I had a bi-lateral Diep on 22nd November and the left breast is open underneath and they have now said its too big to heal and needs a skin graft.
Has anyone else had this to help an open wound? I was told yesterday it is urgent yet the date I have been gven is 15th Jan which means the wound will have been open for 6 weeks and its 6" long and 1" wide, I am starting to worry about infection and getting thoroughly fed up with the dressings every other day which is causing havoc on my skin.
Any reassurance would be great, they seem fairly blase at the hospital.
I had Diep reconstruction on 18th Sept then on 25th Oct I had a large amount of dead tissue removed which left an open cavity approx 3.5inches x 1.5 inches and deep enough to hold a golf ball (husband said). My consultant said this would take about six weeks to heal. The wound was packed out with aquacell AG and dressed everyday, initially be district nurse then alternating days with hubby. This has now healed by itself and no skincraft was needed. The daily dressing changed caused soreness and irritation to my skin initially, Cavilon Barrier film wipes were used which virtually eradicated the problem. We also used Zoff adhesive remover wipes which eased the dressing off and reduced inflammation. We varied the size of top dressing to change the adhesive site.
Don’t know if this is any help. I was worried about infection too so cleaned daily with Saline (steripods)…
I had no pain, do you feel anything. I also was very swollen.
Good luck, hope all goes well, if I can think of any thing else I will let you know.
Take Care.
Linda
Thanks for your reply Linda, good to know I am not the only one. Did the nurse suggest the barrier wipes or did you find them? I am going through calamine cream like no tomorrow now on the upper tum! Your wound was big too and yet healed, I wonder why mine say it wont? I am having Aquacell also on the wound and the various nurses doing the dressing all do it their way so it does change the area to be taped. My problem seems to be when they use thick tape and put it on very tight. How does it look now its healed? Its so hard to imagine right now mine ever looking good. I have no pain either, just a slight pulling when I move sometimes so thats good news at least. Your husband was very good dressing the wound, I think mine would pass out if he had to Lol
Hi to you both.
It was so nice to hear others with same problems. I had mine on 6th DEC. Everything OK looks gt except for this bit under boob that wont heal. They reckon i was allergic to the mepore dressing. I have had district nurses changing daily but they all have there own ideas on how to treat it so i feel nothing has time to work. I was having aquacel etc for a week. I then saw consultant last Thursday he didn’t like look of it but said no infection as i was well and it didn’t smell. He explained it that it was like a graze and needed air to heal. so just dressed it with gauze type called release dressing and tape to hold it on. Well next two nurses agreed so every hour or so i was taking tape off and letting it all hang out. I thought it was getting better then at night i was letting air get to it pulled tape of and my skin came of as well obviously toooooo much pressure in same area. Basically i think this was my problem all along dressings on dressings off in same place made it saw not me allergic. Anyway to get over tape issue i got a sports bra very big and i use that to hold dressing in place. Mon nurse came and said the air is full of bugs you need it covered as looks infected… no smell though. She had some INADIINE dressing very orange colour and said they r antiseptic and will heal it up very quickly. You can tell infected if inadine is soaked up orange colour goes. so now had this for three days. i cant see an improvement nurse today says clean and nothing on as going back to consultant tomorrow and see what he says. Like you ladies i have no pain in fact still quite numb in that area. i have it dressed daily as oozing a bit. I feel bad because if it weren’t for this i would feel a lot better. The shape of new boob etc looks gt although still swollen. I do still have a lot of fluid around area so again see what they say about that tomorrow. I spoke to my doctor and he reckons a good four weeks to heal well i am two and locks no different… any advice from you ladies again would help. thanks JULIE.
Hi,
My wound took 8and half weeks before the dressing stopped. Both docs and nurses agreed that it should be covered at all times. It seemed to take ages to heal to begin with though consultants and nurses said the slower the better as the stronger the tissue would be. Boob looks fine (if you can say that as there is no nipple) now, a few dents and it does seem to change shape. I just have to accept that the end result will be good, after all the lipo and nipple and tatooing. Still have not stood naked in front of mirror yet - not ready for that - hubby says I look beautiful and new boob is marvellous. Biggleybob - the boob always felt comfortable with dressings on, the sports bra gave me support. Tell the nurses that you can feel the pulling and see what they advise. I am still wearing sportsbra morning, noon and night, can’t wait to change.
Hope you both had a good Christmas. We did, busy, tiring and mad a normal, kids etc but worth it!.
Take care, let me know how your wounds come along and I will keep you informed on lipo front.
Oh yes I am going to manual lymph massage on 10th January, Lymphedema specialist thinks this will help with swelling round boob and tum area which will mean earlier lipo. Will let you know if this helps.
Best wishes
Linda xx
Well, I had the skin graft last Friday and go back tomorrow to see if its worked. They take more skin than they need so have extra if needed. I am praying it has, soo fed up of dressings on various parts of my body not to mention the straitjacket they put on me after the graft!
Poor you having to have a skin graft, will keep my fingers crossed for you that everything ok this time. Another friend of mine who’s just had a DIEP at Salisbury had problems with the “plumbing” blood not pumping out of new boob, she had 2 hours in recovery then had to go back for a further 12 hours to be re-plumbed this time they used vessels from top of arm. It makes my wound problems seem insignificant compared to you two. I’m still having dressings changed every 3 days but am hoping by the end of this week things will have improved enough to stop having to go to the surgery. Apart from the wound problems how are you doing? did you have a nice xmas and new year (or is that a silly question) heres to a healthy 2008 and all surgery behind us.
Happy New Year
Love
Clare (S)
Graft failed! When they took dressing off it had gone, they think a bug had basically eaten it. Which means another week of dressing to try and get rid of infection then back next week to see surgeon. Also the extra skin they kept will probably be too old so almost certainly another graft taking skin from the other leg.
Apart from that I feel fine Clare, so annoying as I could be back to normailty if it had worked. All the dogs I come into contact with are keen to smell me too Lol They go straight to the wound areas.
What I havent asked is what happens if grafts keep failing, the wound is still about 6" x 1" so very large.
I had a good Christmas and New Years Eve so fingers crossed for 2008 for us all!
hi all
i have had another week of district nurses trying different things. all think they know best. been back to consultant today and he says it looks worse and wants to admit me so his nurse can treat it. i refused and said i would go in daily to be checked. he wants no dressings just release to protect clothes and let air get to it as much as poss. well i am going to try this until Mon when go back to see him… to be honest its getting me down but no pain no infection and i cant see it as under the boob so if it takes 6 months i don’t really mind.
what have nurses been treating you all with… the last bout i had was inadine and gauze over it. that was drying it out nicely so nurse put on a gel dressing new thing to release the dead skin. first day after she came and said its doing its job. it looks messy but in a few days should be on mend. then consultant contradicts today and says worse… who and what do i believe… after all can he really remember me after a whole week of patients ops etc… he says hes not seen anything like it… there’s no hole. i did hear him mumble skin graft but don’t want that…i just don’t know what to do they all think they are right and little old me knows nothing… sorry to go on but seems one step forward and two back… have a good weekend all julie
Hi a very confused me again. If you have time to answer the folowing q it may help me thanks in advance.
How did yours start.
When did it start.
What treatment
How long till improved.
And anything else that mey help. thanks i am going to start another thread as well in case you dont reply. thanks have a good weekend again
xxxxxxjuliexxxxxx
Gosh Julie, you sound in a pickle too! My Diep was great until I came out of hospital, so probably it opened up on about the 12th day. I noticed lots of red oozing under the taped scar and went back to the dressing clinic and they said oh dear, the skin under the left flap looks unhealthy. I couldnt see so wasnt too worried. After a week of dressings went back and the surgeon said carry on with the dressings, no skin graft yet. This was when I was told how big the opening was. 6" x 1".
The following week they say yes it needs a skin graft as its too big. Till the graft I had Aquacell dressings on it and it oozed constantly, after the failed graft I am having Inadine dressings. 6 weeks since op now and wondering how much longer.
Hi i was having aqua cell dressings as advised by nurse. Then consultant said air. Next nurse didn’t agree and put inadine on i had this for about 4 days Then said it was drying up so put some aquacoolgel dressing on to lift dead white skin. I had it one day, nurse came next day and said it looked as though doing job as had lifted a bit of skin. so redid it saw consultant next day. He when went mad… i and nurses thought getting better slowly… so now dont know what to do. Do your nurses and consultants agree. Do you have same nurse daily. Are you in pain at all. Mine is not actually on the scar its under the boob if you know what i mean. New nurse due soon. I have said it just needs cleaning which actually makes it bleed a bit but that shows its healthy apparently, then i am going to lay on bed for an hour and let it dry. My consultant says its like a graze let air get to it it will heal quicker. any thoughts… xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxjuliexxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Julie I know exactly what you mean about all the different opinions. I am sick of seeing different nurses and trying to explain, and yes they all have their own ideas on what to do. I confess I havent looked at mine still, its always covered or I am laying flat having it dressed, I dont think I want to see it either. Do you have this horrible smell, a bit like the smell you get in a butchers? I dont eat meat and its under my nose all the time, vile!
My next news will be Thursday when I go back to see my surgeon who will hopefully decide to use the spare skin to graft again. Also I am going to demand they tell me what the infection was. As for pain, until the graft I had no pain, since its been uncomfortable, especially when the nurse cleans it, and even more so when she demonstrated the loose stitches I had by pulling on one!
Hope you improve now, and our wounds start to miraculously close!
Clare, I was told 4 months off work though I am sure thats an outside length of time. I think the break sounds a great idea, hope you can go. My hols are in July so surely I should be fine by then? Sorry to hear about your tum, what a pain.
Hi
Well over the weekend and air to it constantly looked better. went to see consultant today he agrees. i said a bit awkward hanging out all the time. he called on a tissue fibre nurse who felt honoured as apparently consultants don’t ask for help often. she said she would use gel stuff nurses started to use on me. he said no air it and come back wed. the nurse gave me a heal dressing so cut open a bit and with it on look like Madonna. the nurse said just keep on and let bra down so air gets to it. i have and now had a look and god to me its got worse well back to stage when i hadn’t aired it… i think i need to air it bare again. will do my son off to work soon as on nights i am going to have lights out a cuppa and watch TV and see if it improves. xjuliex
Julie how confusing for you! It just goes on and on doesnt it? When I had mine dressed today the practice nurse said again she was amazed the hospital didnt test for infection before doing a graft, but the hospital is a specialist one in plastic surgery so goodness knows what to think.
I hope the airing does the trick and you see more improvement though. Also, I dont suppose you have lots of peeling skin do you? The other boob / flap is peeling like no tomorrow and the one with wound has started too.
hi biggypop
hi had good night aired half as on;y put half amount of foam dressing on and that Left other half away from bra. so hopefully now when go back tomorrow they will see half been aired and half not and then advise me… the smell you get i did get this once when i had it covered all day and took dressing off now airing cant say i have any smell. apparently smell is sign of infection. i have no peeling skin as yet… what are you doing about washing etc i am not sure what’s best… i am back at hospital tomorrow am. take care julie xx
Julie washing is a real pain, I cant shower because of wound on new boob, I cant bath because of wound on thigh where they took the skin. I long for a proper bath. The last nurse put a charcoal pad over the dressing to combat the smell and it seems to be working too. Hope you get some good news at the hospital, my appointment is Thursday.
Hi Biggypop
Just got back from hospital and he says the airing has made a vast improvement and thinks its turned the corner now starting to mend. he has cancelled my Fri apt but i am to go if i fell the need. i am going back to see him on Monday. funny thing was i didn’t think any better well who am i… i did air it a lot last night as i laid down topless in lounge and watched eastenders then holby city then the new drama mistresses. then went to bed. i got in bath do do bottom half and had a job to get out due to lack of use in arm… Good luck Thursday let us know how you get on. take care. xxxjuliexxx
Maybe you have turned the corner now, I know its hard to believe anything you hear after all the different opinion. I watched Mistresses too, looks good doesnt it? Will report tomorrow after seeing the surgeon too. Praying spare skin is still useful 
Jackie