Diep flap surgery

Hi,

I had the same surgery in June 2023 and a small area of my tummy is still slightly numb. I know that many patients have that bulge post surgery and I think the best thing you can do is to speak with your surgeon since they will be able to best explain the reason for the swelling and how to deal with it.

The best of luck with your treatment!

Lana x

Thank you for your advise I did speak to my surgeon and he said that is the area all the work was done and sometimes it will leave an adomonal bulge but to try core exercises to help which I am doi sometimes I feel as if I am carrying a baby lol ..he said it isn’t a hernia it eases soon 

I’m thinking of having delayed diep surgery. Would you recommend it? Had a mastectomy 7 years ago now and what with Covid then various bone breakages I haven’t got around to sorting it out. How long was your recovery too? 

Hi ..I recovered very well after surgery the first few weeks are trying to walk with a straight back especially around stomach area..it does take a few months as I found I was tired a lot ..I was lucky to have 6months off work too ..I hope you get sorted now too good luck  

Thanks so much. 

Hi

8 weeks post DIEP Flap. Belly flats and scar very thin though very long but I believe in time it’ll be very faint. My belly is definitely better than before, even with the scar. My new breasts, now a B cup, down from an E are also looking great. The right breast has a pucker and a groove but apparently that will be corrected on the revision surgery where they will lipo my hips and use to fill my chest.

There is a small pucker at each end of the belly scar when it reaches my haunches, and this is why they lipo there, to flatten that out.
There’s a circle of skin on each breast called a skin island, taken from belly and will be used in making new nipples during revision.  

The reason I’m messaging is to answer you re the recovery. You will need someone to be around  and help for a couple of weeks.  I had a recliner in the bedroom for 2 weeks  as I couldn’t get in and out of bed without hurting, especially out. It was also great to escape to during the day for a snooze. I had a nap every day for the first 3/4 weeks. I moved from recliner to a wide wedge and had a long pregnancy pillow over that. Do yourself a favour and get both, mobility is so difficult that you don’t want to be messing with heaps of pillows. The pregnancy pillow was long enough to support neck, underarms and under knees. Use extra pillow under knees to reduce strain on belly. 
All scars are now healed, mobility very good, but lots of burning feelings, maybe nerves, in chest, and feeling of swelling or strain when I sit or lie down, apparently nerves and tissues healing. Was always a poor sleeper so this doesn’t help..

Very  best of luck with the journey ahead, it’s doable and worth it

That’s so kind of you to share all this info. I feel it’s now or never. Am going to stay with my parents for 10 days then my husband and son can take over. Have booked a date now and just need to fill the freezer! 

Good woman. Best of luck. Once you get the first few days post-op over you it’ll be all improving from there.