July 2014 Surgery Sisters

Msqueen57

Hi all. Think the side effects of the Arimidex, at least the fatigue, has lessened. I have hope that with time my body will adjust. Right now it is day to day.

Straitlover, sorry about your losing your mother. It is never easy to lose a parent, much less when you are sick yourself. Sounds like your family has had more than its share of cancer.

Mel147. Hope your fitting for the prosthesis went well and you are now the proud owner of real fake breasts. I don't have mine yet. The place I was going to use canceled two appointments on me, saying they could not get the proper prosthesis. Other places that do fittings are too far away. Guess I will do it online. Need to get them soon as I am way to comfortable going without anything. Glad you are busy enough that you can sometimes forget you had BC , but remember to take care of yourself.

Angelia50, Thanks for your response. I Think it's in the back of most BC sufferers minds if the BC is truly gone and if it will come back. Your profile does not list if you are taking any medication, or post surgery treatment. I know depending on your type of cancer, medication may not be an option. Wishing you well in your recovery. As far as people who think our BC is gone, we should try to remember they don't know of what they speak.

My best to all.

angelia50

msqueen57, I am taking the generic of Armidex. I started taking it in August. I even have a friend who had mastectomy in June and did have to have chemo and she had pictures on facebook in September with her whole family, holding signs that said Cancer Free. I thought, you hope so. I guess having faith is a good thing. My son always calls me Debbie Downer, so maybe I am, I had no lymph node problems and had the mastectomy, grade 1, stage 1 but then, they also said for a slow growning cancer to get even the size mine was, which was small, it had been there 8-10 years, so thats a long time for something dangerous to be sitting there in my system. But I sure hope and pray its gone, never to return.

mel147

Msqueen - I do need to remember to take care of myself, that's for sure! Tonight I remembered to sprinkle my broccoli and quinoa with Turmeric! I've been trying to add that to my diet, but I do need to look up how much most people use. I tend to just sprinkle it on things here and there. Bummer news...no breast prosthetics today! I called my insurance company yesterday to find out how many bras I could get and lal that stuff and they told me the place I was going to was out of network and I would be responsible for the cost. But then he couldn't find any place near me that was in network so he said I could request an in network "gap" that would process it as in network. It's a long story what happened at the shop, but, the short version is that I didn't think any of the bras were comfortable. Even though insurance would be paying for it, I just wasn't going to buy something just because it would be free if I didn't like it. One thing I noticed was that it seemed like there was so much space between the fake boobs in most of the bras. I don't get that since they can control that when they make the bra. I felt like it looked odd. I didn't like that the lady had to put every bra on me instead of me being able to just go around and pick out and try on whatever I wanted. That made it take longer and I almost felt obligated to buy something, but then at the last minute I just decided it was my choice and I didn't have to buy anything if I didn't want to and I asked for the paperwork and my prescription back and said I just wasn't ready. I know she was bummed after spending so much time with me, but I just couldn't do it. I spent a little time today looking online and I may go that route or I may even sew a pocket in some old bras and see how that works. I've heard Nordstroms will do that for you if you buy a regular bra from them. I'm definitely super comfortable with my $4.98 bra from Walmart and my foam boobs from my camisole I used after surgery. Who knows...maybe I will just keep those for a while longer!

Msqueen & angelia - it's definitely always in the back of my mind that it will come back. I hate that feeling, but it's hard to escape it even though I am busy and not focusing on it, it is always lurking. Certain things will bring it to the front of my mind and I have to just try to focus on today and not try to predict the future, but it is definitely hard. I honestly think for my personality I am more comfortable feeling mentally aware that it might come back some day rather than declaring myself Cancer Free. It will be devastating no matter what if it come back, but it would be even harder for me if I had thought I was in the clear.

angelia50

mel147 I agree with you about worrying about it coming back. I try not to worry but I feel same as you, its like it caught me by surprise last time and next time, I don't want to be blindsided, even though as you say, it will be scary all over again. Heck, I"m already starting to worry about my first mammogram since surgery. I'm having that in
December. It was really due in Feb but I"m having exchange surgery and a lift on the natural side in December so I said lets do the mammogram prior to all of that to be sure its all good, plus, the idea of surgery in Dec and then a mammogram in Feb was a little scary of how it might feel.

mel147

angelia - congrats that your exchange surgery is coming up! I'll bet you will be glad to get that and your mammo over with! It's hard to believe it is already the middle of November. I feel like I lost May through August and now everything is just speeding by. I will have the week of Christmas off and I can't wait!!!

angelia50

Mel147 you are so right, I feel like I lost all summer too. From June on, I was either in the doctor, having surgery, recovering or something. I am anxious to get it done but worried too. I've gotten used to the tissue expander now, guess I would just keep it if it wasn't sitting so much higher than the natural side. Tired of trying to hid that little fact and not being able to sleep on that side too.

Msqueen57

Hi Ladies. I too feel like I lost my whole summer. Was diagnosed in May. Surgery in July,and the next thing I knew it was October. Not looking forward to the holidays with the stress it entails. Even doing everyday things seems so hard. No energy.

Need to force myself to get prosthesis, even if I have to do it online. Have a cheap cotton bra from Wal-mart that I can wear with the cotton boobs that came with my camisole. Just does not look good. Most of the time I don't wear anything under my shirt. Would love to hear from people who order online their first time.

Hugs to all.

angelia50

Msqueen, just be prepared for the "well you look good" statement, over and over. Somebody on here said, how does somebody with cancer look? My comment always is, I had a plastic surgeon but he didn't work on my face so I expect I look the same as I did before. I think if you didn't have chemo and don't "look" the part of somebody with cancer, its a surprise to them and then, they think its alll over and done and you are just fine.

angelia50

Has anybody had to have a return check up with their surgeon since your orig. surgery in July? I had mine scheduled for last week but due to terrible weather, had to cancel, so the reschedule was not until like May. Got a call today from the scheduler saying no, can't wait that long, doctor said get you in. How often are you having follow up with your surgeon? The old me of just don't go and you'll never know, is creeping in on me.

Msqueen57

angelia50: I have had several follow-ups with my surgeon, the first time was 10 days after the surgery. Then I had to go back on a weekly basis until all my drains were out and my ace bandage no longer needed to be wrapped around my incisions. After the ace bandage came off a six month appointment was scheduled for next week.

I don't understand why your surgeon has not seen you yet. I am hoping after this visit I can go to yearly. If you have not been seen, you do need to be seen. Of course that is easy for me to say from sunny south Florida, where weather is not a problem unless we are under a hurricane watch. 😃😃😃

mel147

angelia - Hiya! I saw the surgeon a few times in the month after surgery and then was told at the Aug 25th appointment to come back in six months. I had that appointment in Feb. and then was told come back in a year. I'm seeing the MO every six months even though I am not taking any medication. The MO does do a physical check to make sure no lumps or bumps have appeared. One thing that was a little irritating...the surgeon commented on my scars and said they had some keloids develop. I didn't have reconstruction and I noticed a long time ago the scars were a little wider than I expected and they are a little raised in certain areas, but I figured that was how they were supposed to look. He didn't say anything at all in August that they were not healing properly. Then he asked if I had been using Mederma and I said no - nobody told me I was supposed to use that. He told me to just get a good Keri type lotion when I asked back in July/August and that is what I did. Was frustrating because it made me feel like they aren't supposed to look like this and maybe it could have been prevented. The reality is that I don't really care - it's not like anyone but my husband and I see it, but it's just the principle of the thing because maybe if they had followed up sooner than six months somebody would have noticed and said something. Ok, vent over!

angelia50

Msqueen, I did see my surgeon once after surgery but I have been seeing my plastic surgeon A LOT, all this time. Like one of the other ladies said, my oncologist also does a full exam looking for lumps or bumps. I guess it seems strange to me to keep seeing the surgeon after the surgery is over. I had mastectomy by the surgeon and the plastic surgeon came in immediately and did his part so he took over the drains and all that stuff and I've been seeing him for fills and had exchange in December.

Straitlover

angelia, which surgeon do you mean? I had a couple of followups w/ the BS after my BMX. I was supposed to have a followup yesterday, but they were calling for bad weather, so I rescheduled it to next week. I'm betting that he will want to see me one more time around July before releasing me.

Now, I kept the PS hopping for awhile. I have not seen him since January. I see him again in a couple of weeks (will have been 2 months between visits at that time). I know he wants to do another round of fat grafting, but I'm having some issues w/ my right side, so I don't know if there will end being more that FG involved. have to what and see what he says. Fingers crossed that it's not the Alloderm failing!

angelia50

Straitlover, I was meaning the breast surgeon. Yes, I have been seeing my plastic surgeon all along for fills and then had exchange in December. Oh gosh, hope you alloderm isn't failing. DId you have the alloderm at time of exchange or prior? I had mine at time of the mastectomy, so mine has been in there since July.

Straitlover

My alloderm went in at mastectomy. My right breast is lower than my left now. the IMF (crease underneath) is lower, too. Plus I keep having occasional pains behind the implant like it's rubbing on a rib or something. My left side is still pretty tight, but part of that may be due to some lymphedema. Waiting to see what the PS says 3/11.

angelia50

mine are pretty close in alignment. The implant seems little flatter than my natural side. I'm not glad you are having discomfort but I am glad to hear your experience. Last night for some reason, I had some of the same feelings of pinching of the alloderm as I did when I first came home. This was when I laid on my natural side, seemed to pinch in the cleavage area. Since I couldn't sleep flat on my back, I slept in the recliner all night and today, I feel sore, which kind of scared me. I took a muscle relaxer, figured maybe its just rubbing or something, sure hope so.

Msqueen57

Hello July surgery sisters.

Today it is eight months since my surgery on July 15, 2014. Rather than feeling happy that I am eight months removed from the surgery, I have been down in the dumps all day. Part of it is the medication (Arimidex ) but most of it is that my many pre-existing medical problems are rearing their ugly heads.

For those that don'T know, I have multiple screlosis, widespread arthritis, and a bad back, to name a few.

My MS which was so quiet during the cancer drama (choose not to reconstruct so had less surgery, do have foobies when I chose to wear them), has reared its ugly head. Specifically, from my ankles up to my knees, I feel like someone poured concrete in both legs. At least my feet are not affected and I can walk and drive short distances. My neurologist called in steriod (at my request) which did not work. With an MS flair the main treaten is rest, waiting, and resting some more. And of course due to the weather my back and knees both hurt. I am on Effexor to help with the depression and mood swings caused by the cancer and Arimidex, but when I see him next Friday I am asking for an increased dose. I know we all have theses days and today is one of mine. Great having a place to vent where people understand.

Hugs to all. ♡☆♡☆♡

mel147

Msqueen - so sorry to hear you are not feeling well and that your MS is giving you trouble. I do hope the doctor will be able to find something that will help you out. I am gluten free due to having Celiac and have read things before about it possibly helping with MS. Have you ever come across anything about it? If you google "ms and gluten" some articles about it will pop up. If you have any questions about being gluten free, I would be happy to answer them - you could PM me. Please take care!

Msqueen57

Mel137.  Thank you for your kind words.  I have not heard about gluten  effecting MS., but I will certainly  Google it.  All for anything that might help.  If after researching gluten-free  and MS, I will pm you with any questions.  Do you know my bmx was the day before yours. Hope you are doing well cancer wise.  My surgeon was terrific  and my healing is comimg along nicely.

Thanks  again for  the  kind words. ☆☆☆☆

mel147

msqueen - you are very welcome! I hope you find some helpful info. I had not noticed our surgeries were so close together! I'm glad you are healing well. I seem to have done well except my right shoulder is giving me some trouble. Other than that, I really can't complain!
Take care!

Osang330

Hi everyone I join in this forum because of my partner she will have a mastectomy on Friday and she just worried what might happened after the operation. We just find out that she had a cancer last week and the doctor advice us to do the operation as soon as possible. So here we are still learning and trying to understand this new challenge in our life and what would be the next step after the operation. Do kindly advice thanks...