October 2020 surgery group

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  • hnsquared
    hnsquared Member Posts: 72
    edited November 2020

    Sharon....I just stumbled upon this thread and my heart goes out to you. I had a bilateral mastectomy 9/21 with direct to implant reconstruction. As you can see from my signature I had completed chemo before surgery and did well with chemo...I worked full time through it. Surgery knocked me on my butt😃. I wasn’t necessarily in pain but very uncomfortable. In addition to the drains which suck I had these implants that felt like boulders on my chest. Then you have all the weird nerve pain and numbness....I felt like I got mauled by a bear. I just felt really down....probably I was in fight mode during chemo and all of a sudden it all seemed to hit me.

    My plastic said it would be 5 or 6 weeks before he would clear me for PT. He also told me that surgery is hard and to expect I might have a couple of rough weeks feeling down and not recognizing my body. I started turning the corner week 4 into week 5. I wasn’t allowed to take a shower until my drains were out and I was afraid to take the first shower....between seeing my new body and touching my new breasts it was all so weird and hard. I’m almost 8 weeks out and feeling so much better. PT has really helped me...stretching and getting my range of motion has made me feel like myself. She also has done some massage on my scar from the SNB which helps. Everyday I’m less aware of my new breasts. You are going to be okay. Give yourself some grace....what you have been through is difficult. Big hugs ❤️

    Heather

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  • sharon0706
    sharon0706 Member Posts: 85
    edited November 2020
    Hi Heather. Your post was so nice. Thank you. It helps me to know that you are eight weeks out and feeling better. Sounds like doing PT in person has been so helpful. I'm not sure that in-person will be an option for me, but I'm inspired by your experience to ramp up my at-home PT a bit.

    I got my last drain out this week and had my first shower today after 26 days. I was probably in there for 20 minutes. I kept my back to the spray so that I avoided extra weirdness associated with lack of feeling.

    It's getting somewhat easier to do the self-massage, although I still don't like touching the/my breasts. It's more bearable now that the drains are all out.

    My husband is not quite ready to see them, and I totally get it.

    I'll be starting chemo the week of Thanksgiving, now scrambling to get teeth cleaned, hair cut, wig purchased all next week. Looks like I am doing things in the opposite order that you did earlier this year. Thanks again and take care.
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  • Lilir
    Lilir Member Posts: 58
    edited November 2020

    Question,

    Dr said drains coming out tomorrow. He took two out on Friday.

    Question is. What happens to all the tape on my boobs? Does it stay on? Do I have to replace?

    other question is exercise. Can I exercise?

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  • DeniseML
    DeniseML Member Posts: 81
    edited November 2020

    Hi,

    I am reading and learning as I go. 2 more chemo treatments, then heading to surgery. I have ER/PR negative, HER2+ IDC, IBC, Stage 3C left breast and am trying to find out how the Risk is determined for recurrence in other breast. The SO states my risk is no more than hers with try-modal treatment, but, I've yet to see this written anywhere. Can anyone help point me in the right direction?

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  • sharon0706
    sharon0706 Member Posts: 85
    edited January 2021

    Hi all. Anyone else struggling with self-massaging tissue expanders?

    I have been doing it ten minutes every night since my BMX in October and I do NOT look forward to it. Dread is a strong word, but it's something like dread.

    I have to listen/watch something while I do it to distract myself. I don't like any of the sensations -- the feeling of the expanders under the skin, the numbness of my breasts, the feeling of the incisions under my fingers, the discomfort in certain places under the skin.

    After the BMX the plastic surgeon told me to do it 10 minutes at a time, three times a day.

    I admit I've never once done it three times a day and was really proud of myself for doing 10 minutes a night. I saw the plastic surgeon PA recently and she said I should be doing it 15 minutes three times a day. I'm now doing it 15 minutes a night and am having a hard time increasing the frequency.

    Just wanted to see how other people are handling this.

    Thanks, Sharon

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