NOLA in September?
Comments
-
Happy Happy Birthday Glostagirl. Thanks for the update........very uplifting!
0 -
Happy Birthday Glostagirl. Your attitude is wonderful and it makes me feel more positive too. You go girl!
I am going to have to wait over the weekend to move forward. Dr. Massey will call my MO on Monday to get the ball rolling. I so hope I can get these scans done THIS week and get it behind me. Pray that this is nothing and my surgery can be rescheduled. My mind is in a better place today. I am home and I slept through the night.
On that note, I was wondering if my name could be removed at the AUG. 17th date. It is sad for me to see this. I am not quite sure who does this. Hopefully I can be added again soon.0 -
Glostagirl ~ You have been through so much and hearing from you again with good news is so uplifting for many. Happy Birthday and many, many more!
0 -
Thanks all for the kind birthday wishes. It means a lot.
Ralston, Dr. M tells me it's very common to have abdominal swelling with this kind of surgery. For some reason I don't make a lot of juice, I had my drains removed a week after arriving home, but what I do produce is very slow to absorb. Dr. M advised me to watching for extreme bloating and a watering, wavy feel when I put pressure on my abdomen. It never got that bad and now just feels very tight but spongy. She also warned me to watch for fever as that would indicate an infection. This condition is not treated unless it becomes severe in which case they would aspirate fluid. My local helper dr. is a plastic surgeon who has done a lot of recon., I saw her last week and she thinks it looks well within the normal range and to just patient with the time it takes to absorb.
My breast was never really swollen, just my ab. Still, it looks pretty dam tight for a 56 year old, I can tell you that. I can see now how some of you have worn bikinis after having this surgery. I have to get a reduction on my left side and then I'll go bikini shopping ~ wooo-hooo!
I'm also happy to report that the hard areas of my new breast have softened. I've been more worried about that than the seroma.
0 -
0
-
Glosta try tinkyada pasta. It is gluten and wheat free and tastes good. At least to my picky taste buds. Google tinkyada and hopefully you can still get your pasta fix.
0 -
Happy birthday glostagal! Get a birthday bikini by golly! Life is quite the celebration after diagnosis for all of us cancer beating survivor reconstructed brave warriors from planet been there done that! My birthday is tomorrow. I'm going to the beach to put my toes in the water and a$$ in the sand. Can't swim yet as I don't want to test the bacterial counts of Lake Michigan. It's not supposed to be too hot tomorrow so the temptation to jump in should not overcome me. Cherrie praying to see your reschedule on our list soon.
0 -
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GLOSTA!!!!!! So glad you are doing so well! I'm 6 1/2 weeks out and feel pretty darn good! My lymphedema has been decreasing until this week when I had a flair up! Really sucks but it seems to be headed back down. I hope to return to work around Sept. 2nd-we will see! My stage II is scheduled for Oct 31st-Halloween in NOLA! Warm Hugs, katiejane
0 -
My, this thead gets quieter on the weekends!
I just had a Sunday evening phone call from Dr. S, after requesting a call on Friday. I've had increasing concerns about the necrotic skin on my abdominal incision. While the black eschar is getting smaller, the groove all around it is draining and looking strange enough to make me wonder if the incision could open. He judged from the pictures I had sent that it appears to be healing, and that I could continue treating it with betadine or he could close it surgically. I opted to keep treating it!
He requested that I send pictures on Wed, and meanwhile he is having a wound gel sent to me, which contains enzymatic proteins. After I use betadine to keep drying the wound, he will decide after he sees pictures whether it is time to switch to the wound gel. I asked when it should all resolve and close, and he gave it 4-6 weeks. OK, so there goes September too! I will just be so glad if this heals reasonably so that I won't need intervention before stage 2.
0 -
Oh Ann, at least there is hope! Hang in there...
0 -
I have a question ladies... I have noticed (perhaps more than before) that I had accumulated fat under my armpits. Maybe I am obcessed with it now and its been there, but I am definitely fattier under my armpits (kind of like side boobs)... anyone?? I will definitely ask Dr D about this in October. It for sure needs to be lipo'd.
0 -
Cherrie, thinking of you and sending hugs. Hope to see you back on the surgery list soon!
Ann, thinking of you and hoping that your healing continues. So sorry that you've had to deal with this.
Betsy, I have the underarm fat too. Had it before (even when very thin), but it seems more obvious now for some reason. A bit concerned that with lipo, the skin will get loose, which might look just as bad. My skin is in very bad shape since chemo, doesn't seem very elastic! Envisioning folds of skin hanging under my arms
0 -
Jenifer... I will ask him to lipo it and if need be he can cut out the loose skin if that happens.. With my last lipo in November, I don't have any loose skin, so we'll see.
0 -
happy happy day!....drains coming out!...woohoo!...still putting out 50/day but doc said it's time....
....looking forward to being a bit more normal for 2 months until time to head back to nola....and either diep or stage 2.....
some info on the marena garments.....it was mentioned bout the coupon so i tried a search and then emailed them.....was emailed back saying no sale right now, (said usually sales around mother's day or holidays) but they would give me 10 percent off.....so doesnt hurt to ask, right....
.....when i called, the cust rep was very helpful....i had noticed they had yoga/exercise pants, and also leggings, so was interested in those and the sizing......he said that they have the same compression as the compression garments, just not crotchless....but still the support so i thought that was interesting....
....hope all are doing well...:)))
0 -
Bdavis- I was just noticing yesterday that I feel like my arm is hitting side tissue that it hadn't before...
0 -
re: Stage 2 garments... did you ladies order your Marena garments prior to your stage 2 surgery? Did you order for your pre-surgery measurements, or did you need to go up due to anticipated swelling?
Betsy, praying I have similar results with lipo!
0 -
for 10% off try code 11026
6325E was the code for 20% off...
0 -
Betsy and all ~
Are these Stage 2 garments (marena) needed because of getting fat grafting?
Also, does insurance pay for them as it has for my special camis that hold drains, compression camis, and compression sleeves?
Thanks!
P.S. Betsy, the Target flowy bermuda shorts with slipper fabric have been great especially getting in and out of bed. Thanks for tip
0 -
My armpits don't seem fatty. Could it be LE swelling? Lymphedema? I'd ask about that...
You could try underarmour compression T's to see if it reduces.
0 -
I have the fatty armits and never had that issue prior. It's obviously fat - cottage cheese looking ripples even. Went back to the gym tonight and it felt great. I definately have to buy a sports bra:) Wow, implants never budged at all - what a bouncy experience jogging was after DIEP!!!! I had a big dorky grin on my face the whole time I jogged lol!
0 -
Spring... definitely fat... not LE. Guess that's good, as it can be fixed. (I hope)
Pinkheart... I bought the Marena for after stage II (Insurance did not pay) and it was for post lipo.
0 -
Spring... look at my bikini pic in my Idaho FB pics... you can see what I mean. Its above and below the bikini ties.. and believe me, when I am naked, it is not fatty at the bra line, just above and below (mostly above) and back toward lat fat.
0 -
Re the fatty armpits issue, there was a study published in the New York Times in the last year that showed the people who have lipo regain the fat in other locations, ofter in the upper body when the lipo'ed areas were in the lower body. The article said that the body carefully guards its fat and will create enough new fat cells to replace the ones that were removed, but the new cells are in different areas. Too bad! I haven't had Stage 2 yet but that is definitely a worry.
0 -
I was told(by a doctor)that we have a certain number of fat cells.When they are removed they are gone.What happens is the remaining fat cells will become larger with weight gain.We do not generate more fat cells.It is very important following lipo to maintain your body weight.
0 -
This is very disturbing about fat! I have personally not noticed this happening though...
Betsy report back after your consult in NOLA...0 -
I will... to be honest, Dr D needs fat (either through a new flap or through lipo/fat grafting to fix my problem... I am not opposed to him cutiing it out of me if the scar would be small... He just may need to use my lat fat... But a less invasive way would be to lipo... Of course, if that would leave drooping skin, that is a problem too...
I will report back...
I will say that my weight hasn't changed at all, but I feel and look heavier. Tamoxifen? Or should I have lost a certain amount of weight post stage II that didn't happen?? I tried asking this question to Laura and she didn't really get what I was asking. So I will ask you all... When you have surgery and are swollen etc. Is a portion of that fluid weight? And when the fluid and swelling go away, you should drop weight? Cause if so, I didn't... which means fat has replaced the fluid weight.. Am I making any sense?
0 -
Betsy from Stage I to Stage II I lost like only 5 pounds at the most even going through chemo, but after Stage II I have lost the most at 18 pounds (and I wasn't trying either, still haven't gain any back,right I just don't have a desire to eat). I asked about swelling after Stage II surgery and they said swelling is normal and could last as long as 18 months. Thay gave me a paper of the swelling and scarring info, I"ll try to track it down and send it to you.
0 -
When I got home from Stage 1 I recall my weight was the same. When I started chemo 4 weeks after Stage 1 I had lost 10 pounds. Over the next four months of chemo I gained those 10 pounds back and stayed there until Stage 2. I was somewhat bloated until Stage 2. I gained almost 5 pounds a month after Stage 2. Then I cut out wheat and did not substitute with gluten free equivalents. I lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks. My bloat went down. I continued to lose weight through this summer (25 lbs since the Stage 2 gain) and I do not have any bloating. I am very tickled with my figure! I do need to lose at least 20 more to get out of overweight range (health vs appearance is primary motivation), so I started with plenty to lose. I've been on tamoxifen since 2 weeks after chemo. I did get diagnosed with low thyroid a month or two after Stage 2. I'm sure the thyroid meds helped me shed some extra weight. I'm hoping I lose a bit more from my upcoming surgery! Post stage 1 I had no appetite, post Stage 2 l had a huge appetite.
I did get my armpit area lipo'd at Stage 2 because I started out fat there! Now I do not notice any sagging skin there, even with the subsequent weight loss. I haven't gone into menopause yet, so I think the estrogen I do have is keeping my skin elastic. I have some areas I want Dr S to tweak, aside from the breast repair.
I did not buy a Marena garment until close to 2 weeks after Stage 2. The Center gave me 2 girdles, plus one more a smaller size. I soon moved into the smaller size and could tell I shed the water weight. The Center sent me an additional smaller girdle, so I had 2. The Marena is not needed, but I felt more comfortable continuing with compression. The Marena is more comfortable than the girdle from the Center and is used when there are no drains.0 -
mstrouble16, I would also be interested in your papers about scarring and swelling. I'm still bloated from Diep done June 14th. I keep waiting for it to go away. Maybe I will try the no wheat thing. Thanks
0 -
Ann - I feel exactly the same!!! Believe me you are not alone... I'll have to wait 6 months after I finish the treatment for my "tiny blood clot", so there goes 2013 too!!!
I had a hard time understanding that everybody heals different. Sometimes I keep counting my blessings and others I feel very "unlucky" when I compare notes with others. I don't know if I am recovery as well as I should. It has been 5 weeks since my surgery and my right DIEP breast moves and feels very naturally and I just have a little bit of skin necrosis under my right breast that is healing fine, and the PS told me it will take 4 or 6 weeks, but I don't have any open wounds or leakage. Nevertheless, my left DIEP breast, due to the rads it's a little bigger and tight. Some days it feels like I still have a TE. I have mild LE in my left arm, but the PT always told me that my chest felt tight due to the TE, well TE is gone and still feels tight.
After they removed my last drain, the scar on my tummy got a little swollen, definetely a seroma. I also noticed that when I began walking more straight (2 weeks ago) my abdomen began getting very swollen during the day - like a balloon filled with air. It looks very weird because my tummy at the bottom is quite tight but the top is swollen so I look an odd shape. Feels very tight and gets worse the more I eat and as the day goes on. It's also very sore and uncomfortable. I will have my follow up with PS in two weeks. Have a wonderful day!!!0
