July 2017 Surgery

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  • MCOlivia
    MCOlivia Member Posts: 27
    edited September 2017

    FelineMum, thank you! I feel normal now after thinking something wrong was happening. I guess I'm lucky the fluid is getting out then. I wish the PS would tell me it's common fluids continue after drains are removed. I'll make sure I ask tons of questions next time. I'll start writing them down so I'm ready.

    Toughcookie, I don't feel bulge, however lots of fluid coming out of the incision while the scar is healing it seems. Please let your PS know. My family was fortunate not to be affected by the floods. So many were not that fortunate, so it's heartbreaking. Schools, businesses, are either closed or running part time. Very very sad.

    Best,MC

  • MCOlivia
    MCOlivia Member Posts: 27
    edited September 2017

    @ Shelabela, I'm happy your appointments went well. Stay positive, we'll get through this together. God bless

  • shelabela
    shelabela Member Posts: 584
    edited September 2017

    MC, glad to hear you are ok down that way. We have enough going on.

    We will get this year over!!!

  • lynae23
    lynae23 Member Posts: 85
    edited September 2017

    Hi ladies

    I hope everyone is hangin in there! I live in Houston & survived the horrible flooding from Harvey THANK GOODNESS but it was a scary week around here! Flooding all around and such sad devastation around from it! It will be a long recovery for many people who lost everything! It has really helped me not think about my cancer & all I have been through this last year & focus in helping others for awhile. These dang TEs have just been so very uncomfortable that I am ready to get them out already :/ I couldn't see my PS last week due to flooding & hope he is ok & open this week to get my fills...then I am closer to my exchange!

    MY hair is growing back like crazy all over my body but still seems slow on my head lol. I have been using deodarant & shaving under my arms since 2 weeks after surgery.

    I wish those of you who have chemo ahead the best of luck! It is tough to get through but you can do it! Just take all your nausea meds, antacids & mouth wash they recommend because it all helps a lot!! Before you know it you will be done!

    Prayers & hugs to you all! We are cancer slayers!!

  • toughcookie_21
    toughcookie_21 Member Posts: 185
    edited September 2017

    shelabela- how is your shingles? I'm thinking of you and hope you're doing ok.

    lynae- glad to hear you made it through the storm. I hope you were spared the worst of the flooding. Did you lose power? That was the worst for us during hurricane Sandy. We lost electricity for 11 days. And it was early November and really cold. Our furnace had an electric ignition so we had no heat.

  • Gigilala
    Gigilala Member Posts: 148
    edited September 2017

    hi ladies

    I had my surgery September first i stayed 2 night at the hospital

    My surgeon put the expander under my muscle that's why I'm in pain. He fill only 25cc so I still flat

    The pain is horrible

    I hope everyone's hanging in there


  • shelabela
    shelabela Member Posts: 584
    edited September 2017

    lynae, glad to hear you are ok. I have been through floods here in Iowa but nothing as devastating as there. Hugs in this tough time.

    Toughcookie, I am in a lot of pain. They did give me antibiotics to help it move faster. I guess you just have to let it run its course. The rash is so itchy. It's worse when it gets warm.

    Gigi, glad you are home. Sorry the pain is so rough. Hope they gave you good meds.

  • kae_md99
    kae_md99 Member Posts: 621
    edited September 2017

    shel, is the pain from overexpansion? maybe advil will work?

    gigi, it will get better but from my experience Tes are always uncomfortable and i just let it run its course. i hope they gave you muscle relaxant? we can do this ladies!

    btw, its stil very uncomfortable for me to sleep on my side and i am 7 weeks out:(

  • Gigilala
    Gigilala Member Posts: 148
    edited September 2017

    thank You ladies

    Yes my surgeon gave me muscle relaxant and Percocet

    TE is very uncomfortable and painful

    My bilateral mastectomy was easier

  • kae_md99
    kae_md99 Member Posts: 621
    edited September 2017

    Gigi,

    yes bmx was easier than TEs for me too... and i am already over the muscle....will you have radiation

  • lynae23
    lynae23 Member Posts: 85
    edited September 2017

    Toughcookie we only lost power this time for one day....thank goodness! We lost power during Ike for 2 weeks while I was 7 months prego in 2008 & that was no fun..so I understand how you felt during Sandy.

    Thanks for the hugs Shela! I hope you feel better soon!!

    Gigi these TEs are tough...hang in there. It gets a little easier but they are still tough & I have had them 6 weeks. I am just learning to deal with them. There is definitely no sleeping on my sides just on my back slightly propped up to take sime pressure off. That helps. Best of luck!

  • Gigilala
    Gigilala Member Posts: 148
    edited September 2017

    kae: yes I will have radiation I'm not done lol

    + another surgery: exchange surgery 😓😓😓😓😓😓

    Lynae: yes TE are very tough i read that the filling is painful too

    My surgeon fill only 25cc and he told me next filling will be in his office

    How many cc did u have ladies?


  • kae_md99
    kae_md99 Member Posts: 621
    edited September 2017

    gigi,

    i had mine filled 400 cc at bmx, thought it was too big so my PS removed 60 cc at 2nd week. i follow up to morrow and i will ask him if he can remove some more as i was really small. so currently ,i am at 340 cc. i herad the exchange is easy compared to bmx with Tes ,i sure hope so!

  • Jumpship
    Jumpship Member Posts: 305
    edited March 2019

    My exchange was so much easier than the double mastectomy

  • shelabela
    shelabela Member Posts: 584
    edited September 2017

    My first fill was 250CC and I have 3 fills on the right and 4 on the left. My right side is filled to 400CC and the left is filled to 450CC. They will do 1 more fill tomorrow and deflate the right side just a little to get ready for Rads unless I get Proton approved. I am happy with the size. I am up the size I was before I had kids and nursed for almost 2 years.

    I did not think the fills hurt. I take 2 tylenol about 1 hour before and I do not have any pain. A little discomfort but that is it. I can't even feel when she puts the needle in. But I also make her talk to me as she is doing it. Distracts me some.

  • 53nancy
    53nancy Member Posts: 497
    edited September 2017

    shelabela, I am glad that you have found something positive in all the difficult things;I hope the RADS go well, if that is the route your journey takes. Take care and keeping fingers crossed for you.

  • shelabela
    shelabela Member Posts: 584
    edited September 2017

    Thank you Nancy, I have chosen to be positive as much as I can. I guess it is my way of dealing with all this. I actually joked around with my PS and told him I was getting as big of "new Boobs" as I wanted since I had to go through this hell! He took it pretty good. Laughed with me.

    How are things going for you? I have a hard time following these threads sometimes... Sorry.

    I do not see any Chemo listed on your name. Are you going to have Chemo?

    Shelabela

  • 53nancy
    53nancy Member Posts: 497
    edited September 2017

    shelabela, thank you for asking. I am to have an SNB next Wed. Am hoping there won't be any cancer there, or the surgeon will want to do another for AxN. He told me radiation in any case, but if SN are clear, MAYBE no chemo. I do NOT want chemo, because I am diabetic and chemo would probably mess me up. And I am hoping RO will agree to partial radiation, as it could affect heart and lungs. Prob won't agree because of the high grade DCIS. Here's hoping, though.

  • Gigilala
    Gigilala Member Posts: 148
    edited September 2017

    shelabela : so now you are cup B or C??

    Nancy : I hope your SN will be clear

  • shelabela
    shelabela Member Posts: 584
    edited September 2017

    Gigi, I am a very nice c cup. Hoping to get through Rads with no problems and keep this size. I won't have an exchange for about 6 months after Rads.

  • Gigilala
    Gigilala Member Posts: 148
    edited September 2017

    thank u shelabela

    I told my surgeon I want B-C cup i really don't want big breast

    When you start radiation ?

    I will start radiation in few weeks . I will be busy radiation every day , PT twice a week, Herceptin and perjecta every 3 weeks, app with my surgeon 🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤🤤


  • shelabela
    shelabela Member Posts: 584
    edited September 2017

    I will start probably the week of Sept 11th. I have simulation tomorrow actually. I will also have herceptin every 3 weeks. I am not getting perjeta though. My kids are now in school so I will add in sports that they are in. I will be running most of the time. I hope I do not get to tired.

    The drive to the Cancer unit is 1 hr and 15 min. Take a better part of the day just for that. I wish I could afford to not work and still pay bills. LOL Everyones wish before cancer and now it is even bigger.

    Hope they pain is not to bad now! Can you sleep on your side.? I can lay on my right side. ( non cancer) for a little while then it starts to hurt. I can not even lay on my left side. Other then that the pain is pretty much gone. Just discomfort.

    I would like to be a nice full C cup. That is where I was pre-kids. he seemed to think that would be ok! I had back surgery about 2 years ago so we have to keep that in mind.

  • 53nancy
    53nancy Member Posts: 497
    edited September 2017

    Gigilala, thank you and good luck with all your upcoming appointments.

    shelabela, I hope your RADS go well. Do you know how many weeks you are getting? Hopefully your running will help to keep your strength up; I have heard RADS make you very tired. So much of an unknown future for everyone in many ways. I am trying to think of a list of questions to ask the RO when I finally get to see him, as I have not had a real chance to talk to my surgeon, and probably won't next week. He'll probably be gone before I come out of the anesthetic. Do you know if they checked your nodes right away; I read that in some places, they do a quick pathology check in case they have to take more, but have no idea what will happen here. Good luck through it all.

  • kae_md99
    kae_md99 Member Posts: 621
    edited September 2017

    had an appointment with PS today, deflated me some more. everything looks good and my next appointment will be pre op... exchange on oct.20. i did ask him if TEs are sutured and he did say yes. maybe my BS is right when he said that the discomfort is coming from there.goodluck to everyone! this has been a long journey for me...

  • shelabela
    shelabela Member Posts: 584
    edited September 2017

    Nancy, I know at my surgery they checked them at time of surgery then they were sent for official results. Surgery takes a little longer but only have 1 surgery. My surgeon said she's never had to redo surgery doing it that way. Not sure if they all do. To be honest I'm a little scared of rads. Hate the thought of potentially harming my lungs and heart.

    Kae, that will be here before you know it. Thanks for asking about them being sutured in. I never think to ask when I'm there


  • Jumpship
    Jumpship Member Posts: 305
    edited March 2019

    She'll-

    I'm curious why you didn't get Perjeta. I didn't either in 2014 but I was between the neoadjuvant that insurance covered and a few months later docs were able to push for its coverage for post-surgery. Except me

  • shelabela
    shelabela Member Posts: 584
    edited September 2017

    jump ship,

    I had perjeta, herceptin and Taxol. Before surgery. I am now just getting herceptin. It could be because I had good pathologic response too chemo? I know a few that are getting it right now

  • AliceAgnes
    AliceAgnes Member Posts: 78
    edited September 2017

    Yes, a full year of Herceptin is usually prescribed for those who are Her2+. It is specifically used for that kind of cancer. I have been on Herceptin alone since mid-July and have had no side effects from it. Wish you the best, too.

  • 53nancy
    53nancy Member Posts: 497
    edited September 2017

    Helo everyone. I hope you are all having a good day today.

    shelabela, I noticed your had your chemo in May and are waiting for RADS. How long was your chemo course? I, too, am concerned about my heart and lungs. I have been searching on line and don't seem to find much that covers that. And I have noticed that so many people have chemo before RADS and I wonder why. My BS (who is doing my SNB next Wednesday), told me that it would be RADS for sure and then, if SN are positive for cancer, chemo. There are so many horror stories about the side effect of chemo, that I am wondering if it would be better to refuse. I have changed my diet completely, no breads, no sugars, just healthy veggies and fruits and not a lot; the plus side is I've lost a few pounds.

    I have been supplementing like crazy and now I am wondering, because of going under general anesthetic, if I should stop all that and when I should do it. I don't want any of it to affect my surgery. Does anyone have any suggestions? Also, has anyone here had just partial radiation? And thank you. All the best to all of you for all of your life.

  • shelabela
    shelabela Member Posts: 584
    edited September 2017

    Nancy, I had 12 weeks of Taxol then 4 treatments of AC (every 2 weeks) Waited 5 weeks then surgery. Now I will start Rads Sept 18th.

    My Onco does not recommend supplementing with anything except ensure drinks. Or like that. No extra pills of any sort. But every onco is different.

    I do not know why some line ups are different.


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