, but with the area being so tight it is not comfortable
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Mom4four - I have had the exact same thing since about a month ago (my surgery was the end of June). The stomach looks flat in the morning but by the end of the day I look like I'm a few months pregnant. It feels quite firm all around the belly button but definitely pops out toward the end of the day, especially if I've been sitting a lot (like I do at my desk at work). I see my PS next Friday and am definitely asking him about it. I'll let you know what he thinks. Kind of glad I'm not the only one seeing this!
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Farmerma, yes that's like me but it seems bigger than usual in the morning but for sure really big at night. I did find an old thread from 2008 on this site that other DIEP people had this also. I think I will email my PS.
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Mom4four - What did the ladies from 2008 say about it?
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There was talk of it being called swelly belly and also it is lymph build up, trunkal? I do have lyphadema in both my arms from the first surgery in May BMX. Ugh I am a bit worried this won't go away
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Mom4four, I'm a little behind your surgery but was wondering about tummy issues and tightness. I'm sorry you still feel uncomfortable after a few months. My abdimonal incision has opened up a little. It's also red. I'm very allergic to certain adhesives and the nurse thought maybe it was the surgical glue. They want me to walk more hunched over than I already am. How long did you have to walk that way. I'm 11 days outcof surgery
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Lemint
I remember thinking it took a long time so probably almost 3 weeks. I could straighten up but it was super tight and uncomfortable. That did get better day by day and seemed to be better then get tight after being up for a while. I know at 11 days I was sort of depressed because I couldn't move or do much of anything. I will say it was so much better after the drains were out. I made it and am glad I did it but it was really hard
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Thanks mom4four for answerinf my questions. Hopefully I wont bug you with to many questions?
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Lemint, I was also told to walk more hunched over when my abdominal incision started opening, in the hope that it might close again quickly. But now that it's clear it isn't going to close without weeks of packing and dressing changes, my PS said I could stand as tall as is comfortable. I'm 3.5 weeks out and things started feeling looser in the last few days. I'm almost completely upright.
Just started sleeping back in my own bed. I tied a yoga belt to the base of the bed to help me get in and out.
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Maya, I'm sorry your incision hasn't closed. I hope the packing helps. I'm exhausted waliking around hunched over. I'm seeing the doctor Monday. On a happy note I live outside of Chicago and the Cubs won, yeah
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Lemint
You can ask many questions as you need to! We need this site and all the people who have been through this to be informed and ready. I remember my back hurt from being hunched over, take care
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Mom4four-I had the same thing. I was ok, but if I stood for a while, it seemed to get tighter.
Maya, hang in there lady. It does get better.
Lemint, here are the pictures. These are from yesterday, so just at 4 weeks out from stage2 recon.
Hope all have a good day. Feeling much better today, but tired. Have had a fun, or restful weekend lol I was either busy, or doing absolutely nothing.
Front view. The left breast is my non cancer breast
Right breast side view. The radiated, cellulitis, DIEP breast. Love her shape thou. The armpit has serious lymph/radiated skin issues. Hoping to resolve that soon with manual lymph drainage. See how 'flat' the flap is on the other one *sigh*
The left breast side view. Non cancer, no radiation, TRAM breast. This is the breast that had the huge, deep abscess (little tiny spot now).
Hang in there ladies. It does heal. I had been packing my abdomen and breast for quite some time (no concept of time really these past 8 months or so). I'd have to look back to see how long I packed, but it seemed like forever! Idk if he can fix that flap, appearance. We haven't talked about it yet It really bothers me, but doesn't at the same time?
Lemint, no no no. Your inquiries don't bother me at all!! I feel....oddly blessed that I have reached a point I can give back some of the support I have received through this! I am alive, and able to give others a bit of hope
I have a few friends that are lifers, and I joined a DIEP/closed facebook support group (someone actually had the link in here somewhere). Both places have been a tremendous help through this, and my friends too. It's just different with people who know or have been where you have been, naturally I suppose. So, sometimes, I see others that have had worse experiences than me. It can go so different from patient to patient. Plus I am and have had issues at work since this started. I'm supposed to, were supposed to heal in a certain time frame. I think that is where the inner struggle, self doubt is coming into play.
Dlia, I understand you may not have an option of whether or not to go back to work. If you must, I have found that just slowing down, and paying attention to how I move and carry things, lean for things, makes a huge difference. I do worry about your open incision thou. Adds a bit of complication, and would hate to see you go back to work, strain or hurt yourself, and end up back in the hospital (that's no damn fun). Hugs. PM me if there is anything I can do. Have you used any of the programs available to breast cancer fighters yet? Theres one that will send you $500 a month for 6 months. Think it was through Susan G Koleman. I'll find the info and send it.
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I don't like the overall appearance of my chest anymore at all I look like one of those guy builders with those things behind/beside my breasts. The way they sit on my chest. I hope that 'settles' a bit more. He said he can do skin grafts to 'fade into my breasts' better. bleh.
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Simplicity
I think you look really good. I bet in clothes it looks natural. I will take some pics today to share, mine are much smaller but in clothes I am ok
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Simplicity you look good. Is wondering if you were thinking about nipple reconstruction? I had a Unilateral mastectomy so I'm uneven. My diep side is larger so I'm not sure what my PS will do for symmetry. I have a small incision opening on my tummy and a weird wound and or bruise on the side. I hope the pictures show up, I think I can only do 1at a time.
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Lemint-haven't completely decided but fairly certain Im not doing nipple recon. Tattoos maybe.
How far out are you from surgery? On antibiotics and/or upping your protein intake?
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Simplicity, I'm on antibiotics and am trying to eat more protein. I don't have much of an appetite that I'm making myself eat. I'll probably do nipple reconstruction to match the other natural breast. I go to PS tomorrow and hope to lose a drain or two.
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ok this is me, after stage 1. It's been 11 weeks.
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Lemint, I had a really hard time eating also. I just forced myself to eat protein bars and I even bought ensure.
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Mom4four, looks good. My left diep flap seems much bigger than natural breast. Should I expect significant swelling to go down? I'm days out.
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Looks good mom4four! My left flap (TRAM for me on that side) did kind of the same thing, where the flap kind of...is more inward?
Lemint, I forget you are not that far out. Hopefully you are down a couple drains today! Keep an eye on those red areas. Swelling will go down. Different for different patients. I really didn't notice how swollen I was until later.
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