Recon experiences...

For those who did delayed recon public - care to share your waiting period for surgery??

Mic80, it is understandable your torn, everything I read and heard about DIEP indicated it would be a long and painful experience. While my surgery took 13.5 hours, thankfully my recovery has been incredibly easy. I keep comparing it to 6 weeks of expanders, with constant pain and discomfort, exacerbated by not being able to sleep on my side. I know this isn’t the norm for expanders, but it just highlights, like my DIEP, how everyone’s bodies respond differently to surgery. 
You obviously had a skin saving mastectomy, which leaves your options open for the next step. If you go ahead with the left prophylactic (I did too) and that is also skin saving, there is absolutely no need to rush with a decision. You have the option of being boobless for as long as you want and see how that fits with you and then maybe decide about DIEP when you feel more able. Once your spare skin is tucked away, there is absolutely no time limit on DIEP. xx

I had a double mastectomy and DIEP reconstruction. I am very happy with it. My surgery took nine hours and I had low blood pressure problems afterwards which prevented me getting out of bed for several days. I turned out to be allergic to the tape, and then had lots of little wound infections for the first two months. It's almost a year since it was done and while it has been a big adjustment for me, I have zero regrets. It's lovely having my own warm flesh on my chest. K xox

@Eli86 thank you so much  for sharing.... I am so torn as to what to do! I am just so afraid of the recovery and risk of complications with the diep but as you mentioned, I feel as far as long term mental health I think it would prob be quite beneficial.... sorry.. totally confused. 

Hi Mic8, I’ve had a slightly different experience. I had double mx with expanders put in last Aug. 6 weeks later I was ready to swap to implants but a really bad antibiotic resistant infection set in and the expanders were removed. I stayed boobless until just last week and loved not having to wear a bra, which I couldn’t with prosthetics anyway due to excess. However with 2 sports mad teens, I felt incredibly self conscious at events in front of other kids and their parents. 
Plus every time I looked in the mirror I thought of my cancer. 9 days ago and 5kg later, I had DIEP, which in the lead up to I had been pretty ambivalent about, as having no boobs was pretty comfortable but my chest with the spare skin tucked in looked horrifying, so I really wasn’t expecting much could be done.
But right now I’m sitting here with cleavage again that is plump, warm and wobbles with circular scars that are essentially only slightly larger than my original nipples, and I could jump through the roof with happiness ( if it didn’t hurt so much!). I really had no idea I would feel this good because I had no idea such a good outcome could be achieved, but it’s like my cancer body has gone and mentally I can put this year behind me and get on with my life, because it’s not on hold because of cancer. For what it’s worth, the pain of DIEP is absolutely nothing compared to expanders. Good luck with your decision, but as others have said, there is always time to take your time with decisions. 

Accepted Blossom1961

@SoldierCrab Me too!

Just accepted you into Group JennyD and Mic80 

@SoldierCrab I've requested access to your FB groups too. 
I had a bilateral mastectomy in May 18 with no recon.  Scarring aside, I really like my new boobless figure.  I wore a dress the other day that was a little pouchy because of no boobs to fill it out but found I just didn't care.  My boobs were pretty enormous pre-surgery so while I was confident I was making the right decision at the time, I didn't know how I'd feel about it down the track.  Almost a year on now and I don't regret it for a moment!  I'm in the process of losing a lot of weight post gastric sleeve surgery but once I'm at a stable weight, I'll be tattooing my chest...something I'm really looking forward to :)

Thank you everyone... god I love this forum xx
@SoldierCrab thanks heaps.... I have sent a request to join both pages xxx