NOLA in September?
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If I have my surgery at NOLA, who can take my drains out? I think I wiil have to have the stacked surgery, so my hips will be used = long time for drains.
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Celtique_Antique - I didn't get sick from keflex but it certainly can't be the only antibiotic that can be taken in this situation. If I was in your shoes I would tell the Center you feel sick and think it is the the Keflex. See what they think.
Lisa645-stitches for me were dissolved at about 2 weeks. The sheet of post-op instructions I was given after stage 1 from Dr. D said "all stitches that appear on the surface may be gently tugged and trimmed away at 2 weeks post-op" I can't remember how long the glue stayed around but at some point Janine (at the Center) told me to start gently rubbing it with a wash cloth to help get rid of it. I am claustrophobic and the DOM was not a problem for me.
Forever hope - you can arrange for a local doc to take the drains out if you want. I had two local docs lined up but I ended up removing the hip drain myself. I was shown how to do it at the Center (I watched them pulled the breast drain while I was still in NOLA) and then you talk to the Center on a regular basis once you are home so if you want more instruction it is easy to get it. It was so simple I decided to do it myself -- painless, takes a few moments, and easy.
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Foreverhopeful... I had stacked hip flaps and had my hip drains for 8.5 weeks... and had no problem at all pulling them.. My primary offered, but for $15 and an hour of my time, I decided I would spend the one minute it took to pull... TOTALLY painless and easy.
LISA... My stitches were like a clear plastic and I cut the knot and used the incision tweezers and pulled it out. Easy and painless... I did make the mistake of cutting both sides of the knot at mid belly and so I wasn't sure I'd ever find the end... but I did.
Maggie.. I was on Keflex, then another one for two days and then Bactrim... because I had a bacterial infection due to the port... so there are lots of antibiotics you can take. Why are you still on them anyway? I stopped the day I pulled my last drian.
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Forever, my hubby helped me get the drains out. Easy as pie and they give you a little kit with stuff you need. After first surgery, I just did it myself. As Betsy says, easy, painless.
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lisa - I think I was at least 8 weeks out before I felt like having sex with my hsuband. As for the glue - in stage 1 it was still around 4 weeks later and I started to help it along a little in the shower with a wash cloth. For stage 2B, I'm not even 2 weeks out and I've already started to lose the glue. Obviously it falls off when the surface beneath it has healed. Pretty neat stuff!
Maggie - I was on Bactrim until Sunday and it made me feel nauseous and I had a fever of about 100 for 2 days last week. It easily could be the antibiotic but I'd still run it by the PA.
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It sounds so scary to remove the drains yourself, but I am glad to hear others have done it with no problem!
What is the recovery time for a stacked from anyone who has had one? Does the incision run from hip to hip or is it three incisions?
Has anyone had the lymph node transfer done? I have lymphedema and would love to hear from others who have had it done. Has anyone developed truncal lymphedema from the DIEP?
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Lisa645 - That glue takes longer than you think it would. For my Stage 1 it took about 4 weeks for all of the glue to be off and the incisions healed. My Stage 2 was three weeks ago and the last of the glue on my breasts came off today (and I can barely see the scars!) - but I still have almost all of the glue on the ab incision. For my Stage 1 once Jeanine at the Center told me it was ok I would take a really long hot shower and get that glue very pliable and wash gently with a wash cloth. After a couple of days most of it had come off.
I was about 6 weeks out from Stage 1 when I felt up to having sex again. TMI alert - Although I would say we needed to be somewhat creative as I was not very flexible and my abdomen still hurt.
Here is a link to a Veronique compression garment. This is the type that the center will give you. The one from the center is all black and goes from above your knees to right under your breasts (that is hard to tell from this picture). It has hook and eye closures up both outer sides of legs with a zipper on top of that.
http://designveronique.com/cgi-bin/ic/dv2/753.html
I hope that this helps!
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KathrynLA - I'm SO glad to hear you are doing better. This is such a roller coaster that we are on. I know some days I just coast through and am fine, and others every little thing bothers me. My incision hurts, my breasts feel heavy, I have no stamina, I'm tired to being tired, I'm tired of not being myself, I want to wear ALL of my clothes not just a few pieces, etc.
I got my Marena garment last week and used that coupon too and did not even think of posting it here. Duh! I'm glad you don't have 'surgery brain'. It worked great for me and since I saved 20% I put that into shipping so that I could get it sooner.
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Lisa645 - I was just thinking. I have 3 of the black DOM's from the Center. One from my Stage 1 and two from my Stage 2. Once I am out of them (Nov 28th) I would be happy to send one to you (I have a multitude of sizes to chose from too). You could try it on and see how you do before you need it for your Stage 2. Might help you decide if you can wear it or not. Let me know and then if you want me to PM me your address and I'll ship it off at the end of this month.0
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celtic - i was never put on keflex. i was always put on bactrim. i didn't have any side effects of it. i would take with lots of fluid and crackers. i have one more pill to go!
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Lisa - I think they told us to wait a couple of weeks before sex. But we forgot about that, two nights out from the hospital, in a hotel in the Quarter. Getting my breast back after being without one for a few months had a big impact on me. I had my sexuality back! I think that as long as you don't get into a position that hurts you, and your husband does likewise, you're good to go!
Kathryn - Glad to see you're doing better! I still have my drain, but will have my husband pull it tonite. It wasn't putting out a lot of fluid, but the color hadn't lightened up enough to be pulled. Then a week more in the dom, I guess.
Victoria - Good luck tomorrow! Don't worry - they do good work there!
Foreverhopeful - Great name! Try not to worry too much (Like we have any control over that, really, LOL! But we always tell each other that, anyway.) Truly, everything will work out fine and soon you'll be on here, handing out advice to the next newbies!
Celtic - Sorry you're feeling so poorly. I hope you get some relief soon.
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Not as interesting as when/ where/ how to have sex... But I am 6 weeks post stage 2 and I STILL have glue on my breast incision revisions and still have nipple glue and a few of those little sticky-outy nipple sutures. I had a few buried stitches in my hips and flanks that were getting infected and I had a surgeon remove those.( They then cleared up within a day). As for the rest, I'm not into rubbing or snipping... I'm just letting it all disappear on its own, as I did with Stage 1. Wont be too much longer.
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Lisa 645: I am exactly 8 weeks post op today and I still have scabs on my breast. I had a unliateral delayed stacked DIEP. I too still have some of that glue on my lifted side. I did not take out any stitches as I asked the Center if I could take them out as the instructions indicated but Stacey shared that they will eventually come out and or dissolve. My last scab from my hip drain came off 3 days ago. The other large scab I had below my navel came off with the suture and knot. What I like about it coming off itself is that everything is nicely healed underneath.Anyone have a hard area the size of a quarter below your navel toward the abdominal incision? Just wondering if this will go away. What is it?0
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Betsy, actually I haven't been to NOLA since last January. While I was having my revisions, I think I was there about 11-12 times in three years, but no more surgery since Oct 2010 and it's been a very challenging year for our business so nearly all of my travel has been for work. I can't wait to leave tomorrow morning and relax for a few days. I get really hyped up before traveling and here I am, up way too late again.
Alaina felt better today and we are looking forward to seeing each other!!
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I forgot to mention that I have a set of pink pockets that I never used, and if anyone having stage I is interested, I will mail them to you. Just PM me and I'll send them out.
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Foreverhopeful... For the stacked hip flaps, the incisions are two incisions on each butt check... and the drains are on the side (hips).. The recovery from this is painless (in my opinion)... Stacked just means that they layer the fat... recovery is no different.
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Betsy -- I am still on the antibiotics since we pulled my drain last week. Was told to finish out all of the refills I have. As I had had endocarditis a number of years ago necessitating open heart surgery to repair my mitral valve, most physicians err on the side of super-cautious when it comes to possible infections for me. I had had an infected deep suture and, blissfully, that cleared up when they started the antibiotics again. I think it is precautionary, but I also think, as punky as it makes me feel, that it is doing some good. Had a small seroma start after I pulled the drain (9+weeks and Janine said, "Enough, it is time.") When I went to a smaller DOM (lost some weight since surgery), the extra compression quickly brought the output under the limits, so out it came. Then I noticed the swelling and the lower part of the donor scar seemed red and hot. So, after a call, I am back on the meds. Am used to penecillin (Keflex is more like that), so we are sticking to it. Am feeling somewhat better today, making sure I am getting lots of rest (between work and supervising the contractors on the B&B conversion, that was getting difficult!), and, as they told me at the Center -- drink! Unfortunately, just water, but that all has seemed to help.
Small vaca with a friend in Tampa over Thanksgiving week and then a short three weeks till NOLA again. I am surprised that as eager as I am to have the Stage 2, I am still somewhat dreading the surgery and immediate recovery process. Gotta do it ... got so many role models here to make sure that it is done!
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Maggie.. After I pulled my drains, my butt scar seemed more prevalent and the void seemed to be less of a void, making me thing the area filled somewhat woth fluid... but was not causing a lump or seroma.. I figure if there is something awry, Dr D will take care of it on MONDAY.
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Forever, I had stacked for my stage 1. I had 2 butt incisions and 1 long tummy one, so three as you say. During my stage 2, I asked for my abdominal incision to be lowered because it was really high up. At this point Dr. D connected everything so I have one incision all around and because of this he was able to lower that incision to my pubic bone, so it is no longer outside my bikini underwear! (That really bothered me). Not sure this is typical.
I had 8 weeks off work for stage 1 stacked, and 4 weeks off for stage 2 stacked (and I had plication which increases recovery time). I didn't quite need all that time but I was glad to have it!!
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I asked a nurse at 3 weeks about having the long black scars. She said it was from betadine on top of the glue and that they should be coming off by now. She said to pick it away in the shower so I did the next day and was bleeding in four spots! I panicked and started using betadine on the open wounds and swore I would never touch the glue again. Clearly, they were not ready to come off and I should have just left them alone. The ab glue falls off a lot sooner than the breast incision glue, I have found.
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I found that the glue comes off on the outer edges sooner, so the scar by my hip, the glue was off sooner than in the center of the ab.
Surfa... Yes, I have that quarter sized hard spot... I am seeing Dr D on Monday, so hopefully will know more then.
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Surfa, Betsy - add me to the list of people with the quarter size hard spot although mine is closer to my incision than my navel. I've been massaging it as has my PT but I think I'm going to make an appt with a recommended massage therapist who specializes in Myofacial release as I think it's scar tissue/adhesions at this point - that area was also reopened with my hyst in Aug so it's lagging in healing. Curious to hear what Dr. D says on Monday Betsy...
I'm back from 2 weeks out of commission with the flu - no fun. I had a crazy couple of weeks traveling for work before that so I think this was just my body's way of saying "WHAT THE CRAP, SLOW DOWN WOMAN!" - so I slowed down and now my body has rewarded me with making a huge leap forward in the healing progression. This weekend was the 1 year anniversary of when my husband and I packed up our lives and moved from NY to CA and it just so happens the 6 months anniversary of my stage 1 surgery. My how time flies. The milestone turned out to be very imporant but physically and mentally as in the last few days I feel much more like myself - ready to take on complicated work and personal tasks and physically I'm able to work out at the gym and am on the road to be fully functional at yoga and pilates as well - it feels so good to be moving again! On top of that my body is finally at a point where I can see the end of the tunnel and I think (and hope) that I won't need any more surgery. Just need to drop some weight now as all this sitting around and doing nothing had me gain about 15 pounds, but i know I can get it off with some hard work over the next couple of months.
Also feeling more frisky at this point in the bedroom - someone asked about having sex after surgery, I think I waited 5-6 weeks after each stage, even stage 2 since I had a hyst as well and while I started up again I wasn't 100% into it, just sort going through the motions but now things seems really good - finally! It's been a long year getting to this and I'm looking forward to feeling even better with more time.
Hugs to all of your in the throes of various stages of recovery - I know we always say it's a marathon and not a sprint and we know it intellectually but sometimes it's hard to see the finish line when your down in the hole. I know it was for me, but dammit Dr. D was right about his "tincture of time" - it does make all the difference.
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Best of luck today VictoriaB!
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Dana... Mine quarter size "lump" is right by the incision (above it), so a couple of inches from the navel... I too have massaged it, but not sure if it has done any good...
Today I bought Arnica (pill and gel)... in preparation for stage II... Rosemary (Louis13) reminded me that Dana and Laura used it... True?? I can't remember. And what did you think?
I went to the gym today (twice in one week)... WOW!!! I too have gained weight over the past year... lots of sitting around... between lumpectomy, chemo, mastectomy, recon, complications form recon and then throw plantar fasciatis in the mix, and I have not done a lot of activity... BUT... I am going to a PT today for my foot (Plantar Factitis is a tight tendon in the heel of the foot and arch... very painful) So hopefully after stage II and some foot PT, I will be ready to go in a month... here's hoping!!
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I too bought some Arnica supplements but for stage one. Any advice on when to start taking? Anyone have experience?
bdavis- I'm also trying to get myself moving. I've gained back the weight I lost during chemo. Hope the PT works!
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Betsy -- I have used arnica gel for years on bruises and post-surgically. Got the PS who did my tummy tuck to regularly offer it to his patients. It really works!! I am very fair-skinned and bruise easily, so it is often applied.
Ouch!! PF on top of everything else ... Know Stage 2 will be easy for you and then look out world!!
Oddly enough, I have LOST weight! Hadn't tried prior to Stage 1 (figured I needed to give Dr. D. all the "raw material" he might need!), but, even after eating my way across Louisiana, I had lost 10 pounds by the time I headed home in late September. Took a bit before I could start working out, and I had to ease into it, but am trying to get back cardio-wise where I was for Stage 2. Managed to shave off another 4 pounds by being more prudent in what I am eating. Would love to keep going, but, like Kathryn, the boobs are the first place I lose weight, and I kinda like them the way they are. :-)
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Adey... Laura (PA) said to start 2-3 days before surgery.
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Thank you!
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Thanks for the info guys
and for being so candid on a personal issue. Celtic, I am still on the keflex....I had 2 bottles and one had a refill. I should be done with mine this week. The last two days I have felt feverish and yucky...but i thought it was due to me stopping the loratab coldturkey...lol, Ive only taken 2 pills a day but Ive taken them for 27 days straight so my husband and I assume it was somekind of minor withdrawl or something. Now I wonder if its the keflex?! I dont like having fever chills yet my temperature was only 99.3
...is a 99.3 temp a reason to call the center?
my foobs are very uncomfortable still...my stomach where I assume the drains went is uncomfortable too (no big lumps so i dont think its a seroma, but heck, i dont know what a seroma looks like)
I guess its my turn to wah!!
...Im ready to feel ...un-painful. Laura, you are so knd to offer your DOM, I will PM you my addy, thank you....someday I will pass your kindness forward.
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I just called the center and she said a low grade temp is normal as we heal and have bouts of inflammation. And to call if it gets 101.5....so relieved.
oh, and foobs can hurt or have nerve zingers up to a year after surgery. oh goody.
K, Im done complaining and actually feel better mental and physically
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