Hi, 

It's a very personal choice and so the decision is all yours. I said to myself when making the decision that it is me who has to live with the results for the rest of my life.

After much discussion with BCN's, Surgeon's and reading the breast cancer now reconstruction booklet and recovery chart, I opted for the diep flap. I had my surgery two weeks ago today and I am very pleased with the results and positively surprised at how well I am recovering.

If you want to know anything else, let me know and I'll be happy to tell you. 
 
All the best with your decision making and I'd love to hear what you decide. 
 

Mickey xx ️

Many thanks for your response and great to hear how well it has gone for you, how long do you think you will be recovering? 

Did you opt for stomach fat removal and how does it feel now? I am a bit worried about messing with more parts of my body so the implant seems more straightforward but as you say this is for life.

thanks again

Hi

I was up and about after 2 days. They encourage you to be up ASAP. The drains are fine you don't really notice them and mine where taken out while in hospital. You also have a catheter which again is taken out ASAP. Once that's gone then your up and walking. The more you do the better. I walked around my cubicle every couple of hours as wanted to get home as soon as poss. I did end up staying in 7 days as I got an ear infection! If all things. Once home I was up every day but did spend a lot of time on the sofa. Usually a little walk and then a rest. Recovery is on going and does take about 6 weeks as you can't drive and lift anything initially but I'm guessing it'll be something similar for implant. Tummy cut is big as it does go from hip to hip but that healed really well. You are left with a scar of course and mine is at the top of where my knicjerbline would be if wearing a normal pair of knickers. I wouldn't be wearing a bikini! But I wouldn't have worn one anyway! Lol. Tummy is numb some days but that is fading. They actually pull your skin down so your tummy is flat. Mine lost a how overhang from my c section scar so was a bonus! 
You need someone with you for at least a week as you'll not feel up to too much, my husband went back to work after that. I was grateful when he came home though and he did cook tea every night so I could rest. It is definitely a big op and will take time to fully recover but you are not bed ridden or anything like that. Hope that helps and to you all good luck with whatever ops you chose. 
xx

Thanks for all your brilliant advice gals and honestly I would be lost without all the tips and support so thank you to everyone ... good to hear there are some bonuses to these challenging times re tummy! Also a good sign that you managed the surgery even with the caesarean scar.  And with the pandemic at least that might help to have more support around me which thankfully I will have. 
I was unsure how much time to take off work as keen to get back to working remotely but it might be difficult to sit up at a computer desk?

thanks again  
xxxx SL

I had a heart shaped pillow that fits underarm to rest your arm on but that was given to me by McMillan charity. That was good  I also has a microwave heat pillow that was comforting. I wore vesty type tops at first and then got front fastening bras later on.I was amazed how quickly the scar healed . The nurses advised E45 after healing. 
Best wishes

Silver

Thanks for the tips Silver good to hear scars heal quickly too. 

Hi re products, 

Luckily I had a heart shaped small bean bag cushion from years ago and I have to say that was a godsend. Although I had no pain under my arm on the reconstructed side, largely because they did not make a separate incision there to remove my sentinel lymph node(s), as done from the breast op site, however, my other arm had various skin nicks and grazes from the surgery (I have very sensitive skin) and so I used the bean bag under that arm to stop the skin from rubbing on those wounds. That really really helped. 

In terms of bras, I knew I would be given one front opening hook and eye white one at hospital in advance and I was given it the day after surgery. For info, although again different hospitals have different practices, I wasn't put in a bra until my breast drain was removed.  I booked an online post surgery bra fitting session at M&S pre-op. It was really helpful, none of the post surgery bras actually fitted me very well, but they suggested I tried their flexi-fit front zip (with a hook to easily do up) and that was perfect for me.  They say to go up size due to swelling post surgery and so I brought two in the next size up, same cup size.  I know others have needed this, but I was lucky and have managed to stay in my usual size bra all the time. 

Again everyone is different and I'm usually a PJ girl for 'slobbing', but I brought some cotton button down the front nightshirts from Amazon and they are good enough to wear as dresses too. I have literally lived in these and so easy to manage when everyone needs to check your wounds/boob etc. Although, I can manage my arms in normal clothes now, I still wear the dresses for apts, as so much easier to access everything with ease and confidence, I have found. 

I have used my sensitive skin lotion on grazes and areas that have needed some care post op. I haven't yet put anything on the scarring, but have been using baby oil to remove stickiness from dressings when they are removed, very gently. 

If you decide on the diep you would also need control pants to keep your tummy shape for first six weeks. Again M&S have a good varied range, but they should be above your belly button and they suggest you go up a size. Depending on where they put your drains, I realised that lower leg cut ones or even their short version ones (forgive me, I forget the proper name for those) are better. 

When in hospital ask for another pair/pairs of DVT socks, one just isn't enough. I ended up with four, I was very lucky, but 2-3 is helpful if you want to change them regularly and not want to add to the burden of someone having to wash yours smalls every day on top of other things. 

That's all I can think of for now, bound to have forgotten something. 

Virtual hugs and support Mickey xx ️

Amazing great tips, thanking you Mickey  

There is also Nicola Jane website for masectomy bras, and they do a good fitting service. But M&S have quite a good range and cheaper. I was given  a soft prothesis by the hospital, 

Silver 

Hi Sarah Louise

i thought I'd share my experience as I have 3 school-age kids. I had the DIEP flap 1 month ago - I had a 1cm tumour of invasive cancer and widespread DCIS in my left breast. I didn't want an implant so asked for the DIEP flap which my consultant had told me about when he gave me my diagnosis. He said I wouldn't get a great result anyway with an implant as I am an A cup. He refers lots of patients for DIEP flaps and agreed it was the best option for me. Re appearance if I wear underwear then I look exactly like I did before - my breasts are completely symmetrical - but with a totally flat stomach. The abdominal scar is hidden by my knickers. There is a circular scar round where my nipple was. I am a size 8 and am finding that my tummy is very tight. I wasn't stooped at all after my op but I'm hoping the tightness relaxes. I'm still wearing control pants which are very tight so I think I will be a lot more comfortable when I can take those off in 2 weeks.

I stayed in hospital for 3 nights. I had 2 drains both of which were taken out before I was discharged. In the hospital they were very keen on us being mobile so I would walk slowly up and down the corridor. When I came home I started walking outside and gradually built up the distance. 2 weeks after the op I was able to walk 5km no problem.

I've had a couple of duvet days since I came home but generally I've got up and dressed every day right from the beginning. I would say it's best to do as little as possible for the first 2 weeks and then you can start increasing. For those first 2 weeks there's a lot to get your head round - working out how to sleep when you have to stay fairly upright, getting dressed and undressed (takes a while as you have compression stockings, control pants and bra to wrestle with), injecting yourself with blood thinner (although not every hospital asks you to do this), doing your physio exercises. The nurse was amazed how well I'd healed after 10 days - I think that was down to how much I rested, and the fact that I was pretty fit beforehand. I did actually visit a friend for coffee 6 days after my op - she lives a 10-minute walk away. Other than that and my walks in the woods I stayed home. That was also because of COVID. I was told it was really important not to get COVID after the op as it has a negative impact on recovery so I stayed away from people - other than my friend who's shielding herself.

My husband took some time off work so he did most stuff with the kids but I was able to do bits and pieces if I paced myself eg sort laundry, cook, play board games with the kids, walk the dog to the groomers with my son (25 mins there, 25 mins back - I did that 3 weeks after the op), wash up. We had a lot of help from our church too - people brought us meals, drove my kids to activities, walked our dog a couple of times and one lovely person drove me on a 3-hour round trip for my follow-up appointment at the dressings clinic. I find it really difficult to ask for help but it was a lifesaver especially as something urgent came up at my husband's work and he couldn't help as much as he'd planned.

Hope that helps. Most days I'm glad I chose the DIEP flap. On removing the cancer and how I look I would say it feels like a miracle. The thing that is hard is the abdominal tightness which I hope will relax in time. Oh one more thingthe hospital lent me a DVD which showed the scarring for the different types of ops. It was really helpful. I think they have uploaded some of the material on their website. There was a brief moment when the plastic surgeon said I might be better using tissue from my inner thighs but I'd seen the scarring for that op and didn't feel comfortable with it. So in the end he did everything he could to make sure I could have the DIEP flap (by repeatedly locating my abdominal blood vessels with a Doppler). It felt a bit odd to care so much about the scarring but you do have to live with your new body. I really like mine - all my pregnancy stretch marks have been removed so I'm intending to live in a bikini when the summer comes!!
 

Wishing you all the best as you work out what's right for you xx

Hi Elizabeth,

thank you very much for sharing your journey. It really has given me a lot of hope along with the other posts! 
I am delighted and inspired to hear your recovery is going so well. I hope your tummy feels better soon but I would think yes when more time has passed it will be better as the body is amazing at adapting so it takes time.

Thanks again for all the detail it's very much appreciated and keep up with the great recovery ️‍  

SL xxx 

Sadly the moderator removed the name of the hospital from my post. The hospital website has a link to YouTube where they've uploaded 11 short videos explaining the different reconstruction options using your own tissue and exactly what you should expect re your hospital stay and recovery. Clearly some of the detail will differ depending on the hospital but I found it so helpful to watch before I met the plastic surgeon - especially the photos of results and the women talking about their experiences. You can DM me if you'd like to know how to find it xx

Sadly the moderator removed the name of the hospital from my post. The hospital website has a link to YouTube where they've uploaded 11 short videos explaining the different reconstruction options using your own tissue and exactly what you should expect re your hospital stay and recovery. Clearly some of the detail will differ depending on the hospital but I found it so helpful to watch before I met the plastic surgeon - especially the photos of results and the women talking about their experiences. You can DM me if you'd like to know how to find it xx

That would be great thanks 

I was given a DVD about reconstruction by the nurses

Hi, 

I just wondered whether you have had your appointment yet and how you are doing? 

Virtual hugs Mickey xx ️

Thanks for thinking of me Mickey xx. Yes I had my apt and they have recommended the Implant with mesh as couldn't do Diep with my body type :-(. Getting my head around that but just want it done now as feel like there is a mountain the climb. So the long wait now for a surgery date. How are you doing? 

Hi

Sorry to hear this but sometimes when the doctors make the decision it does help in the long run. Good luck with the surgery hopefully it'll come soon and you can then get on with your life.

All the best

xxx

Here's hoping. Thanks so much for all your responses

Hi, I'm hoping that you're pleased with the outcome as you were originally thinking about the implant option as an easier recovery option . I must plead my ignorance in respect of the 'mesh' and what part that plays ? 

I know we don't always think to ask at the time, but did you explore what the consultant meant by 'body type'. I was a bit shocked about that as I thought that they could pretty much perform that op on most body types now??  

Yes, the wait seems to be forever, did they give you any indication of a timescale?  I'm still waiting for my post op results including whether my sentinel lymph node(s) are cancerous or clear. I was originally told four weeks due to delays over Christmas and New Year, however, I then got issued a phone apt for 24th Jan (six weeks). Which I was told could change once they get the results if they decide they want a face-to-face. When I was back at the hospital yesterday the results still weren't back. 

I'm four weeks post op today and I consider myself lucky. I've had no problems with the reconstructed breast or my arms (although masectomy side arm is still numb).  The last two weeks I've had a bit of Seroma in my tummy and a small area in the middle hasn't sealed properly and has been excreting a bit of 'gunky' looking fluid. This just meant I had a few extra apts last week and yesterday, but the Seroma has already gone down and I've got new dressings for the unsealed part and the BCN said it should now heal in a week or so. The plus was I got extra useful information at those points and some stubborn stitches around my bellybutton could be removed and so all is good. 

Thanks for asking and I look forward to hearing more when you can update. 

Virtual hugs Mickey xx ️