April & May 2015 Surgery Sisters

Mary - great news to hear! Celebrate!

peaceful healing marketing mama.

Great news MaryAgatha.

Congratulations Mary Agatha!! That is great news!

My LX went well and I was able to come home yesterday afternoon. Taking it easy, taking pain meds and Small ice pack wrapped in towel as needed. Path next week sometime. Didn't get to talk to SO though. She went into another surgery. Blessings to all for a relaxing weekend of healing!!

PMR53

Good morning,

My lumpectomy and SNB was successful yesterday. The surgeon said the procedure was

"textbook" and initial look at the 4 lymph nodes taken is that they are clear. I had a lot of nausea yesterday but feel much better today, only moderate discomfort.

Wishing you all a safe holiday weekend,

~Midge

Did anyone get discharged within hours of MX? My surgery was 7 a.m. and I was discharged before noon. It's surprising to me because later I ended up puking off and on for at least 6 hours. I had not been eating/drinking since the night before and couldn't keep any food down. I presume it is from me being moved too early before the effect of anesthesia completely wore off.

Tree lilac I actually did a BMX with expanders outpatient. 5 1/2 hour surgery and 2 hours in recovery. Yes, I threw up too, but I found it was the pain meds that were causing that. So, after 2 days, I opted for Advil twice a day and put up with the pain. Not fun, but better than being sick on top of everything else. We all have to make decisions, but I could not do the oral pain meds.

so glad to hear of all the recent successes and that you are all home and managing, and recovering. Thinking good thoughts for all positive path outcomes.

I'm still fighting pneumonia. They switched up my antibiotics and I think, once again, that I am getting better. But I am unable to breathe fully without starting the coughing spasms, which distresses my post bmx pain (still, ugh) plus I wet my pants. Very disheartening and humiliating. My one goal is to get well enough by next Thursday do that they do not delay chemo. They said they would delay if I was not much improved.

i did call my BS, thanks all for the suggestion. And my path came in while I was on the phone with her! She took 2 nodes, and both were clear! And I had good margins of 3mm everywhere but 1 spot which was 1mm. BS says unlikely I'll need more surgery. Biopsy showed dcis with micro invasion of 1mm. So they think my original biopsy got the larger amount of IDC, which had been 1.5mm. BS needs to talk with RO and MO who were on vacation, but I might be able to skip chemo! Just radiation and hormone therapy shut down my ovaries. It was good news!

Tresjoli2, that sounds great! I'm so relieved for you! I hope you are able to enjoy the weekend now with that off of your mind.

Hi All! So much reading and not much attending to what I'm reading! So proud of everyone!

5 days out from DMX with immediate reconstruction (using alloderm) and of course the SNB. I was also caught a little off gurard when waiting for surgery and this doctor comes in for me for the nuclear injections. I'd read about it here, but don't remember the doctor mentioning it, just the blue dye that would be injected after I was under. He said the nuclear was 4 injections that weren't very painful but took 45 minutes to work, and they couldn't justifiy keeping a person under general anasthetic for an extra hour. He was right! He had a very nice touch with the needle and only 1 of the 4 injections did I even feel anything. Surgery went well - about 8 hours & I was discharded the next day. For me right after surgery was much more pain than I expected, but now off the heavy pain meds, less than expeected. I don't think the drug I was taking was helping in any poisitive way. Right now I'm just taking extra stregnth tylenol and thinking of adding some aleve to that. I'm allergic to so many pain meds it's a challenge! I had nipple sparing and right to implants, so I did not wake up to any visual challenges. But I was/am not prepared for the tactile challenges ahead.

Preliminary pathology results look good. Waiting to hear final on Tuesday and get some of these drains removed!

Anyone have advice about itching? My breasts, belly, underarms (next to SN incisions) all itch. It's not awful but definitely irritating. Don't want to take Benadryl since I'm on dilaudid and Valium (unless doc okays it of course). I'm not normally allergic to pain meds so thinking it might be the steri strips. Thought I'd see if you ladies had any advice. Will ask doc tomorrow as well.

Other challenge is no BM since surgery (4 days). Don't feel bloated or uncomfortable yet so hoping that's because of minimal food intake. Trying to eat high fiber and pushing the water. Even tried a suppository one afternoon AND ex lax one night. I had cramping but no real "output." Ugh....

The meds are a godsend. The pain is no joke. And Valium is especially helpful with muscle spasms etc.

Stay strong sisters.

MarketingMama...I am right there with ya! I itch all over from the waist up. I think it's a mix of the meds and the surical bra. It's not crazy itching but it def can be annoying...ugh.

I had problems going to the bathroom also. I had my bmx this past Tues 5/19 and finally went "no 2" Friday. So yeah about 4 days. I did get a prescription for two stool softeners which I take religiously. As others have said drink lots of water and prune juice. It is disgusting but it works.

MarketingMama- I have heard people can be allergic to the steri strips. I don't think the Benadryl would interact with the pain meds. After all, they give us Claritin and oxy for bone pain with Neulasta. You can look up drug interactions on line.

About the constipation- I went six days without going after surgery, and it becomes quite dangerous and painful. My solution, which is a bit easier on the system, is OTC "Colace" with Senekot. Must be used together. One is a stool softener, Colace, the other is a gentle pusher, but will not cause cramps the way some other meds will. Senekot is made from senna, a natural substance. Both are available at the grocery store in any good pharmacy.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to stay ahead if this. Don't wait for another couple of days, please. As long as you are on pain meds, which for me was a long time, (and I agree, it's no joke!) this will be an ongoing challenge. Since these two are somild, you can take them every day and not worry. You will feel a lot better if you get started. You will feel a lot worse if you don't. Promise. Not trying to be bossy. But this is serious.

thanks ladies. I've been taking stool softeners twice daily along with senna-lax ( also 2/day). Started this prior to surgery since I have a general problem with constipation. I'm eating fresh fruit today as well as nuts and raisins. And tons of water. If no progress by end of day, I will give myself an enema.

I know how painful and serious this can get (from prior surgeries) so I'll be sure to handle to the best of my ability. Tomorrow I check in with my PS