2018 DIEP Surgery
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bella2013-thank you for answering. I thought I was in big trouble being the only one feeling pain in my chest. Yes, maybe by the 3rd week, things will start feeling more “normal” (whatever normal is for this procedure). I’ve had drains removed before, Bella, and it does not hurt at all. In fact, you will take a big sigh of relief and feel like a new woman!! Freedom!!
I would have been more worried about my pain had I had bruising or redness or warmth, but for me it’s just a sore chest. It also looks a bit angry near my abdominal drains, so I hope that goes away when he takes them out.
What is a binder used for anyway? Is it for our incision? I guess i’ll find out tomorrow.....
TWills! I’m sorry you are feeling pain, but glad the pills are taking care of it. I asked my doc about the wound vac but he said he doesn’t use it. Seems like a good idea because this binder is NOT FUN. I hope you continue to heal quickly!!
Parachutes: congrats on making the decision to go to PRMA. I would definitely have gone that route had I had time. Lots of women have gone there with excellent results so i’m Sure you will be happy.
Onward ladies!!
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Hi all, I should be released from the hospital tomorrow if all goes as planned. They said everything still looks great and hopefully it will stay that way. They are disconnecting me from almost everything this morning which will be great. Still only taking half dose of pain meds and I’m not feeling nauseous so I’m going to try to keep it at that. I actually have zero pain unless I move so it’s been easy to rest and sleep when the nurses are bugging me lol.Not looking forward to the 2+ hour drive home tomorrow, there is lots of construction so that will be fun! So far it’s been worth it! I sure hope I can live with the size and not get implants. I’m willing to be smaller as long as it’s somwhat proportional.
Opt4life, you’re up next! Hoping for great results for you!
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Hey TWills, good to hear your great report. No pain...You go girl!!!
I am anxious, nervous and all that. But I am so looking forward to getting on the other side of this surgery as well. My kindle is book ready and my firestick is movie ready.
My Mom is coming in tonight and best friend scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Have to be at hospital by 6:30 am on Wed with surgery set to begin at 8am and last about 8 1/2 hours.
I have all my after-care meds and something to hold my drains too. I didn’t purchase anything to recline on for my bed but have a wonderfully comfortably office chair that reclines so that may be my ‘bed’ for the first few weeks.
Peace and blessings to all of you healing from or prepping for surgery.
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Dawn, I'm sure I know exactly how you feel. I was on pain meds for 2 weeks and felt that any positive change was just micro-incremental. I couldn't sleep lying down so I was cosntantky just overtired, uncomfortable and teary-eyed. The drains caused redness at the sights and the slightest move was painful. The pulling of the drains did not hurt at all. The only thing that hurt was when the PS had to sort of dig around one hole to get the stitch out. But that was maybe 5-10 seconds.
I never would have believed that I'd feel well again but I do! This Thursday will be 4 weeks and I'm pretty much back to normal. I even feel like I could back to work next week (but I'm not!)
This WILL pass!
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Hello bella2013 , I was afraid about the drains, especially the breast drain and googled for hours on the subject. The stomach drains for me were long and the breast drain is short. The nurse asked me to take a deep breath in and on the out-breath she would take it out. It was not painful at all. The stomach drains are longer and feel a bit like an alien snake is being extracted but blink and it is over. You will feel so much more normal.
I am now 4 weeks out. My bruising is mostly gone, and I am still tending to the stitched areas, which are mostly still scabbed over.
I am more active now, but I still do need rest.
Glad to hear others are moving through, time does heal and all the worries and efforts to get past this will fade. My next step is seeing the oncologist to see whether I will do chemo or not or tamoxifen etc. I did get freaked out about cancer the other night, so I am reading some books and focusing for a time on trying like hell to do what I can to never get cancer again and if it is in me elsewhere now, to try to stop it.
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TWills - it's good to hear that you're doing well and not much pain. I hope that when I eventually get there, my surgery goes as well as yours.
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Me too KimE:) I'm sure I've got some rough days ahead of me but I'm enjoying the comfort of the hospital as much as possible. I was a bit more sore today than yesterday and when the PT got here this morning I asked if they could come back after I'd gotten my pain meds which had lapsed over night. Half a dose of Percocet is still enough for now though
PILLOWS! Get yourself some pillows, different shapes and sizes if possible.
Oh, and I don’t wear a binder but I’m thinking it might be good for the lower back pain from hunching over, as uncomfortable as they sound it actually might be helpful with the back.
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Hello parachutes!
Trust in the process at PRMA with their virtual consultation. They are pros at this and do it often for out of town patients. As far as travel to PRMA, I traveled from AZ to TX and did just fine. With planning it can be accomplished and is quite do-able. The communication after I came home was outstanding. I just emailed the nurse and received a response very quickly. I could even upload photos to her if I had questions. They may attain symmetry at the time of DIEP of they may do it at phase II, which is usually about 3-4 months after phase I. Phase II is quite easy in terms of recovery compared to phase I, but again, with planning, they are both attainable and certainly worth it. PRMA and Dr. Arishita are fantastic, compassionate, and skilled. I hope this helps and I am wishing you all the best.
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Dawnann--we may be New Orleans mates. I am scheduling for May also. I visited there yesterday and they are calling today to schedule. After meeting they have decided that I would be a great candidate for an Sgap versus DIEP
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Bella123-is your drainage below 20 units of fluid in each of your drains? My PS was going to leave one of my abdominal drains in after taking the other 4 out but I begged him to take it out as it was giving out a total of only 15 units of fluid. The rest were between 5-10 total in 24 hours.
It won’t hurt but it does feel weird and good all at the same time! When my home health nurse came to my house, she said the reason my incision felt so hard was because it was a drain. Now that they are out, i don’t feel the pressure anymore but the incision is still hard. I can not communicate directly with my PS, I go through his PA and if she feels my question is important, I guess she forwards it to him (although he never read or responded to the only email that she sent to him).
He did tell me that wearing the binder had something to do with the fluids which is why he agreed to take out all of my drains-as long as I wear the binder for the month. I think it helps your body re-absorb the fluids?
I wonder if I can switch to spanks??
Good luck on your post op visit tomorrow and I hope you get ALL of your drains removed!
TWills-I hope your pain is getting better. Mine only hurt when I moved, too, so I literally laid like a statue for a couple of days unless they made me move!! Lol
I had them give me a muscle relaxer plus my oxycodone at the same time as much as possible. That really helped a lot. Plus they would throw a Tylenol in with it when the timing was right. Where did they take your rib from? Did they tell you they took it? I keep wondering what this pain is in-between my breasts on my chest where it is also completely numb.???
Parachutes-from everything I’ve read, you will be in great hands at PRMA. It seems like the communication is actually BETTER at a place like this because they have to communicate from long distances. Because the second stage is 12-16 weeks after your initial surgery, you will feel good by then and will be ready to go back for Phase 2. If I had had the time, I would have gone there too. You will do great!!!
Happy healing to everyone
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Marinacat,
Thank you for responding. its great to hear from someone else who had the same procedure done. This will be my 6th (!!) surgery for " immediate reconstruction", and I have dreaded each and every one. The drains were always the worst part. Where did you have your diep flap done?
Dawn
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Good Morning, ladies!
I had a delayed bilateral diep (actually ended up being SIEA) on Feb 22, after being flat for 16 months. I am in love with my new breasts! My surgery was 9.5 hours, and I spent 5 days inpatient.
I was geared up for things to be horrible during recovery, and am happy to say that my recovery has been super easy. All 4 drains were removed on day 6, and when I see my surgeon next week on day 20, he suspects he will be giving me permission to get back in the swimming pool, so I can’t wait!
I wanted to pop in and wish you all luck with your recovery/upcoming surgeries. It is worth everything to see your reflection in the mirror and feel like yourself again!
If anyone has specific questions, feel free to ask.
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I am scheduled for May 15th. When is yours? Are you traveling as well?
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I just switched my mind from implants to diep flap and am awaiting the new surgery date. Mid March or early April 2018 for sure
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hi all!
I have a couple questions about the hospital stay and return home. I am thinking I will have less help than I did for the mastectomy so I want to prepare. Thanks!
1. Do you have a catheter in the hospital?
2. Can you get up from a seated position by yourself?
3. Thoughts on shower chair?
4. Thoughts on raised toilet seat.
Giving I will be alone pretty often, is there anything I should plan for now? Thanks
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Hello again ladies,
I do believe I'm totally confused about Phase 1 and phase 2. Since I've already had surgery with a TE placement, isn't that phase 1? I guess I just hoped to be symmetrical at phase 2 meaning hopefully only having to lift my native side.
IronMom3,what do you think contributed to your speedy recovery?
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Parachutes, no, phase one is when they move the flap from the belly, if that’s the flap you’re getting, in place and make a breast mound. The goal is to create a breast mound with good blood flow for stage one. Stage 2 is when they clean everything up and neaten up incisisions, any puckering and symmetry issues. That’s a simplified version, some Drs don’t actually say stages but that’s what it is. Stage 3 would be nipple tattoos or reconstruction if reconstruction can’t bedone during stage two. Hope this helps!
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Kahnartist, hi and welcome:) I just got home from the hospital yesterday after DIEP on Friday.
Yes, you'll have a catheter, mine was removed the day before I was going to be released. I never thought I'd be thankful for a catheter but I was, happy to see it go as well.
I can most of the time get up from a seated position by myself but I would not do it without someone helping.
Absolutely yes for the shower chair and raised toilet seat. I mean, could you survive without it, yes. But just get them. They sent me home with a walker and a bedside potty chair that they said to use as a shower chair. I can't take a full shower until my abdominal therapy unit comes off in a week so it was awesome to sit in that chair to get a through sponge bath and it will fit in my shower when it's time for the real shower.
Protect the abdomen, protect the abdomen, protect the abdomen! Hunched and crunched. While you are sleeping have to be in a crunched position. Anything that will reduce strain on the abdomen is helpful. Pillows, lots of them and different shapes and sizes. I was able to sleep in my bed last night and I used for my upper body a wedge(reading pillow) and “L" shaped pillow and a regular pillow. Under my knees I used a firm wedge with a longer flat area to test my legs. Then I used another “L" shaped pillow across my upper body to support my arms. I know thats a lot but it worked for me, I'm trying to limit my time in the recliner and not go stir crazy. Recliner is good to with pillows for under the knees and arms.
I think my biggest surprised is the back pain/strain when walking with the walker because of the hunched position, that's why muscle relaxers are important. PT said I could use an ice pack, just on the back, to also help with inflammation. I was told sometime between 2-4 weeks I could walk more upright but still need to sleep in the crunched position for another 2 weeks or so. They gave me phases of recovery.
Arms! This is a hard one! I can’t use my arms/hands for two weeks to help me sit, stand or adjust and can only lift less than 5 lbs. For the first two weeks I can only reach up to a 90 degree level to the front and a 45 to the sides. So in the hunched position when standing I can't reach up on my counters really so that requires help. I couldn't stand up long enough yet to accomlpish anything anyway.
I can't imagine being alone for the first week and a half to two weeks after discharge. I mean, maybe I could do things all by myself but I would definetly be breaking protocol and I don't want to have went through all of this and risk a incision opening, a fall, or straining something or worse. You'll need help and a lot of it. I'm terribly independent and it's incredibly frustrating but I'm just going with it. I'll add more later and I hope everyone is doing well!!
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Dawnann--I am still waiting for scheduling but when I was there they knew my timeline and felt May would be great. Yes we will be traveling but not as far as you? We live in Destin Fl. I have been trying to figure out where we will stay between the hospital discharge and the first follow up appointment. We know New Orleans pretty well but usually for play not recovery. Have you decided on any place?
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Hi cindyanne, we’ve lived in Palm Harbor(north Clearwater)for almost three years now but I’m a native of Panama City so I know that area up there well:) We went to Destin all of the time, it’s all changedso much over the years.
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TWills, excellent advice, and congratulations and blessings to you for a smooth recovery. I'm amazed you kept up with posting on this board while in the hospital.
Kahnartist, I will a few other details from my own experience (today's my 3rd week anniversary of DIEP). I had my first sponge bath sitting on a shower stool while in the hospital after my 3rd night. It was the day of my release. I did the same thing at home every other day thereafter, but needed some assistance for about the first week after discharge (with my hair and back and upper arm) because I couldn't extend my DIEP side arm to reach all areas. This may have been related not only to the DIEP, but also to the lymph node removal that occurred 2 weeks prior to the DIEP. Each bath, I tried to do more and more on my own. By 10 to 14 days, I had it under control and started to stand and shower on my own. I used one of those long, rectangular scrubing clothes to reach my back since extension of arm is still somewhat limited. If you have no help, here are some things I'd recommend regarding grooming: get some dry shampoo in case you are just not up to washing your hair w/out assistance in the early days. Use baby wipes to cleanse well after each visit to the bathroom. See if your insurance will cover a home health aide. Even though I have both a husband and a nanny at home to help, I needed the aide on weekends when my DH was running kids to and fro and my nanny was off. My insurance sent someone for up to 2 hours a day of helping me bathe, groom (blow dry my hair), whatever else I needed, plus I had daily nurse visits and still do the latter to this day. It is a great help, and I think most plans cover it, but you have to be assertive and ask....and someone from your PS team will need to write a script for it, so get this lined up while still in the hospital so it's all approved and ready upon your discharge.
Another thing that's helpful: get all your prescriptions filled before surgery and ask them to put them in the smaller bottles, even if it means the big pills have to be split into multiple bottles. To this day, I still have trouble opening the bigger bottles by myself. Those darn child proof caps!
You are going to need something to help you sleep and lounge in an upright position, whether that be an electric recliner, a wedge system, lots of pillows, etc. But I will say even stacking your pillows may be a strain for you in the first few days.
Get some roll-on deodorant. Stick was too hard to apply for me.
Arnica Forte capsules, which you can get on Amazon or maybe at your local pharmacy are alleged to help speed healing. Angelina Jolie's doctor had her on this following her prophylactic BMX and reconstruction. I asked my PS about it, and he agreed it would be good to add. Also good multivitamins and extra Vitamin C.
People gave me books to read, advised me to list the Netflix shows I wanted to catch up on, etc. But with 3 kids, including a toddler, me laying around reading and watching TV was just not in my cards except for about 3 days following discharge and only bc my parents whisked me off to their house to remove me from 24/7 exposure to my kids. My kids visited me daily for a few hours and then left so I could rest. I did catch some of the winter Olympics during this time. My mother wanted me to stay a week with them. However, seeing the impact on my kids of not having me at home changed all our hearts, so I returned home after 3 days.
Set all your dishes, cups, food, etc on lower shelves bc reaching high will be impossible initially. Since you don't anticipate having a lot of help, just use paper plates you can trash vs having to clean.
I like nicely stretched out low underwear, nothing high waisted or hitting at or above my ab incision line. The B-robe, which you get on Amazon is what I wore everyday around the house. It has nice pockets to hold your drains. But I think a regular robe and some sort of lanyard/clothespin system could also work. I avoided pants entirely except when I had to go out in public.
Others may have more to add. Best wishes to you for both the surgery and recovery.
MommaGin
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hello kahnartist, I had diep flap mastectomy in one breast. I think not having full use of both arms will be a lot more challenging. I would say try to get your legs and core muscles in top shape prior to your surgery if there is still time. With just the one breast, I found it impossible to move in/out of bed without assistance, so I lived and slept in a power recliner. I hope your insurance will cover some assistance and if not, call around to see the prices, it may be very much worth it for you to pay out of pocket for some part-time assistance. For the 2nd week, my sister and husband split the days and worked from home and I didn't really need their assistance. There is a lot of sleeping involved. While you are in the hospital with the catheter in, take the opportunity to drink and drink a lot of water to help clear your system of all the drugs. When you are home still drink a lot of water, but you will have to go to the bathroom, so that will be an important part to get right. I didn't need a toilet booster or shower seat, the hospital didn't use them either, but again, I was not BMX.
Now that I think about it, to me the major elements in the first recovery week are sleep, water, food, bathroom. As you get better, have books or netflix on hand to engage your brain outside of yourself..
Good luck to you, I like your user name!
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Got all four drains out today!!! Feel like a new woman! Still tender and sore but nothing like the pain and irritation of those drains by post op day 14
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Horaay Bella2013! Huge step!!
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Twils, how is your transition to home going
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Mitzi458, I’m not positive they took part of a rib but the PA that visited me in the hospital the morning after surgery when I was having that pain said most likely because that where the pain is when they do. I really haven’t had the pain since the morning after surgery. It was slightly to the right of my sternum. Doesn’t seem likely since the pain was so short lived but I’m going to as at my post op next week.
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Please let me know if I need to add you to the list in the header above or correct it. I’m positive I’ve missed some posts in the last week or so. So many new posters! So awesome to be able to give and get support from each other.
I forgot to add to my earlier posts the the worst thing about my surgery was the ride home! I was so terribly car sick! It’s just over a two hour trip and we had to pull over for about 45 mins so I could get it together, the worst!! It’s a pretty rough road between Orlando and Clearwater though. Ugh
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You women are amazing! That's all I have to say. Thank you. I'm gonna feel like a well decorated Girl Scout going into this surgery!
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That’s awesome parachutes, it’s an awesome feeling for sure! I’m so thankful for the all I’v learned here:)
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I will be having my bmx with immediate DIEP on 3/13. Been through lumpectomy, chemo, and radiation-then found out I am positive for the PALB2 gene. Only 5 more days to surgery, getting nervous. Thank you all for the information I have been reading.
What did you use to hold the four drains? A lanyard with safety pins, a robe with pockets worn inside out to place the drains in the pockets.
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