DIEP

Hi

It depends!  It is a big operation and if everything goes according to plan you should be healed and starting to feel much better.  A lot of dancing may be difficult - but some possible.

But things aren't always text book.  I am 14 weeks post right mastectomy, DIEP, with full node clearance.   Unfortunately I have had some problems and I am still not healed to the new breast.  Thin skin led to skin necrosis and i have a large open wound under my breast.  Skin grafts to be done in next couple of weeks so I can move onto radiotherapy.  I also have major fatigue issue but am beginning to suspect that Letrozole is contributing to this.  Been on Letrozole for 10 weeks now.

I suggest you discuss with surgeon and his team - and you could wait a few weeks and see how quickly you recover.

Good luck with op.  Fingers crossed you sail through.  

Happy Easter ,

i would say to be guided by your breast nurse , also try somewhere like Insurewith just to see if you can get insurance ( of course you may have already bought insurance ) but this would give you an idea if they would insure you as a new customer , would give you an idea of how they would assess your risk. 

I had DIEP and everything was text book , but I had to have chemo after 6 weeks. Do you need any further treatment Chemo or Radiotherapy?  Remember some further treatments are decided once the pathology comes back and that can take 2-3 weeks and you would not probably advised until you follow up appointment at about 5/6 weeks. 

If you cancel now , will you get your money back ? If you do, I think I would cancel , it’s a big operation and a brilliant one. But it comes with risks and depending if you have your lymph nodes removed too .

If you were going on a luxury holiday nearer home I would probably say go for it . Why not phone your breast care nurse /team or your surgeons secretary .  Their secretaries are usually brilliant at helping . 

What does your “gut” say ? Usually a good guide . 

Good luck with the decision ,.

Love 

Ruby Rose  

Thanks for your reply. I dont have to have chemo but do have to have radiotherapy. 

I m not sure regarding refunds yet but I will talk to my breast nurse. 

I have travel insure through my bank but i haven't even thought about that yet. Also I havent advised my bank/insurance or my life insurance about cancer yet but I suppose it's something I should do. 

My gut is saying it's a risk and I should try and go later in the summer. My head is saying i really want to go on holiday!! 

What i have learnt is nothing us straightforward with cancer!!!

Happy Easter x

Hi

I haven’t had this type of surgery so not sure about recovery etc. Just wanted to add a bit about travel insurance. I was diagnosed in August last year. We had a break abroad already booked and had taken out an annual travel insurance policy. Phoned them up to ask if would still be covered. I was advised they would cover me for that trip as although diagnosed, treatment had not yet started. I was advised they wouldn’t cover me for any future trips whilst treatment ongoing. It would be worth checking with your insurance company as it may help with your decision.  

S

Hi

me again !!! I have insurance through the bank, it’s in with the type of account I have - they will not cover anything to do with my breast cancer ! Now I have completed treatment they say they will cover me but not my breast cancer - I said I don’t have breast cancer  anymore - they say that’s fine . BUT I still went to INSUREWITH as I wouldn’t trust the insurance , if , say I got a blood clot - I’m sure they would say it was related to my surgery . INSUREWITH only charged me £28 . 

Maggies centre gave me a list of insurance companies .

you can have a lovely holiday here in the uk . While having chemo , we had nice long weekends away , just an hour from home . 

We went to Tenerife last minute before my operation , very stressful and they had a storm the day we were coming home and they closed the airport and we had to stay another night ! I was due to get scans ! made them with 30 minutes to spare! Wouldn’t recommend  

Treat yourself to nice things . 

Take care 

Ruby Rose  

Hi

My diep was text book but it knocked me out for ages. Tricky.....Xxxxx