Having Bi Lateral Mast. No reconstruction...New Here...

Nicole 🙂 dog ears can happen with any scar that starts off eliptical and brings two edges that individually are longer than the end product - so the bigger the breast the longer the top and bottom flap from the finish line - and the higher the chance of having some redundancy at the ends of the scar line - hence the term dog ears. You can try it by cutting a flat oval on a piece of paper folded in half and then trying to bring the two edges together - you will see what happens.

Over time scarring settles and the ends of the scar may need correcting if you want to.

I have a BMX no recon. I swim with a high neck swim, cross back suit - no prosthesis - with horizontal stripes. I wear a padded sports bra in a size A, no prosthesis - I look flat but not entirely. I have small dog ears - mercifully they are central NOT underarm, and a solid surgeon will keep your underarm clean even if they have to pull a bit at the sternum. Its not just aesthetic - its the functional component of moving arm with folds that must be avoided.

Physio post op essential.

I think she's talking about the importance of physical therapy after the operation. The range of motion of your arms will be limited (which you'll notice later on - because you won't be reaching up for a couple of weeks). Anyway, when you try to reach for things, you'll feel some tightness and resistance. You may also feel some tightness in your chest muscles the first few weeks (front and side), which physical therapy and deep belly breathing will help with.

There should be some physical therapy plan. I asked for and received a booklet of exercises I could begin once the drains are out. I had a home physical therapy person drop by and show me how to do them and assess my range of motion. I was in pretty good shape, so I just continued to do the exercises on my own and have regained a lot. If I hadn't, I'd have called the physical therapist back to figure out next steps.

I took both Colace and senna. The nurse said after 4 days on colace, if nothing was moving, take senna. I took half of an 'extra strength' dose (twice, 6 hrs apart), then a full-strength dose the next morning... I will say, I'd recommend just starting with one or two doses, because I took three and well, let's just say less probably would have worked fine. But it did work.

As for other drugs you might get, I was given neurontin/gabapentin for nerve pain. Nerve pain can feel like you're being rubbed with sandpaper. I took it along with the Tylenol. I was afraid of the name, but really had no side effects from it. Some people say it makes them drowsy - for me, it made me feel more "up" which was fine. I weaned off after 2 weeks. I only felt that sandpapery sensation briefly in the hospital right after surgery. It was gone by the next day.

I didn't have recon in part because I'm allergic to everything (PS's preference was implants above the pec and tissue matrix) and I didn't want to operate on parts of my body not impacted by the cancer. I felt kind of guilty at first, but I healed up well and fast, and without the additional anxieties I would have had with plastic surgery. There's trade-offs, for sure, but you just pick what works best for you, regardless of what anyone else thinks. I definitely feel like I made the right decision for me.

As far as products that helped:
-I did use one of those pillows that keeps the seatbelt off your chest. You may only use it a few times, but it's worth it. You could probably make one for cheap out of some fabric and polyfill from a craft/fabric store. I love polyfill now - $6 from the fabric store buys me protection and fluffin for stuffin for months. Get the kind that feels very bouncy, it's the most comfortable.

-Button-up shirts or nightshirts (tough to lift the arms the first week) and easy-pull-on pants (pulling up isn't easy the first week). Have at least two sets so you can put one in the wash. I loved my zip-up fleece, too.

-If anyone wants to buy you a gift, a soft fuzzy throw will be awesome for you. And gift cards for Netflix or Amazon, so you can buy media to keep you entertained.

-I also loved "circle a word" puzzles - gave me a sense of accomplishment/doing something when I wasn't able to do much that first week!

NicoleRod - No reconstruction / reconstruction (plastic, DIEP), is a very personal choice, and nobody should judge or try to tell you what is the right decision for you. Check out the Forum on this site , "living without reconstruction after a mastectomy" for tips, and posts questions there. Somebody may know the SD area and have recommendations. Someone on that formum "living without reconstruction after a mastectomy" posted another website which looks like it has lots of information , https://www.flatclosurenow.org/ . Do the stretching/arm reach exercises your surgeon shows you to help prevent stiffness in shoulder area. Not to alarm you , but if lymph nodes are removed, ask and search out information on preventing lymphedema. I do not have a problem with it, but only 2 were removed, and I exercise/stretch a lot. I did not have dog ears. When I asked the surgeon about dog ears, she told me that she was a good surgeon, and did not expect it to be a problem. That if it did occur, she would fix it. No dog ears. The left side seemed to heal better as far as the scar goes, than the right, even though the cancer was on the left side, and lymph nodes removed on that side.

I went the full circle on the reconstruction question. Went to a plastic surgeon prior to any surgery because I thought that was what you did. About the same time I found out about DIEP (not available at the clinic or even in the state). I found out I was not a very good candidate for DIEP (consulted a surgeon who did them) and that the surgery was more intense and recovery period longer, so I opted not to do that, and eventually decided no reconstruction. I am still shy in the locker room, but feel comfortable swimming with a regular swimsuit, do not use prosthetics. Still thinking about getting a torso tattoo ( Tattoo shops said 1-2 years afer surgery, so I could do it now. But I've never had any tattoo, so feel kind of nervous). Good luck to you and hope the surgery goes well.

Supplements: GAIA turmeric-joint; glucosamine-chondroitin; magnesium glycinate; biotin; potassium-iodine; low dose calcium; C; B-complex ; D; Fish oil. For a year or so after bi-lateral used Juven Nutritional therapy for wound healing with 7g arginine, 7g glutamine. Often add turmeric to meals. Ran out of fish oil supplement that I liked, other brand caused fish burps, so have not taken for a while

2009 ER+ left breast. 52 yrs. Lumpectomy, Sentinal node removal, negative. – 1. Radiation 6 weeks, tamoxifen 5 years. Dense lumpy left breast, normal right. Acupuncture offered at facility as part of integrative medicine. It really helped with anxiety/stress during radiation treatment.

2016 ER+ left breast. Probably a new cancer, but unknown. 4 rounds TC Aug-Oct 2016, Bi-lateral (my choice) Nov 2016, no reconstruction. 2 sentinal nodes remove, negative. Cold Capping using Chemo Cold Caps (DIGNICAP not available). Anastrozole 1 mg starting May 2017. Joint issues noticed immediately. Stopped Anastrozole after 3-4 months do to joint stiffness in. After several months of no AIs, fingers were feeling better. Started tamoxifen March 2018

10/2018 noticed stiffness and some trigger finger again. Was eating meat a lot more (daily) than normal. Usually 1-2 /wk. Have cut way back on the meat, seems to help, but one finger still very prone to trigger finger. 2/2019, trigger finger and stiffness much better.

I'm so sorry you are having to deal with this but it sounds like you are strong emotionally and are doing your research.

I was 50 when I had my bilateral mastectomy (no recon) and it was a breeze. I had large breasts and thought it would be a more difficult surgery, but nope. No pain meds, not even right after surgery. The only challenging thing is the drains. Dealing with them is annoying but not much more than that. The SNB surgery will limit your range of motion so move things you use daily further down. The healing time depends on how flexible you are and how much you exercised before. Your husband can help with that.

Decisions for this surgery are based on many factors and anyone coming in to tell you differently should get an ear full.

Best to you!

OMgosh alto just read your post - we both know how important being comfortable and keeping an eye on bowel regimens can be

Good for you for resisting the pressure you get to do reconstruction. Everyone, including the docs, want to make you whole. But they can't do that. What they don't tell you is that at least for some of us, any benefits to reconstruction are a toss up. We are perpetually uncomfortable, need to wear a bra 24/7, the pectoral muscles are not thrilled with being displaced (if you have under pec implants) (hello perpetual physical therapy), you are wearing internal "ice packs" (silicon implants are not self-heating). I am still angry at the sugar coating the medical community gave these things I have to live with for the rest of my life (and yeah, I could go through another procedure to have them and their capsules scraped out of my chest, but I am not sure what the end result would be). Find yourself a good prosthetic bra, at least you will be able to take it off! Be proud of your decision.

I thought it was helpful to look at pictures of people who'd had the same surgery I did. It helps your brain know what to expect. The most helpful picture I found had someone who was smiling. It changed my thoughts about the whole thing. Here was this awesome person, sharing a very vulnerable photo of half flatness - looking happy and smiling. I knew someday I would be smiling again soon, too.

I was surprised at how flat I was on the mastectomy side, but you get used to it. It feels normal most of the time, now. When I look in the mirror, I sometimes think to myself, it's the closest I'll get to being a ballerina. And when I look down, I remind myself that the flatness is a good thing - it's a shot at better health, it's fewer cancer worries, and fast healing. Less than two months out, I feel peace. My scars are really not bad. Maybe I'm lucky and my surgeon was having a great day, but mine are like survival art. I'm proud of those lines and that hole. I fought for them. My body did great and I'm so thankful.

I am about 8 weeks out and just got my foob. It's rather awesome!

I actually wish I had gone flat so good on you for making this choice. I'm a year out from where you are right now and these implants still feel foreign and weird -no pain but just weird. Sending healing thoughts.

Thinking of you NicoleRod and hoping everything went well with your surgery! The first few days after can be tough, but it will get better soon!

better safe than sorry. Respiratory infections can deteriorate quickly. It sounds like Monday will be too soon