2018 DIEP Surgery
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BCsilverlining...
So sorry! Hugs!! Xoxoxox
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BC, I've had it all! I had BMX with TES, four rounds of chemo which were totally doable, 29 rads with a bolus, AI and now DIEP. Not sure what else I could do at this point to fight this disease. I worked through it all, only taking time off as needed. I know it's so scary but you can do it! I never wanted to look back and have any regrets. You do what is right for you.
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According the schedule, Lanne2389 had her surgery today.
Thinking of you, Lanne2389, and wishing you a restful and speedy recovery!
My surgery is tomorrow. I got home from Maui last night at 11:30 p.m. and saw my PS this morning for my markings. I just finished packing a small bag, made sure the house was picked up, and had an excellent BBQ’d shrimp and bacon dinner provided by my fabulous husband. BTW... my husband has been awesome throughout this process. He has 100% taken care of my drains for the last 2 of my 4 surgeries, and has attended to all of my needs with much love. I know he will continue to take excellent care of me when I come home from this surgery as well.
See you on the other side;-)
Xoxoxo,
Carmen
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Best of luck Carmen and Lanne! Hoping for successful surgeries. Check in with us when you can. You got this!
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justkeepmoving- didn’t stand completely upright til about 3-4 weeks. Even then it was hard to do for long periods. Didn’t drive til 4 weeks. Helped cook dinner and made my own breakfast and lunch around 3 weeks. Hope this helps!
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Thinking of you, Lanne2389, and Carmen. Good thoughts of healing and prayers sending both your ways. It's good for me, mine is almost a piece of cake right now. I am very happy. My breasts look great, my stomach is flat and looks great and the best part is NO PAIN! Been standing upright since 12 hours after surgery without issues. I had lots of extra skin from losing about 90 lbs about a year before my breast cancer. I wish the scar was lower.... but all in all I am ok with that too.
I have had continuous pain since my bilateral mastectomy March of 2017.. My PS explained I had huge seromas in both my breast areas and both extended to my underarms and were encapsulated. Lots of scar tissue and fibrosis, He remove all of it and is hopeful it won't grow back. I know it is hard to imagine, but I am completely pain free for the first time in 16 months. I have stopped all pain meds as of this past Saturday night, this is the best possible outcome for me!
I have had only 1 drain removed before I went home yesterday, probably go back to Chicago on Monday to get my last 2 out .
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Hello Ladies, Phase I is just around the corner,I have my preop appointment next week.I have been trying to prepare with my postop care so I bought a wedge pillow. I am a stomach and side sleeper and when I wake up I have found myself slidden off the pillow and on my side. I have considered sleeping in my recliner but it is difficult to lower it and it also does not provide much lower back support. I also have thought about getting a body pillow.Do any of you have any suggestions for me? I also have two little dogs that normally sleep next to me in my bed, I am thinking I should have them sleep in their own beds at least until my drains are out. I am not sure who will have the harder time with this, probably me as they bring me a lot of emotional support.
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Healing prayers and good wishes for Lanne and Carmen today, be encouraged from the good reports you see here! Elijahgirl, sleep is so important to me, my plan is to use the recliner, also think a good idea for the pups to sleep on their own for awhile. I know our little gal will want to be pealed to me so we will have to see how that works out!
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Elijagirl, I too am a side or belly sleeper. But I pile up the pillows in the bed 3 behind me, one for each arm, and 3 under my knees. I slept very comfortably and wasn't tempted to turn over in my sleep like I was afraid I might do. You will do fine, that was a big concern for me as well. I was afraid I needed to rent a hospital bed or have my surgeon order one, but it was not necessary at all
Good luck and don't worry I know that is easier said than done. I know how I felt a week before my surgery, it is the unknown we fear, you don't know what to expect or really what you might need.0 -
Justkeepmoving and OCDAmy,
Thank you for reaching out. I just feel like my mind is in a whirlwind all the time. Never really knowing how I feel, what to think or do.
What can I expect while going through chemo? I know it's different for everyone, but generally speaking, what can I expect?
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BCSilverLining,
I am sorry you need chemo, but you can do it. Any side effects they can give something to ease, it just tell them, don't just suck it up. I did fasting before my chemo and it really diminished my side effects, but not everyone can do that. I had a couple different regimes till they were giving what they felt was best for my pathology. I did not lose my hair until the 6th cycle, and if the the cold treatment (dignicap) was done correctly I would have kept 90% of my hair on my head. I did get some neuropathy of only my right hand, some people ice their hands and feet to help with those side effects, I did not and maybe I should have. If you get the Neulasta shot after chemo make sure to take a claritin pill (not claritin D) day before and for a couple days after, it will help alot with the bone pain. I forgot one time and boy was I hurting. You can do this, message me if you want to know more about what I did, but I felt my chemo was very easily tolerated, radiation was a bit of another story, however all this is doable.
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BC,
I had four rounds of TC. I did ice my fingers and toes and had no neuropathy. I didn't cold cap, it was too much work for me. My hair came back great. I didn't get the nuelasta shots. Drink tons of water, bland foods, stay away from sick people. Read some of the chemo threads to get more tips and I'm happy to answer any questions you have.
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BCSilverlining - do you know what chemo you'll be having? Side effects vary patient to patient as well as drug to drug. Once you know what you will have you'll be able to find women who had the same drugs and get a little more information. My advice is to take everyone's experience with a grain of salt as no two of us will have the same experience. My hair came out two weeks after my first treatment and I had a great wig. I stopped wearing my wig 6 months later. And now, 20 months after my first chemo I have super curly hair that I get almost as many compliments on as I did wearing the wig (my wig was super cute and blonde - my natural hair is dark blonde and grey
)I'm happy to share my experiences with chemo if you find you'll have the same drugs. To be very frank, radiation was harder for me than chemo was.
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Hi every one. Had my surgery yesterday and it lasted 18 hours. Apparently an appendectomy in the late 80s left my veins in a mess. Had DIEP, node transfer and diastices recus fixed.
On strong meds that make me foggy and goofy so I'll wite again tomorrow!
Lanne
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Lanne, 18 hours!? Rest up, and we will look forward to hearing about your healing when you are a little recovered.
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Lanne, 18 hours... That's scary! glad your able to keep us updated. Good luck and I am hoping and praying for a fast painfree healing!
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Lanne, thinking of you! What a long surgery! Hope you recover quickly and with less pain.
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Holy cow! 18 hours! You are quite a warrior.
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I have been feeling good the past two days, but maybe I’ve done too much. I am totally wiped out! Reminder that I am still recovering....
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What a champ! 18 hours, That’s a record I hope I don’t have to break! Take it easy girl praying for a speedy recovery
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When did everyone start driving? I'm going so stir crazy! I see my PS for the first time Monday, I will be 17 days past surgery with drains all out and no narcotics. I'm hoping he says I can start driving again.
I am feeling a hard area just below the tummy incision on one side. Is that normal?
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I was told I can drive after the drains are out and no narcotics. I still have 2 drains and I will have them until at least Wednesday and that will be 14 days post op. I was hoping to get them out Monday. But my drain totals need to be below 20 ml for the breast and below 30ml for my belly fir 48 hours. Not there yet. But I am stir crazy and completely understand ,Amy.
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Lanne - congrats! Wishing you a speedy recovery 💕
Leatherette.... I've learned that I have my good days and my bad days. When I feel good (especially in the morning) I tend to over do it and then pay for it later... But overall it gets better but you have to rest. Hang in there ❤️
Regarding driving- I was given the ok to drive about 2 weeks post op. I took small trips around town. Now 3 weeks post op I'm doing more but I had a big scare yesterday when I almost got into an accident. I'm worried about what would happen if the air bag deployed! I'm only doing essential trips. This weekend I need to drive my daughter 3 hours to sleep away camp and I asked my sister in law to drive us. (she is a sweetheart!!)
OCDAmy - could that be a hematoma? I have hard lumps in my breasts (anyone else???) and my doc says it's blood etc that will soon break down and my body will reabsorb. He tried to remove some with a needle my last visit (only got out about 5ml I think).
I'm 3 weeks post op today and still struggle to stand up straight, still have pain at night, my belly gets this tense in a knot feeling (especially if i do too much). Work is expecting me back after next week and I don't know if I can do it. I'll try to negotiate to go back a couple of days a week at first. I am looking forward to moving on from this but it also feels weird to do so.. Anyone know what I mean?
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I started driving Tuesday after I got the okay at my 2week post op. The seatbelt actually works better for me on the drivers’ side. Just small trips.
Standing up straight isn’t a problem for me, but I bend a little first thing in the morning and at the end of the day. I am lotioning the skin above and below my ab incision, and I think that helps.
I hope you can start back part time, Justkeepmoving. I know what you mean about it feeling wierd to move on, even though you want to. Something completely took over your life, and now it’s like you just had an exorcism and you go back to life as it was before? No. Of course you are glad the demon has been purged, but you are still recovering from the experience. I feel really happy to be through the worst, but I go from not being able to believe I had cancer to thinking, “That was cancer?” It’s a surreal feeling.
Happy healing, ladies.
L.
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oh yeah, the seat belt.. That doesnt hurt your belly?
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Hey Ladies, I am curious, did anyone go down in pant size after surgery? If so how much? And the replaced fat tissue in your breast can it get larger or more if you gain weight? I have hypothyroidism so I tend to gain weight easily. Has this happened where your boobs got bigger because of weight gain? It is crazy how these questions just pop from my head the closer I am to my surgery date0
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Sometimes I have to adjust, but the seatbelt does not hit my ab scar.
I am still wearing only stretchy yoga pants-haven’t tried on my tailored work pants yet. I would guess that pants that used to be a little tight will fit better now, and will definitely look better.
I was told that the diep breast will increase/decrease in size along with a regular breast if you gain/lose weight. Too soon to tell, of course!
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OCDAmy - I drove the same day I got my last drain out. I hadn't been on narcotics since the hospital. I didn't ask my doctor, just did it. My nurse had told me at the mastectomy no driving with drains or drugs. As to the hard spot near your belly incision - I have two and my PS, when asked, immediately said fat necrosis. He said they could stay or he could remove. I'm having him take those out at the end of the month when we do some other touch up.
Justkeepmoving - assuming your leave is covered by short term disability, you can talk to your doctor about revisiting the expected return to work. I had a single DIEP and went back at 5 weeks - I was tired after the first day and glad for the snow day/work from home I was able to do on day two. With a double and the fact that you aren't standing up straight yet I think you should push for more time.
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Hoping I'm free to drive Monday! I bought a long pillow that I've been using in the car for the tummy and breast.
Just for fun today I tried on some clothes. They did fit better in the stomach but still snug in lower hips and thighs. I'm hoping that's where they take fat during stage 2. I can't even think about when I'll want to wear jeans, ouch! I'm thinking dresses are in my future soon. Some of my stretchy pants have rubbed on the new belly button and it's a bit red and dry. Need to be more careful. I guess I'll need to hide the binder under my clothes, so far I just wear it iver my shirt
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Good luck Amy! I am hoping my day will be Wednesday, now. Still wearing PJs day and night. I know I can wear clothes, had to day 6 after surgery to fly home, these are just much more comfortable
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