February 2015 surgery

Fourminor

I used something called a V pillow which I easily found on Amazon to help me get comfortable at night so that there was a bit of pillow on each side to dissuade me from turning, and then two pillows behind my back to keep me a little more upright. Also found that having a pillow under my knees is crucial to staying on my back.

Since I am a uni, I still had my right arm to help me sit up though I did have to learn a sort of half roll toward my left side ( I sleep on the left side of bed), drop my legs over the edge of the bed, reach across to put my right hand near my left chest/shoulder and then push with my arm while I brought myself to sitting. Sort of like how you come to seated position after shavashana corpse pose at the end of a yoga class.

I was albe to sleep flat probably 3 weeks out. Eventually I was also able to get comfortable on my non surgical side when I put a pillow in font of my chest and draped my left arm over it. I still sleep like that. Just prior to exchange I was finding that I could sleep on my left a little bit, though not fully turned.

As far as pain meds--I personally hate opiods --I was off them within 24 hours after my C section, which surprisingly was far less difficult than all of this. After both mastectomy and TE exchange I needed them for about a week. I will admit that I probably have a little higher pain threshold than most people. But the way i got off them and transitioned to OTC advil was gradual. First 48 hours I took two Norco every 4 hours around the clock. Next 48 hours I took 1 Norco every four hours around the clock. Next 48 hours I took 1 Norco every 6 hours around the clock. After that i tried taking Advil or Tylenol during the day and just used Norco at night. Within a few days I was off it completely. I think its harder to go from a full dose to abruptly stopping.

That's interesting about MSK dissuading DIEP recon because that's where I am treated also. I was kind of depressed about having to have an implant although now that its in I am surprised at how good it does look. We'll see how I feel in a few months.

Happy Sunday,

4

zjrosenthal

Robin, so good to hear from you. Glad you have support. More later. Love, Jean

greenae

Hi all,

I hope everyone is feeling better every day. It is so helpful for me to read of your experiences and "fixes" of post op issues. I came to this thread so late and have been trying to catch up with info. My surgery is 2/26, and I am starting to freak a little because I have so much to do. Cleaning and shopping today. Sounds like liteweight sweatjackets and yoga pants work well? I am trying to keep busy, and will work on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday is my radioactive tracer injection, and I am very anxious about that. No lidocaine is given at NYU! I think I want to take a vicodin and xanax right before. Do you think that's ok? And I can ask my PMD for EMLA cream? I have only had a few days to process this change from LX to MX, and I am feeling overwhelmed. Do all surgeons inflate the TE to a similar amount of saline? Ho w much?I am wondering how lopsided I will be with a DDDD on the right and the MX and TE on the left. I am sorry I have so many questions. I so appreciate your welcomes and responses. I hope eveyone's recoveries are progressing as smoothly as possible. Trying to stay strong and sending gentle hugs to All of you...

arlene

Fourminor

One of my biggest mistakes in picking clothing was not getting something oversized. When you get dressed with all those drains you need something big. One of my husband's flannels worked.

greenae

Thank you Fourminor, I definitely will size up.

arlene

jabec

So happy to hear that everyone seems to be doing well and I'm glad that several of you are now on the other side of surgery since I last checked the site. I got home from Mexico late last night. I made it there 15 days after surgery to meet the rest of my family. It was so wonderful emotionally for me! I really started to feel like I was getting my life back (finally taking a real shower didn't hurt either!). I eventually made it down to the beach and cried when I saw my children because I had missed them so much and had been feeling really depressed about not being with them. Then, I sat on a lounge chair and had a margarita - just what the doctor ordered. My 12 year old son couldn't do enough for me the whole time there - insisted on carrying everything, holding my hand, etc - so sweet. Of all my kids (I also have a 15 year old son and 7 year old daughter) he really needed to see me and know that I was OK. I still didn't sleep well and the resort we were at had a lot of walking, but I feel a lot stronger now. The best part - I put a bikini on yesterday and I thought my boobs looked great!! I love my cleavage and I have a decent shape so far. My left side is noticeably smaller than my right at the moment, but that will be evened out with the fills. I think this is because my left side had more skin removed during surgery. The bikini also just covered the scars, which I was worried about. I wore a rash guard shirt over the bathing suit so no one else could see, but I knew that things look good. I still have some pain, but it's better every day. After all the hours of traveling yesterday, I took a percocet and valium to go to sleep and finally slept through the night for the first time since my surgery. I'm really feeling like there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Good luck to everyone with upcoming surgery and those still struggling. This is definitely not easy, but we will all make it through!

AudreyB

Jabec; you're my new hero. 15 days after sx your traveling alone and rocking a bikini!!!!!! You have given me much hope.

zjrosenthal

My drain has been misbehaving. There are stringy blood clots that block it. Yesterday one finally popped out when I squeezed the bulb rather forcibly when emptying the drain to measure the output. Today when trying to dislodge another clot that formed after milking, the bulb detached from the tube. We managed to reattach it and it is working. I called the hospital and spoke to the attending doc who didn't seem too concerned! Has anyone else had the problem of blood clots blocking the drain flow or the bulb detaching? Love, Jean

jabec

Audrey - thanks! I honestly didn't expect to be feeling well enough to travel, but my pain has been manageable with the right medication pretty much from the beginning. The frustrating part was not being able to travel with the family because my drains were still not out. The only issue I ran into traveling alone was that I decided not to go to the bathroom in the airport before my flight because I didn't want to drag my bags any extra distance but then we sat on the runway for almost an hour - definitely had to pee by the time I could get to the bathroom!! I definitely still have some pain and a lot of tightness, but really want to get back to my life. I'm still moving slowly, but am no longer on the sidelines of life. The funniest part of being at the beach with my husband is that the two of us were totally checking out everyone's boobs and commenting on them! Not only was I encouraging my husband to look at other women's boobs, I wanted to hear his opinions of them. He was just hoping I would tell him to do some hands-on research!!

melihowe76

I had my lumpectomy on 2/2 and saw my radiation oncologist for treatment planning on 2/12. I start radiation tomorrow.

AudreyB

welcome Melihowe76. Good luck tomorrow.

farmerjo

Hi Audrey...I think it has to do with the location of the tumor. Mine was six o'clock near the crease. I has skin sparing ,nipple/areola sparing bmx with immediate reconstruction. The implants are known as gummy bears. The alloderm is something they place beneath the implant but don't remember why. They placed my gummy bears under the muscle and my breasts feel warm. The diep is more invasive, longer post op but good outcome. She will explain all of this to you. She said some people choose diep because you get a tummy tuck with that. I have minimal scarring.

One and done. Makes me happy as the OR is not my friend.

Please keep me posted!

justamy

Greenae, My TEs are flat. He put 12 cc in them st surgery and then won't put any more until 4 weeks post op. I had BMX so I don't have to worry about the lopsided thing but I do have a camisole with fake boobs that I can wear. You can also get a real prosthesis that is designed for people with TE's so you would look even. It will take a few months for your TE side to get back to size. Hope this helps. Hugs Amy

katesmom97

Hi everyone! I'm new to this discussion board. I had my surgery on 20 February. Simple mastectomy, left breast, with sentinel node biopsy (2) and tissue expander placement. Nodes were negative. I was diagnosed with DCIS, stage 0, multi focal, so I wasn't a good candidate for lumpectomy. I have drains in, but I am still having swelling around the chest area. The best way to describe it is puffy...have any of you experienced this too?

JustAJennifer

Jabec- great to hear you had a good trip!

Arlene- the unilateral or bilateral is a tough decision for sure. I went unilateral after I saw my MRI was clear on that side and had negative results in genetic testing. I do have density as an issue for ongoing testing but I have faith that there was not a reason to remove a healthy breast, and my surgeons led me this way. I am a D on my natural side and estimating I will fill my TE on the MX side to 600 ccs or so. I came out of surgery with 180 in, my first expansion was 90, so I'm at 270 now. There's a small bump, but of course it's uneven. However, we are in the season of bulky sweaters and scarves and I've not been overly self conscious about it. The recovery of one side is easier, I have the advantage that my healthy side is right, and I'm right handed, so I've been able to do quite a lot. At exchange time, I plan to have a lift and maybe reduction on the healthy side.

Welcome back to those back on the boards post surgery, and happy for clean margin results!

Wondering if Melanie has pooped yet...

Drains just... Suck. Sorry to read of problems with them. I had stringy stuff in mine but they never clogged or came out before it was time.

Katesmom- I feel that puffy sensation around my drain location (they are out). It's driving me crazy!!!

justamy

Well, I think my drains are here to stay.. Sigh...I have already put out over 50 each today and I have to be under 40/ day for the doctor to pull them. He wanted them out tomorrow for sure but I'm just too juicy...lol...I'm going to call him tomorrow and see what he wants to do. I don't I ave to have an appointment. I just go in w the drains are ready and the nurse will pull them. I hope I dry up soon!

JustAJennifer

Oh Amy that stinks! I think what helped me drop was the expansion they did Tues of last week. Within a day they dropped from 50 to in the 20s. I hope and pray you do dry up soon! I can imagine you are completely fed up with the drains.

greenae

Hi All

Justamy and justajennifer, Thank you for the expansion advice. I have no idea how much the PS will inflate on thursday, and I Know will be Very lopsided. When treatment is done I hope to end up C-ish, bilaterally, after right reduction. My healthy right is tooo big.

I hate to be a pain about this...but I am so worried about the radioactive tracer pain this wednesday, 24hrs before my mx surgery. Can I take vicodin and xanax before the tracer? My left breast is still black and blue and has a walnut- sized hematoma from the biopsy almost 2 weeks ago. I have read some scary stuff about these injections, and it's making me too anxious on top of everything else.

greenae

Justamy, I will pray for your drains to behave. oh boy...not looking forward to Jack.

arlene

Moderators

Welcome to BCO Katesmom97, we're glad you found us but sorry you needed to.

We hope your puffyness goes down soon, but if it becomes large, painful or red, contact your surgeon for advice. It is usually just the body's defence mechanism against the procedure that has been done and the foreign bits like drain.

Wishing you a fast recovery without issues.

The Mods

jabec

greenae - regarding the radioactive injection - I had no idea it would be painful and since mine was done a couple of hours before my surgery I couldn't have taken any pain killers anyway. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I found the injections to be VERY painful - like fiery acid being injected. However, the good news is that it's very quick and the pain subsided rapidly. I would ask if you can take something before the injection since you are doing it the day before surgery.

greenae

Thank you jabec...I am so anxious about this. Everything I am reading is frightening. I just don't understand why we have to put up with this on top of everything else. 30 seconds, my BS said. I say that's a long time.

justamy

I didnt find the injection to be that bad. It did sting a little. But I did take Klonopin before I got it(just like xanex). That definitely could make a difference. Just ask the BS...I don't see why you wouldn't be able to take either. Hugs Amy

katesmom97

Thank you, and I'm happy I found this community!

greenae

Welcome, Katesmom! Everyone here is so helpful!

arlene

katesmom97

Hi! I agree with jabec regarding the radioactive tracer injection...it was a burning, stinging sensation. I received mine about an hour and a half before surgery. It seemed faster than 30 seconds, so it was over fast. A few deep breaths and done.

greenae

Thanks katesmom. Def will ask about EMLA cream, because I am pretty sure I will have to get enough tracer to last 24 hrs, and not putting up with unnecessary pain. Thx so much. Can't wait til this week is over.

Arlene

Fourminor

I didn't find the radionuclide injection to be that bad. Easier than an IV or a blood draw. Like the drains, others stories had me terrified and it wasn't a big deal at all.

The hardest thing was laying down on the operating table when i knew that I would wake up without my breast. I was crying so they gave me something to relax me and the next thing I knew I was in recovery and it was over.

JustAJennifer

I didn't feel the radioactive tracer dye at all, but I did have a lidocaine injection first. I found it to be no problem at all

JustAJennifer

I cried on the OR table too, Fourminor. It's the very point where you realize there's no turning back. A hard moment. The surgeon held my hand but that anesthesia couldn't kick in fast enough for me. Of course, I tried to find the humor in that the light above me looked like a giant boob. And so I said that to everyone. It helped a little to laugh along with the tears.