February 2015 surgery

zjrosenthal

Ksusan, welcome home. Glad your surgery went well. Hope you have a speedy, complication free recovery. A blessed good morning to you all. Love, Jean

faithhopecourage

Glad to hear it tracer injection went well for you Greenae.

PS is letting sleep braless now that drains are gone.

Continued strength and healing to you all!!

faithhopecourage

Amy I can't believe you were so badly mistreated. I thought this board was created so we all could give each other the love, support and comradery we all so desperately need during this most difficult time in all of our lives. Please know that I would never berate you and value all your contributions to this thread!!!

Much love,

Joanne

justamy

i want to be clear that I have never been mistreated on this board. It was another board of the BCO where the problem arose. The mods took care of it. I still don't like it and I hope others who were hurting never go there.this board has helped me even on the darkest days. Thank you all. Hugs Amy

Loulee

Ladies, 

Did any one of you had cording isues during their recovery? 

I was doing my after surgery exercises yesterday and felt the cord under my arm!!  Another thing to deal with!! And I was thinking am recovering well :-(

Any advice?

dianeaslm

Hello February ladies. Just found this site but had BMx on Feb.19,2015. Was looking for people who were about a week out from surgery. First time I've been back on here since surgery. (Last posted on "Just diagnosed",(Lumpectomy vs Mastectomy) and Older ladies with bc (60+). Enjoyed the photos and absolutely love babies! Read about mother's helping out daughters, FIL wanting to help? and ALND (never heard of it before,do I need to know now?). Anxiety and panic attacks and meds, etc. I have a ton of emotions flooding through me right now so will wait for a calmer moment to post any more. Hope you are all doing good and feeling hopeful!

RAK1

Welcome Diane To February Surgery Sisters:

We want you to know that the women on this thread are here to support, encourage, love, empathize, question, answer and share,

We will be here for you!

Love Robin

justamy

Ok here we go again! My left TE is floating loose inside my chest and it hurts! I called the doc and sent pictures and his nurse called back and said it didn't look as bad as last time from the photos. I about lost it. I have one breast where it is right and one where its wrong and that is their response? I mean I was taking a bath and the TE turned sideways! I don't even know if the top is up where he can fill it or not! Add to that that I'm out of pain meds and you have one unhappy girl. He's seeing me on Monday so I'll prob be in surgery again because if he sees the way this really is...there is no way he can fill it. I'm seriously about ready to forget recon. It has been worse than chemo as far as pain level....

RAK1

Hello Ladies,

 I just wanted to share this post we made earlier in the month!

Again want to thank all you ladies.

Love Robin

Jabec, I seem to be doing as well as you so far. May I ask how old you are? I believe you are younger than me.

 

dancingdiva

nobody told me anything about wearing a bra or not at night. I haven't even been wearing it during the day. Should I?

Amy, don't give up. I'm with u. I've already had chemo and surgEry is worse and this is my second surGery. How do u even feel them move? Mine are like rocks.

The bottom of my ribs really hurt. Anybody else feeling pain there?

zjrosenthal

Oh gosh Amy, you have been through so much. I have a friend who had her implants removed because of reoccurring infections. Hope you can get the surgeon to address this. Love, Jean

justamy

dancingdiva, I was told to wear a bra 24/7 but it may be just because of my situation. When they did my BMX, they left a really big space inside (according to PS). Mine just move around...the whole thing...like 3 inches left to right and prob an inch up and down. They are not filled yet so they feel like partially filled plastic bags. I woke up with 12cc each and don't get my first fill for 2 more weeks...unless I have another surgery.

jabec

Oh Amy, I'm so sorry this is happening again!! maybe this time the surgeon will actually do something different when he fixes it so it doesn't happen again. Keep us posted.

Robin, I'm happy to hear that you are doing well and you're not even a week out! I feel like I totally turned a corner at the 3 week mark and overall feel really good now. I am 45 years old with kids ages 15, 12 & 7 so I don't have the time to just sit and take it easy (although sitting on the beach in Mexico for a few days was nice). However, I'm not working full time right now, so I do have the luxury of taking it relatively easy while the kids are in school. I'm amazed how my range of motion improved after a few stretching sessions. For a few nights, when I got into bed I took 1 Percocet and then just stretched as much as I could handle on and off during a couple of TV shows. It made such a huge difference. The Percocet doesn't seem to affect me much, but maybe it allowed me to stretch just a little more than I could have without it. My big concern right now is that I seem to be getting stretch marks on my breasts, which I was afraid of. I asked my PS before surgery if this could happen and he told me that stretch marks happen when you gain and then lose weight. Since I will only be expanding my skin, not retracting, I won't get stretch marks. When I was pregnant, I got bad stretch marks in my 3rd trimester both times, so I was concerned that my skin just doesn't stretch well and I guess I'm right. I got about 150 cc's put in at surgery and haven't had any fills yet. I'm definitely a little afraid for the fills because I don't want it to look worse. I bought cocoa butter lotion today and ordered another stretch mark/scar treatment on Amazon. I hope they work.

regarding wearing a bra - I asked my PS on Tuesday about the bra and he said that initially it was to keep the gauze, dressings, etc in place. He said that since my incisions are healed now, it's up to me as to what's most comfortable. the past few days I've been wearing a Genie bra, but had to buy ones that are way bigger than I would have thought I needed. I also sometimes wear a tank top that has a built in shelf bra. I tried one day going braless - just a tank top under my shirt but I didn't feel comfortable that day. Not sure if it was because of no bra or if it was just coincidental. I'm still wearing a bra at night because I want to make sure things are secure while I sleep. I'm working on sleeping on my side, but it's just not comfortable for more than a couple of minutes yet.

RAK1

Ok ladies I'll show you mine! From the time I woke up I did not have gauze, bra or anything on. My PS didn't want any pressure on me. My TEs were filled with 400cc in each. I didn't expect to any cc when I woke up so, I'm glad! My stomach is still swollen! Anything else ask??? I'm feeling grateful and maybe I need to be the ice breaker! BMX/with nipple andskinsparing w/recon w/TEs

 

RAK1

If the photo of me is too much for you I will remove it!

I didn't know it would be life size! LOL

dancingdiva

RAK, that's amazing! Where r ur incision marks? At the bottom? I didn't even know u could do that if ur getting a BMX, I thought they had to be across. U look great

jabec

robin, you look great! If i can figure out how to post a pic i will. I was told that my nipples and areolas had to go because dcis is in the milk duct that leads to the nipple. I'm ok with losing them, but i look like Frankenstein's bride right now with the big incisions across my chest!

NurseShark

RAK : my incisions are the same. I woke with no bra just positioning tape. I had implant s placed not te but my nipples do not look that good

RAK1

The incisions for surgery were done under each breast. The nipples and skin sparring allowed them to pull the skin all they way back and remove the breast tissue. Then the PS started the reconstruction w/TEs my drains are under my arms. Not bad considerating all I was told to prepare me! This was the best outcome! God I thank you!

I was braced for the worst, I won't even put that in your mind. So here we go. My first appoint w Ps n BS in a week still!

faithhopecourage

Robin, they are phenomenal!! Mine are wrinkled, square, bruised and ugly!! I know I have a long way to go, but they look nothing like yours. I hope in time, mine will look half as good.

Thank you for being brave enough to show us.

RAK1

I had been between a C n D cup.

Then I lost weight to the colonoscopy.

I really didn't want that!

Mine were wrinkled before surgery, that is why I thought I would do immediate implants and they said no way!

I was told I would wake up flat maybe some saline. I think there was more space once all of the tissue was removed! I am so glad my nipples are okay now!

I am praying that they will live. Breastfeeding was a very important part of my ladylife, I don't want to lose it all!! So I will get saline injections until the desired size.

The PS said that could be nine months. I don't think so after waking up with these! I am full on top where I was dropping! That's good!

I have to find the good!

  

justamy

Wow RAK...your boobs look like boobs! That is impressive since mine look like something else. I cant believe you are so full! I'll post a picture of what 12 cc floating TE looks like. It will make all of you who don't look like RAK feel better...cause I bet you'll look better than mine! I am 3 weeks out or so. I was a Full C before so I have a long way to go even after they secure the wandering TE. And please excuse my fatness..O

justamy

jabec

since Robin was brave enough to go first, I'll go second. Here's a photo of me 3 weeks after BMX with TE implants. I was told that the implants were filled about 150 cc's at surgery. I have not had any fills yet, which is I guess why there's wrinkling by the incisions. You will also notice that one side looks bigger than the other and the incisions aren't even. The first BS I went to for the biopsy told me I needed a surgical biopsy after already having a diagnosis from the sterotactic needle biopsy. I didn't question it and let him do it (it has since been confirmed by my current BS that the surgery was never necessary since I already had a diagnosis and was going to choose MX). He made a 3 inch incision at the bottom of my breast, which then had to be included in the new incision made for the MX, so a lot more skin had to be taken out of that breast. My PS said he put the same amount of saline in each side during surgery but I guess having less skin on that side has resulted in it being tighter and smaller looking? Hopefully during the fills everything will even out. I do love my cleavage though

zjrosenthal

Amy, not too bad at all. I'm sure by the time you heal and get fills then permanent recon, you will be satisfied.

Thank you Robin and Amy for being brave enough to share. I just had a lumpectomy but I don't think I could share pics like you did. You are both amazing women. Love, Jean

justamy

You all can probably see how the TE can move now...I see why you were confused...you guys have full TEs and mine are empty. I am looking forward to looking like you all!

RAK1

Thank you for posting!!!!

Amy, you had a lot of problems with the first TEs implants not staying in place? Am I right?

They look good though. good clean job done!

This will be very good for not only us, but for those coming behind us!
1. Did either of you ladies have nipple sparing or couldn't?

Jabec you are the one that has been doing so great since post op? They look good!!

Mine feel like they are somehow firmly stuck in place!

BTW, Mine are bruised, nipples are facing east and west now, and they are flat square. I still have the purple marker on them! All better than it could have been!

I know you are all brave because you are my February Surgery Sisters!!!! 

Love Robin

jabec

I was not given the option of nipple or skin sparing. My BS felt that with the DCIS in the milk duct that leads to the nipple I should have them removed. I didn't even know what skin sparing was, so went with whatever my BS and PS felt was right. I do feel really good overall and am anxious to get to the finished product, but am happy so far. The first PS I met with told me that I would be essentially flat after surgery because of having to incorporate the scar from my "biopsy", but the PS I went with assured me I would have a shape when I woke up. I didn't think I'd have nearly this much shape and was pleasantly surprised. I'm glad that it's winter, though so i can hide everything under sweaters until things are evened out. I'm hoping for my first fill on Tuesday.

justamy

Yes I have had this problem before. On both sides...now its just my left.

I wasn't a good candidate for nipple or skin sparing. I had DCIS and LCIS. Plus I had two tumors. One was 4cm and was too close to the skin.

RAK1

Jean, you are brave too! We all are!

We went through this together!
I do feel like I was given a blessing and I am not ashamed to share with my sisters.

I understand to all my sisters who don't feel comfortable to post pics it's fine!

You should only do what is comfortable for you!

I don't mind showing so I am.

We have shared so very much and I pray we become friends.

In the future we will share more with each other.

The great things is for women who maybe haven't done anything yet they can come to this page and gain knowledge that they

might not have otherwise!

Love Robin