MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

Dinarose....Welcome to the forum.  You will find a wealth of friendship, support, and of course information here.  Never hesitate to ask any question.  We are here to help!

Claire.....I was really getting worried about you.  You missed a lot of pocket parties, but i totally understand your taking a vacation from BC.  So good to see you again!

For everyone undergoing procedures...I will always be in your pocket.  Barbe...I am so glad that things went easier for you knowing we were all rallying for you.  You bet you were never alone!

I finally start LE therapy on Feb. 21st.  This Trucal LE is different and I am not sure what kind of compression garments I may have to wear.  I had to apply for financial assistance for them, there is absolutely no money to pay for them.  Very frustrating but hoping I can get what I need.

Have a wonderful evening my friends.  Love and hugs all around!

Barb I am also doing accupucture.  The chiro does not do the traditional stuff on me because of my neck.  But my back seems to get out of wack an he is keeping that in line so it does not pull on my neck.  If I can just stay off the pain meds I can deal with it.  It does seem to be a bit better right now.

Dianarose welcome to our group.  We are all here for you when you need us.  Glad you got rid of that surgeon.  If you think you may want reconstruction please go see a PS.  I had radiation a little over a year ago and will be having a BMX the end of March and will be having reconstruction.  Yes there is a highter failure rate but like my PS said we won't know unless we try, he is even going to try to save my radiated nipple which everyone else told me it had to go.  Here again he said how will we know if we don't try.  So I am game of the trying.  Keep us posted.

Diana yes my PS is saving everything on my radiated side.  He said that if my nipple does not survive we will know it while I am in the hospital and will deal with it. But yes I am having TE's.  I am an A and will be trying for a B.  He feels that it is doable because we are not trying to go very large.  He said if I wanted to go large he would be hesitate about it. Also when the time comes by implant exchange he will be doing fat grafting which is suppose to really help soften up the radiated tissue.

Welcome Dianarose.  The gals around here are the best.  They are so very understanding and helpful.  If ever you need anything just come here.  Someone around here is always willing to lend and ear.  Good luck!

Sherry-I would love to get your feedback after acupuncture.  I am officially on the bad back train after an MRI this week.  Bone scan on the 28th to make sure it's just a herniated disc. If all goes well I will have to make some decisions about pain management.

Hi Dianarose.  I read more than I write on this thread, but will be rooting for you! 

Ok ladies bring all your extra Valentines's candy and hop on the pocket party train. i have some leftovers too

My DH knows not to buy me chocolate so I had make my own chocolate treat.And here's to boring routine mammos Kitty and Kay. MadP, I'm praying your docs are just being overly cautious and all is fine.

Welcome Dianarose. Don't ever feel alone. This is a safe place with a lot of women who "get it" and will listen and hug and offer advice. There are other forums that you can search for some of your answers too.(((((((HUGS))))))))) 

Diana, the radiation would have caused your skin to change and shrink somewhat, as well as the skin that was removed during surgery. Therefore, you dont' have the same amount of skin to just place an implant in. I have heard of many, many success stories on women having reconstruction on radiated skin!! Do searches on this forum (top right corner) to find thread where they talk about this specifically. It can be attempted and you may be one of the many lucky ones.

Hi Barbe 1958- The ps surgeon that I saw wants to use an expander on the side that didn't have radiation. The side that was radiated was over 7 yrs ago. Now the right side decided to hop on the train. They know that it is invasive verses DCIS which I had on the left side. I am having another biopsy on the 23rd to see in the calcifications are DCIS or b9 that are about an inch away from the site that is cancerous. I hate to go through another biopsy, but it will tell me if I can choose between a lumpectomy with mammosite or not. If I can't do the lumpectomy I just wanted to have a small implant put in at the same time of surgery without the use of the expander. She said no because 50% of her patients end up coming back. Her way is 100% coming back. I was willing to take my chances but she said no. It's not like I make a living with them. I just wanted a little to fill my bra. There are limited doctors in Maine. I am seeing another ps on 3/1. 

She said 50% come back because they are not happy with the results and the other half is happy with the results.

Having the expander put in instead of directly putting an implant in at the time of surgery would mean coming back months later for the exchange for another surgery which she said would take an hour and a half. I know someone who had a mastectomy a yr ago and had her implants put in at the same time without the expander and she is happy so far. She is also a size 40. She is out of state an my insurance won't cover if I were to use her ps.

Sometimes you feel like a money maker. She said that the implant would go behind my muscle and then she would use donor tissue as well. I am getting a second opinion on 3/1. The stress of this is really starting to effect my whole day. It is hard to get it out of my head.

Hi Lisamarie, that sounds horrible. Sounds like you need a new surgeon. I had to find a new one recently as mine wanted to do a mastectomy but never told me about skin sparing and his reasoning was that he didn't do them. I had DCIS and LCIS over 7 yrs ago. I am not sure if it were just the LCIS alone if my doctor would have had the same responce as yours. You can ask for a copy of all you lab results and go to another doctor. I hope things get better for you.

Welcome Dianarose and lisamarie.  Sorry you are in the club, but you will find lots of support and information here. I just got back from my 1 year mammogram and 3 month radiation appointment.  All is well.  He says I look great!  I was asking him about the reconstruction.  I had immediate reconstruction and then had radiation after.  I had flap reconstruction.  PS told me the chances of not failing were much better with flap surgery and then radiation rather than implants.  I know a lot of women on the boards have had implants after radiation though.  Sherry is doing it soon.  Not sure if anyone ever had implants before radiation.  It was nice to always have two breasts, but flap is a more difficult, longer surgery than implants.  But then you don't have to do the fills you do with implants, so it is less surgeries.  Something to look into.  I am very happy with my results.

Waiting to hear from madpeacock.  I'm sure you'll be getting good news too.  Will check back later.

Thanks for bringing the treats Claire!  Chocolate covered strawberries are one of my favorites!

lisamarie, I'm sorry you had such a difficult start with treatment.  I would also encourage you to find a doctor you trust, who will spend the time explaining things to you.  It makes a huge difference.  Was there a post-surgical report or path report you can ask for?