DIEP Surgery
Hello Pink Sisters I had DIEP surgery late last year and will be undergoing phase 2 in a few months. I can’t help but be frustrated by the back fat pockets that have appeared since surgery. My diet is well balanced and I regularly exercise. I’m hoping it’s not because I’m getting old and saggy. My surgeon said he wouldn’t be able to remove it under the cancer medical umbrella. It would be classified as elective surgery because he doesn’t think that it’s a result of DIEP surgery. Has anyone experienced something similar and had it removed in phase 2 of DIEP surgery?
Reconstruction
Hello Warriors, I’m currently in the process of undergoing consultation for breast reconstruction. I had a mastectomy on my right breast and had immediate reconstruction. However I had a recurrence and had another mastectomy on the same side and removal of implants. Now I want to get reconstruction and I have been considering a DIEP. I’m 31years old and don’t have kids, I’m concerned, when I want to have kids this might be a problem. Has anyone experienced this or have any info please. Also I will be getting my left breast done at the same time, so it will be delayed and immediate reconstruction. In for a big surgery 😣 but I’m BRCA 1, I have been through this 3 times trying to avoid a 4th as much as possible. Also if any of you in WA and have good surgeons and plastic surgeon recommendations please advise. Thank you so much in advance 🤗
Delayed DIEP Flap - Questions regarding anesthesiologists and fees.
Hi everyone, I have not been here online for a long time. Hope you are well. I have been waiting for my breast reconstruction on the public queue since before COVID hit and have been told that all delayed breast recon has been on hold and right now there is a lot of backlog to clear. Recon is only happening to those who are going through immediate surgeries for cancer diagnosis. I am weighing my options looking at doing the recon (DIEP-Flap) privately. My mastectomy was in 2016 and I just found it hard to keep waiting and who knows maybe it will be another 2 years. I have just obtained a quote from a consultant in Melbourne. However, the reception of my consultant was not able to give me some names of anesthesiologists that I can try to obtain a quote. She says the quote can only be given when an anesthesiologist is confirmed. I really want to get a quote as I really do not have money lying around LOL. I understand that anesthesiologist fees are a lot and I have to save up for this big surgery! Is there anyone who had used anesthesiologist here in Melbourne and can recommend to me? Are you able to advise me the fees and rebates from Medicare? Any help is greatly appreciated. xx
MAKING A DECISION
Well, after reading a lot of posts on this site, I am starting to lean towards going with the DIEP Reconstruction. I was thinking this is not the way to go for me last week .. but now Im starting to think the cost and additional operations is not in my best interest to move ahead. I guess the bonus is I get a tummy tuck out of it (very much needed and lots to spare fat) and the reconstruction of my abdominal Hysterectomy scar and 2 C-Section scares will turn it into one scar which I would be happy with. I also get a "normal" boob out of it and not a plastic one. I think I need to do some serious consideration before Tuesday and seeing the Plastic Surgeon and also some googling to make sure this is the right thing for me.
Double or single mastectomy and DIEP reconstruction?
Hi there, I wonder if anyone has any guidance for a decision that I realize is mine alone but is nevertheless a difficult one. I was diagnosed with invasive lobular carcinoma in August last year after discovering a lump in my left breast. I had a clear mammogram less than 12 months prior. Ultrasound showed it 4.5cm but subsequent MRI showed it 6 cm.I had very large breasts .At the first meeting with the surgeon (when we thought it was 4.5 cm) he discussed options of either breast conserving surgery or mastectomy on the affected breast.I was leaning toward BCS until we found it was 6 cm and he explained that there was a greater likelihood of not getting clear margins where it was lobular and given the size of the tumour I might need a mastectomy in the end anyway.I opted for a mastectomy and it turned out it was 5.5 cm .Also it extended right up the top of the breast so mastectomy was the right choice.I was lucky there was nothing in the lymph nodes.I opted to go DIEP flap surgery with the plastic surgeon inserting a tissue expander at the same time as the mastectomy and also doing a reduction on the right breast. I have since had radiotherapy and started on letrazole as the cancer is ER positive. It all happened so quickly and I had no one else in my family or even a friend who had ever had breast cancer so I was not that well educated at that time. I have since realized how many women have a double mastectomy,/reconstruction even where they don't have any family history of breast cancer or other high risk factors. I am planning to have the second stage of the reconstruction in June where the tissue expander is removed and replaced with my tummy fat .I didn't want to get an implant as I hate the idea of something foreign in my body and also the potential to have further surgery down the track to replace the implant.I realize that decision is very personal for every woman and also understand the DIEP surgery is much bigger surgery . When I saw my breast cancer surgeon last week he asked had I considered having the other breast removed and reconstruction in the same operation as the DIEP could only be done once and many of his patients opted for a double for that reason and also the peace of mind of not worrying about having cancer treatment again if it came back in the other breast. He wasn't necessarily recommending it but said it was something I needed to decide as it would be too late after the operation in June. I have got over the fact that it would have been nice to have this conversation before the first operation, and just want to make the right decision. I do have quite a bit of anxiety which has been heightened by all of this, and am leaning towards the double (I am 62, never considered myself as defined by my breasts, have an amazingly supportive husband who says "I just want you alive and will support whatever decision you make " and already will have one "foob" so why not two).On the other hand, it will add to the length of the surgery, have extra potential complications and recovery time and may not be necessary. Does anyone have any advice?
Diep pain.
Hello, I am 2 weeks out from my Diep recon and I was wanting to get an idea of how other people recovered. I have extreme tightness and it does not seem to be improving. I just cannot walk straight even when I really try and it is causing such terrible back pain from being hunched. I was hoping to hear from someone who could perhaps shed some light on when I may start to see/feel an improvement and when their tummy’s started to soften up and allowed them to begin to stand a little straighter xx Thank you so much xx
OUT OF POCKET COST FOR DIEP.
I had reconstruction with implants in 2012. I have just found out my left implant has ruptured. I am in a private health fund and was looking at DIEP instead of implants again, but was told the cost is $20,000. I don;t know what I will get back from my health fund and Medicare. Anyone had it done private and can give me an idea on outer pocket expense. Can not wait to go on Public waiting list. Debbie
Dead Breast Tissue after DIEP
Has anyone had a problem with breast tissue dying when circulation was not maintained after DIEP? 2 weeks ago I had a skin sparing mastectomy of my non breast cancer side by the surgeon who did my original mastectomy, before my plastic surgeon did bilateral DIEP. As soon as I was out of theatre I was told my breast surgeon had unfortunately made the tissue and skin too thin to maintain circulation and it was going black in a triangle below where my nipple was removed. I know it was just to try to remove every bit of breast tissue. However, it is quite painful and I now have to get it dressed twice a week to debride the dead skin and encourage a scar to form. My Plastic Surgeon says it will b an easy fix, just Day Surgery but won't risk it for 3-4 mths until everything has healed. I am disappointed as I was hoping to finish the crappy breast cancer process and get on with my life. Has anyone experienced anything similar and give me any feedback please? TIA
Mastectomy with immediate DIEP reconstruction
Posted my moderator for @Bb1andBb2 Hi, I’m 54 and had a mastectomy and immediate DIEP reconstruction almost 4 weeks ago Before the surgery I was not really skinny but certainly didn’t have a lot of tummy to work with My surgeon said he took as much as he could from my abdomen in order to build my new breast After the surgery I was excruciatingly tight and suffered terrible back and neck pain due to the tension After the first week I could stand straight again but since then my tummy has remained extremely tight and has hardly loosened at all I’m terrified that my skin will never stretch back to give me the movement and flexibility that I once had (I’ve always been active and prior to surgery walked an hour every day up and down hills, over the years have been a frequent gym user and used to play sport regularly in earlier days) Will my skin stretch again? I can’t find any information about this This has been the most distressing part of my whole experience I can live with the scars and never looking the same again, but I can’t bear the thought of never feeling or being able to be active again
Rads after DIEP reconstruction...any experience?
Hiya, just wondering whether anyone here has had radiation after their reconstruction, rather than having a masectomy, then rads, then reconstruction? My surgeon reasons it will be ok, but the plastic surgeon is not keen! Not helpful! Did you have any bad experiences doing this? Or was all well? I'm booked in for an MRI just to double check the size of the cancer, then they'll decide whether it's an instant recon or delayed, so it might be a clear cut answer, but I'd still like to hear of any experiences you've had please!
