Diep Flap

Hello, I'm looking for help and info. After chemo, lumpectomy, more chemo (finally finished, hooray!) I am scheduling a mastectomy and DIEP flap reconstruction this May, in Northern Ohio at the Ireland Cancer Center. I'm looking for any info on the procedure, what you did to prep for such long surgery, what recovery was like, and if/how it changed your physical abilities. I just turned 53 & have been very physical & active & I hope I can still be that. Also, I will have radiation after surgery and wonder how that will affect it. I sure hope this will be it.
Thanks for any words you have for me. Looking for light...

My sister underwent DIEP Flap last October at the same time she had her bilateral mastectomies.  I am also getting DIEP next month.  She told me that the main thing is to have strong lower body strength, because you will be utilizing your bottom/legs to get yourself up.  Her recovery was pretty uneventful - and good.  She was walking the night of surgery and continued to do a little each day.  She is going in for stage 2 in July (she had chemo for the last 5 months). 

I had a bilateral mastectomy and immediate DIEP on January 21, 2008.   It was a 12 hour surgery and I woke up in incredible pain.  Honestly, it was the worst pain I've experienced.  I developed an infection in my breasts and required a second surgery a week later.   The first three days were hell. 

I spent two weeks in the hospital and when I left my body looked and felt beat up.   My arms were sore but I could stand up straight and get around easily.  I slept in a recliner because it was far too difficult to get in and out of bed.   I had drains for six weeks and while they were an annoyance they weren't as terrible as I had feared.

My surgery was an extreme case.  My pain was worst than most and I was slow to heal.  With all that said, I would do it again in a heart beat.   Two months post-surgery I felt better than new.   It's a hard procedure but totally worth it.

Just be prepared that you will be a mess the first week in the hospital.

Feel free to ask questions. 

I also want to note than many plastic surgeons are reluctant to perform a DIEP on a woman scheduled for radiation.   The radiation can cause the flap to fail and it's not an easy fix. 

My PS suggested that if my doctor felt I needed radiation that I get it done and have the DIEP after I had completely healed.   Fortunately I did not need radiation. 

 

On 5/1/2008 noni19426 wrote:

I had a bilateral mastectomy and immediate DIEP on January 21, 2008.   It was a 12 hour surgery and I woke up in incredible pain.  Honestly, it was the worst pain I've experienced.  I developed an infection in my breasts and required a second surgery a week later.   The first three days were hell. 

I spent two weeks in the hospital and when I left my body looked and felt beat up.   My arms were sore but I could stand up straight and get around easily.  I slept in a recliner because it was far too difficult to get in and out of bed.   I had drains for six weeks and while they were an annoyance they weren't as terrible as I had feared.

My surgery was an extreme case.  My pain was worst than most and I was slow to heal.  With all that said, I would do it again in a heart beat.   Two months post-surgery I felt better than new.   It's a hard procedure but totally worth it.

Just be prepared that you will be a mess the first week in the hospital.

Feel free to ask questions.

  

I had a mastectomy 5 years ago. I was 28 with a 1 year old and two months pregnant. Now after our fouth child I think we are done having children and am looking at options. I am very interested in the DIEP. Where did you have yours done?

There are a handful of plastic surgeons around the US offering the DIEP flap breast reconstruction procedure but you may have to travel. This article tells you how to find DIEP flap surgeons in your area and what questions to ask: http://www.prma-enhance.com/index.cfm/PageID/4262