Nipple Sparing Mastectomy with immediate reconstruction

vmudrow

fairportlady55 - Have fun in Vegas - without all of us - just kidding.  All of us on this thread should think about going next year - it would be fun to meet everybody. 

Keep up the dating - that's wonderful!!

Anonymous

Valerie (vmudrow)- Next year sounds great!!  I just hope everyone on here keeps posting!  I know sometimes when you get done with everything you just want to move on but I feel like I've "met" some great friends on here!

My son is turning 14.  One more year and it's high school!  

sweetie- My new normal still doesn't feel normal but I'm hoping that changes with time.  I think they're looking better after exchange but they still don't feel like they're part of me.  I still feel like I'm wearing a bra all the time even when I'm not.

As far as the reunion, nothing says we have to have ours in Las Vegas!  We could have it anywhere!  My DH works for the airlines and sometimes gets free passes on Southwest so I may be able to pass those on for those having to come from farther away.  The bad thing is you're flying stand by but if anyone is feeling adventurous that may be a possibility for next year.

Delray- I didn't have much of an appetite and my GP told me if you're going to eat anything try to eat something with protein.  She also needs to hydrate a LOT both before and after surgery.  She will feel so much better if she does.  If she's not much of a water drinker Costco also has the zero calorie Vitamin water.  Those tasted really good to me post op.  When is her surgery?   

PB22

I'd be game for a ladies gateaway one year when we are all up for it.  We should try to keep in touch. As we all progress and find life after, there are always issues regarding the BC that will pop up or just in trying to keep healthy,  My sons, twins, are 14 and going into  high school.  I think it would be impossible to get away this year for the Las Vegas trip.

Fairport, you go girl

TN, I'm taking the omega 3's, I like the Kardea brand as they are pure, I have met the developer. Can you pm me on what specific nutrient tests they looked at. Any hormone levels?  You are not on any adjuctive hormonal manipulation so you must be feeling better than me!

fairportlady55

kate 33   I feel like I have a bra on all the time too   Im hoping in time that will get better. I did notice lately that I can feel under my arms now, so I guess things are still changing. I know what you mean though: I dont feel like they are really a part of me yet either. 

PB22  I agree i hope we all do keep in touch! This is a very special group: we are kind of pioneers, yes?  

TNLady

PM sent PB! lol

I had that tight feeling for awhile, but it went away eventually.  I still don't have all of my feeling back under the arm I had the lymph nodes removed, it makes it very tricky shaving.  My family will laugh at me because I always miss hairs under there.  I told them I was going for laser hair removal!  Or, my hairdresser does wax some of her clients underarms.

A girls getaway sounds nice!

TNLady

I almost forgot girls, my baby will be graduating from high school this year.    

bcincolorado

Fairport:  How nice you are still in dating mode!  Life does go on!

TN:  Congrats on a good report.  I still can't shave on my node side either without help.  I usually have to get DH to help me either hold my arm/skin away and I do the shaving or vice versa. 

To those of you going to Vegas, I hope you all have a wonderful time.  I'm not able to go, but maybe someday there can be a trip in my future.

To those of you who have your "babies" growing up on you, I feel OLD!  My baby is 25 and finished grad school last May.  I know the emotion though and can tell you that if you made it through this BC journey, you can make it through your kids leaving home.  Hang in there.

PB22

Thanks Bc colorado.

Had my follow up visit at PS office today.  Uneventful.  I inquired for those who may be wondering if there is an implant size limit in the direct to implant one step procedure.  He said as long as there is skin available he can go as high as the patient wants up to 800cc.

My scar under my arm from the drains is practically invisable as is my lymph node scar.  If only the scars on the breast would fade as quickly but then again I had that revision not too long ago. I went braless today with a tubetop style dress.  loved the freedom.

 I have noticed with a recent wt gain from the inactiivity following the revisions is that I feel like I have gained weight under my arms.  Its got to go somewhere.

Anonymous

fairport, TNLady and bcincolorado- It's like old home week around here!!!  How are you?

fairport- Pioneers!  I like that!  Can you remind me when you (and TNLady, too) had your exchanges done?  Just wondered how long it takes to start feeling a little more normal.  I just have numbness under one arm.  I use my DH's shaving mirror that's in the shower when I have to shave.  It makes it much easier.

PB22- Your extra weight went under your arms?  Huh, mine seems to be evenly distributed between my butt and my thighs!   

OMG, kids in high school, graduating high school, graduating college- so many milestones.  I miss the days of grade school when BC wasn't even a blip on my radar. 

I think we should definitely plan a NSM reunion!  It would be so great to meet all of you in person!  We do need to keep in touch! 

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! 

Anonymous

Hey hurleygirly- Good luck with your PS appointment tomorrow.  Hope you get an exchange date!

TNLady

Kate, I did not have exchange surgery, I had everything done at once.  It took me a few months to feel "normal" after my surgery.  I feel pretty good now though!  I think once he released me to do my regular activities, I started feeling much better.  The more active I became, the better I felt!

Anonymous

TN- I always forget you did the one step- kind of the intention of this original thread, huh, until we TE women hijacked it!  LOL!  Sorry!

bcincolorado

Hi Kate,  Good to see you here.  I'm finished with surgeries (I hope forever!) and start physical therapy this week.

I'm still glad I chose NSM once I made the reconstruction decision.  When I finished with exchange, I sure don't want to deal with more procedures, i.e., nips and tats to get "done".  From what my PS said, it does give you the most natural look since it is all you there on the outside that way.

TNLady

Kate, Don't ever say you are sorry, we are happy to have you exchange girls, you still had a NSM!  You girls have helped keep this thread active so other woman will see it, so hijack away girl! lol  Save the nipples!  I think we need to make a T-shirt that says that.

Anonymous

TNLady- Excellent idea!!!  It would definitely make a great conversation starter and spread awareness all at the same time!  (@)(@)

fairportlady55

Hi Kate :My exchange surgery was March 26.....I only started feeling under my arms the past couple of weeks  

Next week I have a follow up appointment with my bs who I havent seen since 2 weeks after my bmx in January. He is the one that was so enthusiastic about doing the nipple sparing, and he hasnt seen the healed look yet. I will be curious to know what he thinks of my results now that the exchange is well behind me. ...and also I do want to thank him for "saving the nipples"!!!

My "baby" just graduated from college, she's back living at home with me now, starting grad school this fall.....so now there's 2 girls dating here...ha! 

PB22

TN are you and I the only direct to implant???  I didn't know what an expander was until Kate came around!

Anonymous

OMG- I am a party crasher!  LOL!

hurleygirly

Ok everyone, I am scheduled to have an exchange on Sept 30th! I thought that it would have been sooner, but today my ps decides to go ahead an do another fill up. I had no idea! Anywho, I am at 345 and this is the last expansion until surgery. She is still shooting for either 375 or 400 now. As much as I would have liked to have gotten my exchange sooner, I know that the next 8 weeks will fly by!

vmudrow

hurleygirly - YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The last 8 weeks will certainly FLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! by.  Do you have to see the PS before your exchange?  When I saw mine last week, he wants to see me again in 3 weeks.  The plan is to have surgery the middle or end of September - so we will be about the same time frame - I can't wait, getting tired of these hard TEs. They have been especially hard since my fill 2 1/2 weeks ago - maybe that's why PS wants to see me again.  Anyway glad to hear you are on the schedule!!

bcincolorado

Well I think most of us have had TE in place first but still had NSM done.  We just couldn't (for whatever reason) do a one-step procedure.  Still a better option in my book than the alternative.

hurleygirly

vmudrow - I do have to see my surgeon for the final pre op appointment 4 days prior to surgery. We are entertaining the idea of maybe trying out the Allergen 45s. I know she said she wanted to try out several options which is good to hear. I asked her today how hard it is to try out different sizes during surgery and she said that it is actually quite easy for her to swap in and out. I am just amazed what they can do. I am actually sad to say goodbye to these expanders...the hardness has kind of grown on me! I don't know why it doesn't seem to bother me. Am I crazy to actually like these expanders? Anywho, we will have to post our pictures when we are all done since we are finishing at the same time!

PB22

Well Kate this is a party no one wants to crash, but glad you did as TN and I would be lonely esp. now that Fairport is off and dating.  Bc Colorado , patience pays, hope you are feeling well, and your back to work right.   Hurley Girl looks like we'll have you around through Sept, looks like you and VMUDROW are exchange sisters.

Have my 8 month Onc. visit this week, time to be reminded as if I need any.

fairportlady55

Vmudrow and Hurleygirley: Yay!!! Congrats on exchange dates!! Im so psyched for you!

PB22: Ha! Actually just got back from another date....its fun and he's a great guy.

I've gotta say though: kind of hard to meet someone after all this, well lets just say Im still pretty shy about showing these new boobs.  Im self comnscious about the scars. My ps gave me a script for this cream that is bleaching, Im supposed to use it every night at bedtime which I do but I dont see any change as far as the scars go: still pretty red. Anybody discover anything that fades them? Anyway, I'm still so glad to have the nipples!!!!! And he's a pretty patient fella

TNLady

PB, I think we are in the minority here! lol  My doctor told me, going into surgery, that I may have to have TE's, but he had enough skin to go ahead and place the implant.

Fairport, my doctor recommended ScarFade.  My scars are mostly faded now (8 months post-op), I just have one area that is still a little pink.  Scars go through a process where they get really dark pink, then they should fade from there. 

Hurleygirly, not long now!  Yay!

bcincolorado, I could not agree with you more!

PB22

Fairport LOL, you got a patient fellow.  We can all help out with ways to stall him like setting the clocks in your home a few hours ahead and then say oh my look at the time, I have to get up in a few hours.    Ambient lighting  and good wine is still a gals best friend.  It will soon be football season and he won't even notice your attached to those boobs. Over feed him and he'll be apologizing to you,

  I think it will be easier to know if he's worth keeping around just by how he keeps himself in the game.  You have done what you needed to do to extend your life so "it is what it is".  Besides to a guy a physical scar is nothing in comparison to the nut cakes he's probably been coming across in the dating world.

Anonymous

hurleygirly and vmudrow- Yeah for Yippee Squishee Days circled in red on the calendar!!!

fairport- Whitedove started a new thread called "Skin S.O.S.- Remedies".  Maybe someone on there will have some suggestions for the scars.  Here's the link-

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/756050?page=1#post_1938444 

PB22- LOL!!!! 

Caroline-H

I had bilateral nipple and skin sparing mastectomies a month ago. Also I had immediate, one-stage reconstruction using Alloderm. This was in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, done by Dr Urve Kuusk (general surgeon) and Dr Peter Lennox (plastic surgeon). I highly recommend these options to anyone that would be a good candidate, and who have access to doctors comfortable with these techniques.

Anonymous

Caroline-H- Welcome to the "Save the Nipples" club!  Glad you joined us.  TNLady started another thread where women can post who did their NSM and where so other women can find recommendations.  There is a link in her original post labeled- Find out where nipple sparing procedures are done near you.  Could you post your location and the names of your doctors on there as well if you have time?  Sometimes it can be hard to find a BS and PS who do these.  Thanks!

bcincolorado

Kate, Good reminder.  I remember Sweetie had to "surgeon shop" to get someone who would consider doing this procedure.  I know it is available for everyone since some have cancer too nearby but I think for most of us it is an option, and the surgeons just don't want to learn it, or don't want to take that long in one surgery.