just wanted to know if anyone else had suffered with this- I’m looking for reassurrance as it’s really getting me down.
I had a masectomy and diep reconstruction about 4 weeks ago.Everything is going fine except for my tummy.The scar goes from hip to hip but just on my right is an open wound about 3-4 inches long. I’m having to attend a dressing clinic weekly and my husband is doing the daily dressing.It is healing slowly but is quite uncomfortable.The nurse has told me it can happen and it will recover slowly-even months.
Unfortunately it looks like I have got to have chemo and this wil be delayed while I have this wound.This is really upsetting as I just want to get on and recover! I’m walking a bit stooped as I try to protect it but the physio has told me to try and straighten-easier said than done.
If it wasn’t for this I would feel like I am getting there!!! No matter how hard I am trying to be positive it’s getting harder. Can you tell I’m having a bad day-lol!
Jennie x
Hi Jennie
I had the same op as you 6 weeks ago and know exactly how you feel about just wanting to get on with things. I was supposed to start chemo last Wednesday but have had a bit of a bumpy road to recovery and it has been delayed until this Wednesday now. My tummy scar is fine but I have had problems with leaking fat necrosis from my reconstructed breast and when I went in to have a port a cath put in for my chemo my lung was punctured by accident!!! (very very very rare occurence I was reassured but it doesn’t feel like being ‘rare’ when it happens to me!). Anyway I just wanted to reassure you in the same way that the docs reassured me that they only offer DIEP reconstruction at the same time as mastectomy in people who don’t need immediate chemo and who they are happy for the chemo to be delayed for and they even consider the possibility of complications delaying matters further than expected. By the time I start my chemo this week I will be 11 weeks since diagnosis.
Like you I was really stooped immediately post surgery and am glad to report that I seemed to turn a corner around the 5 week mark, suddenly I could walk upright and last night was the first night I slept completely flat without a pile of pillows under my knees. I have also being having good and bad days and last week when they cancelled my chemo I was distraught but I figure that there is a long road ahead and I just have to take these set backs on the chin and move on otherwise it gets so hard to remain positive.
You are not alone and you will get through this and hey we all have bad days and thats all it is, a bad day, tomorrow is another day, onwards and upwards etc etc etc
In the meantime I really hope your tummy scar recovers, am sending you all my positive vibes in the hope you have a few easier days ahead.
Good luck
Pip x
Hi Jennie
I am sorry to read that you are going through such a worrying time and just wanted to say that you may find it helpful to talk things through with one of our helpliners, they can offer you support and a ‘listening ear’. The number is 0808 800 6000 and it’s open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and Sat 9am-2pm.
Best wishes
Katie
Dear Jennie
Sorry to hear about the problem with healing on your tummy scar. You and I had the mastectomy and DIEP operation around the same time (mine was on 26th March). Although mine seems to be healing OK, I did have to wait what seemed like a long time between the (final, eventual) diagnosis of Invasive Lobular Cancer and actually having the operation. There were just no plastic surgery slots available. I was very worried about the length of time but, as eal69eal says, I got some reassurance that a few weeks extra wait was unlikely to affect the progress of the cancer. I’m starting Chemo (all being well) on Tues 22nd April. I do hope your wound heals up well soon. The body can cope with such a lot.
Very best wishes
Hazel
I had my mast and immediate DIEP on 1 March and started chemo last Friday, six weeks. All scars are doing well, I massage Palmers Cocoa Butter lotion into them two or three times a day and am thinking of trying Bio Oil. It’s expensive - has anyone used it? I have a dog-ear to be dealt with when I eventually have nipple recon done later on. Worst thing is the numb panel, and the tummy being so tight, it often feels like a labour contraction if I move from sitting to standing. I’m still wearing a firm-control girdle and high impact sports bra day and night, recommended for 3 months, have tried without but miss the support. I take the dog out every day and walking for 40 mins or so does make it more comfortable. My team were less concerned about delaying chemo to suit me than delaying surgery as I’d wanted, to fit round daughter’s exams. Hope your wound improves Jennie, is it just fluid building up, or an infection? Hugs, Lyn xxx
thanks for the comments- I feel so vunerable at the moment, I got all tearful when I read them.
My friend bought me a note book and pen yesterday to write a sort of feeling diary which I intend to do.She told me it was an idea passed on from a friend of hers who has been there and how it helped her immensely.
There is no infection just the wound does not want to heal in a hurry. My lovely patient husband is dressing it daily and the nurse is keeping a weekly check. I’ve stopped wearing the corset thing as that was becoming more of a pain as it was beginning to crease along the wound.Into firm control girdles which help until I need the loo. I have to anticipate when I need to go to allow my contortion act to begin!!!
Pip - thanks for that reassurance,actually it does help.When having bad days just can’t think logically! But your right and I must keep reminding myself too!!!
Lyn - I hope your chemo is ok,I’m seeing the oncologist on Mon 21st to find out about mine. As for Bio -oil I’m the same,want to know if anyone has tried it first.
thanks again everyone hugging you all back Jennie xxxx
Hi guys
I was advised to use bio-oil and am using it. It does work but it is expensive however that said it seems to last for ages. I reckon a cheaper cocoa butter moisturiser would do the trick if you didn’t want to spend the £££ on the bio-oil
Hope this helps
Pip
Sorry me again, I just read your entry Palomino, that’s the stuff I meant the Palmer Cocoa Butter stuff, I used it to try and prevent stretch marks when I was pregnant and I thought it worked well. I reckon it would work just as well as bio oil.
Pip
Hi
I had mast and diep last September. Had nasty wound on recon which had to be dressed daily until November and then every other day until week before xmas. At the time I thought I would never feel ‘normal’ again. I just want to say that 6 months later I am absolutely fine. Scars are all looking good, as in they are beginning to fade. Last week I returned for tidy up job and nipple recon, back to being a bit swollen on boob but other than that feel fine.
I know at the time it seems like an age especially if awaiting chemo but looking back now I can not believe how well I have recovered in 6 months. Those days of utter confusion and not making sense and feeling down and shitty will pass.
I used bio oil, it is expensive but my scars look good. I may now change to PCB stuff as it is cheaper, so thanks for advice.
Take care all of you and good luck.
Hi Jennie
I had a diep recon last Oct 27th. Because I am slim the surgeon took as much tummy as he could which meant that everything was extremely tight afterwards. I had 2 patches in the middle of the scar each about 2" long, which didn’t heal. The BC nurse, who is also a plastics nurse, told me it was where the skin had been stretched so much that there weren’t any blood vessels in that area and the new skin would have to grow. It looked like I had lost the top layers of skin and I had dressings on it for a couple of months. It’s all healed up now but doesn’t look very nice despite rubbing dermatix cream in religiously.
Hope this helps and good luck when the chemo starts
fantan
thanks fantan,
my husband has been dressing this daily and has tld me me that he is beginning to see an improvement.Not sure if he is trying to cheer me up or not.Anyway I’m seeing the plastic surgeon tomorrow,mostly for peace of mind.
Still not sure when chemo starts,I saw my oncologist yesterday for a chat and he said he would prefer my wound to be better first but it may not delay things. Got to have scans etc first anyway so chemo starts approx 2-3 weeks.
As for being skinny I don’t really have that problem! But when I was in hospital after surgery,the corset was so uncomfortable as I suffer with psoriasis,I was given a softer one.Then the doctor came in and removed the steri-strips.I think this probably didn’t help as it’s mostly on my side where I get out of bed etc.
anyway speak soon jennie x
Can anyone tell me how long this op takes?
Hi Dawn
It varies. I was told 6-8 hours but in fact was in theatre nearer 10!. The surgeon said that it was because the surgeon assisting him wasn’t as experienced as he would have liked so he did it all himself. Also I think he had a bit of a problem collecting enough fat and sewing me up because my skin was tight and he’d taken away so much! (See my post above). I think being under anaesthetic for so long made my recovery a bit longer. I was still having afternoon naps 4 months after. But I’m back at work now and suffering just the usual menopausal/tamoxifen tiredness!
Hope this helps
fantan
hello ladies!
just thought I would update you on my tummy.Well I saw PS yesterday and he has decided that I am to have it cleaned and stiched.This could be done uner a local but I am such a woose I have asked for a general.It’s a simple procedure and only takes about half an hour.But I bet I have to wear that blooming corset again!!!
Typically though this has been arranged for Tues 29th and I have an appointment for the chemo suite on Wed and my bone scan on the Thurs!!! I’m now trying to rearrange everything including hubby’s work and the kids! For so long everything is a waiting game then it all comes at once!
Shouldn’t complain shoud I???!!!???
Fantan - I don’t know actually how long my op was but I know I went down about 8.30 in the morning and I was on the ward about 9ish.I agree with fantan being under for so long seems recovery is longer-I’m only 5 weeks post op and I am definately having afternoon naps or at least resting.
well I feel better for getting that off my chest! - THANKS Jennie x