NOLA in September?
Comments
-
Doing a bit of research on here and see some of you had some fat grafting and dog ears removed. My PS wants to do this in a few weeks. He would Lipo in the love handle areas and put the fat into the upper pole area on one side. Remove a dog ear on my back and also do some lipo under the armpit areas where there is a buldge. How is the pain for this? I would be put out, but Im talking recovery. If I am on my feet using my arms at work could I go back in like 5 days??0 -
Tangles - if he is only doing what you describe you should be okay in 5 days. If he is opening any incisions to reposition or lift, it might be better to wait another week as you might have drains.
0 -
Tangles.. the other thing is, you may have restrictions for lifting. I wasn't to lift more than 10 pounds for 6 weeks.
0 -
Wow, Betsy, how soon we forget. I had lift restrictions too. Fear the Milk Jug.
0 -
No opening up any scars except the dog ear fix. Well as far as I know anyway. We are not repositioning the implant or anything. I just worry as he told me 4 wks recovery from the LD surgery and it took me 7 wks. I think he tends to "sugar coat" things! I have never had any type of Lipo before so not sure what to expect.0 -
Lipo is more like a feeling of working out too hard... I felt like I had WAY overdone it at the gym. But it passes fairly quickly. And I had a lot of revisions.
0 -
I had stage 1 and 2 with Dr. Sullivan. Stage 1 was really bad for me. Stage 2 was a walk in the park. He fixed very minor dog ears, redid the scar in the middle of my stomach to make it tighter/neater, made my nipples smaller (I kept my own and they were really big) and lipo'ed my thighs and lower back areas for fat grafting. Unfortunately I was super thin for stage 2 and I really could have used more fill than I got. I had no drains and had a big steak dinner the evening of my surgery. They had me spend the night but I could have easily gone back to the Hope Lodge the same day. My breasts didn't hurt at all. The lipo areas were sore and looked terrible. I bruised really badly and looked like I'd been run over by a truck! I wore the compression again for a while. I don't work outside the home but in my case I could have gone right back if I was working.
Regarding bras - 1 year out from stage 1 and I can't do underwire. Hurts! I've turned into more of a sports bra/cami girl. And whatever I wear , if it's tight, I still change shape. I have BCBS and my oncologist told me about the 4 free bras per year. My fitting lady was pretty shocked at how great I look. She had never seen a diep reconstruction. Unfortunately the bras I ended up with all feel too tight to me - I just can't do real form fitting anymore.
0 -
If you don't have cancer and you need a revision it seems like it takes forever 4 them to get back with you... it took them about 3 months for them to give me a quote.... i wasn't asking 4 a quick surgey date either. But i heard the drs. Are great
0 -
Hello everyone. I don't post much any more but still stop in now & then to read up on everyone's journey. Here's my question, tomorrow is the one year anniversary of my bilateral mastectomy. I expected to be happy and want to celebrate. Don't get me wrong I am happy with my decision & results so why am I sitting on my bedroom floor crying? Has anyone else experienced this? Is it like the 3 week blues we experienced after stage 1? What the heck.....And when might it pass?
0 -
I did the same thing. We are so thankful, but we have also lost a lot. Not having sensation in my nipples is still a burden on some days. I cry about this every now and then.
0 -
klanders - I purchased the little hooks that expand your bra about 1". My first bras were a 34, which is what I measure and I couldn't stand the tightness. My next bras were 36 (same style) and were just as awful. I think it is more our sensitivity than anything else. Try the expanders. They give a little extra breathing room around the bottom of your bra.
0 -
Hi there ladies
I don't post much anymore but do try to keep up with things and keep everyone in my prayers. Barb, I've done the same thing multiple times. June 1st will be 2 years since my stage 1. Oh my goodness!!! What a roller coaster ride.
I am very grateful and I don't regret any decision I made especially since my pathology didn't come back clean (BRCA2+) showing beginning stages DCIS, but it takes a toll, from surgery to picking out new bras (that look right and fit right) and adjusting to the new you.
I know some have mentioned a compound they are trying. I received it and its greasy but haven't noticed much difference yet, but just started. My insurance denied it so I'm doing a trial run to see if its worth fighting for to get it covered. Any opinions of others further along would be great!!
Welcome to all the new members and I'm going to try and be more helpful and I'm always available to talk/message to anyone. It's crazy how busy life is though with my son turning 15 yesterday and finishing up his freshman year in highscho. I workout several times a week and have taken up running (well I'm trying).
Hugs to you all!!!
Chelle
0 -
Nice to hear from Barbmal and Chelle! I was really emotional on my 1-year anniversary of Stage 1/BMX but I can't remember the exact date without checking my tag this year! What a blur it all is.
Chelle, how is your son's health?
0 -
I am sorry you guys are having trouble, with what sounds more like having lost your breasts than the journey of replacing them? I think that is normal, although I don't and haven't had these emotions. But for me, I have continued to work towards improvements, so that when I am all done, I want to be wowed by myself. Make sense? I have a little tweak this June and then I should be DONE.. DONE. And when I say little, I mean little. My left breast has a flat area on the bottom and a kind of dent on the outside, so Dr D will do his magic and fix this.
About the scar compound, I will be trying that too, but haven't gotten it yet.
0 -
Barb, I can definitely relate as well. July 17 will be my 1 year "boobiversary" and I am hoping to spend the week in Cabo to try to make it a positive memory. Even though I know I had to do what I did, it's been a difficult and frustrating year. Not sure I'll ever truly love the new boobs (and I know that for me a lot of that is because I haven't had children and had really great originals), but I am extremely hopeful to one day not be in pain all the time at least.
Dr. D ordered the scar compound for me to try since I had hypertrophic scarring, and my insurance denied coverage of it too, Chelle, so I have the sample bottle to try once I hit the 4-week mark from my stage 2b surgery. How long have you been using it so far? Hopefully there's a magical turning point.
0 -
About the compound, Jeanine said she would get it for me, but I never got a sample, and I have no idea if my insurance will pay for it. Did they hand you a prescription? How did that work?
And Galia... I did have children, but my originals were pretty fab. I even had a PS locally tell me that no one could give me what I had to begin with. So I set forth to prove him wrong.
0 -
Hi Ladies, I've been reading pages and pages here and have gotten so many answers to my questions, thank you! I had the DIEP in November 2011 and have not yet had stage 2!! My Daughter had a baby shortly after my surgery and then a few things in life got in the way and here I am 2 1/2 years later and finally ready. Well, I'm ready to schedule it but want/need to lose about 20 lbs first so I can get the best results.
My PS, that I really do like, says that removing the dog ears gets into "cosmetic surgery" and gave me a quote for $6,000! What?? These were caused by the reconstruction so it should be covered. He doesn't think I need tummy scar revision, only belly button so I'm anxious to hear what the NOLA Dr.'s have to say. He also said something about the hospital only paying a certain amount... I don't understand and it doesn't seem right. Sooo, I've decided to go to NOLA and have the experts take care of my stage 2. Everything I've read here is so positive and encouraging. I sent in my information and just talked with Jeanine today. Waiting for her email telling how to take the photos. I'm SO excited!!!
Any Newbie advice is more than welcome :-)
0 -
Good move, Seashellie. I hope it all works out for you. You will thank yourself for years to come for choosing NOLA.
0 -
I am almost 3 years from when all of this started. I was told by Doc that the feelings are normal when you are approaching the end of the journey. It is also the time when the most divorces occur for survivors. Not sure why that is but I am guessing that the experience changes us just a little as well as our partners. My hubby and I have had some rough patches but seem to be working it all out now as my entire mood has gotten better over the last 6 months.
I went for my ck up with the MO and all my blood work came back clean...no circulating tumor cells!! She does want me to get the little lump in between the new girls just to be safe but she is sure it is necrosis. Celebrations are in order as the magical 3 year mark is close and with TN that is a milestone. She turned to me and said "you are cured"!!!!
Maggie
0 -
Maggie - Congratulations! Are you going to do you next stage in Charleston this summer? I am on the books for August 19th for my last.
0 -
on the books for July 29th. Have my room booked. Hoping I do not have to cancel this one!
Maggie
0 -
Congrats Maggie!!! That is just awesome news!!
LA, my son still has issues, but we are doing good. He just finished his freshman year in highschool and is running on the cross country team. Thank you for asking
Jeanine just took my insurance/prescription coverage and said she would send it in. I got a call from the department that makes the compound and they told me my insurance denied it but they would send me a 1 fill for free as a courtesy. It's very greasy and doesn't dry, but it's supposed to be used twice a day. I try to use it in the morning and the evening, but I don't want it to get on my sheets and stuff. I wish I had taken a before pic because I do think the scars are getting a little lighter, but the atrophic part, I haven't seem any improvement yet. I am really massaging it in now and hoping that makes a difference.
I wouldn't trade what I have done, but occasionally I look at myself (my scars on my hips and backside) aren't thin or straight or light for that matter and I think that makes a big difference. The ones on my breasts are nice and neat and pretty much clear, so I can see those whose hip/backside scars healed that way it would be another story. But again those of us who have these atrophic scars, its hard to see even though we wouldn't change the course we took.
Chelle
0 -
Mags, Hoorayyyyy!!! That is such great news! I am also TN, so I completely understand how huge this is and can't wait to hear the same good news some day. Doing the happy dance with you!
Chelle, I know what you mean about those GAP scars. Will they ever fade?
0 -
Zenful.. My GAP scars are nearly invisable, except for the newest scar from November. I want to try the compound on that scar.
Maggie... I have heard that through the BC journey marriages either get stronger or suffer. For me, now 3.5 years since diagnosis, my husband just moved out today. So I guess we fall into the later category. Things started falling apart near the end of chemo and as we neared my surgery date. It is very sad. And of course the husband claims it has nothing to do with the cancer, but the timing of things says differently.
0 -
Betsy, I know you have been dealing with this for a while. I hope today wasn't too terribly painful for you. ((Hugs))
0 -
Betsy so sorry & I agree with the timing no matter what he/they may say.
Zen, my original scars are almost two years and some were opened back up inSeptember of 2012 and then again in July of 2013. My gap scars have never looked like my breast scars. They are atrophic, discolored and thick but it does look like the coloring is started to get a tad bit lighter. I wish my gap scars were thin and invisible but that's just not the case. I guess that's why the anniversary is harder for some of us cause its a reminder everytime we look in the mirror. I DO NOT regret a single decision but wish my backside and hips looked better so I am hopeful for the compound and as I said I'm going to try and massage it in more and see if that helps.
0 -
Betsy, sorry to hear that. Hope you are doing okay. I was so despondent about having to go through this whole thing by myself. Having to have your little sister help you shower after a double mastectomy is not very fun, but even though I wish I was in a relationship, I really wonder if I will ever feel as if I can open myself up to going on a date again.
My gap scars are also nothing like my breast scars. SO thick and lumpy and dark. Betsy, that's amazing that yours are mostly invisible! NOLA put in an order for the prescription, and I got a call from the company who left a message (while I was in surgery haha) saying BCBS denied coverage, but that he would send me a sample of "the original formula" (as opposed to the special compound Dr. D requested?? not totally sure). If I wanted a refill though, it would be $50. I guess I will be able to start using the sample in 1-2 weeks. Chelle, you should take a photo now, and you can at least see if you continue to potentially see some changes. Bummer to hear it's so greasy though.
0 -
Nice to hear all the kind words & understanding. I knew you guys would "get" my feelings. It turned out to be a pretty good day, especially after my hubby sent me a pic at work of my 3 kids in black shirts & neon colored bras! My 15 & 9 y/o boys really looked stunning.
Betsy, I'm so sorry. Even though it's such a cliche I'm going to say it anyway "this too shall pass". You've been through so much, youre so strong & have helped so many of us here. Thanks.
Maggie CONGRATULATIONS!! What great news. I'm definitely doing a little happy dance for you.
Michelle & LAStar so nice to see you guys still here! Hope things are going well.
0 -
big group hug with {{{{{BETSY}}}}} in the middle. Sorry for all you have dealt with. You are so amazingly strong and supportive to us all and we are so grateful to have you with us.
Chelle....my gap scar has been a nightmare for me. I am currently in Physical Therapy to try to get the daily pain to stop. She is doing myofascial release to help with the scar tissue...so far no good
I function through the day and it does not stop me but some days by the time I go to bed the pain is horrible. Always there, always nagging at me. All my scars look horrific too (except the diep boob scar as she has worked on that one the most) Maybe my next surgery will help to make them smaller and less noticeable. 0 -
Oh, Betsy -- I'm sorry to hear this. I hope that there is some element of relief that this dreaded day is over, but I know it had to be so hard. May every day get a little easier. Are you spoiling yourself rotten? Heading to a Greek island or something equally indulgent? {{{hugs}}}
0
