March 2014 Surgery

Kitty62

Welcome cocourt! We have been quite the chatty bunch. I hope you found some great tips, inspiration and most of all lovely tassel pics. Gotta get me some! 

My PS was his usual blah doctor self. Said I was dying  to drive. He said "you can". I said "I'm still on the Percocet". He said "well, you can't". Bloody fricken he&$!!...that's what I wanted to say, but didn't. After Mr Personality left the nurse said if you can't make it without, don't torture yourself. Thank goodness she added that cuz I'd probably be bawling tonight trying to suffer without.  I wish I had a marijuana stash...don't judge. Haha! Remember, we Washitonians are legal now. Just wish I had some pot smoking friends about now. Seriously, just waiting for these damn Tylenol to kick in. Another incentive would be I could have some adult beverages tonite....hmmm

Also, the PS said I had fluid built up. He wasn't worried about it. I did see he sucked out quite a bit, though and said i was "juicy".  I asked if he could suck off the fluid build up off my arse and thighs, but he didn't fall for it. Starting not to like him very much. I think I need to break up with him. Get to see him next week...I may have to go in drunk. Just kidding!

Lakegirl1

Cocourt...so sorry we we have to meet here,  but welcome.   I too am ready for some fills...let's see some progress!!!   I have been in a holding pattern due to staph infection.

Frostecat

Cocourt welcome. I had my first post op fill yesterdaym(100 cc's)  I felt decent yesterday but they warned me to take everything before I came in.  Felt like the Rock of Gibraltar sitting on my chest today.  They told me not to do anything for 48 hours so hopefully tomorrow will be better??

Kitty - did you try cutting the percs in half to start weaning yourself from them?  They told me after this fill to only take Motrin and Valium, no Percs,  although I gotta say the Percs really work the best, for me anyways.  I don't take them all the time, I have driven a couple of times but not when taking them.  Taking the whole thing made me extremely woozy which I didn't like and 1/2 seems to take the edge off.  Of course I am no Dr.I just did what seemed to work for ME.

Lakegirl1

I haven't gotten fills yet, but after bmx I had 600mg Motrin and Valium when I came home, no narco for me as they make me really sick. We tried to alternate them so there was always one in play...like you would do with babies with Motrin and Tylenol. That seemed to work for me.  If you are looking for absolutely no pain, that may not work. In the initial installation, I got 360cc's when TEs were installed.  I had some pretty good muscle spasms from that and throwing up.   

ucfmom

Welcome cocourt!  Lakegirl, that's awesome you got the picc out - I know it feels good to be rid of it.

Kitty, my PS is another Mr. Personality.  We almost got him to crack a smile once.  My PCP's mother and best friend went to him for reconstruction and she thinks he's the best PS in our area.  She told me in advance he has zero personality, but that I didn't need him to be my friend, I need a great PS.  I'll decide if I think he's the best in a few more weeks or months if my foobs look great, but so far I can see a lot of improvement since the first week.    My breast surgeon is the opposite personality type, I love her!  Just wish I didn't have to see her again on Friday so she can steal my nipple.

linda505

Port is in - other than it feeling like someone punched me in the shoulder a hundred times - I feel fine LOL.  Took an aleve and pain isn't really bad

wampuscat

Linda, glad to hear your report on your port and that you aren't in too much pain. My port placement is tomorrow. Hoping I'll be able to say the same!

ucfmom

Awwww Linda, but I'm glad you got that over with!

Ugh, now I have a UTI - it came from out of nowhere about two hours ago and it's painful!  I'm waiting for my PCP to call me back and I'm hoping she will call in an antibiotic so I can start taking it tonight.  I'm afraid she'll tell me to come in tomorrow morning.  But she knows I have surgery scheduled for Friday morning and I don't want to delay it! 

 

SpecialK

ucfmom - go in and get a culture so the prescribed antibiotic will be effective.  There are many strains of bacteria that can cause a UTI and not all antibiotics are effective. 

Saw my PS today - he will take out my stitches next week but cleared me to walk and go back to the gym, without any arm or chest exercises.

ucfmom

Thanks SpecialK.  She just sent me a text that she called in a prescription for Cipro, which is what I've taken in the past, and asked me to come by her office and just leave a urine sample.  My DH is on the way to pick it up.  In the meantime, I'm drinking tons of water.  Ironically, I started drinking more water than normal today to get nice and hydrated for the dreaded IV on Friday.

SpecialK

ucfmom - if they culture the sample it may take 48 hours to determine what the strain is, hopefully Cipro is broad enough to cover it before your procedure.  Good luck!

Juliecc

Welcome, cocourt.  I actually think the whole fill thing is fascinating.  I had another 50cc on each side  this morning at 7 AM.  I originally had 200cc at surgery, and 100cc 12 days ago.  That 100cc was too much!  I had a lot of sternum pain for a week.  When I walked in this morning, the tray had that same amount but she totally agreed to go with 50.  Here are a couple of pictures at 350cc.  I'm 5 weeks out.  My incisions are still bumpy and that brown area used to be the dark pink area from poor blood flow.  The PS said it should fade eventually.  She said I would have a 3-6 month wait for exchange because she has a "waitlist".  I might do one more fill.  I still have that armpit fat on my left :-p

KLJ

Julie, you look great! Your surgery was one week before mine and you are so much further ahead than I am. My PS put 0 in at surgery. My first fill was 60 cc's and my second was 120 cc's. I found after the last fill that I was pretty miserable for a couple of days. Tomorrow is my third fill and I know he is planning to do 120 cc's again. Not sure if I will let him but I would really like to get a little more shape. I am still pretty flat and I have the "fat" under my arm like you. I need to ask about that tomorrow. Just wanted to check in and tell you how good you are looking!

sandra4611

Julie you look great. Remember, your implants will look about half the size you are now and they won't have the upper fullness you have now nor will they have the projection. What size is he putting in? I believe I read on Breast Implants 101 that they can put in an implant 100 cc's bigger than you are filled to without having to rework the pocket. When I lost my one implant and got a TE, it was 100 cc capacity smaller than the implant he planned to put in, so that must be true.

Welcome Cocourt. I agree, getting fills means you are one step closer. Plus how often in life do we get to see our little boobette grow into a full fledged foob before our very eyes?

sandra4611

Kitty, your humor cracks me up, girl! Wampus, hope your port placement goes well tomorrow. Lake, no PICC. Yay for you. You know, mine has been out for two weeks and you can't see where it was at all...just tiny, tiny scars you have to look hard to find. But you can still see the outline of the big rectangular sterile dressing because my skin reacted so badly to it this time. The skin doesn't feel raised anymore so I hope it fades. I have no idea what they are going to have to do before I get the next one in early June. I went on another thread for people who are allergic to medical adhesives. It's a challenge.

Sending healing vibes to Ucf and congrats to SpecialK for "excellence in healing". KLJ, don't let him put in the whole amount if you were so miserable last time. Go with half. You can always catch up later.

Juliecc

Thanks, KLJ.  I definitely saw a big difference going from 200 to 300, then 350.  I felt very busty at work today.  You'll get there!

Sandra, implants are definitely complicated.  It seems women get implants 100cc more than what their expanders are filled to.  I talked to my PS and she said I could either choose round implants or the shaped Allergan 410s.  Both have their pros and cons.

Kitty62

Well, I give up. I cannot help that I am still hurting. I tried to go with just one Percocet at 7am and not have one til bedtime. By 2pm took 3 Tylenol, friend stops by at 4 and I'm having a hard time so poured myself a Crown and Coke. That was darn good! Lol After dinner I'm still not doing good, 8pm tears. Hubby offered a Hydro, took only a bit of the edge off. Took half a Percocet for bed. Feeling so much better now. Tomorrow if I hurt I'm taking what I need instead of torturing myself! 

Julie, you look great! Love the swim suit top! I guess I should research the different implants tomorrow as I know nothing about them.

UFC, a UTI? UGH! LOL...sorry I couldn't help myself.  Isn't that always how things go. Hope that the antibiotic kicks it for ya. Those things are painful. Yea, most brilliant docs are usually socially odd ducks. I gotta get those tassels to see if I can crack him up.

mnmbeck

Kitty....when was your surgery?  I was on narcs around the clock for 4 weeks....everyone thought I was crazy.  I have 3 friends who have gone through this, and none had my 'issues.'  I just thought I was a huge baby.  But, I truly was in agony!  A visit with a wonderful PT changed everything for me.  I was always in pain, but it changed to mostly discomfort...still some pain.  But, nothing I needed narcs for anymore.  THANK GOODNESS!  apparently, I had a lot of scar tissue, and some myofascial release really started to turn things around. 

Oh....and Tylenol is a scary drug.  Don't mess with it.  No taking 3 Tylenol at a time anymore!!!  Liver failure is not pretty!!!

And...just to confirm...it's true that your implants can be bigger than the TE's.  Mine are 100 cc's bigger than the TE's were. And, if I'm not mistaken, I think some on the picture forum have gotten even bigger.

Sailon

Welcome Cocourt. We will take good care of you!  

Juliecc -- looking great!!  I put a bathing suit top on this weekend too. A positive thing is to see foobs in a bathing suit looking someone normal!  In fact I took the bathing suit top to the PS on Monday for my fill.  It was a way of framing everything -- so PS and I are on the same page for what we want the end results to look like.  

PS gave me a nice book on Natrelle 410 -- highly cohesive anatomically shaped silicone-filled breast implants.  I have read it cover to cover.  Shows height and projection options -- but says it depends a lot on your body and chest cavity etc… More decisions and I will be trusting my PS to guide me on this.  I think I will be going with the anatomically shaped option not the round ones.  Again not for 6 months -- as I am going to honor PS's advice and wait unless there are complications between now and October.  It is alarming that it says 45% of all primary reconstruction patients have a reoperation within the first 7 years following implantation.  Wow that seems high.  Though I know some of you have already had reoperations -- so this should come as no surprise. 

Glad to hear all procedures going well for everyone this week. Tiny steps forward each day, week -- 

mnmbeck

OK, March surgery sisters.....is anybody getting advice on when we can start exercise again?  I have been walking 2-3 miles at a time, whenever I can get out (I'd like to say every day, but it's more like 3 to 4 times/week). I am almost 3 weeks post exchange.  But, I am wondering when I could hop on an elliptical, do some core work, squats, lunges, etc.  I will lay low on upper body stuff because of my LE...I want my CLT to help me through that.  I don't have a PS apt for another 2 1/2 weeks, and I forgot to ask him when I was there! 

I am grateful for the walks...I don't want to cause harm and do more before I am ready.  But, I also know that exercise is SO good for you when your body is ready!  So, what kinds of advice have you all gotten?

Blueberry4

Wampus, good luck with your port.  I will be thinking of you.  Don't forget to ask your surgeon not to punch you.  Both Linda and I seem to have the "punched" effect.

Looking good Julie.

Kitty, no more self torture! Take the pills them if you need them. 

Specialk, I'm so glad you are healing.

Ucfmom, good luck on your surgery friday.  I had the same about a week and a half ago.  It was a pretty easy procedure, but I was surprised that I had a drain again for a week. Hopefully, you won't need one.

linda505

Hey blueberry - how is that port feeling this am?  I feel a pull when I move my head to far or lift my shoulder - not really pain but uncomfortable.

linda505

Oh and for all those who haven't gotten your "power ports" yet - don't be like me and let down when you realize that it doesn't come with a USB to charge your phone or laptop

iwannaseeyoubebrave

Linda, I just love all your posts.  They make me giggle. You have such a great sense of humor. 

Mnmbeck, I was wondering the same thing when it comes to exercising.  I've also been walking daily but am anxious to step it up. There's a boot camp class starting next week that I would love to start.  I see my PS on Monday so I will ask her before I start anything.  I'm sure I'll still take it easy with upper body but am ready for squats,  lunges and such! 

Julie,  you are looking great!  I'm currently filled the same as you.  PS said we will take it slow going forward until we get to where I'm comfortable with size. 

Juliecc

Linda, you're so funny!

Sailon, this might be the same book your PS gave you about the 410 implants.  It is about 80 pages long.   Yes the reoperation numbers are so high!  Natrelle 410s

ucfmom

Blueberry, another drain?  Ugh, I hope not, she didn't say anything about it, but maybe she was afraid I wouldn't show up.  lol   My nipple has to come off because it didn't get clear margins, did you have the same problem?  There is a little fluid buildup, but not too bad.  I figured maybe it would all just squirt out when she gets started.  

MakeLemonade

linda - too funny about the "power" port :-). That would have been convenient ... Or the reverse, perhaps it should be able to infuse us with power when we get hit with fatigue during chemo :-)

I don't feel mine when I move my head, but did feel it when I moved my arm at first.  I can still feel it pull, or a twinge, if I reach too far with that arm.  My surgeon told me that it is held in with three stitches to the pec. muscle, so that makes sense to me.  Plus, mine was put in a week today,  so I feel reassured that still feeling it occasionally makes sense as well.  These things don't heal over night!

sandra4611

Well I thought I had plenty of time to check BCO before we head to the airport to go to Chicago. BUT, my husband is sitting next to me with his coat on so I guess that's the sign for me to make this quick. I'm not taking my computer but if I can pry my daughter's out of her hands, I'll check in. If anyone is in the Chicago area in the next week and wants to get together, you can call me on my cell at 210-355-4412.

Kitty62

Sandra, can we just send you naughty liltte texts messages like only real sisters would? Tell your hubby you need to go tassel shopping in Chicago.LOL

SpecialK

Sandra - I worried about your phone# being on a public website - you might end up with some more interesting calls than you are bargaining for!