July 2017 Surgery

yes toughcookie i have those. do you ladies feel tightness as of wearing a very tight bra with underwire

Thanks, shebala. I'm sleeping most of the time. Luckily, I'm able to sleep in bed on my back. Putting folded-up fleece blankets or small/lap-size quilts under my arms makes it more comfortable than sleeping in a recliner.

Rljessu: I'm wearing a 'post-surgical garment.' It's mainly for holding drainage bags but also acts as a bra. It zips up the front and makes things so much easier. They sell them on Amazon, but my doctor prescribed mine and my insurance (Medicare) covered it. I got it from the same kind of store that sells other mastectomy supplies. I'll be wearing it for a total of 2 weeks, 24/7. The brand is Amoena and it's called a post-surgery front close camisole.

I had the injections everyone mentions, but mine were around the circumference of my tumor, not in my nipple. Four total. No numbing cream used and they did sting (more afterward than going in), but it was tolerable. I think by then I'd been given a Valium.

My incisions look scary. There's all this skin kinda hanging there and a mish mash of dark bruises and navy surgical marker. Someone mentioned looking kind of puckered. I do too. I do have expanders and had skin sparing ??? (on term).

Back to bed!

Hi Shelabela, I'm doing well and feel like every day gets easier. On Saturday, we had family and one of my sons friends over for his 11th birthday. My sister in laws did all the prep and clean up. I felt great all day but I hit a wall around 8 on Saturday night and slept about 12 hours! Then I was in a lot of pain yesterday with those odd stabbing pains. It's weird because the pain seems to be in the middle of the tissue expander where there used to be breast tissue. I find out Wednesday what the chemo plan is. im getting nervous for that. Hope you are doing well and no pain!

Edited to add-

Kae yes I have the tightness too. Sometimes it's tighter than others but it doesn't hurt. It's a strange feeling. My ps has me wearing a surgical bra that I think is really uncomfortable. I've been wearing another low impact sports bra too because it doesn't hurt like the one he wants me to wear. I am going back to work next week and I'm wondering what bra I'm going to wear.

Are you all able to put shirts on over your head? I started this weekend and it is not uncomfortable. I'm able to raise my arms and reach easier than bending over to pick things up from the ground. My dad brought me one of those grabber things because I can't pick things up from the ground. Lol. At least not comfortably.

Surgery was last week I take pain killer only at night I call my doctor this morning because I had big diarrhea he said its the antibiotic so he send another prescription.

My drains are less than 30cc I have an appointment with surgeon on Thursday you think I need to call him to change my appointment or its ok I can wait until Thursday???

I had my first fill today and it wasn't too bad. I think I expected more pain. I'm not thrilled about the shape of these foobs, though. They're really flat on top. It only seems like they are expanding on the the bottom. One is much higher than the other, too. I asked the ps about it and he said that they will change shape many times throughout this process. And I may require fat grafing to get the shape I want.

got my fill during surgery shelabela and i wont have anymore fills. sorry,i cant answer your question.:( on a positive note,got my drains out today..

I didn't have air. There was a small amount of saline in there and today he added more. I don't like the shape though. I hope they work out ok.

I still have my 4 drains I think they will come out on Thursday at my post op appointment

Hallelujah my drains are out, two weeks post op. Meet with medical oncologist tomorrow, found out today from BS tumor was er/pr+, so I guess I will be on medicine. I haven't had a fill because my wound isn't healing. I'm having hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy everyday until there is good blood flow. My arm is still sore and gets numb every once in awhile. Any recommendations on bras? Neither BS or PS gave me a bra. Glad everyone is doing well

Thanks, kae! The drain hitting the nerve is opposite my cancer side and producing less fluid. It's closer to 10 mL when I empty it. The PS's nurse said the nerve pain would be a reason to take it out.

My guess is the other drain (I have two) will stay in if its output doesn't decrease significantly. I had one node removed on that side and while path results are still pending, my BS thinks it's negative.

Normally, I hate waiting. But I feel pretty calm right now.

Healing thoughts to everyone.

I'm not wearing a bra

I took my bra off the first time I took my shower & never put it back on..lol! I honestly cannot tell a difference between having one on and having one off so I thought I might as well leave it off. I just have a lot of tighness & feels like a boulder underneath my arms. Sometimes my right arm feels dead. Anyone else experience this? I keep reading that after fills it may get better but I am not holding my breath..lol! The recliner & I are best friends. I see my PS tomorrow so hoping for at least 1-2 drain removals.

lynae,i do feel a feeling of thickness on my armpits where nodes were removed but its not that bad. maybe because they took only the sentinel nodes?( 2 on left and one on right)...my arms are ok though,no dead feeling or anything. the chest tightness is also is there as well as feeling of heaviness but it improved tremendously when drains were removed. are you guys given exercises to do?

lynae23: I'm 1 week post op I still have my drains

I have an appointment tomorrow I wish my surgeon will take all the drains.

I am flat too he has not expanded yet ,he told me he will put a temporary implant and when I finish radiation I can have reconstruction

shelabela,i am curious,now that you had pcr,will you still need radiation