February 2012 MX

Hi Ladies,

I'm having such a difficult time with nausea that I can't seem to take any pain meds without vomiting (even though I am taking phenergan/or zofran with them).  And, 7 days post op with a skin sparing MX (which I learned tends to cause more pain initially...great...something I had not known about), I'm still having those "take your breath away" or "hot poker" pains when I move about.  Does anybody else out there have a delicate stomach and what are you doing about relieving the pain without developing nausea? 

Thanks,

Debbie

Dear camji,

In answer to your question about swelling, it's a big Yes! I still have a good deal of swelling everywhere but it is going down, slowly. Swelling in DIEP breast (left prophylactic) side is less than right breast and has been since surgery but I do have two nasty hematomas on the underside of the L breast that are still dark bluu and hard. PS is watching them...he thinks they are related to my clotting disorder (I bruise easily) and that they will eventually clear on their own. If not he will deal with it "down the line" by which I assume he means during Stage 2 of reconstruction. The Tram side ( right breast..cancer side) never had as much bruising but it was markedly more swollen...this is the breast that I had the "big blowout" on last week..nasty old blood and serous fluid just started spurting out. I went thru two and a half towels befor it stopped. Surgeon says there was a pocket in that new breast (hematoma/seratoma) and the fluid needed to come out. That breast is still swollen too but much less so than before the blowout! I had terrible bloating amd swelling all thru my abdomen especially along the long incision where they took the fat to build the new breasts. Noticed some swelling in thighs and hips after surgery but that is beginning to subside. I had my second procedure yesterday to remove my malignant lymph node and all axillary nodes and while breast surgeon was doing that, plastic surgeon worked on abdominal incision and took out what he called fat necrosis..hard lumps of dead fat that were no longer connected to blood supply. I think the necrosed tissue was contributing a lot to my sensation of abdominal bloating...I am only 24 hours out from this second procedure and already my stomach feels and looks less swollen. Of course messing around with incision again has me real sore and it hurts under my arm where they took the axillary nodes.. But I am nowhere near in as much pain or discomfort as I was after BMX with recon on Feb 1st thank goodness! The surgeons read me the riot act again about wearing the compression garments around the clock and as much as I hate them I am doing it. I think maybe cheating and not wearing the girdle 24/7 last time might have contributed to the abdominal incision not healing as well as it should have. As the surgeon explained, the pressure from the panel on the front of the girdle causes the remaining fat to adhere to the other remaining tissues and helps reestablish blood supply and promote healing. I don't want to get the dead far blobs in the ol abdomen again so I am wearing the compression garments faithfully!



My weight has gone down a little...I think it's from not having much appetite..the pain pills upset my stomach some.. But I really need to lose some weight so that's not a problem. Doctor said his main concern is that I stay hydrated and get enough vitamins. So I have been drinking an Ensure each day and mostly sticking with fruit and cottage cheese, soups etc.



Hope this info helps. If you aree still suffering with edema and swelling be sure to ask the doctor what is going on. Doctor will want to rule out infection or any necrosis of tissue. Good luck and please keep us posted on your progress.

Pelicangirl

LLinaAZ, Deborah, Debbie and Nel,

Thanks again for the support and kind words.   As I said before, my sister and I have our differences and that was why I waited until it was all done and path was back before I told her.  If anything else I didn't want my extended family to worry until it was done.  Oh well, she doesn't always mean to be offensive, just kinda hit me in a vullnerable spot at a bad time.

To the rest who have completed their treatment, congratulations!!!  I chose to do the BMX to avoid the rads and tamoxifen, so we didn't really discuss it.  I think if I hadn't objected, they may have prescribed the tamoxifen.  It really doesn't change the percentages much in some people.

Chris,

I had my BMX on the !st and just quit taking pain meds this week.  I weaned myself down a little each week.  Check with your MD to see if you can take ibuprofen.  It is an anti-inflammatory and may help with the pain by reducing some of the swelling too.  Just take it with food cuz it can be hard on the tummy. As far as still having pain, I'm sure it has to do with the fact that you're a very busy mother with 2 small children!!!  That on it's own is tiring and just being more active is enough to contribute to the pain.  I'm so sorry for all you are going through!!  I can only imagine how difficult it is with little ones.  It's amazing how strong we can be when we have to. (not that we necessarily want to, but...)  You'll get through it and we'll be here to cheer you on!!!

 Thinking and praying for you all,

Carolyn

Deborah2012

You have made this thread. So wonderful that you have been keeping track of everyone.

It is absolutely true that I had no problems with the mastectomy, no drains to go home with, no pain and have recovered well except for one aspiration for seroma.

I always knew, even before the mastectomy, that I would have to have chemo, immunotherapy and rads because I had a breast biopsy at my first meeting with the breast surgeon and he told me that it was HER2+ on our second meeting.

I was well-prepared because I had looked everything up prior to our meeting, so I knew to a certain extent what he meant. 

Today, I heard that I will start chemotherapy on March 12. Terrified. As usual, I'm reading up on the therapy suggested, seeking opinions and trying to come to terms with the fact that it is something I can not get out of.

Well, I could, of course. I could refuse but bearing in mind I had a stage 3.4cm tumour,  it was aggressive and I am ER-, I don't think I will.

Alaska Girl is right. There are no guarantees - but there never are- whether we're in sickness or health.

So I say onwards and upwards - and thanks again Deborah for making this group.

Best wishes

Alice the Cat

My February Sisters ROCK!!!!

Humorous joke: Please feel free to extrapolate to anyone in our lives who may not be "getting it" at the moment.  And you know, I must really love you all because I can't cut and paste on this thing so I'm re-typing!

Marriage Counseling:

After 40 yrs. of marriage, a husband and wife came for counseling.  When asked what the problem was, the wife went into a passionate, painful tirade listing every problem they had ever had in the years they were married.  On and on; neglect, lack of intimacy, emptiness, loneliness, feeling unloved and unlovable, an entire laundry list of unmet needs she had endured. 

Finally, after allowing this for a sufficient length of time, the therapist got up, walked around the desk and after asking the wife to stand, embraced and kissed her passionately as her husband watched with a raised eyebrow.  The woman fell silent and sat down as though in a daze.  The therapist turned to the husband and said "this is what your wife needs at least 3 times a week.  Can you do this?"  "Well, I can drop her off here on Mondays and Wednesdays, but on Fridays, I fish".

Smiles to all.  I got my first shower today since 2-3-12 and am going to a girlfriend"s house for dinner!  I'm ditching the sweats am spiffed up with as Diximine30 says going to "rock my booblet" since mine is now 320cc's and I don't even have to wear my fluffy!  Weeeee!

Deborah2012

congrats on the shower Deborah!

Hello, I've been following this discussion for quite awhile. I learned so much for my preparation for surgery. One week out, and I'm feeling pretty well. Just taking extra strength Tylenol now, but I still have aches when I move about too much, and sharp pains at the bottom of what was my breast, probably from the TE. My MX was done on 2/23. I was originally diagnosed with DCIS and since it was in two quadrants of my breast, the best choice was MX with reconstruction. No nodes were taken at the time. Well, just got my pathology yesterday, and there was some invasive that didn't show up in the initial biopsy. It's all gone now, clear margins. So, I have a question, did anyone require node biopsies after MX surgery? My PS is suggesting the Oncologist might require this now. I hate the thought of having to have another surgery. He also said maybe hormonal therapy too. I'm 46, and would hate to suffer the side effects of that. It's hard to keep track of everyone, but it's comforting to read something someone writes and be able to say, that's just like me.

Good morning ladies,

"It's always something" as Gilda Radner (SNL) would say.

When I removed my band-aid from my beautifully healed former drain opening after my shower, a drip of clear seroma ran down to my my waist. I alcohol cleaned it with surgical gloves on, applied Mupiricn RX anti-biotic ointment (PS had given me) to a 2' sq. of gauze, stuck it on the area and covered with a new band-aid.  Didn't think much about it.

This morning 20 hrs. later, I remove the band-aid to see if all is well. Visions of the classic Saturday Night Live spoof of chef Julia Child cutting herself and can't stop the blood flow are coming to mind. I'm trying to open gauze packets with my teeth while applying pressure with my surgical gloved hands, reaching for tissue etc.   Crap! I repeat the above patch up job.  It's totally under control again.  Naturally, I will call my PS. I estimate the total amount of fluid to have actually only been about 2 tsp. It's just that it very enthusiastically streamed down my side. Must not be fun to be in my foob in training boot camp.

I recall Alicethecat had a "seroma aspirated"  Alicethecat dahlink, what the heck did that exactly entail? Did you have a swelling? I have zero swelling.  Did your chest feel heavy when you were lying down in bed at night to sleep? I thought that is the usual TE deal.  In short, where was the fluid collecting and what were the symptoms that necessitated the aspiration?

Hopefully, I'll hear from PS before the weekend.

Deborah2012

 

Three days out and I feel great. No pain, just skittles swelling and soreness. The globs look just like the ones that tried to kill me except for a diagonal scar where the nipples used to be! I have full use of my arms... just have to be careful not to lift anything and not reach over my head. That is hard to remember! After all the shopping, the only things I took put of my case at the hospital were my toothbrush and slippers. I can get in and out of bed by myself but it just takes time. I know it's early and lots can still go wrong... but it's really OK so far. So take heart, those who haven't had your surgery yet yet... we are all different & the waiting TEALLY IS the worst.

Yeah Susanes!!!

I'm glad to hear you're doing so well, keep up the good work!!!  I know what you mean about not thinking when lifting.  I've had to stop myself numerous times and have lifted my fat cat when I shouldn't have:>

Have no fear, spelling errors are welcome here!!!

Carolyn

I got my first "fill" yesterday. 60cc's in each TE. It didn't hurt at all. I was very nervous going in. I am pretty tight and sore today, as can be expected. I found out that I am going to have to have radiation and probably chemo. I had 2 of 25 nodes with cancer. I see the medical oncologist on Tuesday. I am concerned about the radiation with the TE's, but my PS said although it is not ideal we will deal with it. She didn't seem too concerned, so I am going to try to adapt her laid back attitude about it. How are you all doing with your TE's and the fills so far? Did anyone else find out that they have to have radiation with TE's?

Sorry to hear the news Gina.     Don't you just love it, all the various decisions we need to make as we go through various phases of this journey.  NOT. 

Hi Wildrumara and everyone,

 Wildraumara, sorry to hear about the nodes.  I just got home from hospital also.  My two nodes were negative but the second spot they found was invasive.  My concern is the spot under the invasive area which is my rib and sternum that are still sore and feel bruised.  This pain has been there for at least 8mons.  I see the BC March 20th where he want to talk about preventative maintence and talk to onco. Has anyone else been in this spot?  Glad i am taking the valium.  Like Wildrumara, my mind is stuck in this gear. Any smokers?  I thought I could quit until I got the pathology back.  Best wishes to all.