September 2014 Surgery Sisters

Mischief46

Ilovecoasters, so glad you are feeling better.  I had constipation too after both surgeries..sent DH to the store for anything that said laxative, I was fine by the next day.

Dlove72, welcome..never too late! :-)

Smitty333, Can't help you, I did not get offered that at my BMX.  Good luck to you on Wed, we will all be right there with you!!

linda505

Hi Smitty - I did not get them nor was I offered them but I think that maybe it is called exparel.  If so - I know some got them on the March surgery thread and thought they were wonderful.  I think they last for like three days or something.

Smitty333

Thanks for the response ladies. The shot sounds good to me and he said any adverse effects from it are very minimal. I just want to thank everyone here for being that place I can go to and not feel completely alone. I have plenty of friends and family around me and there for me. But I just don't think they get the full spectrum of it all. This is a emotional roller coaster that I do not want to ride anymore. Best of luck to all pre and post op ladies.

EverForward

Smitty, I had the nerve blocks. Before the surgery they inserted two catheters in my upper back with tubes connected to medicine that is supposed to continuously block the nerves that connect to the breast area, thereby reducing the pain. After two nights in the hospital, they sent me home with  the tubes connected to "mobile" balls of medicine. There is nothing you have to do; the medicine is released automatically. The balls are fairly annoying to carry around wherever you go (in addition to the four drainage tubes I had, I felt like an octopus). I had my mother remove the catheters a few days after I got home, which was easy and not painful at all. I can't say for sure how much it reduced the pain. I didn't notice that much of a difference after I took them out, which was 5 days after the surgery. If you are prone to pain, I'd say go for it. The procedure for putting them in and the annoyance of carrying around the balls of medicine might be worth it if you are nervous about post-op pain. I chose to do it because I don't typically respond well to standard oral pain killers and I figured it couldn't hurt to have something extra.

Dlove72

thank you Linda! So happy you are feeling good these tissue expander feel so awkward but whatever it takes to be great!

Smitty333

Thanks everforward. I will have to check if that is what it is. From what I understood this morning he said it was just to shots in the back while I was still under. If it is a cathiter situation I think I would pass. I have a pretty high pain tolerance and the drain tubes are the only thing I am dreading. So I certainly do not want to add more tubes! 

Mischief46

I did have the pain pump (ball) with the two tubes into my chest but not the shots in the back.  I removed my tubes about 4 days after surgery.  I think mine had Novocain in it and numbed the area for the first few days.  I was glad to have it but like EF mentioned, I didn't notice much difference once I removed it.  

Su-CQ51

I'm waiting in line for the pink bus tomorrow with Peanut, MarieJune and sjacobs !   Hope result news was good Mulligan and good luck with onc tomorrow.

Dlove72

thank you mischief! Did anyone have a hard time breathing with fills from tissue expanders? It's only been a week since surgery and my first fill was today. I feel like it's harder to breathe... I hope it doesn't stay

enlm20Erica

Just want you all to know that I'm praying that everyone's surgery goes smoothly with no complications and to those who have already been where i have to go (Sept 29), I hope you have a speedy recovery and know that the best it yet to come! Fight on sisters! And if anyone has any advice to give me as far as surgery do's and donts PLEASE let me know! I'm having a BMX with expanders...I see my PS tomorrow gonna ask him about direct to implant (anyone have any experience with direct to implant) vs. TE which way is better?

sandra4611

Smitty, I believe I know what you are talking about. It's called a paravertebral nerve block and is being used more and more in breast surgery. It was decided that I'd try it for my 2nd surgery since I'd had such a bad reaction to the general anesthetic the first time. Although the paravertebral nerve block is done while you are awake, other  anesthesia is added during your surgery so you are "out" but they don't have to use as much so nausea is less.

The anesthesiologist does the procedure before you go to the operating room and requires patient cooperation as far as positioning your body for optimal access to your spinal area. It can be "two shots" as you say if the area to be numbed is small. The first injection is lidocaine and the second is placement of the catheter to deliver the pain drug. The number of injections you get depends on how much of an area needs blocking. For a mastectomy, you'll have more. The plan for me was 6 catheters to cover from the armpit down to the bottom of the ribs - on both sides.  

Personally, I found it really scary and ended up getting only 2 catheters in before the anesthesiologist discontinued the procedure. It wasn't that it was so painful, it was just fear of having something injected near my spinal nerves combined with the fact that it took so long. (They have to measure and draw on your back first.) The longer it took, the more frightened I got, my blood pressure took a dive and I passed out. None of the anesthetic had been started, so I don't know how much numbness it gives you or how long it lasts. It must be pretty good though since they use it so often at my hospital.

 

This is NOT Exparel, as was suggested in an earlier post. Exparel is an anesthetic that the plastic surgeon injects into the incisions at the end of the surgery. It becomes a foam that spreads and bathes the area in blissful pain relief for at least three days. I heard about it here on BCO and asked my PS about it. He used it in my 4th surgery and I can't praise it enough. For me, it lasted more than three days, then faded off til it was gone by day five. I will never have another surgery without it. Since I'm allergic to all opiates and narcotics, I can only have Tylenol (no morphine, pain pumps, percoset, norco, etc.) during recovery so having Exparel was a huge blessing. 

http://www.exparel.com/what-is-exparel.shtml

Several other women here have discussed it with their surgeons. Some learned their insurance company wouldn't cover it. If it were me, I'd be happy to pay the $300 per vial rather than go without...it's that good. My surgeon also injected some Marcaine at the same time, so I'd recommend that too. 

MarieJune

Thank you, Su-CQ51

 I wasn't worried all day yesterday, & now I keep feeling like I'm going to "forget something"?! It's like I'm panicking, but for what, I have no idea, lol. I've had my bag packed, have everything I need, and at last minute I'm up at 2:55am and can't sleep. Lol, go figure. 

Dlove72, welcome!! I private messaged the moderators of bc.org to ask them to update the list of lovely ladies in our group with your name and surgery date, etc...it should be up by tomorrow. glad to meet you, and see that you're doing pretty well after only a week! I'm having the SAME exact thing in 4 hours- I can hope & pray to be feeling good in a week. I hope you continue to do well and we welcome you with open arms here. 

Peanut323 & Sjacobs146: I wish you both a safe surgery and quick return to feeling well. I'll be thinking of you both as I get wheeled into my own operating room. (((((Hugs)))) & ~*~*Speedy Recovery Dust~*~*

Lots of love to all. I'll update as soon as I'm well enough to write an update. Bless each of you on this journey. 

MarieJune

Mischief46

Thoughts and prayers for MarieJ, peanut323 and Sjacobs146!!  

Dlove72, I found that my first few fills were the worst.  My chest was tight and it was hard to breath. But thankfully  It only lasted about a day or so.  Valium helped. ( the tight iron bra stayed with me to the end but the breathing got easier.) 

MarieJune

thank you Mischief. I have my IV in with antibiotics & fluids, spoke to anesthesia, and about to get OxyContin 10mg via IV, and get wheeled in! Took some final pics at home & am as ready as I'll be....

See you on the "other" side, after I'm a little better and can post. 

Dlove72

enlm- my doctor was debating on direct implant or TE- but he decided TE the day of my surgery- he said since I had finished treatment only 5 weeks before he didn't want me to feel weak and he wanted me to heal faster. 

Mariejune- thank you so much! I hope your surgery goes extremely well and wish you a very speedy recovery. I sent prayers your way❤️ 

 Mischief- It's already easier to breathe. I was so nervous.!

EverForward

I had my first fill yesterday (2 weeks after BMX surgery). It was a piece of cake. I felt a little tight a couple hours later, but I think it actually helped some of the pinchy sensations that had been driving me crazy. I'm hoping as the fills continue and the TE expands to a rounder, smoother shape, that the "something is pinching my armpit" sensations will decrease.

One of the reasons the doctor wanted to do a fill so soon after surgery is because I'm still getting a lot of fluid in my drains. Getting the last 2 drains out (and then immediately taking a shower) is the next milestone. This is going on my 3rd week away from work and I really need to get back to the office on Monday, but don't really want to if I still have the drains.

Good luck to MarieJ, Peanut, and sjacobs. I hope your surgeries are successful and your recoveries smooth and without complications.

linda505

thanks sandra for clearing that up on the shot for pain.  Interesting on the procedure to block the pain and I am not sure that I would want to try that either.   

Thinking of Marie, peanut and Sjacobs and hope everything is going great.

I had my first post op today and everything looked great.  Nurse said I looked "perfect".   I am very pleased with how everything looks at this point.  I didn't expect perfection but my results look really good to me .  I do have long and fairly wide incisions so I am sure that I will have a couple of nice scars (I scar easily) but that is OK by me.    I have another appt next tuesday and they said I would need to wear the surgical bras for about 3 weeks.  Still have restrictions on raising my arms above my head and no lifting over 5 lbs. 

noonrider

Hello ladies! My surgery was on the 12th. It has been a ROUGH recovery. There were a couple nights at the one week mark where I was at "10" most of the night and couldn't get back down to acceptable pain levels. Another drug was added to my regimen which helped with the pain quite a bit. It also made me delirious and have some fascinating hallucinations. LOL I'm finally down to about 50/50 with narcotics and over the counter pain killers with my goal to be off all prescribed meds by Friday this week. Although, I may ask for something for night time. 
I still have both drains in. Hoping one can come out Friday, but the other will likely be in until Monday or so of next week. The lower output drain is just clear fluid now, but the other, which has almost triple the output, is blood colored, clotted, sludge-like stuff. Very gross. I know its common, its just gross. 

Thank you for all the prayers and positive thoughts. I've been hoping that everyone else is having a much easier recovery!

noonrider

Oh, and I have to be off all narcotics before I can have my first fill. However, by people's experiences, it sounds like I want narcotics for the fill! UGH!!! I don't know how well I'm going to tolerate the few months with these TE's. They're already driving me crazy and I haven't had a fill yet. My breasts look like yuck, freakish deflated balloons. 

Su-CQ51

sorry you're having a tough time noonrider!   Hoping it improves quickly for you!

Glad that you are doing well linda and EverForward!

I'm on the pink bus with you tomorrow Smitty!

Frostecat

The fills aren't that bad.  I only felt some discomfort in the evening and into the next day.  The actual fill itself is pretty painless.

Mischief46

noonrider, so glad to hear from you!! I was getting worried...sorry to hear your pain has been bad. I hope it stays under control.  The fills may not bother you at all.  Just go slow, it's not a race.  Get just a little the first time and if it goes well, then you know the next time you can probably handle more.  Thanks of checking in with us!

Daralee

I am not sure where to present this question---is there a thread that deals with post mastectomy radiation after neoadjuvant chemotherapy? This area seems a little murky and I am not sure if I should proceed with radiation if there is no clear benefit. Any thoughts? 

enlm20Erica

Dlove72 Thanks, I saw my PS today and he's going with the TEs. I've heard so many awful things about em but hey the whole process is awful so oh well TEs it is. 6 days till my big day. They want to try to save the nips if they can, they'll send them to path during surgery to make sure there's no cancer... How did that work for you?

noonrider

enlm20, I had nipple sparing surgery 13 days ago. The nipple on my cancer side looks really good, but there were no incisions made around it so it wasn't bothered. The  nipple on my non-cancer side was done differently and does not look great to me. I'm very anxious to hear what my PS has to say about its coloring.

Dlove72

enlm- mine were good! Thank God. They actually don't look too bad with the expanders.

Noon rider- I hope you feel better soon

Mischief46

noonrider, I also had NSBMX..both of my nipples turned black but after about three weeks they started looking good again.  I figured I would have to go back under and have them removed but they recovered nicely.

EverForward

enlm, I had nipple sparing BMX with TEs. After two weeks, I'm finally getting used to the TEs. As other wise women assured me, the first couple weeks are the toughest, but it does get better. My docs assured me that my nipples looked "great" post surgery, but they looked a little discolored and shriveled to me. But they look better now, especially after the fill. My pathology had clear margins.

Ilovecoasters

Just checking in. I'm now off all pain meds but still taking a muscle relaxer at night. Dr called last night with some of the pathology report. Diagnosis added ILC. I'm shocked. Two of seven nodes  had cancer. She said they did get clean margins. I go to the plastic surgeon tomorrow for a fill, post op with breast surgeon Friday and meet the dreaded oncologist next week.

Sjacobs146

I'm back post Lx.  I feel really good, just some pain under my armpit if I try to raise my right arm.  Most painful part was getting the IV line in.  First one didn't go well, they got someone else to do the second, that went much better.  Apparently I have thick skin, lol.  Since that was literally the first thing that they did to me, I was much more nervous than I should have been for the rest.  I'll post the rest of the details under a Lx topic.  Thank you all so much for your well wishes.  I'm thinking positive thoughts today for Smitty.