If you did NOT reconstruct-or delayed

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TCGGal
TCGGal Member Posts: 137
edited June 2014 in Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy

Please look at my photos...I posted them today under natural girls and I need opinions.

Thank you

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  • Erica3681
    Erica3681 Member Posts: 1,916
    edited April 2009

    TCGGal,

    I just checked out your photos on the Fumi's Picture Board under Au Naturel. You seem to be healing nicely. It does seem as if there's quite a bit of tissue and/or extra skin still in the chest area. Did you have skin sparing mastectomies? Or, it's quite possible that you have some fluid under the skin. If that's the case, it will hopefully absorb back into your body on its own or it can be aspirated.

    How are you feeling about it?

    Barbara

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  • TCGGal
    TCGGal Member Posts: 137
    edited April 2009

    well, I did go to dr today. She did aspirate a bit of fluid and  I am really swollen still. I can tell  that there is swelling. I did not have a skin sparing as I do not plan to reconstruct. I just really hope things flatten out a bit. She said that they would, but by her tone, I could tell I wouldn't be completely flat- I am a bit overweight, that doesn't help...Thank your for answering & looking at my pics.

    Laurie

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  • baywatcher
    baywatcher Member Posts: 532
    edited April 2009

    TCGGal-

    I don't think they will flatten out. It sure looks like a skin sparing mastectomy to me. It looks like you would be a prime candidate for reconstruction. Did your surgeon know that you didn't want recon? Is she a general surgeon or a breast surgeon?

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  • TCGGal
    TCGGal Member Posts: 137
    edited April 2009

    Breast surgeon...yes she knew what I wanted. There is swelling, I can feel it is pretty flat in the morn, and puffier at night. I dunno, I suppose I will get revision if it doesn't flatten out...Thank you for your comment.

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  • TCGGal
    TCGGal Member Posts: 137
    edited April 2009

    Bumping this up because I know there have to be more of you out there who did not reconstruct. If you do not have the password for the picture site & feel comfortable private message-ing me your e-mail, will send you the photos and you can give me your opinion.

    Thank you so much!

    Laurie

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  • JanClare
    JanClare Member Posts: 305
    edited May 2009

    Hi- I didn't have any reconstruction.  But I don't know that picture site you are referring to?  (sorry, I usually hang around the Illinois ladies thread)

     I'll be happy to look at your photos and I do have photos of my surgery if that would help any.  I sent you a PM. 

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  • TCGGal
    TCGGal Member Posts: 137
    edited May 2009

    Thank you JanClare. I sent you an e-mail with pics attached.

    Laurie

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  • nagem
    nagem Member Posts: 353
    edited May 2009

    Hi Laurie, I'm Mia from the Au Naturel site, and you can see that in comparison with the pictures I posted there from about the same point postsurgery, you do have significant swelling. However, if your doctor is removing fluid, a good deal of that will probably tamp down. After my lumpectomy and axial node dissection (which preceded the bilateral mastectomy), I had a seroma the size of a cantelope under my arm, and it took about a month for it to disappear. It was drained several times, and then one day it didn't come back. I also had to have some fluid aspirated from the mastectomy site—but only once. Good luck.

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  • celia088
    celia088 Member Posts: 2,570
    edited May 2009

    Laurie, i had to wait 3 months from my mastectomy to have an attempt at an implant (didn't work tho).  i was told not to shop for my prosthesis for at least one month because i was still swollen.  I do remember being swollen, and, in fact, i had a seroma develop which is an accumulation of lymphatic fluid (that seroma lasted about 3 months).  I haven't looked at your pics but i would guess that you are still swollen.  When was your surgery?  If you want to see a photo of a skin sparing mastectomy, i can send you my picture.  PM me and give me your email addy and i will send it to you.

    celia

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  • JanClare
    JanClare Member Posts: 305
    edited May 2009

    Hi Laurie-

    Thanks for sending me the photos.  I sent you a reply, but just in case you don't get for some reason, I'm copying my reply here:

    ----------------------

    (email start)

    I have to say Laurie, that they do look a lot like mine did at that point. My photos are from 2 weeks out- and I do seem to have a lot of tissue left at that time. But things are a lot tighter and flatter now. I do have a slight "pillow" area under my right breast that continues to swell, but I am now having lymphatic massage to try and work that down.  (end of email message)

    ----------------------

    Also, I have seen photos of a skin-sparing mastcomy before and the one I saw had a LOT more skin.   

    If it would relieve your mind, I could take some photos of how I look now (two years later) and send them to you.  

     Just let me know!

     

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  • TCGGal
    TCGGal Member Posts: 137
    edited May 2009

    Thank you so much!

    Celia, I pm'd you

    JanClare-thank you, I would so like to see your current pic

    Thank you Mia, I have looked at your photos with envy-no bumps & lumps...although I also notice you are slim. I...not so slim. I have been aspirated twice. I so hope eventually it will just never come back.

    Thank you again Ladies!

    Laurie

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  • celia088
    celia088 Member Posts: 2,570
    edited May 2009

    Laurie, i PM'd you back.  I tried to put my pics in Photobucket and it would not go through.  Can you send me your email address by PM and i will send you the pics as JPEGs via email.  Thanks.

    celia 

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  • TCGGal
    TCGGal Member Posts: 137
    edited May 2009

    Thank you so much for everyone & their responses. Thank you for sharing your opinions, stories & private, personal photographs. Please know that they will not be shared with anyone.

    I am welcoming anyone to pm me with their comments or questions about this thread.

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