October 2015 Surgeries

Gotcha...that IS so hard! Ok, so doc/staff just HAS to get you help lined up tomorrow. Will be sending healing energy your way. I do think venting can help just to get it out of your head...this is a safe place to do just that.

Anyone else itchy? 10 days out and my back itches, my rib cages, my scalp. It's odd...

butterflykdh

That's rough trying to manage on your own so soon after surgery. I really hope you get some help soon. Everyone's right though, just let stuff slide and turn a blind eye. When you do have to get your portacath, you'll see it's nowhere near as physically taxing healing from that as what you're experiencing now. Honestly the worst pain I had with that was when I laughed out loud at a TV show. Super quick procedure under twighlight sedation. While in chemo, what I found helpful was taking advantage of the steroid high from the anti nausea meds that you take before hand and getting the shopping, cleaning and cooking for freezing done. My routine was steroids on Thursday, do some chores, TX on Friday, shop for food and cook. Saturday Neulasta, Sunday was not to bad then totally crashed all of Monday. But the energy level got better and better until the next round 3 weeks later. I will stress though I was on TCH which while not fun or anything, quite doable.

Hi butterflykdh - So sorry to hear about your struggles. You mentioned going to the bathroom being painful to deal with and I wanted to share something that helped me. The worst part was getting up from the toilet without the help of my arms when I was lacking energy and strength (and still am to an extent). We picked up one of these from Walgreens to raise the toilet seat a bit, which made it easier to get up without putting too much strain on my legs. It's very sturdy and can't fall off. Maybe that's not what your issue is, but thought I'd share just in case it helps. Hope you feel better soon!

Thanks marymallette - it has made my life easier the last few weeks, that's for sure. I also have a very low bed and my poor legs were worn out from taking all the load with no help from my arms.

I'm doing OK. The first two weeks post-surgery were completely uneventful, and besides having to take it easy I really didn't need much help. I felt so blessed to have no pain or complications.

Then late last week I started to develop fluid build-up, which I had to have drained. It was still pretty bloody, and I think it's because they pulled the drains too early on that side. She didn't think it was infected but she wasn't sure because the skin was red, but it looked more bruise-like than inflamed. So we watched it over the weekend and yesterday it started to ooze, and not being sure if it was infected or not I spent the afternoon in the ER getting it cultured. My husband happens to have MRSA (the flesh eating kind) at the moment and I have obviously been exposed living in the same house with him. They couldn't reach my surgeon. The lab culture takes three days to come back so went home to wait. The antibiotic the surgeon had given me is the one my husband's MRSA is most resistant to so I'm afraid to take it and make the situation worse, since he almost lost his thumb when he was given the wrong antibiotic.

Woke up around 4am covered with blood tinged fluid that had leaked out all over, which would have been a panic moment if I hadn't been fortunate enough to read about similar experiences from women here. Don't know what they are going to do about it, but I'm headed to the surgeon's office shortly to find out. The fluid didn't look infected, or smell bad, and I don't have a fever so I'm hopeful.

I always try to look for a positive so I guess I'm thankful that I was past the hard part of the recovery before this happened. It would be much more difficult to deal with this problem if I wasn't feeling well in other ways.

Hi Dizz - drains were removed at 10 days. Neither side was putting out much fluid, but the right side was still really red and bloody. The nurse practitioner said that is not how it usually looks but she pulled the bloody ones anyway. I hated them and wanted nothing more than to see them gone, but I volunteered to keep the questionable ones for another week to be sure they were healed enough. But the NP said no because waiting any longer would increase risk of infection. Nevermind that seromas do the same since you have them poked with a needle sometimes several times, and sometimes they take forever to go away, or require another surgery. This has me really irritated because I feel like it could have been avoided if the NP had listened to me (she never does). The surgeon wasn't even involved as I've mentioned before.

Today she said it doesn't look infected so we're just going to watch and wait until the lab culture comes back.

Hmmm. Well I had my breast drains removed today....day 7. My output was about the same on each for the last couple days (4-5cc), but also red/bloody and not liquidy like ab drain. It has also really been slowing down on output and will likely be taken out by the end of the week. They said it is likely lower output because of my small size.

I was happy about the quick timing, but now I am feeling nervous.

Dizz - you can't compare your situation to anyone else's. I'm overweight and my breasts were very large, but even if our stats were exactly the same everyone is different. Try not to worry about it unless it happens.

I know one thing you can do to prevent it is to wear a binder so if you're still wearing one don't take it off too soon. I don't think everyone is given one at the hospital from what I have seen, but I am expected to wear mine for 4 weeks. Probably longer now that I have the seromas. Bummer because it's not exactly comfortable.

I wasn't given a binder at all. The day before the one on the right finally stopped draining I decided to try wearing the tightest sports bra I owned, which might have helped.

Oh! The blisters. I have so many blisters from the dressings. I think I spend more time tending to those then I do the actual 'wounds'. My binder is just for the tummy. I am forbit to wear anything tight over/around the chest. It is wierd how all the surgeons vary with their instructions.

Survived my first fill. All tight again. Had one small area on the left that had to be drained off where the drain was prior to removal. I hope that small area stays down and doesn't fill up! Fortunately still so numb I felt nothing. Just tight again. I'm sure tomorrow will be more uncomfortable.

Hi! I just joined this site today. But have been on here all through my cancer journey. It has been a huge help. So thank you all who have shared your own experiences.I had surgery Oct 16 2014. I had a bilateral skin/nipple sparing mastectomy. Everything went extremely well. I have had no pain only a slight tightness. My incisions are under each nipple and go out to the sides. Under the right nipple on the incision is a pretty ugly black scab thingy.My plastic surgeon does not seem concerned at all. I'm very nervous about the nipple dying. The actual nipple and areola look good and normal in color. Am i just being paranoid? Is it just scabbing on the incision? And does anyone know how long following surgery that your in the clear as far as the nipples taking? Or could you end up with necrosis months later.

I had my first fil yesterday. Just on the side of my left boob (Cancer side) I have a small collection of fluid. She drained off a small amount but didn't want to get more due to the expanders. This is the PA for the PS. This morning the fluid spit is the same. Not getting bigger or smaller. Has anyone else had this? Trying to desire if I need to touch base with the surgeon or wait and see. It's not hot? I can see if just barely when I look atmy Breast head on. Anyone else have anything similar? How was it addressed

Lemint, best wishes for tomorrow and your recovery post surgery. Being nervous is natural. Tomorrow will soon be over and you will be able to focus your energy on healing.

MayK

I'm putting off my first fill until after the first weekend in November. I'm flying to Montreal for a long weekend and don't want to take a chance at feeling uncomfortable. Has the tightness eased at all yet?

Welcome Coopjax!