2018 DIEP Surgery
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AliceKo, I was told to wait 8 to 12 weeks before starting exercises and to be careful on how get out of the bed months after the surgery. I am 3 months and 1/2 from the surgery and last week I went to the gym for the first time. I didn't do abs at all as my tummy is still a bit sore. I would not start after 6 weeks doing the same routines as before the surgery, but you can do the stretches for a bit longer to ensure that the wounds don't reopen.
Lolis
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I felt like I should come back and update for anyone considering DIEP. I was a hot mess a few days out from surgery and I still think I resemble quilt work, BUT I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. My abdomen is super flat and the incision is low, nothing to complain about. I didn't lose the waist I had. It's a true improvement over my little pudgy tummy so I want to be up front on that. My ab soreness decreases every day. Feeling better and better and the the abdominal binder made the back pain go away almost instantly.
The boobs are still wider, flatter, smaller than they were, but this is the thing - I liked my boobs before cancer. I had a B/C cup and at 47, they weren't super perky but they weren't saggy. It was hard to say goodbye. I joked with a friend - Why couldn't I have cancer of the double chin? Or the love handles? I liked my boobs. So I've got high standards for reconstruction. I hope that my PS can give me a semblance of what I had before, but if not, at least the big C has been kicked to the curb.
I'm truly hoping the next revision surgery will get me back to feeling like myself again but I'll be patient and I know my PS will work with me.
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Hopewins, good to hear you are feeling better. I think it took me almost a year to get comfortable with my new breast. All I could see were scars. It did help getting revision surgery and then getting my nipple tattoos. The nipple tattoos help to make the scars fade into the background. I am 18 months out from surgery and I am now pleased with my new breast. Don’t fret too much about how your breast look now. It takes time for the new breast to settle down.
P.S. I didn’t feel like I turned the corner in my recovery until week 5. It sounds like you are doing great.
Bella201
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I am so glad things are working out for so many! That is a VERY good thing! I think it is because you all had descent bodies before DIEP reconstruction. I want to be done all things breast cancer but I am reminded daily that it will never be the same as before.
My body is horrible, I can't look at myself in the mirror below my neck. My fake breast is ok but I never had a revision and never will. I have other health issues I must take care of and I can't afford to have a surgery that is not absolutely needed. Please don't think I am against revision surgeries, I am not, I have had 16 surgeries in my lifetime and I have horrible veins so I am just against revision surgery for me!
Fake boob is ok, real boob bigger and droopier, but that is OK with me too. My breasts are the only things my breast surgeon and plastic surgeon care about.
What isn't OK and can't be fixed is my abdomen. I don't have a clue where my waist is. All my pant waists fall down and add pressure to my incision. I can't wear belts. My incision is fine on one side, but looks like someone shoved a large cylinder in the other side. I think it is a hernia, but the PA told me in April it isn't. Both sides of my incision have huge cupcake size lumps. Great!
I never wanted this, I wanted to have a BMX without reconstruction, and was refused. I then asked for mastectomy without reconstruction but the breast surgeon went on and on about balance and looks and he called the PS in and between the two I had no chance to get what I wanted. I think because they are men and they think of breasts as sex objects and it is all they cared about. I get it. When I had cancer in 2003 there was NO WAY anyone was removing my breast. Now in my mid 60's I don't care if I have them or not. I would have healed better and faster without reconstruction. Water over the damn now. Is there ANYONE else in my position???? I have no clue how to pick up the pieces and move on with my life.
I hate my body more now than at any time in my life. I am trying hard to focus on all things non cancer related, but so hard when they mutilated my body!
My upper abdomen is always putting pressure on the lower half, I always feel bloated.
Sorry to keep complaining, it has been 9 months this week and I am more unhappy than ever. I am back to work and it is such a struggle to be on my feet all day all the while trying not to think about how horrible I look. I work in a school and whenever one of the students whispers to another I feel as if they are commenting on how I look. They don't know I had cancer and I don't plan to tell them. I have no time in my schedule to see new doctors, like I said, I have to see other specialists about other issues.
I bought big clothes but there is only so much clothing can do. If ever I was punished for being fat, this is it. If I could go back in time knowing what I know now, I would have gone somewhere else for a second opinion. I didn't. I am frustrated with my weight. Even going to the gym and eating a plant based diet isn't helping. I think in my case, even though I am alive, that cancer finally won!
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Never heard of lymphedema in the belly. I'll ask him tomorrow. My plastics team has been pretty awesome and I have nurse that does answer every odd question I have about my healing. I will ask him tomorrow. Surgery is tomorrow for phase 2
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It's called truncal lymphedema, cwins1218. I developed it after my DIEP flap, even though I only had a total of 3 nodes removed. It affects me from my armpits to my hips. Some people have it just in their breasts.
Some people (myself included) believe that it's caused by the extensive cutting they do on your lower abdomen during DIEP surgery. There are a lot of nodes in the groin area. That's where much of your lymph fluid drains to.
You should ask to see a certified LE specialist. Manual massage can make all the difference.
Good luck
Trish
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Hi Trish!
Thanks for the info! I had my second phase surgery yesterday. This liposuction pain is something else! But I have heard its temporary. I'm just resting but my chest looks more normal...no more craters. I'm still very swollen from the liposuction. I tried wearing a compression garment...too tight. They told me I can wear spanx so I'll try that tomorrow. The bloating and the weird little fluid knot on my tummy is gone but I will still look into the LE specialist because I have PMSP and massage helps. I see my PS for follow up. I'll discuss tattoos etc. if I choose to have them.
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I have some questions for anyone who has answers/opinions. How long for the chest wall/rib cage to stop hurting? I had bmx at same time as my DIEP and am 2w out and it's still really tender. Also, armpits... still painful and swollen. My vessel connection was under arm so it makes sense but when does it start to feel better?
Anyone else have lots of side boob? Between the swollen arm pits and side boob I don't feel like my arms rest at my sides all the way. Does this make any sense? I just wish this side boob was in my cleavage area instead! Top and inside margins of my boobs are pretty darn flat - like skin on ribs. All my volume is low and wide. Can I get a lot of volume out of fat grafting? Like almost a cup worth? Anyone's PS mention a small implant to supplement after DIEP?
I'm still healing and won't make any rash decisions but as the swelling goes down I'm seeing that I will end up being about a cup smaller that I was. Maybe I'll become comfortable with that, but probably not. I was around a small C before and now I'd say I'm a small B. I'm 5'8" and not overweight but definitely not model thin, so I feel disproportionate right now. Maybe it's just a matter of adjusting, idk.
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Hopewins,
Two weeks is soon. The swelling will go down over time. My DIEP was over a year after my mastectomy so I cannot comment on pain. Regarding the side boob- give it time for swelling to reduce. If it’s still an issue in 6 months, talk to your PS. I had lipo to remove fullness in my DIEP breast 7 months after my original surgery.
In the meantime, rest and continue to move about - balancing short walks and rest will help your recovery.
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I am having my 2nd surgery post-diep in less than a month and talked to my PS just the other day. I lost some volume and will be using fat-grafting to match the unaffected breast. Whether you will be able to get a cupsize will depend on how much usable fat you have to graft. I would schedule an appt with your PS once you heal.
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thank you! Yes, I'll need to talk to him. I have an appt in two weeks. On one hand I would prefer to just use my own fat/tissue. On the other hand, I want to be done with surgeries after this next one. I don't want to keep traumatizing other parts of my body to rebuild my boobs, so we'll what he says about options.
I felt around under my arms yesterday near the incisions and I think I might have a seroma or hematoma on one side. Theres a tender and really firm lump and I doubt its tissue. Its too far under my arm/around my side and it's only on the left side. I think that's what I was feeling when I move my arms when I walk. I remember the PS saying this could happen and they just drain it with a needle. Hopefully not too painful!
I hope the hurricane didn't affect you too much!
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Hi Hope I too am 19 days out from surg. and yes my arm pits and side chest wall still hurts some time. Have been using a combination of acetaminophen and ibuprofen for pain control since day 7 could not do the opioid any more. You know why LOL I found a paper by some researchers at John Hopkins and they found that doing these two meds were just as effective as a opioid for pain control.(600mg ibuprofen then 3 hr later 650mg of acetaminophen) then repeat it worked great for me. As the pain lessened just stretched the time out now just take it every 8 to 10 hr. as needed best part no more stopped up bowls. I've had my breast drains removed 11 days out but still have the one in my abdomen. Went yesterday to see the PS and since it is still putting out 50 cc a day he wants me to keep it a bit longer. Hopefully will slow down to less than 10 cc a day over the week end and can call him Mon. or Tues. to get it removed. I lucked out my new breast are nice but the bra they have you wear does noting for them just makes them flat like tire around your chest. I cut up one of my old bras that had underwire cups and placed the cups inside the bra they give you, it helps shape my breast into more of a round shape overall looks good gives me some cleavage.Have a appt. with the Oncologest Friday. My Mammoprint came back high so looks like chemo for me. Was doing so good thought I had this thing under control. Now another curve ball. Just hang in there sister, it will get better.. at least that is what I keep telling myself.
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thank you radqueen. Really sorry to hear about the chemo. This is a roller coaster, but not the fun kind.
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Hopewins, So I am 8 weeks out DIEP and I cannot say I am pain free. It's better than the implant. It will probably get better for you.
I also have a side boob with lovely black hair on it. We have all made jokes about this surprise. They said the swelling has gone down I could not see it, but I could feel it. It feels softer now, more like the real boob. Before it was kind of hard.
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Liposuction question. So an extra incision and an extra scar on the new boob? Can someone explain that please?
I had lipofilling for the implant and it left 2 small cute scars on the side of my trunk. I really do not want any more scars, soon its going to look like a quilt!!!!
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I had lipo to remove the side boob. No scars/incisions that I've ever seen.
9/10 update- i used the 3x magnifying mirror to examine this morning- no extra scars.
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I think they can go in to your existing scar for lipo.
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AliceKo - I'm with you on being leery about lipofilling. I don't know if I'll need side boob removed, but I need a lot of filling in the upper/inner areas of my chest and they're not gonna get this from my abdomen. There's no fluff left there so I will definitely get new incisions and scars. Scars don't bother me that much although I'd prefer them to be able to be hidden in a bathing suit.
My bigger issue is recovery from lipo - pain and then the cosmetic results of the donor site - will it be lumpy? If we use fat from my inner thigh, will the skin be saggy? I don't know how many more body parts I'm willing to traumatize to rebuild my boobs. I've got some fluff to spare in my inner thighs and maybe my flank but I don't have a lot. I plan to ask the PS how we get from here to the end goal with the least amount of pain and no more than 2 surgeries. If the PS says - I can round out the boobs with 3 lipo sessions over the next 6m or, I can round out the boobs with one more surgery, but it will require an implant, then I'll take the implant.
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Hope, I had no new incisions from my lipo. The bruising heals quickly. It isn’t nerve pain it’s achy bruising pain
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HopeWins, I messaged you on another thread. I had 3 fat grafting/stem cell transfers after my DIEP and unfortunately it just wasn’t enough for my liking so I’m having implants placed next month. I’d be glad to answer any questions you have. I’m not on this site very often anymore so you might want to PM me if I don’t answer. I’ll try and answer her as well so the info is shared by all.
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thanks everyone! I'm going to try to be patient with all this healing and revisions, but it's not my strongest attribute, lol.
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for those who wore the abdominal binder, how long did you have to wear it? I have a love/hate relationship with it right now and its leaning more towards hate. I love that it helps me stand up straight and feel secure that I won't stretch my ab incision. I don't like it when I sit and I hate it when I sleep.
And I'm so looking forward to being able to get dressed without it! Just venting I guess.
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Hope, I used Spanx or Spanx-like. It went from my thighs up to under my breasts. It felt so good because it just held everything in place and I could wear decent clothes. My PS approved wearing this after I had worn the binder for two weeks
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oh- that's a great idea! Maybe I'll try the new Kim K line, lol. I have a couple spanx shorts, but they are tight. Did you size up?
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Yes, I did.
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Runcrb, No scars from lipo? That's excellent news! I have two cute little incisions from the liposuction on my sides. It really looks like I have a waist now - silver lining to this thing. They did the liposuction and lipofilling on my implant - that's a different thread!
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Hopewins. My recovery from liposuction probably took at least 2 weeks and I complained
. It was painful in the begining and it was different pain then DIEP, but common DIEP is the most complicated surgery, if you had DIEP the other reconstruction stuff is nothing. DIeP was more pressure. Still feel the pressure 9 weeks later. Liposuction left beautiful results, nothing is hanging. I have a nice waist now, so that's good (they took it from sides and back).So you are also considering an implant after DIEP? Of course you need to chose what is right for you. If you are not a sensitive person, you do not feel your body, do not feel pain - its definitely an option. If you always coveted implants - now is the time to try them. That was not my case, I was happy with what I had and it was enough.
I had to get rid of my implant, it was very uncomfortable. I kept it for over a year, just to make sure, they kept telling me I will not even feel it in a year. I felt it. I am a sensitive person and it sits under your muscle and you feel it 24 hrs a day. And when I laid down it moved up and pressed on my diaphragm, breathing was harder. I took shallow breaths. Also, had to live in a bra 24/7, caused less pain in a bra. And every time I moved my left arm or somehow my chest muscles moved, I felt more pain. Just to see it move is freaky. It looked nothing like the other (real) breast...And I don't know if the surgeon is letting you know that a few months after surgery scar tissue forms around the implant, the body is protecting self from the implant. The implant is completely encapsulated in the scar tissue. They did not tell me that, I found that out on TLC show! I confronted the surgeons and they finally agreed that it is true. And then I begged them to remove the capsule, they leave it there after they remove the implant.
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I recognize there can be complications with implants. I'm not taking it lightly. It would be over muscle, not under. I never coveted implants and I feel pain, but I don't feel comfortable in my body so I'm willing to consider options and I trust my PS.
I don't have much fat to harvest and what used to be a C is now a lumpy A. I have skin on ribs and my chest is concave at the top. What I had before surgery was enough. It was great. I loved my boobs. I never, ever coveted implants before cancer. But life had other plans.
I appreciate you had a bad experience with implants but I'm keeping my options open.
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Hopewins, definitely you have to do what you think is right. Over the muscle implant is a definite improvement over the old way of under muscle. You might want to try liposuction and lipofilling first. It does take some time. I have been doing it (surgeries) for 2 years and probably a few more. Can't even believe I am saying it, let alone doing it.
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Hello,
From few days ago I noticed some tingling on my DIEP. It feels like neuropathy and only happens when I touch it. I suppose this is the nerves coming back to life? Has anyone here experienced this?
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