January 2013 surgery

Hi Peanutsgal~  I'm still not cleared for work or LE PT...going in again on Monday afternoon and hopefully she will clear me.  I had to cancel clients all last week and would hate to have to do it again this week!  Without letting the clients schedule ahead, I might as well not work!  The PS is on vacation this week, so I don't have the results of the culture yet.  It is/was an infection and probably cellulites, that's why she won't release me to work or do PT yet...she said it's extremely important to make sure this is 100% cleared up before I do anything.  I'm still on high dose Bactrim.  I'll keep you posted!

How exciting that you have an exchange date, and it sounds like you have a good idea of size/style of implant via whippetmom!  You will need to let us know what it's like.  I read that it's not too bad and that the implants feel/look so much better thatn these TE's!

Shellshine,

Absolutely yes, grapefruits, softballs, coconuts, turtle shells you name it that's how I feel... and I'm only at 450cc's! I do not see how other ladies are able to wear them much bigger than these. I feel like they enter a room long before I do. That being said, tonight I am somewhat more comfortable. I am really feeling the pulling all the way around and into my shoulder blades. Looking forward to going to the myofascial release therapist on Monday. I really noticed a difference after my first visit and I would really like to be nice and relaxed before my exchange surgery in April.



Tami,

Sorry to hear that you have yet to be cleared, but that cellulitis is evil and I'm glad your PS is staying on top of it. Don't worry too much about your clients, my stylist was out for 6 months and I was never so happy to see her come back. It's hard to find someone that can cut my wild curly hair!



Hope,

Glad to hear things are looking up for you. I really would not recommend anyone getting their fills on the same schedule I did. The week after my drains were pulled, I got 100cc's every week. The only reprieve I had was when I went on vacation and waited 2 1/2 weeks for this last one. Each time I kept telling myself that I would ask for it to be cut in half, but by the time my next appointment rolled around I'd forgotten how uncomfortable I had been and I would let him put in another 100cc's. Glad it's over, though! You'll be through before you know it!

Shellshine, I use aromatherapy massage oils a couple of times a day for the skin and the scars, and always at night before bed. I have always used them after any surgery because they are anti bacterial and the carrier oils are sweet almond, macadamia, and wheatgerm. All fantastic for the skin, but I am a believer in massage to keep the skin at its optimum and to help prevent any possible adhesions. 

That may not be an issue after having the recon, I am not familiar with that.

Hi Speedy, I started using them while I was in the Hospital on day 1. I just massaged them around the bandages, and then when I had all the tape removed I massaged around the smaller tape that was across the incision. When that came off, I massaged the scar. I have been doing it religiously at least twice a day every day.

The woman who owns the company where I buy the oils advised me that pure Lavander Oil is really great for the actual incision. I didn't bother about using it on its own as the blend I use has it in it too.

I got a slight infection in the wound, about 2cm, but I believe that this was what saved me from it being much worse. I also got Cording, and I massaged them with it too. I am now 8 weeks out and they are all gone too.

Hi.  I don't think I've posted here before.  I thought I was going to have chemo so I became part of that forum, and have more or less remained there.  But I have a question now.  Oddly enough, since my surgery 1/7/13 (bmx) I have had a horrible taste in my mouth, queasy stomach and after just a few bits I am  full.  I am a GI Nurse by profession, so I automatically think along those lines.  I am not on any meds other than what I was taking routinely for years before my surgery so I do not attribute the bad taste or queasiness to medications.     All of a sudden, this morning, I realized that what happens is that I can "feel" food going down my esophagus, and it feels as if I have a narrowing in my esophagus.  I know, as a GI nurse, this can cause the bad taste and the queasiness/nausea.  I am going to see my SO and I am going to ask my GI doc to do an upper endoscopy, but I wanted to know if this is unusual or if anyone here has experienced anything like this after their surgery?

gd2shoes, I didn't have all the symptoms that you mention, but there was some discussion around the time I had my surgery about how we, who had Mx could feel hot or cold things that we eat or drink going down. It was a strange sensation which kind of felt like the liquid was filling the area that had been removed.

I asked my Surgeon about it and he said there was no way that there was any correllation between the surgery and the gullett. I personally believe it was to do with the insulation of the breast being gone. It lasted for about 6 weeks and then like so many of the other strange sensations of this surgery, it just seemed to fade. If I concentrate on it when I take a hot or cold drink I can still feel it, but I think the body has just become used to it and it doesn't bother me any more. There were a good number of us here who experienced it.

I can't speak for the bad taste you are having, but I did have the nausea and queasy feeling for some time. I have always had, and been medicated for heartburn and sliding Hiatus Hernia, so I put it down to the anaesthetic and the Reflux. 

I hope you feel better, you're surgery was a few weeks after mine, so I don't think it is unusual to still be feeling those strange effects. I would love to hear what a GI Doc thnks about it. Good Luck!

Thank you Shell, how are you doing?

Can't remember if you had that weird swallowing thing too.

Hi Tami, Yes, I remember that you had it too. So weird, and the phantom nipple sensation. I can make that happen just by looking at where it was. LOL I am still numb in lots of places, but all in all pretty well back to where I was.

I have been following your journey, you've had a rough time. Are you feeling on top of it now?

I bet you are looking forward to getting back to work.

Oh Tami, I am so happy for you, a five generation get together is really something!

My Grandma died of cancer, don't really know what kind it was in the early 50's, my Mother had BC, now me. I hope my daughter can break it too. I worry more for her than I did for me.

All the very best for a fantastic reunion, enjoy your time with that new baby....Moira

Question for any one who has te's ..... I had mine put in on the 13th and have been getting weekly fills My initial fill during surgery was 200. I.noticed a crease under my left nipple it runs almost the whole.width.of my boob. I chucked it off to being the drain tube... I had the drains.removed and the crease remains. I am up to about 440cc the ps says its just my skin and massage the are... I have been massaging like crazy and there is no change. I am thinking there is a wrinkle in the te and with more fills it will.go away... But wondering if any of you have experienced this type of crease?

Susan~  You are right about the travel!  Originally, the plan was for all of us to meet in Florida in February, but after DX that was impossible.  So, my grandma who hasn't traveled in 12 years came here!  My mom went down for a few weeks and traveled back with her.  We are so fortunate!

Amy~  I have a crease, and am done with fills.  PS said it will be gone at exchange.

An update on me- I feel pretty much healed already and anxious to get on to the next step of reconstruction.  My skin is really tight and I use heavy moisturizer every night when I massage the area, but in general I have significant numbness, so no pain.  This Tuesday will be 7 weeks since my BMX.

I have to mention something really cool though- I was at the drug store, during my first trip out of the house, weeks ago.  CVS to be exact, and I was looking for some waterproof bandaids to cover up my drainage holes.  I spotted a package of C-section scar strips.  Hmmmm, I thought to myself.  Wouldn't C-section strips be the same shape/size as mastectomy scars?  I bought them and wow - they're awesome.  Super simple, silicone strips with gummy adhesive to keep them in place.  You wear them every day over the scar and wash them with soap and water to renew the adhesive.  Use them for 14 days straight and throw them away, replacing with new strips.  $15 for 8 strips.  My scars look awesome.  It's cool too since it protects the scars from any friction, so I don't even notice during the day like I did that first month.

If you don't have a CVS near you, check it out online so you know what I'm talking about.  Online, I saw only the name brand version, but CVS carries their own brand which is identical, $7 cheaper and you get twice as many sheets.

http://www.cvs.com/shop/product-detail/ScarAway-Silicone-Scar-Sheets-for-C-Sections?skuId=854239

Also, I got my prosthetics last week and feel pretty good in public now.  Amazing how normal I look.  I get double takes from friends that know about my surgery since suddenly I have these bumps that "aren't supposed to be there".  Overall, my head is good and I'm looking forward to the next step (TEs), even though it means a lot of pain (so I hear).

Hello. In had BMX with tissue expanders on Jan 9 2013. I just joined after reading posts since October.

Welcome, JMotk and Fippym.



JMotk, we will be surgery buddies on April 15th. I'm scheduled to get my implants then. Hope your recovery is going smoothly. It seems like it will never get here! If I had any advice to give you on the TE's, it would be to take it at your pace. I got four fills all at 100cc's each time and I really should've told him to half it! Other than that my recovery and expansion process has been relatively non-eventful, thank The Lord! Like everything else it is a process, but it is a doable process.

Fight4two... I can not speak for inside scars since I had a dbl mx but my PS.said to use vitamin e oil on my outter scars and already they are looking amazing!