Bilateral Mastectomy & DIEP Reconstruction

CoeBruno
CoeBruno Member Posts: 19 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I am 50 years old and was diagnosed in Feb with Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC)...

I live in Florida for the past 8 years - I am originally from New York...

I am having a bilateral mastectomy and possibly DIEP reconstruction..

I have decided to go back to New York for my surgery. I have appointments the first week of April with 2 surgeons at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. I am very nervous and have lots of anxiety. I have a husband and 2 children, which I hate to leave here in Florida!
I don't know yet how long I will be gone and it's driving me crazy. Fortunately, I have 4 sisters and my Mom that still live in New York. So, I will not be alone.

If anyone can tell me their experience with a BILATERAL MASTECTOMY AND DIEP RECONSTRUCTION I would truly appreciate it. Has anyone ever been a patient at SLOAN MEMORIAL? How long is the recovery period? Any informaion anyone can share with me would be great.

Thank you all for being so understanding and sharing all that you do. It has been a Godsend to me the past 6 weeks!

Comments

  • Jadie
    Jadie Member Posts: 723
    #2
    Hi
    Hi CoeBruno

    I had neither so I can't help you. I am sorry that you are having to go through this. Lots of sisters here on the board have had mastectomies and DIEP. I am sure that they will chime in and answer your questions.

    Would be nice if you could find a good doctor and cancer center near you. Having doctors so far away can be an inconvenience. I had to change doctors (onc and rads) soon after treatment because of change of insurances. The transition was a bit difficult.

    Take care and keep us posted
    Jadie
  • AKOS
    AKOS Member Posts: 1
    #3
    BILATERAL MASTECTOMY
    Hello.....I had bilateral mastectemy last July 8th and I also had reconstructive surgery....I'm not sure what DIEP reconstruction is....I had expanders placed and then eventually implants....both the surgeries went extremely well for me and I am doing wonderful....I know that you will too.....I live in the Midwest so of course I have had no experience w/health care facilities in New York....you just try to keep a positive attitude because that helps so much....it sounds like you have a very good support system...that's so important....my husband was so wonderful to me during all of this....I couldn't have done it without him....take care....you can do whatever you have to do!!! I will be praying for you....God bless you.
  • mmontero38
    mmontero38 Member Posts: 1,510
    #4
    I had a tram flap after my
    I had a tram flap after my mastectomy not a diep. I was hesitant to do the diep because the surgery was too long and the risk was higher for complications. I was in the hospital for 6 days and then was sore for about another week. After that, I was walking pretty straight and then every day was better than the day before. I went back to work 6 weeks after they\ surgery. I had two drains in the pelvic area and one in the breast for about 10 days. I was operated in Overlook Hospital in Summit, NJ where my plastic is from but heard a lot of good things about Sloan. There are 2 doctors there that do the diep. I know you want to come to NY to do your surgery and luckily you have family here because you will be going to the surgeon at least once a week the first 6 weeks. I don't know how they would feel about your follow up care especially if there aren't micro plastic surgeons in your area back home. That would be one of the questions you should ask. Keep us posted. Hugs, Lili

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