Illinois ladies facing bc

IllinoisLady

1. "If you think sunshine brings you happiness, then you haven't danced in the rain." - Unknown
2. "It is only possible to live happily ever after on a day to day basis." - Margaret Bonnano

RoulaG

Ok ladies - I am in need of help from all of you again today. I had a BMX last Wednesday with Lattisimus Dorsi and direct implants.



I know it has only been a week, but did your chest feel tight and do these things start to feel softer as time goes on? I am still swollen so I know it should get better, right?

lago

Roula I didn't have direct implants but:

1. Only a week! Give yourself time. Things will change. It takes about a year to fully heal
2. Yes many people felt tight chest. I didn't because I think I was so numb
3. The implants do soften a bit and drop. Give it at least 6 months for that. If you had droopy mushy ones before these won't be like that. Think 20 year old boobs.
4. I was swollen for quite some time. OMG my upper body was so big I looked deformed after BMX with TEs.
5. You should have seen me after just the exchange. I did fat transfer too. I looked like I got beat in & out of a gang on the same day.

Lynn27

Roula yes, your chest will feel as if you are wearing a super-tight sports bra, especially where the bra band would sit.  My TRAM was June 8.  The implanted tissue will slowly soften.  You will probably be unhappy with the shape of your breasts, give it time.  My cleavage is still pretty firm but is settling into a less angular shape.  The rest look like real breasts.  My PS won't do fine tuning until 6 months have past.

It took me 3 months for the breast swelling to go away completely.  There is still what feels like swollen tissue under the arms - but it could also be that he implanted a little too much tissue on the sides.  I had quite a bit of "harvest material" and I don't know how much flexibility they have to reduce the size of the blob of tissue being transplanted.  Especially as I was insistent that I didn't want a D cup.  It's been 3.5 months and I still occasionally wake up with the tight bra feeling, but it's pretty much correlated to doing an extra lot of upper body workouts.  That tightness passes by mid-day.  By the way, once you're released for exercise, the absolute best way to stretch out the armpits and chest is to put a lot of weight on a pull-down machine, hold on, and just hang there, letting your body weight stretch out those muscles and scar tissue.  I found it so much more effective than the wall-walks and other usual MX stretching exercises.

PM if you have other or more detailed questions.

RoulaG

Lago - thank you.



You have no idea how much it means to me to know that I am not alone on the various journeys bc brings.



Yes, I did have very soft very big boobies.

camillegal

Oh Roula I really can't help u, I didn't have that done. But since it's only a week ugh u still have to feel strange

Oh Shingles are horrible--u poor thing Lago I'd be fearing that too.

Doxie I have heard of goofy eye problems, but good u'r goin to the Dr. eeze does this stop.

Lago I saw my GP today and told her I was reclassing my cancer and she said What U are? So she looked in the computer cuz everything is in that thing now every Dr. wow and she said well it's not reclassed in the computer so I told her u decided I needed to be changed and she said is she a Dr. and I said no but she lives in IL and knows alot.. So get this one---she said we ad a bet on what off the wall thing u would say today and no one bet on this one. Oh Lago thye know me to well. She started laughing--I didn;t--But I diagnosed my sinus infection and I was right. And then she had to call my cardiolois for somethi with my blood stuff and he increased some meds----and now (all new to me) I can look up my own reports and everything on my computer and if I have any questions I can just ask-Wow but they said if u'r having chest pains go to the hospital cuz we're not oing to answer that. They keep on pushin this heart thing LOL and I said I feel like Fred Flintstone now everything is moving so fast.

OH well Dont' worry Lago I entioned no names. hahaha

lago

Did I say something off the wall? Camille I don't have all the info your doctors have… just what you told me… and of course I'm not an MD. But from what you told me the IV didn't sound right… and you also told me you had this classification before any scans were done.

But I do like the idea of you being a lower stage anyway

camillegal

  Oh lago I say things out of order or remeber stragely sometimes so please don't be upset with me-I'm lauhin cuz WE decided I'm Stag IIIb and I'm stickin' to it intil I can't any longer--How's that--see how well u made me..

lago

Well from what you told me it sounds like you're a IIIb but like I said I am no onc, MD and I don't have your records. I prefer you to stay NED. Then stage won't matter.

doxie

Got back from the ophthalmologist and I appear to have optical nerve swelling caused by the ESD.  It's a very rare SE.  Not sure what my MO will want to do about this since I have to wait until November for two more exams that will help with the diagnosis.  The temporary vision loss is so great I can only distinguish light and dark.  Thankfully my eyes are still nearly 20/20 with my glasses, so the blurring I experience in the night and into the day is not effecting my permanent vision when I have no symptoms like today. 

lago

That stinks but I assume this is reversable. Maybe your MO will try a different ESD.

camillegal

Doxie I've never heard of that one--probably less than 1% get that. Geeze. There are so many side effects to everything-that one has to be very difficult to deal with tho. I'm sorry.

doxie

lago - The scientist in me (an you know I'm not a real scientist) wants to stay on the same drug until after the Nov test results.  But I'm not sure I want to risk my vision.  My MO was very quick to offer a vacation if I had bad SEs.  Except for this, my SEs are the typical normal ones except for tingling in my hands. All quite minor.  Of course another test is to switch drugs and see if the vision loss goes away.  Thanks, lago, you're making me think.  

camillegal - I did a lot of research before deciding to go to the dr.  I couldn't find anything like this anywhere.  The dr said he could only find a reference in research literature, nothing from the manufacturer.   So yes, it is rare or 99.9% of us sleep soundly through the night.  Kind of doubt that.

camillegal

IllinoisLady

With courage you will dare to take risks,
have the strength to be compassionate,
and the wisdom to be humble.
Courage is the foundation of integrity.
- Keshavan Nair

IllinoisLady

With courage you will dare to take risks,
have the strength to be compassionate,
and the wisdom to be humble.
Courage is the foundation of integrity.
- Keshavan Nair

C-squared

My onc has cleared me for the flu shot, though I did not talk to him directly - seems we don't do that much since chemo ended.    My final chemo was May 31st (can't believe it's been 4 months!).  Anyone else get an answer from their doc?  I think I was expecting something like "let's check your WBC count first and then decide".  But perhaps the WBC count was high enough the last time I saw him??? 

smerf

Hi c-squared,

The flu shot uses inactivated virus, so we can have it. I never had the flu, nor a flu shot until my onc wanted me to have it. Now i get one every year, and it's easy enough. it is recommended for all people 6 months and older. My chemo was over the end of August in 2006, and I had a flu shot during rads in September.

The shingles vaccine is a live virus, and my onc still doesn't want me to have it. My primary gets irritated, because she always wants to give it to me, and I won't take it without onc's say so.  I looked at the package insert, and it said not for those with cancer or having chemo, but doesn't say if it is safe post chemo. I just keep asking my onc each year, because I know what shingles is like, and would like to avoid it. There is a slight possibility of getting shingles from the vaccine since it is live, so that's why  the recommendation against it.

Hope this is helpful.

spunkyboobster

I had shingles and it was the worst. My husband said he knew it was bad because it was the only time he'd seen me cry (and I gave birth to a 9.5 lb and 11 lb baby). Get the vaccine if you can.

lago

I agree Shingles sucks, awful, hell for 5 weeks. I might have photos if anyone is interested

BTW I was cleaning out my leather binder today and found a print out of my appointments for Sept. 20, 2010. MUGA in the morning and first onc appointment in the afternoon. I was so naive back then

lago

I agree Shingles sucks, awful, hell for 5 weeks. I might have photos if anyone is interested

BTW I was cleaning out my leather binder today and found a print out of my appointments for Sept. 20, 2010. MUGA in the morning and first onc appointment in the afternoon. I was so naive back then

What's wrong with this site. It's been draggy all day.

camillegal

Lago they are terrible--I didn't have them, my mom did, my sister too. it lasts so long with loads of pain--so that was rough on u too. ouch

C-squared

Thanks smerf.

Lago do you get the shingles vaccine?  Or is it like chixpox.., a one time ailment?

camille~ keep the pictures coming!  I thank you for the mid-day smiles and chuckles!

IllinoisLady

Your uniqueness is your greatest strength, not how well you emulate others. ~ Simon Tam

lago

I did not get the shingles vaccine. They say once you get it it's highly unlikely you will get it again but… I have read if you did get shingles and your break out was more than 4 weeks then you are more likely to get it again. My break out was for 5 weeks. It is approved as of 1.5 years ago for people as young as 50 to get it but insurance won't pay until your 60… if they pay at all. Also just because you get the vaccine doesn't mean you won't get it but it should be less severe.

I'm going to wait the 9 years (when I'm 49+11) to get it.

lago

BTW very cool article that you triple negative gals might want to read regarding a cure: linky

Adey

Good morning all!

lago

❣ ❣ ❣ ADEY ❣ ❣ ❣

ritajean

Good morning everyone!  It's a dreary Friday morning in central Illinois.  I was quite interested in your flu and shingles conversation.  I guess I need to ask also.  A few years ago, I was told not to get the shingles vaccine.  I wonder if that changes as we get farther out from treatment.  I'm so glad you brought this up!

I hope everyone has a good weekend.

ritajean

Good morning everyone!  It's a dreary Friday morning in central Illinois.  I was quite interested in your flu and shingles conversation.  I guess I need to ask also.  A few years ago, I was told not to get the shingles vaccine.  I wonder if that changes as we get farther out from treatment.  I'm so glad you brought this up!

I hope everyone has a good weekend.