November 2018 Surgery Support Group

Chiming in here - I had surgery in August for UMX on left w TE placement. Surgery in Sept for additional axillary node dissection. Surgery in Oct of port placement for chemo. It does all get better. Limit yourself moving for a few days for sure. A bed wedge helped in bed. I certainly had difficulty with getting out of bed and transitioning from a laying down to sitting position for about 2 weeks. It got better as time went along. I had PT scheduled about 3 weeks after each surgery to help with tightness, mobility and range of motion. I was able to arrange telework after surgeries. The drains were the worst both times. I was ok'd to shower after with the drains day after surgery. I slept almost 2 weeks in supportive surgical bra and still sleep often in a bra of some sort. I feel mostly back to a new normal now.

Chemo then another 2 surgeries then radiation and hormone therapy. Long road, great support here. Best of luck and I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving.

one week post -op visit. Are you sure it isn't low blood sugar? Well, no.

Pain. You can alternate acetaminophen with tramadol. Oh, I knew i could, but didn't.

You will be getting calls to make appointments with occupational therapy and oncology. Pathology isn't back because of the holiday. Oncologist will be talking with you about oral med to prevent your other breast from developing cancer. OT about lymphedema. We can pull one drain.

Done? All done.

LOL

Catching up with everyone's posts it seems like a lot of surprises for all of us Nov surgery women. Same for me with some good & some tougher news. Good news was healing well & all fine there but pathology not totally as expected - lymph nodes clean (SNB done) but invasive found not just DCIS, so I'll likely be going on Tamoxifen once the oncotype and the full pathology is back. The surgeon and everyone seem a lot more surprised than I am - I guess I always figure they won't know til they know, which is why I was ready to do the BMX without debate. Now with the findings of more areas & more serious invasive type findings, even after 3 biopsies and multiple mammos, MRIs, ultrasounds etc, just shows the limits of the tools until the surgery is actually done and pathology is back. But knowing is always better than not I guess.

BluGene - I would second the recliner vote especially if you are a side sleeper, it's the only way to stay situated in place and I'm at 9 days post op.

coclico - I'd also second the vote on extending the time to start a new job - 19 days will not be long enough even going back to a job you know well much less to start something new. Give yourself a chance and delay the start. The recommended time off work after BMX is 6 week as said in another post - once you are in it, you can see why it's true. Pain, discomfort, drains, follow up appts, pathology etc. - lots to deal with after surgery that won't be resolved in that short a time. Wish you the best with upcoming surgery.

Oya, there are times I feel sad about living alone with no relatives in the area, but I have better control over germs in my environment, no people making demands on my time and strength. I don't have people coming into my apartment criticizing my housekeeping; anyone who visits knows.

I hope you feel better soon.

I will probably get the pathology report through the patient portal early next week.

11 days since surgery, and overall I feel good about my recovery. I was so happy to get all 4 drains removed on Wed. (9 days after surgery) although in my case it wasn't painless. I could feel the nurse pulling at the stitches on each side that hold the drains in place to cut them, and she told me to take a deep breath in and out twice. On the second breath out she yanked both of them on that side out. Yeow! Then did the same on the other side, and it hurt a little worse even. Pain was right at the drain incision site, so I don't know if it was because a scab had formed there, or I just wasn't as numb in that area as some women who claim no pain are. It was very tender for a couple of days and had a little oozing but seems to be much better today. Great news was yesterday I got to take my first full shower! Yippee!

I've been sleeping in a recliner since surgery, so I thought last night, because I no longer had drains in, that I would try to sleep in bed. Only made it for about 15-20 minutes. I felt like the saline in the TEs was spreading out in a different pattern than when I am upright, and it was very uncomfortable. Also felt like extra stretching tension across chest and into arm pits, although I also may have over done some reaching into cabinets yesterday. At any rate, it was back to recliner. This is actually the first day I haven't felt the need to take a nap. I haven't taken any pain rx since day 5, but I still sometimes feel a little weak or light headed. I suppose that is partly from blood loss during surgery, general trauma to the body, and the fact I have hardly been doing anything for 11 days.

PS put in 250 cc on each side at time of MX (estimating me to go to about 500 cc). I'm hoping when I get my first fill this coming Wednesday that that will ease some of the TE pain, going with the theory that the implants are still semi folded with lumps and creases, so more fill will fill in those creases. I tried to take it easier today and pain isn't as strong unless I touch the skin. I do have a little "scabbing" on parts of each nipple/areola but PS said that is not unusual with my type of incisions (around top half of areola and out to side 3-4"), and that I might loose a little color to that area once scabs fall off.

Hope healing continues for all of us post surgery ladies, and prayers for each of you ladies having surgery this next week. I does really feel good to have it behind you, even though it takes awhile to heal and fully recover.

Had my BMX Wednesday afternoon. All went well and sentinel nodes we clean. With the holiday I'm guessing pathology report early next week I dated on the hospital an extra night as I didn't feel my pain was under control and I was so light-headed I couldn't walk by myself I can't believe the oral meds don't seem to do too much for the pain. I have a high tolerance but honestly I'm struggling. I know it will get better but for now it just plain hurts! I don't have a recliner but my friend bought be one of those TV pillows that sorry you sitting up in bed. It's a life saver I hope entering day 3 post op that I'll feel much better after today

I’ve got two areas of pain that only hurt when I stand and walk around. One is where the drains used to be on the left side and the other is by my left TE towards the top of my sternum. I wish I had a pain patch that I could put on those two areas instead of having to take oral meds when they get too bad. I’m getting really tired of sleeping in a recliner, too. I want to be able to lay on my side comfortably again in my bed. But it is still just too tender to do it.

I have my appointments set up for next week. MO and PS on Thursday and RO on Friday. We shall see what everybody thinks are the next steps for me.

I hope all of you are doing well. This is not an easy process, that’s for sure, but we must keep moving forward. Positive vibes going out to all of you.

Evily, thanks Yes, hopefully anything caught will be really early stages. Sounds like your recovery is going great! Walking 5 miles already. You go, girl

Hi Evily! Wow! I am so happy to hear you’re doing so well-and I’m very inspired by your 5 mile walking! I’ve just been walking to the mailbox and back-ha! Well, I’ve been bopping around the house-walking around fine-but haven’t even thought about really walking somewhere! I am inspired to hoof it a little further now

I also have my first post-op appt. with my PS tomorrow-maybe I’ll get some news about drain removals (I have 2-putting out about 5ccs/less a day now).

I’m thankful for all of us!

My drains are covered with antiseptic gel and are so thoroughly bandaged with transparent dress ing that I would be nuts.to mess with the site. My pain is up higher, pressure from my bra seems to bother it. I have heat o n it right now.

I was told to pin my drains to my bra and nothing else.

Swelling on my cancer side and where they removed the lymph nodes has increased quite a bit today. I called my BS and she wasn't worried , said it was probably because I was up so much more today (4th day post op). The pressure had really increased the pain so I'm back in bed trying to get it all back under control. Tired of hurting and would love to just fast forward a week or two.

I will try going braless tonight then. And quit trying to side-sleep.

I ordered a pair of zip-front sports bras ye sterday. I hope they will be more comfortable than what they put me i n.

Had my bilateral mastectomy on Friday a couple of the sentinel nodes on the right side showed cancer so they removed all the nodes on that side. I will know by my next appointment how many had cancer. So that means chemo in my future. I'm feeling good and pretty good movement in my arms. I haven't needed the heavy pain meds. I am just a bit stiff and sore. The back stiffness is the worst part.