April 2017 Surgery

I'll second Beach4 on giving yourself time to heal. Also on the tight abdomen and breasts later in the day. For me that's the weirdest part. It almost feels like Braxton-Hicks contractions. My belly gets so tight that I joke about having six pack abs.

On the constipation front, I found that figs work much better than prunes. That and probiotics. A couple of fig newtons and some kefir (a yogurt drink) and I was good to go. So to speak.

Trish

Lordhelpmetoo,

Having the last drain taken out was such a relief. Not just physically, but psychologically as well. I felt less like a patient, and more like me, but with stiches everywhere. If that makes sense.

And I found chemo to be harder than the surgery. Maybe because the surgery is over with in a couple of hours, ( or 10 hours in my case) then you can recuperate. Buy the chemo dragged on and on for five months. Every time I'd start to feel bettrr, I'd get hit with more chemo. Yuck.

Try not to stress too much. For me the anticipation was worse than the operation.

Trish

I just replied to your pm, Lordhelpmetoo. Where are you having your surgery done? I had mine at City of Hope in Duarte.

I agree with getting drains out making me feel less like a patient. And I think healing must be progressing faster ... I can drive now (carefully!), get comfortable enough to sleep on my side with a pillow (my normal way) instead of only in recliner, the reach on my leftarm is much better, I can bend and pick things up, and I can lift things heavier than before, and further away from my body. My abilities have increased a lot in the last few days!

And I did quit the Lortab. I still have pain, mostly tightness in the chest, still terrible pain in the arms, and at times I think I can "feel" the stitches/staples that have been removed, as well as some mobility pain. I take naproxen sodium sometimes, but I'm not sure it (or anything) helps, except resting. Gentle movement and rest seem so to be the best pain management.

I want to know where I can get one of those patience hats! Too much I want to do, and I want to FEEL better, and have energy that lets me be out more than a couple of hours without becoming exhausted. And to be accepting of these dog ears, which especially the big pointy one in the back - they get rubbed by clothes, by sitting, etc. And the other one has a deep fold that I'm concerned with my skin will just develop yeast or some other issue.

I HOPE beyond hope I can get a PS to remove them. I'm going to try to get in shape over the next year I have to wait, so hopefully the results will be as good as possible.

By the way, I'm glad for anyone who can manage the constipation naturally with food. I tried that too ... I had natural yogurt every day, and tried various other things too, and avoided bananas. No help for me. Even laxatives didn't work as they should (though they did eventually work). But in any case the natural stuff does work, that's good. It is always my preference too

ladies thanks so much for your encouraging posts! I am frustrated that I can't stand for more than a few minutes, walk upright, bend, drive, etc and was wondering how long it might be before I can do more. I realize we all heal at different rates but it makes me feel good to know you ladies are doing so much better and I'm right behind you!

Deni1661.. you are still only a short time out from surgery - May 9? It is a slow , but steady process. I am 6 weeks out - mind you i had an infection and was on antibiotics for 5 days, so that set me back a bit. Each day honestly gets better..a little moving around when you can , arm stretches, shoulder rolls ( I was told these can easily stiffen up and to move them. You may still need to be on pain meds ( I had to) so you can move around. I am still very tight, sore - more in the stomach than the top by dinner time. I am forced to slow down. Listen to your body, I know it's frustrating. I am not one to sit still. I was driving very short distances by 4.5 weeks. It's really when you are comfortable and incisions are doing well. I also tire very easily - all part of the body healing.

Hi Ladies, I am reporting back on pain and exercises and cording.

After driving about 1.5 weeks ago, I came to have greater pain and less range of motion. I pretty much didn't do anything for 5 days after that .... but then I had an appointment with a plastic surgeon and things changed. First of all, I had a mastectomy (single) with no expanders and decided on delayed recon or none at all. So 80% of women go right away to reconstruction at the same time as surgery. And I am part of the 20% that got left behind with no additional care. After my drain was removed after 9 days,my surgeon said, come back in 6 months. You can do the exercises given to me at the end of surgery.

I had talked to the 3 plastic surgeons before surgery and liked this one doctor so much. I would have been getting the expanders from a different plastic surgery (due to my general surgeon being in a different state). When I saw the 3rd plastic surgeon (whom I liked the best) he said come and see him 2 weeks after surgery for exercises (even though he didn't do the expanders).

I had emailed him to ask questions about implants and asked if I could still come in 2 weeks after surgery even if I don't get reconstruction. He said, yes come back in and I'll show you those exercises.

I saw him last Wednesday, my range of motion was bad and I had a lot of pain. He said I have cording and then he squeezed on my arm and broke some of the scar tissue. He did it until I could not longer take the pain. Yes the pain was the worst, I would label it 10 and what I thought was a 10 from 30 years ago, went down to 9 on the pain scale.

But the breaking of the scar tissue cording gave so much more range of motion than could have gotten in months of the American Cancer Society arm exercises. His physician's assistant gave me exercises to help break up the cording at home. Do it 3 times a day, 10 times each time. Well these exercises are also painful (I give it a 7), but I have kept doing it 3 times a day (but 8 times because it takes so much fortitude to do them). And 4 days later, I am doing even better on the cording and the general pain than ever. I'm still taking Ultram due to the pain of doing the exercises, but it is making a big difference. So if you have cording, you need to see someone to help you. Only the Doctor had the strength to actually break it (10 in pain). The physicians assistant showed me the exercises where you press on the cording, she doesn't have the strength to break it. I'm not sure I would want to go back to some more pain (10), but the breaking of scar tissue and then the exercises I've been doing for him have helped me more than anything. And now I can drive, I am washing dishes. And I guess I can make dinner now too.

So if you have cording and really bad range of motion and pain from moving. Make an appointment with a PT, OT, plastic surgeon or whomever can get you on the path of breaking up that scaring. I checked youtube to find someone doing the exercise, but only found someone trying to sell her services.

Hope this helps. I can try to explain the exercise if anyone is interested.

Hi Elkay7, welcome....I had my surgery the day before you, double mastectomy with expanders...I was able to start driving at 3 weeks post op and at first I was a little sore, but its gotten so much better. I would definitely ask your dr about that, I don't think your pain should be getting worst at this point...and I went back to work at 4 weeks post....I have had 1 fill of 100ccs (had 300 placed at surgery) I just feel discomfort from the expanders now, thats it.

Thank you BG46TN and tnd22 for your responses. I will be sure to talk to my PS on Wed. and I will follow up here to let you know what he says

Elkay

Hanging_in_there,

Yes I have cording (not too bad) but it's on the other side of where my pain is. I stayed down yesterday and it seemed to have helped because the pain is minimal and I didn't need any meds last night. I'm seeing my PS tomorrow so we will need to discuss this. I drove today but mostly used the non-painful arm for driving. I'm starting to wonder if I overworked a muscle somehow.

I read your post and I am so sorry to hear about the pain you experienced. It makes my pain seem minimal in comparison. I'm happy it was worth it though as you were able to find relief afterwards.

I just want to say thank you to you and the others who are so helpful to people on here.

This entire experience (so far) has restored my faith in humanity!!

Elkay

Hanging in - thanks so much for posting the info on cording. Very helpful. I'm so sorry you experienced all that pain but at least you found a solution to move forward in the right direction.

I'm assuming the cording is in your arm? Did you have any under your arm? I still have a stomach drain so my care manager told me I can't do arm exercises yet. I do the shoulder shrugs and a few other exercises that don't involve reaching. My under arm looks really weird and I have a lot of swelling. The PS said that was normal and it could take up to 3 months for the heaviness and swelling to go away.

I see a PT on June 6 which would be 4 weeks post surgery. I sure hope I'll be exercising by then.

Good Evening All,

I saw the PS today and he wasn't too concerned with the pain. He suggested it could have been a muscle spasm or even the edge of my expander rubbing against me.

Either way, the pain is gone and I am so excited to return to work next Tuesday!

One thing I did find out......I've been getting fills of 60 CCs each visit. I was told today that I can go as high as 100 CCs at a time. No one told me this. So today we filled with 70 CCs and I feel no discomfort at all. Next time I will go up to 80 CCs and so on depending on how I feel. I do believe that there is no rush; I want to do what is best for my body and I realize everyone's body is different.

I'm just curious about other's experience with their fills.

1. Were you given a choice of how much you wanted to fill each visit?

2. What's your maximum fill WITHOUT discomfort?

I hope everyone is doing well!

Elkay

My PS said I don't need any fills if I am having DIEP flap surgery. Has anyone else seen that? I have some amount in right now and they look good and I am happy with the size. Since the DIEP takes whatever you have they said it will expand or contract to that amount.

Hi Hope88, I'm soo happy the school year is almost over!! lol I am doing better at work this is my 3rd week back and it feels back to normal. I have been leaving 1 day a week for a 1/2 day to get my expanders filled...I have to drive an hour away for it. I go on Monday for my catscan to get measurements for radiation....

good luck with your radiation! we are pretty much on the same schedule!

Hey everyone, so happy to hear of the progress all of you are making!

My DIEP recovery is slow going but each day is better. My stomach drain was removed last Wed; the surgeon pushed out another 10ml of fluid and I almost passed out! I've been advised to gently massage my stomach (feels weird) and wear compression garments 24/7 to limit fluid build up and prevent infection. So far there seems to be only a slight bump, fingers crossed I won't need fluid removed manually when I see my PS next Monday. I am able to do light activities but still get really wiped out easily. Bending is most difficult, lifting is out of the question, reaching is limited. I am standing for longer periods and hunched over just a little bit.

I definitely have cording in my arm. My nurse suggested massaging the cords with soap while in the shower. This works great; the hot water makes it less painful and I notice it's getting somewhat better. I am able to do the arm exercises now so hopefully the cords will get worked out. My breast is still quite heavy and sore; I'm not sure if this is due to the cording under my arm or something else? I will ask the PS at my upcoming appointment. He did say swelling was normal and I would experience nerve pains but I am now 3 weeks out from surgery and the pain is not any better than right after surgery. This concerns me somewhat but I'm trying not to stress about it! I also have a PT session on Tuesday so maybe they can provide some suggestions.

Mentally, I am happy to be making progress but some days I just can't do much more than lay on the couch and zone out. You ladies inspire me and let me know things will get back to "normal" soon.

Thank you for sharing your progress, it really helps so much!