I had Diep flap surgery in March 25..I now have a bulge to me left side which my consultant advise exercises and said I have been left with a weakness ..sometime I feel if I am carrying a weight in my belly lol ..does anyone else have this experience I don’t have a flat stomach like I did after the op and don’t know how I can reduce the swelling ??
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Hi. Does your surgeon mean the post op exercises to build strength on that side? Your team might be able to refer you to a physio to give you something more tailored to your needs. It may be your muscles need resetting and something like Pilates might help with strengthening your core muscles and building strength.
Hi cassidy13,
Thanks for posting.
As your consultant has said developing a bulge in the area the tissue was taken can sometimes happen with DIEP flap reconstruction and this is often due to a weakness in the area. Our breast reconstruction booklet has further information about what to expect in the longer term after surgery.
As @bluetit11 suggest you could ask your consultant or treatment team for a referral to a physiotherapist who may help with any exercises needed to strengthen this area on your left side and possibly reduce the bulge.
You may also want to post in this part of the forum to hear from others who may have experienced this after DIEP flap reconstruction.
Talking to someone who has had a similar experience can often be helpful. Our Someone Like Me service can match you with a trained volunteer who’s had a similar experience to you. You can be in touch with your volunteer by phone or email and they can share their personal experiences to help answer your questions, offer support and listen to how you are feeling.
You can ring the Someone Like Me team on 0800 138 6551 or email them at someone.likeme@breastcancernow.org, so they can then match you to your volunteer.
The breast reconstruction support organisation keeping abreast may also be able to offer further information and support
It’s not clear from your post if your consultant has asked to see you again to assess if your symptoms are improving. If they haven’t it may be helpful to ask how long you should give the exercises before asking to be seen again.
We also offer a range of other free supportive services which you may be interested in.
Do call our helpline if you would like to talk this through or have any further questions. The helpline team have time to listen, talk things through and signpost you to additional support and information if necessary. Your call will be confidential, and the number is free from UK landlines and all mobile networks.
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Best wishes,
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