Lisa - just picked up this thread and see you’re having DIEP really soon - is it on Saturday? I know how keen you were to have this operation so you must be really excited (and a bit terrified).
Hope you get this before you leave for Norwich… just wanted to wish you all the best. Really hope is goes well for you and look forward to hearing all about it when you’re back online.
All the best
Sarah
Hi Sarah
Yes - it is on Saturday morning, 8am. I go in tomorrow for scans and for them to draw lines all over me!
I was reading your thread last night also - I see that you are still undecided.
For me, I dont think I would have had the courage to go through with it if I hadnt found someone I trusted.
Today, I feel ok about it… tomorrow, who knows!!
I admit, that I have shocked myself by how calm I feel about it at the moment. I do get a little pancky at moments, and I do wake up thinking about it, and fall asleep thinking about it. But, hey - its a big thing to us girls who have had a mastectomy.
One of the things that help me decide was meeting Gill C while I was in Norwich for my first appt with Elaine Sassoon. Gill ws 7 weeks post op, and when she showed me the breast and tummy area, I was amazed at the ‘workmanship’ of this Elaine Sassoon (who I hadnt met at that point).
By the fact that you are still troubled and undecideded about a recon, indicates to me, that you may not be truly happy and content untill you have done it. Once I had decided and I had a date, I was more relaxed about the whole one-breast thing because I knew then it was temporary. If a recon is what it takes for you to be at peace with your loss, then just go for it. making the decision releases a lot of stress and you are focused on moving forward. Ill let you know how I get on.
Lisa
Hi Lisa - great to hear from you.
I have now been back to Whiston this week and I think I am starting to move towards being sure, sure that I want it. I like my surgeon very much and I do trust him. I have now seen photos of his work too. The day after my appointment, feeling that I was making the decision (at last), I did feel more peaceful. I am glad that you say the stress is released, I too want to move forward. It just takes a lot of energy just trying to decide - no-one else could understand how difficult this is unless they had to make the decision too.
Wishing you all the best then Lisa. Hope everything goes as smoothly as possible. I am really pleased you have got to this point so soon.
Sarah
Hi Lisa
Well you dont have long to wait now, I wish you so much good luck.
On Wednesday I went to a lecture run by the man who does the tummy part, (Richard, dont remember his surname), he did a fantastic presentaion on plastic surgery, I saw ladies who had had the surgery by him and Elaine and the results far exceeded my expectations.
I saw Elaine yesterday, she thinks I will have to wait until the end of February.
Good luck (I am so jealous), come back online as soon as you can.
Deb
XXX
Hi :Lisa
I still keep thinking about you and hoping all went well. I saw a message on another thread sayign you were very happy with your new boob.
I am changing my username as I dont want people to be able to google my thoughts and concerns, so next time I send you a message you may think its from a complete dtranger.
Hope you are feeling well.
Deb
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Hi Girls
Yes - I am very pleased with my new boob. I came out of hospital a few hours ago, and am staying in Norwich until after my follow-up with Elaine Sassoon next Tuesday. Having been bored to tears with tv and my surroundings I though I would logon and see how you are all doing and to wow about my new-look bod!
I am walking very stooped, and a bit concerned that I may bump into something as I cant see where I am going! It’s all looking good though.
Gill C, SallyLou and AliB popped into see me, and it was really lovely to seem them all - it brightened my days!!
Would I recommend travelling to Elaine and her team (including Richard Hayward) - absolutely! They are the perfect team and compliment each other perfectly.
My op was 5 hours long, a lot shorter than most, and I feel that the whole experience was noware near as daunting as I though it was going to be.
The trust that I had played a large part but compared to how I was before my mastectomy in May (hynotherapy and diazapam), I felt at ease with my decision.
Cant wait until I can get to the shops for some new clothes!
Lisa X
Hi
I’m due to have my DIEP next week so reading these messages has been really informative and comforting. I now know that I need to get those M&S knickers and I need some button through pyjamas and not nighties (just bought 2 new nighties so wont take those). I’ve also been told that the room will be really hot. I’m just getting my head around having a catheter - I can cope with the drains as had mastectomy and immediate recon 6 years ago.
I keep thinking that I hope I’ve done the right thing (bit worried about being under for so long) but don’t want another implant as I had capsular probs soon after my recon and now its ruptured and besides I have enough flabby tummy to make six or seven boobs!
Anyway thanks for the info
Carole
Hi Carole
You wont look back! I am excited for you!!
After my first night out of hospital, I feel so much better. I have slept for 10 hours - and has made a big difference!
Good luck next week, and dont worry about a thing. Catheter was ok - you arent really aware of it being it, and it is just a strange sensation when it comes out - not painful. |To compare it to drains it is less to worry about.
Lisa X
Hey Lisa!!
Chanced upon this thread and so pleased to hear that it’s done and dusted. Fantastic news - been thinking about you loads.
I started my rads last week and my herceptin yesterday, all going ok. I have a CT scan today of chest & abdomen for a check - I coughed up a clot a few weeks ago. I’m not feelinlg wobbly about that though as I’d had a chest infection at the end of chemo.
Enjoy having 2 breasts!!!
Td xxx
Hi Td!
So great to hear from you, I was thinking about you yesterday also.
It must be good feeling that the main chemo is behind you now.
How is the hair coming along?
2 breasts - like I never only had one. Its just so comfortable now.
John was just going through the washing, and he came across the bra I was wearing last, with my prosthesis in it.
‘What shoud I do we that’, I said.
‘Well, I could cover it with felt and use it to support one of my guitars’…
I suppose that’s as good as anything!!
Keep in touch!
Lisa
you could start a new thread there - ‘new uses for a falsie’ !
Td x
I’m thinking of putting my prosthesis on ebay (it would probably get snapped up by a cross-dresser/transvestite - and I live in Brighton so very likely) - and then giving the proceeds to an appropriate charity.
HI Lisa
I am so pleased that all went well, I was thinking about you. Are you walking any straighter yet??
How are you getting on staying in Norwich.
Deb
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Hi Deb
The house here in Norwich is very nice. It was great to be out of hospital.
Resting and eating in hospital is not good. Sorry, the food was horrible.
I have been eating for Britain this week.
I am still not straight. The tightness is very high up and not around the scaring which is surprising me. We actually went out for Sunday lunch yesterday which was lovely, even though I was walking very stooped. It was good to get out.
Lisa
Hi Lisa
I am glad it all went so well. Is the crucial time for any problems with the flap the first 24-48 hours? I am considering having a DIEP. I have already seen Elaine Sassoon about having an IGAP but unfortunately I was unsuitable for this procedure. Elaine did say that I would be suitable for DIEP but the scar on the tummy is scary to me.
Will you need any further surgery to your other breast or have you been given a perfect match?
I suppose it is showers only for you at the moment. Are you in any discomfort now you are discharged from the hospital? I am amazed that you did not experience much pain whilst in hospital.
Well done you !
Hi Cora,
I saw Elaine last week about having an IGAP (she’s already performed a DIEP on me) and she agreed - I’m wondering why you’re unsuitable for this procedure?
And yes, the first 24-48 hours are the most crucial time. I didn’t mind having the scar on my tummy, especially as I had a perfect match to my “good” side, with no need for any revisions. Now she’s got to get a match to the first recon! She did say though this would be done over 2 ops - the first one to do the recon, and the second one to adjust my first recon to my second(!) I think I may end up being one of the few (or only?) people to have both a DIEP and and IGAP - would be nice to hear from anyone else who has had both.
Sally x
Hi Cora
The new breast hopefully will match the existing one! Considering that it is only 10 days since my op, the breast is looking very good. It will soften and droop to match the other one. Miss Sassoon tells me it will be about 3 months, and then I can go back for her to do the nipple.
I may need some lipofilling at the top of the breast depending on how the breast settles (my mastectomy started quite high up just under the collar bone). However, it looks ok at the moment, but we wont see the true shape etc for a few months.
The tummy scar looks more painful than it actually is. The area is quite numb, and the whole tummy area from under the breasts down is very tight. There is maybe a little soreness at the sides.
It is a discomfort more than anything - not pain. The flat tummy is a great bonus also!
If you are suitable for DIEP, then I would say that should be a first choice for any woman - and most certainly take the advise of Elaine Sassoon!
Hope you make the right decision for you though
Lisa x
Lisa - FANTASTIC NEWS! So pleased for you, sounds like everything has gone so well. Brilliant. Well done. I have thought about you often since the day of surgery.
Sarah
Hi everyone
If I do decide to have reconstruction then Elaine Sassoon will definitely be the surgeon for me. She listened to what I said I wanted and even told my husband off when she thought he was contradicting me (he wasn’t, he was trying to help me by offering other suggestions when he could see I was being turned down for IGAP as he knew I would be very disappointed). I am of very small build and Elaine Sassoon said that she would not be able to get a large enough flap from my buttock to match my 34 B remaining breast. Also the radiotherapy has apparently left me very tight so the reconstruction would need to start higher up than my mastectomy scar. I was disappointed as I had planned to get the ball rolling there and then when I had my appointment and ask to be booked in for IGAP surgery as soon as possible.
So you could be famous Sally. You are certainly keeping Elaine Sassoon in business. I haven’t heard of anyone else who has undergone IGAP and DIEP- wow!
If the area is really tight Lisa aren’t you worried that your scar might come apart?(stupid question I know but I just want to know in case I do go ahead with DIEP).
Take care x
Hi Cora
The tightness isnt specifically on the scar - it is the area from under the breast down to the pelvic area - a large area. I dont feel like it is going to burst open - it is a strong tighness (I dont think I am explaining it very well). I would certainly go through it again to get this result.
The whole experience was a lot better than I had thought it was going to be, and the results even early on now are very impressive.
I keep looking down, but it is like I never lost my breast at all. I am totally at peace now.
I had my follow up today with Elaine Sassoon. She is very pleased with the results and advises that I dont need to come down to Norwich again until my nipple recon. We are going back up to Middlesbrough tomorrow to avoid the snow later in the week, and I can open my box of nice bras!!!
Sarah - have you decided how you are going to proceed?
Lisa X