December 2014 Surgery Sisters

No drains is a GREAT reason to celebrate!

Surgery Dec 19 2014. Hopefully my drains will go on the 30th. Found cancer in both breasts but nothing in lymph nodes. Waiting on full pathology report. For those with surgery in the near future....all I can say is that the waiting was the worst part. I don't have the nerve to look at myself but I will build my courage in time. It seems trivial when so many others aredealing with so much more. Happy Holidays to all!

I finally got my path report and I'm cancer free!! Best Christmas present ever. Got my drains out as well a few days ago and all I can say is hallelujah! I actually bought a drain belt and I think that helped me to deal with them a lot but I still didn't like them.

I can't wear most of my camis, soft bras or anything but loose tshirts. Everything irritates my underarms and where they took the nodes out. I tried taking lesser pain meds but that didn't last long. I have to take the Valium and dilaudid or Vicodin because my chest hurts pretty bad. One side of my chest hurts more and the te's are so hard.

I go for my first fill next month and I hope it doesn't hurt too much.

Glad to hear everyone is doing well.

Hello everyone!

BIPPY!! I had my surgery the same day here in NE Florida too!!

I had my Bilateral Mastectomy of my left breast on Dec. 17th. My Surgeon took all of my lymph nodes. I am forgetting what it is all called, Sentinel node biopsy with dissection? She said she took them all so I will not have to go through that again as a few nodes were 'hot'. I am not having reconstruction. Oh heck no! I do not mind being boobless at all at age 52!

I was told I was asking to sit up soon as I was in the recovery room on my bed. I never got sick. YAY! I actually had dinner that night. I was cracking jokes in between the pain. My usual self!

I came home the next day and while these two JP Drains are cumbersome, I am doing well though my left arm is numb and so tingly from the elbow down so I have a bit of gauze on there, wrapped it up as it hurts for my skin to touch my night gown, and rub against it. Real strange sensation. Its just so weird being so painful there, you know? I have to be careful of lymphedema, mainly cause I am overweight, I am more susceptible to get it so I am slowly exercising my arm, massaging it as well.

I was cut all the way to my left shoulder, to my back, as she got up into the arm pit. I have dissolving sutures so I will not have to worry about staples. I have about 50 steri strips across my chest.

I am to start radiation some time in January, closer to February according to my Surgeon as she wants me to heal up from this.

I am having a home health nurse show up again on Monday, just to check to make sure all is OK with these sutures and my drain.

I get the two tubes removed, if all goes well on Tuesday. I pray so as I said they are cumbersome and I pin them to my clothes. I have the drains taped to my side a bit but NO tape has really stuck too well to my skin.. not even duct tape!!! So darn annoying.

So that's been my past week. I am doing OK.. still in a bit of pain though I have medication for that... and I will be carrying on this breast cancer journey as I start rads soon.

HUGS and HEALING to those of you whom have had surgery and that have been through it --

Happy Holidays to you and yours! Stay strong sisters!!! YOU CAN DO IT !! *S*

I have faith in each of us!

AJ

Love the inspiration Sandra; guess we all have to adjust our sails.  As the physical pain lessons it should get easier.  

 All of us BC sisters will get stronger.  

I am looking forward to March when radiation treatments are finished and I can focus on healing and eventually, maybe, some reconstruction.

Happy New Year!!!

(((💓))) Quiggy

Hi beachbum1023;

Great to hear you're doing well post surgery.  

Thanks for the tips and reminder about attitude.  Its easy to feel sad and some days, it's easy to feel ok.  BC changes all of us physically and mentally; in the short AND the long run.

Rollercoaster journey!

I try to remember that I'm HERE and to be thankful.  I'm also thankful for this forum and the support we give to each other.

(((💓))) BC sister

Hello ladies,

I had a bilateral mastectomy on December 19th with lymph node removal in one arm. I haven't been able to find a pain med that I can tolerate so I have basically just been taking Tylenol. I have been in a lot of pain - mostly nerve pain due to the lymph node removal. I went in yesterday and had two of my drains removed and I thought that would help somewhat because it was the drains on the side where the nodes were removed. But it did not help with the pain and discomfort. My doctor prescribed Neurontin to help with the nerve pain. I took it last night and so far it has not helped at all. Has anyone else had issues with nerve pain, numbness and tingling from lymph node removal? I have basically been on the couch since my surgery and I am getting tired of this.

If anyone has any suggestions for relief from this, it would be appreciated.

My best to you all and Happy New Year!! We are Warrior Sisters in the fight of our lives!

Robin

Robin, I understand what your are feeling since I am seriously allergic to any type of pain med except Tylenol. I have flat-lined four times over the years so I've had all my surgeries with no morphine, pain pump, codeine or any other kind of pain relief. It's a challenge, but I've lived through 6 surgeries since August 2013. You can do this. The pain DOES ease up. Usually after breast surgery it takes about 3 weeks to feel like you've turned the corner. Sometimes it's a bit longer, often it's a bit less.

Neurontin (aka Gabepentin) is often prescribed to people with nerve issues. Be very careful at the beginning. Start very slowly with about 50 mg at bedtime for a few days, then gradually add another 50 mg for another week. Taking it at night ensures you are functioning with no dizziness or weird feelings during the day. You can begin to add some during the day, taking it slow, until you can do 200 mg each 24 hrs, then up to 300 mg. The first time I was given Gabepentin the doctor gave me 300 mg capsules. (You can't divide those, so make sure you ask for a smaller doseage.) One 300 mg capsule produced lots of weird sensations so I was told not to take more. A year or so later another doctor prescribed it, but this time told me about the 50 mg/gradual process and it worked fine. I took it for several months (not noticing any appreciable difference) but quit (go down slowly too) when I noticed so much memory loss. Turns out that is a common problem. If you are not working it probably wouldn't be a problem, but I was an accountant dealing with taxes, etc and fortunately my assistant convinced me I was forgetting things. Once I had a huge tax report due on a certain day. I worked on it for several days and went to file the copy when I saw I had already done the whole report the week before. I had absolutely no memory of doing it.

Oh Bippy625, so sorry.  

Here's my experience;  I developed a seroma 4 days post surgery.  Could actually hear the fluid "sloshing!" (TMI?)

Mostly in the breast, some swelling by node surgery site.  Painful and disturbing.

 My doc said our bodies will absorb.  I'm 3 1/2 weeks post surgery now;  it's nearly gone.

Very glad I didn't push to have it drained! 

Thanks to Sandra4611, I know part of the problem was I was doing too much.  I listened to our wise sister and stopped over doing it.  I'm convinced that helped.

Sending you gentle hugs and hopefully your seroma will stay small and resolve quickly!

(((💓)))

Chloesmom,

LOL, we never think we are doing too much. Only later when we see the difference when they truly do nothing do they understand. It's a medical fact that activity increases fluid production. Some of us are more prone to it than others so you can't pinpoint what "too much" means in every case. You might be able to go out to dinner with no problem but it's also likely that would set your recovery back, increase your pain level hours later, and make you sorry you ever thought it would be a good idea. I accompanied my daughter to the grocery store at about 4-5 days post op last week. After 10 minutes I knew I'd made an error and was wiped out the rest of the day. One person could vacuum and not have a problem. I wiped a counter and paid for it! You should be doing nothing at two weeks post op. Nothing means get up to go to the bathroom and back to your chair. Nothing means don't reach up to wash your hair - in fact, don't raise any part of your arm higher than your shoulder. Don't start walking your fingers up the wall like some doctors recommend. Sit down and let your body heal. ESPECIALLY when you have a pocket of fluid (a seroma), you have to stop doing anything. Motion creates more fluid. You DO NOT want an infection, which happens even if you are doing everything "right" but the chances increase if your body does not absorb the fluid quick enough. Start noticing any color changes in your skin. Take your temperature and look out for a low grade fever. Those are the first two signs most everyone sees. Just because you have a seroma doesn't mean you will get an infection, but don't take a chance.

Bippy, some women have to have their seroma drained by the doctor every week for a number of weeks. Others like Quiggy find their body absorbs the fluid quickly when they sit quietly and stop producing so much of it. I know two women who had to go back into surgery and have a drain put back in because it had been removed too early. I know of another woman whose doctor had nicked a lymph node during surgery and was plagued with swelling and pain from a seroma until she went back into surgery and had the lymph node sutured. Don't assume your body will absorb the fluid with no problems. Look for those skin color changes and check your temperature. 

Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

Since my left bilateral mastectomy surgery on Dec. 17th -- I have had this tingly feeling from my left elbow to my shoulder and I have to have a wrap on it cause I cannot stand my arm pressing against my clothing! Such a weird sensation. Just so odd!

I already have neuropathy of my hands from the Taxol -- but lords since surgery just having NO feeling of my skin under my arm pit by those steri strips.

I have been good about doing nothing and have family helping here, I am glad the drains come out Tuesday as I hardly have any fluid in them now to log down.

This is a new me -- as I am still on this Breast Cancer Journey as we all are here as Breast Cancer Sisters.

I am thankful for this site and the info Sandra has been posting for sure!

Stay strong my friends -- Happy New Year to each of you as well too!

AJ

It seems we're all dealing with the frustrations and wanting the recovery period to be over so that we can move forward. I'm still trying to stop the pain meds. Although I did better for most of the day and hoped to go out to eat, I was too exhausted after only a couple of simple errands with dh. Uggh. I want my energy back and I want the pain gone. Then I remember how blessed I am.

Baby Steps sisters.

Scottie

Thank you Scottie and Sandra for your advice.