2018 DIEP Surgery
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Amy, what is BCO? TWills, good luck with your new job!
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From this community Breastcancer.org
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"Leeea-vin' on a jet plane..." from Atlanta to NOLA today. I can't wait to get there. My wound is draining all kinds of nastiness and I only hope I get there before I completely run out of pads. I have 8 left. Fingers crossed.
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Do you all ever look at old pictures of yourself (as in before the diagnosis) and long to be that person again? I had some memories come up from two years ago on Facebook. I was on a cruise in the Mediterranean and had no idea I'd get this diagnosis 2 months later. I had pretty long hair and was in great shape.
Now I'm going into this big surgery in threedays. My joints and feet hurts from the AI I take and I've put on about 15 lbs since then. It's crazyhow my life has changed. Not all bad - but gosh I miss not worrying about medical stuff.
Feeling a bit down I guess. Feel like I'm entering the patient zone again and dreading it.
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shellybeans
I hear you. Having read quite a few grief books in the past year, I focus on my resiliency and how awesome I’m doing overall. Yes still 15 pounds heavier, lost all desire to go out and run 10 miles, etc. while I never wanted breast cancer, mine is the type that often shows up in older women, I focus on the fact that i was strong and healthy enough to handle the treatments by getting it at 55. i have empathy that i didnt have previously and have realized that most things that used to bother me don’t really matter.
Chin up. You will get there. And yes i still hate that my pubic hair appears really high! I don’t ever remember noticing it before and surprisingly i missed it more than the hair on my head when i was bald.
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Yes to all the above. Put on weight, feet and knees hurt, short hair I'm trying to get used to. The DIEP surgery has helped me feel better about myself and I think stage 2 will help even more. I told my husband I may get addicted to plastic surgery now! I see some eyelid work in my future.
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Hello ladies, I was dead set on implants reconstruction but now having 2nd thoughts and leaning towards DIEP. I had a UMX and I think it will be easier to match my natural breast with DIEP. The problem is that I am not sure about my current PS. Does anyone have any suggestions for a PS in the San Diego area that does DIEP?
Thanks!
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Hi Everyone,
Stopped my Tamoxifen today in prep for my phase 2.
I'm wondering what to expect as far as recovery. I'm a bit nervous about the lipo. The previous procedures were relatively pain free, but I suspect that had a lot to do with severed nerves.
Twills, good luck on the new job!!! So happy that you're getting back to normalcy. 🥂
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Shellybeans...yes, I know just what you mean. It makes me particularly sad to see pictures of my long hair. I cold-capped and didn't lose all my hair but did lose a lot and had to cut it super short after treatment. I'm now almost to a short bob and the thickness has returned, but gosh I miss my long locks and the ability to put my hair up. But, I do agree with Runrcrb that this experience has given me much more empathy. I was always healthy before and sometimes didn't understand when people had repeated health problems...I get it now and feel much more deeply and compassionately that I did before and that's a good thing. I've also had the opportunity to share my faith when people ask me how I've gotten through everything. Good luck with your surgery...you will feel so much better when you start seeing your body get put back together. I'm just 3 weeks post-op but do feel so much better now that I'm starting to look and feel more "normal".
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CEV20 - it seems everyone is different. I had lipo to reduce my DIEP breast. It was surprisingly painful - I sent my doctor an email at 5 weeks commenting that it finally wasn't the first and last thing I thought of each day. Good luck.
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speaking of lipo'ing a DIEP breast, have any of you found that your non-radiated boob is growing like a maniac and your radiated boob is happy with its status quo? I feel like I'm getting really lopsided - felt I had to buy a breast form to beef up my radiated side until phase 2 (what a racket my gosh those things are expensive - sorry not sorry Aetna). My PS thinks little boob will catch up to her more brazen sister but I'm just not seeing it. Luckily both boobs healed wonderfully (load up on your vitamin C people!), are warm and soft, and I'll be completely fine with the smaller sized boobs, but add this to the list of things I did not expect in life.
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cev20, thank you:)
As far as phase 2 recovery, it was much better than I had expected or planned for. I had it on a Thursday and could have easily went to work on Monday. I was out shopping the very next day and then to IKEA the second day. I didn’t need anything for pain after I left the hospital. I would say my phase 2 was extensive too. I will say that I have a pretty high pain tolerance but all in all it was so much better than I thought it would be. I didn’t stop my Tamoxifen for phase 2, wasn’t asked to. So many different rules for different Drs.
Good luck!
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Hi Ladies!!
Looking for some guidance here. I am seven years out from a double mastectomy with tissue expanders and of course then radiation. At the time I was not a candidate for Diep due to my smaller size among a variety of other reasons. My implant on the radiated side failed of course so a year or so after my expander-implant swap I went back in for another swap, took out the old implant and replaced with a new and smaller implant plus a little fat grafting. That all pretty much much failed as well but I threw in the towel and was done with surgeries. So I have walking around with this messed up uncomfortable capsular contractured breast for years. Finally ready to give diep a shot now that I live near family that can help and my kids are all in school all day. My husband is in the Navy. My first attempt was supposed to be this past March but I ended up with a concussion. My third in four years so recovery was brutal and very long. I rescheduled my surgery for October 1. My husband is Navy and this weekend we were to have his Submarine Christening, the ceremony where the sponsor bashes a champagne bottle on the brow of the ship. Is a big deal, high light of his career, etc because he is the CO. We live in Norfolk, VA of course and hurricane Florence has come along and messed up everything!! So now the Christening is going to be rescheduled for the end of October. Seems like Oct 1 to end of Oct is not enough time to give myself for recovery before the Christening. Thoughts......how were some of you three to four weeks out. We'll have a lot of family coming in town for the event. I feel I need to reschedule again but I am so disappointed!!!!!
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lohogan,
Three weeks after DIEP I was functioning but taking it easy. How have your other surgeries been for recovery? Are you typically a quick healer with minimal pain meds? These should play into your decisions. If the christening celebration includes you planning and throwing a big party, I wouldn’t plan to do that and have DIEP surgery before.
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Lohogan, I went back to work full time after 4 weeks (desk job). But you can see from this thread everyone is different. for me the surgery was not nearly as bad as my BMX.
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Hi everyone, I am having my surgery on Nov 29th after failed implants due to infection. Right now I have a lot of tightness, and my chest muscles dance every time I use my arms. Has anyone else had DIEP after sub pectoral implants, and did the muscle movement go away?
Thanks for any insight
Vickki
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Runrcrb, Yeah, So I think I am a slow healer. We’ll have twenty or so people in town. I’ll need to be able stand up straight in heels all day. I am so disappointed!
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Lohogan- flats aren’t an option? Surely family coming into town would understand if you’re not the social butterfly, caterer, bed & breakfast owner lady. And surely DH and his colleagues would be ok with you showing up for the important bits and resting in a corner in a chair or heading back home to rest after you’ve made your appearance. I know it’s a big thing for your DH but is getting those expanders out finally and having DIEP not just as big a thing for you? As you’ve already experienced, something ALWAYS comes up. Id tell anyone coming into town which hotels are good and convenient to the area and make recommendations on where to eat. If there’s a party you have to plan, hire a caterer/party planner to handle it. If there’s one thing this journey has taught me is that if I dont stand up for what’s important to/for me no one else will. You are just as important as (really more important than) DH’s christening of an inanimate object for work Just my $0.02.
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Lohogan, I'll keep this simple. I would only plan on being in charge of taking care of yourself that day and participating just enough to not miss it. Forget the heels, is that a requirement or something? It's not about you feeling “under the weather" it's about you risking your incisions opening up. It's just that simple. I could not have remotely participated in anything of the sorts concidering planning and such would start before the actual event 3-4 weeks after surgery.
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I'm 2 days post op from Stage 2. Lots of bruising and tenderness but overall this is the best post-op so far! I can move my arms freely and even went out for a friend's birthday dinner last night! I do have to wear 2 binders - chest and abdomen for at least a week until I go in to see doc for 1st post op. It's a little strange where my PS did the lipo - he said my hips were uneven so the right hip got a longer incision and the left hip got lipo - with a dark purple bruise covering my hip and down to my thigh! More lipo on my sides and my right armpit - the left had lymph nodes removed so it already had less plump. One strange very tender area is the back sides of my neck - did anyone else have super tender areas behind your ears after Stage 2? no idea why that area would be hurting so much!?? I have 7 weeks until my daughters wedding and am feeling really confident that I will be ready
Twillis - did you end up trying the cryotherapy? I am considering going tomorrow, PS didn't have an opinion either way.
Lohogan - My daughter's bridal shower was 5 weeks post DIEP - instead of having it at my house, I opted for a restaurant and just showed up! That's what you need to do! I also had family come into town - some stayed at a hotel others drove 3 hours here and back home in the same day! Everyone will be very understanding and supportive- like Lula said something will always come up - stick with your plan and put yourself first!!!
Shellybeans - Is surgery today? Sending good wishes for a smooth and easy recovery!
cev20 - you will be sore for sure from the lipo. I am back in the recliner so I stay on my back. But compared to the other surgeries this is tolerable!
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Teaberry11, Twills, and Lula73...….Thank you for your responses! The Sponsor of his ship is Dr. Jill Biden so Jill Biden and Joe Biden will be coming to town. Jill Biden has asked me as the CO's spouse to be her "Matron of Honor". All old school ceremonial Navy stuff that does not mean much of anything but I will be sitting on the stage at the Christening and have multiple events I have to show up for over the course of two days. I could wear flats I guess. My family and husband are super supportive and they do not want me to reschedule. Honestly though, my husband is in la la land and I do not think he fully gets the extent of the surgery.
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Teaberry11, yay for a great post-op! Funny what counts as a success these days lol. I didn’t try cryotherapy, I didn’t feel like I needed it because I felt really good. I think it could benefit I just didn’t really need it enough to pay for it. Hope your healing goes well!!
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I have a lot of time on my hands due to Hurricane Florence and evacuating to my parents house. Using this time to research and plan. Is there any comparison between a c-section and diep flap surgery? I am looking for someone who has experienced a c-section to tell me which, in their experience, was an easier "abdominal" recovery? I know everyone is different and recovers differently but it will give me an idea.
Thank you!
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Teaberry11 - surgery is tomorrow. 5:30 am at the hospital. Praying I fall in line with TWills since we have the same surgeons. Please send me all the positive vibes possible. I had a lot of issues with one drain when I had my BMX - having 4 from this one has me a little freaked. Trying to breathe and stay positive on the long-term rather than the short term pain.
Hugs to all. Thank you forposting the good and not so good - helps me mentally prepare.
Michele
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lohogan,
Ive never had a c-section but with DIEP there is no need to get past the wall of muscle once the blood vessels are located so you won’t have the same experience of a c. Does that make sense?
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good luck Shelly! Let us know how you are doing when you are able.
Lohogan, DIEP does not cut through the ab muscle. I did not have c section but I insgine this has to be easier.
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Lohogan, I had a c-section ... but it doesn't stand out in my memory as particularly bad (but you don't really have time to dwell on it!). However with my DIEP I also had my Ab muscles repaired and I can say unequivocally that DIEP recovery would have been sooo much easier w/o it (although I don't regret it for a second). The DIEP incision really was not painful and that area is pretty much numb anyway - drains are much more of an annoyance. My biggest discomfort with the stomach incision was it feeling tight from dry skin so I put a thin layer of bacitracin on it, stuck a long piece of gauze on to cover it under my girdle thing, and kept everything else around it moisturized. If you can, load up on Vitamin C for good healing. I saw a big difference in healing btwn my BMX ( no vit C) and DIEP (lots vit C). Nurses even commented.
(Why didn't we have drains after our c-Sections?? But thank g*d, can you imagine...)
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Runrcrb, twills, teaberry, thank you for your responses! I had a pretty easy recovery from my previous two procedures so I'm hoping this one goes just as well. 🤞
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Hi!
Can anyone who had only one side done with DIEP tell me what there experience was lie for recovery? I know it's a big surgery but I think if you are only having one side done it must be easier? I know my mastectomy was easy peasy and I could have easily returned to work after a few days except for the dumb drains. I also didn't feel like I needed "help" after the first couple of days and could have easily been left alone. I was putting away dishes and reaching for things and even driving since I had a good arm to work with. Just wondering how much harder DIEP will be.
Thanks,
Rebekah
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rdeesides,
I was in less pain after diep than mastectomy. Two nights in hospital for each procedure. I took no narcotics after first night with DIEP; took more with mastectomy. I slept flat on my back first night home from hospital too (many women struggle to stand or lie straight). Somewhere earlier in this thread I posted more details on my recovery. We are all different but my guess is that if mastectomy was easy for you this will be too
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