March 2014 Surgery

Sailon - I have also reconnected with "long lost" friends since the cancer diagnosis.  I've heard from people from high school and summer camp that I have not spoken with for more than 30+ years!!!!  I also find that now, people can make time to see me where before this, it was always - yeh we'll hook up sometime!!!!

Linda/SpecialK - I saw your pic - you guys looked great!  Hopefully we can get a pic of the three of us at a not too distant football game in December when the Saints come marching in!!!!!!  That is one of the goals that I am working towards!!!!!!!

it will be 4 weeks since my surgery on Monday and I still have the drain from the lymph nodes.  The other 2 were removed 10 days after surgery.  It was still 42ml today and they won't remove it until it has been 30 ml for 2 days.

Did anyone else have their drain in this long?  Do you know what I could be doing wrong?

Lakegirl1 your post helped me so much. I am back to work this week too. Today I worked 4 hours, then took my walk and then I rested this afternoon for a while. Well then I got a wild hair & thought I would make some soup…I really haven't cooked a whole lot since surgery. Now I am so sore!! I have a lot of upper back muscle pain since the surgery and it is so much worse now that I am active. I also have some cording under the left TE so that is really sore. Don't ask me why it didn't occur to me that the more active I get the more sore I'll get…..I was just thinking since I am almost 7 weeks out I should be a lot better. It takes time…..I am so impatient. 

Hahaha - yeah start wearing some clothes would ya?? I am going slower on the fills right now because of chemo…I will get another fill next Monday 3 days before my next chemo. I am with you! No more 38 DDD for me either. My question for him is can you really tell how far you will "stick out" with these expanders? They are shaped so strange. But I agree it is mandatory that my boobs are bigger than my stomach. LOL Although my stomach is disappearing a little with the chemo.

The whole expander vs implant thing is so complicated.  I see my PS Thursday for another fill.  I think I'll like my TEs at 450cc.   Do they stuff a higher cc implant in there, like a 500cc, so it will look about the same?  My PS said the same thing....tell me when you like the size with the expanders and that the implants will look smaller than the expanders.  I've looked at a lot of pictures on the picture forum.  I like the silicone rounds, somewhere between 425cc-500cc, I think. Deborah, the implant expert, just had surgery and has been off the boards the past few days.  My tissue expanders are 13cm and the corresponding width for Allergan style 20 is 500cc.  I hope I wouldn't look huge with that.

Thanks, SpecialK.  So it sounds like I go past what I like and look extra bodacious for 3 months. :-)  I think I'm aiming for more of a B+ or C- although I know with implants, that really equates to a C or D bra.

Juliecc.....I kept reading here that the implants would look much smaller than the TE's, and when I asked my PS about it, he disagreed. He said they "sit" differently on the chest, but they are about the same size.  I didn't know who to believe!  But then I realized that many PS's actually put the same size implant in as the TE, or even smaller (they 'overfill').  IF yours does this, then yes...the implant WILL seem smaller.  My PS explained to me that in order to fill the space left by the TE and get the same size/look as the TE, the implant has to be bigger.  Not all PS's do this, though....so you have to find out how yours decides.

 I had my TE's filled to 550.  My implants are 650.  I have to honestly say that he was right...the implants really do look about the same size as the TE's, but they 'sit' differently....not so freakishly bizarre looking...just softer.  I am even able to wear all of the bras I wore before surgery, and they fill out exactly the same.  Now, I ALWAYS wore 'reducing' bras, or sports bras before surgery.  (important to note, as these don't have quite as full a cup as a regular bra).  MOST women here say they cannot wear a regular bra, as their new implants are too wide.  But, this wasn't true for me.  Again, I suppose this has a lot to do with the width of the TE and implant.  I remember whippetmom commenting that my TE's seemed narrow for my frame.  I wonder if maybe this is why I can still wear bras?  I have no idea....I am learning all about this day by day.

I just wanted to tune in about why the discrepancy in what people are reporting.  The final outcome very much depends on how the PS decides on TE size vs. implant size.  Ask yours.  And good luck!!

Hey all,

Finally got my first fill after my healing issues.  He put in 75 cc and it was very comfortable.  He said I have soft and very elastic skin and he is very pleased with that and I am too.  He said that he would like to do 100 cc next time - will be three weeks - but will make that decision with me at that appointment. I am using coconut oil and bio oil to keep my skin soft - he recommended both of those - told me to alternate them as they both have different agents that allow the skin to stretch easier.   Tomorrow is my first scheduled chemo - nervous.

Linda505, Why can't PS's all have the same answers. I asked about lotions or oils and was told they really don't make a difference. Whatever!!! I'm going with what your doctor suggested. Getting the coconut oil and bio oil tomorrow. And I'm going to tell him about it too! Geez, how could he think lotions or oils wouldn't help. He's lucky I like him in every other aspect

I saw the PS today. Got another 80cc's.  I think that puts me up at the 540 ish range. PS says he likes to fill fast before scar tissue has a chance to form around the TE. That way you are only stretching muscle and tissue, not scar tissue too.  I seem to be tolerating the larger fills fairly well, so..onward and upward!!!  

Well I thought I was heading back to work Thursday, called my PS office for a release (my work will not let me return without one), thinking nothing of it, and the nurse called me back and basically said "not so fast".  She said that they have to see me again before they can release me and the Dr. is out of town right now, and my next appointment is scheduled for next Friday, the 9th.  She said unless you "HAVE" to go back, I'm not releasing you.  My surgery was 5 weeks ago today, and she said well it's usually about six weeks, so you are right on schedule.  She said a lot of women go back too early, and once they start moving again, the fluid starts building up again and they have a seroma, and they want to try and prevent that.  I also have an MO appointment that just got scheduled for Thursday, so I guess something is telling me not yet. 

I'm kind of bummed, I was looking forward to getting back to a somewhat "normal" life.  It's kinda tough sitting around and seeing all of the things that I need to do, like get down on my hands and knees and scrub the floor, scrub the baths, wash the windows. cut the grass on the rider (oh god, that would send me right back to the hospital) that I can't do, it is a bit frustrating, but I guess it's Dr.'s orders.  I really love my job, and don't want to  put it in jeopardy either.  And so I wait.

Frostcat, I had LMX with ALND on 3/14, I went back to work on 4/14, so 4 weeks plus a few days. I only work 4 days a week but I was tired that first week back. I'm ok now, but doing rads and still kind of tired. Take your time, you will be back in the swing of things before you know it!!!

First fill today - only 47cc's to balance out the 103cc's I had in each (300cc TEs) - I feel a little wimpy with such a scant amount compared to some of you guys! Pleasantly surprised that it was relatively painless and I'm comfortable now. My little brother went with me in case I needed a ride home - he looked positively sick when I told him what I was having done today lol!  My PS recommended the Palmers cocoa butter. Of course I just bought vitamin E oil but she says more of her patients have skin problems with that. Sigh, all these surgeons need to get together and form a consensus!