DIEP Flap Reconstruction 2016
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Hi Lab44,
My experience has not been stellar, so I'll give you my story for comparison.
- Are you happy with the DIEP results? No, they look like squished hamburger buns, my belly swells enormously, and i have what is known as "the ken doll" which means I look like I'm wearing a giant codpiece.
- If you had implants first, how do you feel internally (implants vs. DIEP)? Any discomfort? No implants. I had delayed recon in 2016. My mastectomy was a skin-sparing procedure done in late 2013.
- Shape:
- Are you happy with the shape of your breasts after DIEP as compared to shape with implants? They basically look like weird lumps on my chest.
- Any sagging after DIEP? no, they are much, much smaller than my natural breasts. I went from close to an E to barely a B, even though I had more than enough fat for them to use. This is after phase 2 as well.
- Do you need to wear a bra "all of the time" after DIEP or no, like after implants?no.
- Anything else to take into consideration? I'm 7 months out, and still exhausted. I drove from Texas to NOLA. Not worth the trip or money in my opinion. Besides the above, I have extensive pain in my abdomen from the "internal corset" they tend to do, at all times, especially when I cramp or engage in intimacy. My lymphedema spread from my arms and chest and is now from my knees to my neck. I have weird numb spots at all of the lipo sites. The scars are HUGE and run all the to my back on both abs and chest. They are also all over the place, like my doctor was not paying attention while he was slicing at all. I had random slice marks all over my chest that were superficial. No idea what was happening during surgery. TBH, I wish I would have decided to just go flat. It's been a terrible experience for me.
- Now, having said all that, I know I am in the minority. I just don't want you to go in with expectations that wont be met. I had really high expectations because NOLA is supposed to be a team of really amazing surgeons. There are a lot of other experienced surgeons all over that do this. Research them well, and take your time before you decide anything.
- I wish you the best in whatever you decide.
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i had a uni mx with immediate DIEP. I'm blown away with the result. Warm, soft breast that feels like me right from the beginning. My PS did an amazing job. Get before and after pics of your doctor's work. I think it is critical on your doctor's expertise. I did not have chemo or radiation. This could affect the outcome.
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thank you for all of the responses. How are your scars healing (noticeable)?
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JWoo, I am so sorry about your outcome. You are the first NOLA person that I have heard complaints about.
As you said, it is uncommon not to be happy with the DIEP. I read through ALL the posts of the 2014 DIEP group, and 100% of them were happy (all 100+ of them!), so that helped encourage me that the DIEP was a good option.
I had a terrible time with implants. One of my expanders became infected. It was removed and replace 3 months later and got infected again, which led to sepsis. The PS wanted to do a latissimus dorsi flap instead, but that sounded awful to me, especially since it would need an implant, and implants kept getting infected on me.
I ended up with a DIEP by a surgeon in Indianapolis. I am absolutely delighted with the result. Yes, the front of the foob is a bit flat, but it still looks great, especially since I got my 3D tattoos. I love, love, love how they feel like my own. Those expanders drove me nuts, especially how they compressed every time I used my arms.
I am particularly glad that I am all set with reconstruction for life.
Yes, there are a lot of scars since my DIEP was delayed, but they have faded well. The tats really take the eye away from the scars--I hardly notice them as a result when I glance at myself in the mirror.
The abdominal incision is huge, but no more than my friend who have had c-sections.
The key is ensuring that you get a surgeon who does this a lot. Mine, Dr. Chu, is a self-proclaimed "DIEP Geek," so he certainly fit the bill. He had 300 DIEPs under his belt when I met him. He truly was an artist. Even Vinnie, the tattoo guy, said my results were unusually good.
So be sure to pick your surgeon with care and ask to see a bunch of photos of his work.
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BigSister,
Sorry it has taken me a bit to reply. Things have gotten rough on our end.
You mentioned an Integrative Medicine doctor? What exactly do they do? Is it a holistic approach? My mom is desperate to start feeling better. She just isn't bouncing back the way she expected. We didn't expect her to be running and jumping but she is practically disabled since she had her surgery. She used to be a very energetic 62 year old. We run several hair salons together and she used to have more energy than me and I'm 24. Now she can hardly get off the couch on her own. Today makes 3 months out from her DIEP flap surgery.
I'm hoping to find a doctor that can help. Her plastic surgeons just don't seem to know much when it comes to complications.
I got her a referral to a pain management doctor for mid-July, a referral for physical therapy and she is going to a hematologist to find out why she had the healing complications directly after surgery. With all that, I still feel like she needs someone to get her healthy - physically, internally, mentally, emotionally. She breaks down and cries every morning, every night and in the middle of the night when she has to go to the bathroom and has to wake me to get her up because she can't on her own. She's in so much pain all the time. At a constant 6 or 7 on the scale.
She's going for an immediate CT scan on Friday because she is still having trouble breathing & wheezing (which could be related to the clots in her lungs) but we want to know for certain. Especially because of the cancer dx.
She was put on Cipro for her breast - which continued to get red, hot, and swollen. Yesterday she took her first dose and it is already improving. My guess is that she has had an infection all along and her PS never caught it. Maybe this will give her some relief. I'm really hoping.
Her plastic surgeon told her to start doing things on her own. She tried to put a sock on by herself 4 days ago and threw out her back. Now she really can hardly move.
Her stomach is so swollen and tight and uncomfortable. Her breast look like potatoes. She has that "ken" doll vagina that I see women complain about.
My God, it just goes on and on. And it devastates me that she is among the few that aren't happy with their results. She's been through so much and she deserves to be happy and get better. I just want my mom back.
Sorry for the long message. Do you recommend an integrative med dr? Do you think it could help?
Thanks,
Chelsea
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Chelsea, an integrative medicine doctor focuses on helping you be well instead of just dealing with specific disease. Your PS only sees your reconstruction. An infectious disease doctor is focused on the germs. An integrative med doctor sees ALL of you and how different parts of you affect other parts.
As Hippocrates accurately said so very long ago, "All disease begins in the gut." The health of our gut affects every other part of us. Thus, an integrative doctor will help you work out what to eat for your particular body to help you get well. The check the status of hormones and vitamins and help you correct what is making you feel lousy.
I am in Indiana, so I am afraid I can't recommend anyone in Texas. But if you google "integrative medicine Texas" and add in the name of your town or a close large town, you can likely find someone.
It is not a quick fix, but slow and steady will win this race. My integrative medicine doctor has a 3 month plus waiting list because she has helped so many people.
In the meantime, I highly recommend taking a good quality vitamin with methylated B's. Vitamin D is also crucial.
The bloating is likely a symptom of an unhappy gut. Changing what she eats may be a good step to make it better. Avoid wheat. Drop dairy. Limit carbs, which means if you avoid wheat, don't replace it with "gluten free" options--they are usually worse because they are full of starches. Eat lots of veggies. Limit fruit.
Taking digestive enzymes with each meal may help as well.
However, an integrative medicine doctor will do blood tests to figure out what is going on and can prescribe a diet and supplements that would be specific for your mom.
HTH
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I go in for stage 2 on Sat and feel like this is the end of my nightmare 2 1/2 years. Hopefully no complications, no strange seemingly unrelated infections and minimum pain. I am now 2 months from shoulder surgery and i hope that doesn't become another complication. I am to have lipo on hips and thighs as well as getting boobs reshaped and belly reshaped. Belly is off line and I have a hard bulge on left side which is where he had to take muscle so hopefully that will be addressed as well as some of the scarring and the hair on my boobs.
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I am wondering what the timeframe for 2nd stage surgery is. Had DIEP 3/2/17, then chemo (12 Taxol) and am receiving Herceptin every three weeks until next May. I know everyone's experience is different, but, generally, how long until stage 2 can/will be done?
I meet with my PS again 9/6, but I'm not sure how much time he will have for me to discuss things or what this appointment is really for. Originally this appointment was to discuss what's next and it was scheduled for 9/29. But then his office cancelled that appointment and said his schedule changed (he changed hospital locations, is only seeing patients once a week, very weird and no explanation given). I also developed complications 5 months out suddenly. Basically I would like to know before I see him if he might want to schedule schedule stage 2 or if it's typical to wait until all my treatment is done and it will be next year before I have to think about more surgery.
TYanks for any insight.
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Hi cdv4251992. I am having stage 2 in December and will complete Herceptin in January 2018. My stage one was 4 weeks after my last TCHP.The December date was selected due to scheduling issues, rather than a need to wait. Some wait as a matter of personal choice in order to ensure things settle down and avoid a stage 3.
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I just wanted to close the loop since I had asked earlier in the year for recommendations for Chicago based doctors for DIEP surgery...
I ended having uni diep byexcellent chicago doctor, Plastic Surgeon at Northwestern Dr. Alghoul. I cannot be more pleased with my results and overall care.
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I had my diep flap last January. I'm going for stage 2 on Nov. 7th. I'm just wondering what to expect and what kind of clothes I should wear. It's an outpatient surgery. At this point I wear a bra that's kind of like a sports bra. It pulls over my head. It was advertised on Facebook and I decided to try it since I couldn't find one that didn't hurt along my scar line. I liked them so much I ordered 2 more sets. (they came in 3's) Anyway, will I be able to wear them or will I be going braless for a bit? I was told that the new nipples will stand out quite a bit. I keep picturing Madonna boobs with those pointy things. lol
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How do you all get the best result on your DIEP flap breast? I am 3 months out, just wondering if not wearing a bra vs. wearing a bra at night, around the house, etc. makes any difference. I have been wearing the Velcro surgical bra at night and around the house just to keep a snug-ness there. My doctor said I didn't need to wear the surgical bra any more and no underwire - though right now the only things that seem to work right now are sports bras.
I had a uni mx with immediate reconstruction and I think my PS did a good job. The new breast looks pretty good other than decent scar tissue under the flap due to some delayed healing and a slight necrosis. It is definitely fuller toward the top than my right breast (which is my unaltered breast). I just want to be sure to do all the right things by this new one and give myself the best complete healing options.
I know I will probably have something done surgically to my right breast mostly because I droop some on that one and without a sports bra you can see one is fuller on the upper half than the other. But, I am not there yet for decisions of what I am doing yet. I fear having any loss of feeling in my normal breast. It is tough enough that I cannot feel the new breast, cannot feel some of the area of the abdomen between my belly button and the scar and also a patch under my arm a bit toward my back which the PS says had to have been from the removal of the sentinel node though my oncology surgeon was unsure why that happened. I feel worried about possibly having another breast without feeling which they said normally doesn't happen but is possible.
Any communication and thoughts are welcome.
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trnbfc2017 - Funny how different doctors have such different views on things. I was told NOT to wear a bra at all for the first two weeks. He wants the flap to have as much oxygen and freedom as it could get. I am almost 1-1/2 years out from the surgery now and I still don't like to wear underwire bras. They just don't feel right. I prefer a sports bra or Bali makes some very comfortable wireless bras. The DIEP breast has settled and the overly full top has decreased a bit. Do I match perfectly (I had UNI as well), no. But once I got the tattoo, I was much happier. I am going back to the PS next month to see if he can just do a little revision of the area around the tattoo to close up the one side where you could still see some of the flap skin. Hoping this is possible, but I had radiation prior to surgery so that does not help with the elasticity of your skin. I understand your concern about loss of feeling. Only you can make the decision on what is more important to you. I am just recently getting some feeling back in my abdomen, though I'm pretty sure some of the area around the belly button will be forever numb. The waiting is the hardest part in this whole process. You wait for the surgery, then you wait for the healing. Hang in there!
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i had a uni mx with immediate DIEP March 2016. I had a balancing reduction on the goo side August 2016. Great results, very Happ. However, no feeling on DIEP side, while finally having some feeling return on good side. Best wishes to you. It is a long journey but there is an end. My last bit is the nipple tattoo on the DIEP side, but I am "surgeried" out. I will get around to it, but right now not in a Hurry for any more interventions. Best wishes to you
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Well, after patiently waiting 6 months from my last PS appointment, he is thrilled at the condition of the skin on the DIEP breast. I am scheduled for January 19th to have him revise the flap area and close it up around the tattoo to make it look "normal". He's going to do some fat grafting in the two areas that have sunken in a bit. I can't believe how excited I am to be coming to the end of this process! Three years ago next week I was having my first lumpectomy. I have full confidence in my PS. He's a bit of a perfectionist and I'm not sure who's more excited about the final outcome, me or him!
Happy Holidays to all of my fellow DIEP-2016 gals! It's been a long road, let's celebrate life and enjoy time with family and friends!
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Hi:) Stella, I just had my nipple tattoo's ( FINALLY) by a fabulous tattoo artist in Errington, just north of Nanaimo. http://samrtattoo.com https://www.medartpro.com
She and her colleague have created a line of pigments just for nipple tattoos. She has temporary tattoos as well.
She is passionate about helping women who have had breast cancer. She is wonderful. Highly recommended.
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Zinny, thanks for the info. I finally had my tattoo done in August, and I am happy with it. If i need a touch-up i wouldn;t mind checking the artists in Nanaimo, as i think the color could have been matched better. Other than thst, just happily getting on with my life (just got back from a month in Kauai - hiking, kayaking, etc...) I finally retired in June and life is pretty good right now. Sending good thoughts to everyone.
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Jwoo, about the sharp pain in your side. Has it subsided? I started to get something similar recently, which is six years after DIEP. It happens when I bend over quickly and feels like a sharp jab inside. And like yours it's on the upper left side of the abdomen. Did you find out what was causing it and did it get better?
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Jwoo, about the sharp pain in your abdomen. Did you sort it out? Did you find out what caused it? I started getting sharp pain in my abdomen recently. My DIEP was in 2016 so five years ago. It's also in the upper left of my abdomen and it feels like a sharp stab when I bend over quickly. Just wondering what could cause it.
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