6 weeks since diep flap surgery

linn65 · 10-09-2013, 10:00 PM

I am still feeling pain under my arm and my hand will get really cold/tingly.
I decided to put on a sports bra to help with pain. Any other ideas?

sarah · 10-10-2013, 05:06 AM

patience. it's takes longer to recover than they suggest. you will eventually be very happy but it's not easy at the beginning. and don't do too much early on, I got out of bed and walked around and my surgeon was very angry with me but I was afraid of blood clots, etc. in the US, they don't give you anything for that. In France they give you daily injections for 6 weeks. So don't do too much, be patient, it does get better although personally because of the number of lymph nodes they took out (15 and none had cancer!@!!) I still suffer. As the years go on, everything gets better (treatments and surgery and radiation, etc) and easier. I was operated on in 1999, a still primitive time!!! good luck. you will get through this but be patient.
health and happiness
sarah

'lizbeth · 10-10-2013, 02:21 PM

Linn65,

Hey. I don't know about your symptoms. I have an attachment site just in front of my arm that will itch like the dickens, still.

I'm happy to hear from you. How are the girls looking? Better than a blob?

linn65 · 10-10-2013, 07:09 PM

I really don't know what to think. I have a noticeable hard lump below my collar bone and on my rib. I don't know what's normal anymore, but this new breast feels like a toothache, and I feel like ripping it off and throwing it.

I think the pain under my arm that makes my hand tingly has to be something with the nerves firing up. I want to scream and cry because I am tired of this nagging pain.

My incision on my stomach doesn't hurt and really not a lot of swelling.

My friend and sister said to call the doctor because you can see the lump visually on my rib. I am soooooo tired of doctors and the thought or driving an hour and half to get there seems unbearable at this moment.

What is normal anyway?? .

sarah · 10-11-2013, 02:47 AM

I would check it out. can your friend or sister go with you and maybe make a nice day out???
better to know than to worry.
take care
health and happiness
sarah

'lizbeth · 10-11-2013, 07:56 AM

Linn65,

I second Sarah. Go get the suspicious lumpiness checked out.

I can feel your unhappiness all the way to California. Its rough, and it will take time for the breast to settle. I had emergency surgery 2 days after my reconstruction - I had lost half my blood, and had a partial loss. I spent the next 3 months packing the pocket sized wound twice per day in the medial inferior portion of the breast. Then I had to wear a VAC (vacuum assisted closure) pump for 5 weeks. I was pretty squeamish, and had so much going on I didn't have time to stew about the feel of the breast. If you saw a photo of how it turned out - it was a deformed mess. I had a revision about a year later. Now it looks like a breast.

Your breast sounds uncomfortable, but it should improve over the next few months. At least you have a nice flat tummy . . . ?

Make an appointment for the lumps, and let us know what is going on.

Sending you a big hug from the West Coast.

snolan · 10-11-2013, 08:15 AM

I had the lattissmus flap done I ended up having to go to physical therapy, (and I am a PT assistant) I was getting the tingling and shoulder impingment. I had some capsular tightness and weakness in my mid back muscles. Having surgery affects your posture causes muscles to tighten up which can all affect the mechanics of your shoulder and lead to side effects. Discuss with your Dr maybe getting a PT eval to see if they can find anything.
Suzanne

Andrea Barnett Budin · 10-14-2013, 12:13 PM

Yes Linn. Major pain in the arm. None in belly.

1995 tram flap is stone age but all nurses comment that my result really looks good. (In my view it doesn't match the real breast but I'm not about to lift anything or have additional surgery.)

In hospital I had cuffs that inflated and deflated all day for days (from knees to ankles) to prevent flebitis . My doc insisted I walk. And, do certain exercises! Essential to get full range of motion back.

I would third the statement above to have your doc check out your visible lumps!!

After last June's mesentery (stomach) surgery, I had lumps at the puncture sites (laporoscopy) but they disappeared and were not painful, just "of concern" to me. I thought they'd be there forever but they have dissipated.

Still have pain in my arm when I lie down. Have 3 pillows (hard, medium and soft/mushy) that I arrange and rearrange to get relief. Even have an airplane pillow I use not in the conventional way but flat against my upper back, pressing on the back of my neck, keeping the back of my head from pressing on anything. That seems to work. Pressure points I guess.

Moving, keeping oxygen and blood flow seems essential to me. When I had a slipped spinal disc that ruptured, my physiatrist said despite the pain the keep walking as lack of blood and oxygen flow (ISCHEMIA) to internal sites can actually create pain.

Andi