Please share your experience with the Diep Flap Procedure

Hi @sandyjr, I moved your message to this discussion that you already started about DIEP reconstruction. You ask great questions about how long drains stay in and how to prepare for recovery regarding diet and exercise. I'm confident that @trixie1313 @basslakebabe19 @bomashisha @cathyhand and @dianamiracle will have some great advice and experience to offer.

While we wait for others to chime in, here are some discussions that answer some of your questions:
- Exercise and Physical Activity after Breast Cancer Surgery https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/exercise-and-physical-activity-after-breast-cancer-surgery/
- How Long Did You Have Your Drains in After Mastectomy? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/how-long-did-you-have-your-drains-in-after-mastectomy/
- What Are Your Best Tips for Before and After a Mastectomy? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/what-are-your-best-tips-for-before-and-after-a-mastectomy/
- Breast Surgery; any advice to prepare for surgery? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/breast-surgery-any-advice-to-prepare-for-surgery/
- Videos about Breast Cancer Surgery from Mayo Experts https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/videos-about-breast-cancer-surgery-from-mayo-experts/

When is your surgery scheduled?

It's been a long time since I had these surgeries, but if I remember correctly, I had my drains in for about a week to 10 days.

I had a unilateral DIEP flap in September 2019. My drains were in for one week. I had had an immediate implant with mastectomy in June 2019. I would say the acute recovery time was far more difficult but pain not an issue with DIEP flap. Subacute recovery easier than implant. There was a quicker recovery to activities such as driving, reaching, stretching. Please feel free to ask any other specific questions

@sandyjr
I had drainage tubes for about 3 weeks - you measure each time the bulb fills and keep a record for the surgeon. The most difficult part was the first few days where my husband had to "strip and milk" the tubes for me and after that I was able to. To start the "after breast surgery" class at Kaiser it was about 10 weeks before being allowed to do that. I would highly recommend if your facility has that to take advantage. The exercises help with core strength and strength training as the muscles around your chest wall will shrink and this helps with that as well as keep "cording" and lymphedema in control. When time has passed, I would also suggest therapeutic water exercise class which is very beneficial as well. You will be tired following surgery so do what you can do and don't feel bad about not keeping up with what you once did. For myself, I slept in an electric recliner and found that beneficial. All the best to you in this new journey in life.

Today I have updated my profile and realised why I wasn't getting any feedback. Operation-wise, I am in limbo. I have been waiting for the operation since October 2018 and still waiting due to my local hospital's problems. (i.e. Doctors leaving and/or internal issues). There's been hiccups etc and now COVID-19. I'm moving on to another Private Surgeon for advice and hopefully have the operation. I'm 68-69 this year. Have a video/phone consultation this afternoon. Now I'm up to date on Mayo site I'll do some catch up as you indicated. Thank you Lisa. Be well 🙂

@tana, welcome back. I'm glad you revised your notification settings and have found your way back to Mayo Clinic Connect. I can't imagine waiting this long for your reconstruction surgery. With such a long wait period has it changed your resolve to getting it done?

Speaking of COVID-19, there is now a new group dedicated to discussions related to the pandemic. Many of them are about ways to stay healthy and motivated. You might wish to check them out.
- COVID-19 support group https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/covid-19/

I had a bilateral mastectomy last September. At that time, I was planning to have implants inserted after I healed. But then I developed an infection in one breast, and my tissue expanders had to be removed. Unfortunately, the infection destroyed some of the fat tissue, and so some of my breast skin is now very thin. As a result, it is not clear if implants would work well.
Given all this, I am now looking into flap surgery using my own tissue to reconstruct my breasts. I am very interested in connecting with women who have been through this procedure. I am also wondering if anyone knows about the best centers/surgeons to get this surgery done. Thank you!

I had bilateral mastectomy with diep flap reconstruction in July 2020. I had it all done in one big (10 hour) surgery. The only negative thing with the surgery is that I had a ferocious headache for a couple of days after. I believe it was from the anesthesia. I did not expect that at all as I have had a few surgeries and never had this problem. Needless to say it really affected my hospital stay. After the headache went away, everything was easy....Friday was surgery all day and I went home on Monday afternoon. I had no pain at all. Things felt different and strange, but no pain. Are you aware that you need some pudge going on to have that surgery using stomach tissue? Otherwise it can be taken from the fanny or back I think. I had four drains...one for each breast and one on each side of the stomach area. That was not a big deal, but kind of an annoyance. I had two wonderful plastic surgeons. Where are you located? I have no regrets about having the surgery whatsoever. It is a process though. It is not a one surgery deal. There are steps and I still am not totally done, but real happy.

Thank you so much for your reply. I am in Arizona. While I have a good plastic surgeon, I think for this type of surgery it is best to find the surgeon with the most experience and who does this type of surgery all the time. I am willing to go out of state if necessary. I may stick with the surgeon I have because I think he is one of the best in Arizona. Where did you go for your surgery?

I am in NJ. I really feel like God led me to this man. He is excellent at what does as well as taking his time and answering all my questions. He told me exactly what he would do and was totally honest with me. He told me from the get go that he did not think he could make symmetrical but he has come darned close. I saw him at a lecture and he stated he does not take on a job unless he knows he will be successful. Best of all, he is kind. He gave me hope. Do you know about the place in New Orleans that is totally dedicated to breast cancer/reconstruction. I don’t know the name off hand, but it is on the internet. Please keep me posted.