DIEP Flap reconstruction breast surgery

[MeAndTinyTina 241]

Hi - has anyone had this? I need to have a mastectomy (probably double - waiting for second opinion) and for immediate reconstruction they are offering my this plastic surgery treatment. They reconstruct the breast from excess abdominal fat and tissue. I'm guessing that WLS people on this forum might have also had this done, even without cancer, as an alternative to implants. The cancer surgeon examined me last week and said because my breasts got so "deflated" after my weight loss, there isn't really enough to do a lumpectomy that wouldn't be very disfiguring. I meet with a plastic surgeon on Monday that specializes in cancer. I've tried to find before and after photos of DIEP flap patients who had WLS, but couldn't find any. Anyone here go through this?

Ellen

[Mom26 313]

Good luck to you. I can only imagine how overwhelming a cancer diagnosis is. Keep up the good fight! And keep us posted.

[MeAndTinyTina 241]

@@Mom26

Thank you for your support.

Ellen

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

before and after pics

@@MeAndTinyTina

i had breast cancer 15 years ago, chemo - no radiation

all is good with me

when surgeons were about to start my "tram flap procedure" (reconstuction)

they realized my veins were too small

(doc said he never experienced that prob)

no reconstruction was started til after sleeve

DIEP flap??

sounds like the free tram flap similar i was supposed to have

don't remember how long reconstruction took after surgery

maybe a couple of months later???

at his office doc put in expanders to "stretch" my breasts area

then i went to his office later a few times 5 or 6??

he filled the breasts with saline

at a very slow rate each time

didn't want big breasts

they were always too big and i hated that

i wanted them reconstructed much smaller than before

congrats on loosing 111 lbs

your breasts since you lost weight your breasts deflated

my breasts area? had too little veins to proceed

similar resulting in our different but "similar" problems

never thought of taking before and after pictures

not a bad idea thought

had the word Survivor written in small italic letters above my right ankle

@proudgrammy again is proud!!

did tattoo after GOAL (never had tattoos befor) now i have 3!!

picture of a small butterfly above survivor

on hand the first three letters of my grand-kids

M organ A ndrew E than

- small red heart under each letter

wishing you well through this process

good luck

kathy

[MeAndTinyTina 241]

@@proudgrammy Thank you Kathy for your post. So glad you are a 15-year survivor! I do not want big breasts either, but I do want something! I somewhat nervous because I can't imagine too many plastic surgeons who specialize in post-cancer reconstruction have tons of experience with WLS patients. However, I am seeing someone at Yale I'm told is great on Monday, and then getting a second opinion at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York on Tuesday. I know I am very luck to have good insurance and live in the greater New York area where there are fabulous cancer hospitals.

Can't wait until this is behind me. By the New Year I should be good as new -- or better!

Ellen

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

lucky to have good insurance

@@MeAndTinyTina

you sure are

i was too

i found a wonderful plastic surgeon who was very experienced with breast reconstruction

doc had done many, many reconstructions

doc said he had has done reconstruction for post WLS patients and CA patients and "regular" people too

i don't "think" any plastic surgeon SPECIALIZES in breast reconstruction after CA

i do think certain plastic surgeons have more experience working with breasts - CA or not

good luck dealing with the monster of cancer

take one day at a time

hold your head high

continued success for the rest of your healthier, happier , CA free, longer life

hugggggs

kathy

[MeAndTinyTina 241]

Thought I would post an update. I had a second opinion from Sloan Kettering in New York, and both Sloan and Yale recommend lumpectomy with partial reconstruction. So I won't be getting the "free" dummy tuck by moving my middle to my breasts, but the plastic surgeon will be lifting the girls, which is certainly the silver lining in all of this. I decided that getting both breasts removed at this point was too drastic for the situation. So, after the surgery I will get radiation, 5 days a week for 6 weeks (starting about a month after surgery). I'm nervous about many things, but chief among my worries is gaining weight during treatment. I hope I'll be able to go to the gym, but I've been told I won't be going full blast like I usually do. I will have to be very serious about what I eat. Being at home all day is hard for me -- the refrigerator is only a few steps away. Only has "good" food - but overeating is still an issue for me. I suspect I will be on this forum a lot -- for the distraction and the inspiration!

Ellen

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

UPDATE

"after surgery I will get radiation

my worries is gaining weight during treatment

hope I'll be able to go to the gym"

@@MeAndTinyTina

hi there

when is surgery planned?

you mentioned December??

not a doc - below are just my thoughts, comments

radiation is much different then chemo that i had

i lost weight due to nausea, vomiting

i don't "think" a side effect from radiation is weight gain!!

not positive (covering my asssss if i'm wrong

not sure - but i think you shouldn't be worried about weight gain

"hope" I'll be able to go to the gym

you said "I've been told I won't be going full blast like I usually do."

if doc says its ok to go to gym, and you feel ok, great

don't overdue, don't do more than your body allows'

getting nervous, anxious, scared for surgery, wondering about when going to gym

similar to your thoughts of having sleeve sleeve surgery

(CA of course more serious)

always great to receive updates

thanx for taking the time to post

my crystal ball shows 2016 to be a healthier, happier new year

good vibes sent your way for the success of CA surgery

good luck

kathy

hugggggs

[MeAndTinyTina 241]

Thank you Cathy! I sign the surgery consent forms on Monday and they'll give me a date then. Hopefully soon -- It's been about a month since diagnosis and it's starting to get to me.

Ellen