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One step implant procedure with Alloderm - Anyone?

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Comments

  • lilithmoon
    lilithmoon Member Posts: 97
    edited February 2013

    hi everybody - I just got my internet up and running, good to be back. Thank you all for the great support.  I send positive healing energy your way.

    The BF came by last night to talk.  He was able to admit that the Mx was too much for him, he didn't think he could give me adequate support (he had been great up till surgery). I'll give him credit for facing me.  He looked terrible, slightly pathetic - ashamed?  He was afraid to see my foob but I showed it to him anyway.  I just thought a good dose of reality was what was needed.  And besides, I'm proud of my Allodermed silicone foob! 

  • mareluna
    mareluna Member Posts: 275
    edited February 2013

    Jocelyne,

    I am glad your Internet is up and running. I imagine you felt better after showing your foob.

    Hi every one. I hope all is going well with everyone. I have been taking it easy for the last 3 days. I have been tired. I go see the ps on Wednesday. I hope the last 2 drains come out. But I doubt it. I think they are still draining lots of fluid. Have a good one.

  • lilithmoon
    lilithmoon Member Posts: 97
    edited February 2013

    Mareluna, you'll feel sooo much better after you get the drains out.  Did they give you a pain ball too?

  • mareluna
    mareluna Member Posts: 275
    edited February 2013

    What is that? No I don't have that whatever it is. The drains are not too bad but ready to get rid of them. That is the area that aches and where they run through in the foobs.

  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 5,292
    edited February 2013

    A few of you have posted that you are unsure of the size of your implants. Please make sure that your ps gives a card (wallet size) that states the serial number of your implant(s), manufacturer, style and cc's. It is important that you have this in case you need the info in the future. As a matter of fact, all implanted medical devices have a card like this that is to be given to the patient . Ports fall into this category, do you should have a card for a port if you have one.

    Caryn

  • lilithmoon
    lilithmoon Member Posts: 97
    edited February 2013

    Thanks Caryn - I have the card but I think I'm missing some info on it. No serial number or size of implant.

  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 5,292
    edited February 2013

    This is really not funny, but I happened to be watching a crime type show (CSI?) shortly after my bmx. The coroner was a examining a body that they couldn't identify through the usual methods. He discovered that she had breast implants and went back to the manufacturer and was able to identify her through the records they kept using the serial # on the implants. I laughed so hard! Here I was with brand new implants and now I knew that should other methods of ID'ing my body fail, they could always use my implants.

    Caryn

  • lilithmoon
    lilithmoon Member Posts: 97
    edited February 2013

    That's funny - I better get the info...

  • mareluna
    mareluna Member Posts: 275
    edited February 2013

    Hi ladies,

    The drains are out. Yayyyy. I got them out today. I go back in two weeks.i have more diladid to take. Hope the drain removal helps the pain issue. Hope you all are doing ok.

  • lilithmoon
    lilithmoon Member Posts: 97
    edited February 2013

    That's great Mareluna - keep healing, I hope the pain gets better soon, I'm sure it will.  I'm exactly 2 months since surgery and can barely feel any pain and the strange presence of the implant seems to be waning.   

  • mareluna
    mareluna Member Posts: 275
    edited February 2013

    Hi friends,

    I am awake again. Took a couple Advil. I will sit up to sleep. Too hard to get up from a laying down position. I will have the home health nurse out today for the last visit. The drain sites take about 24 hours to close up. I bought a bigger sports bra with closure in the front and slept in it. I know I am not a good girl but I wanted liberation . I was wearing the post op bra with a post op cami for two weeks.

    I was told I might be starting a strap around my chest to pull the foobs down. These things are ugly looking to me.i guess in time I might like them.but I am glad I had no cancer in my breast tissue. Sweet dreams every one.

  • mareluna
    mareluna Member Posts: 275
    edited February 2013

    Hi ladies,

    Hope all is well. Had my last nurse visit yesterday. Drain area has improved. I still put neosrporin on them. It helps with the discomfort. I am trying to wean off the pain pills. Made it to eight hours today. Surgery was three weeks ago today. I still find things painful.

  • PeggySull
    PeggySull Member Posts: 368
    edited February 2013

    Has anyone given their PS permission to switch from one step to TEs depending on data found during mastectomy?



    My PS thinks I'm a very good candidate for one step but wanted permission to go to TEs if something unexpected is found during the bilateral mastectomies.



    I'm really hoping for one step but I gave her permission because what she said made sense and I trust her expertise.



    Also, my chemo ends on March 11 and we're looking at the first week in April for surgery. Does this timing seem right to you. (Because I am TN I have chemo before surgery.)



    Thanks for any feedback!



    Peggy

  • maureen1
    maureen1 Member Posts: 87
    edited February 2013

    Peggy - yes, I did give my PS permission to switch to TE's if they couldn't do the direct to implants after my bilateral mastectomies...he said they sometimes do not have enough skin to close or stretch over the implants and would have to make a decision while I was under anesthesia but he reassured me that he would bring several sizes of implants and make every effort to make that work so I trust him. I also did chemo first and they wanted to wait at least 4 weeks to do surgery so my blood counts could come up to a more normal range, which they did. Good luck, hope all goes well with the final chemo and surgery plans:) (((hugs))) Maureen

  • softness1
    softness1 Member Posts: 100
    edited February 2013

    Yes Peggy,

    I was told the same thing as Maureen. I did have the one step and it went off without a glitch. I was a C and now I'm a small C, large B.. Right as they are prepped me for surgery the BS and PS came in with markers. The PS basically marked up how much skin he needed.. h

    It was kind of funny because I was just standing there as they talked & marked. . MY PS wanted more skin to keep me the same size, but my areolas were big and the BS had to take the nipples and all of the skin of the areola because my cancer was close, so the PS had less skin to work with....He knew from the consultation that I wanted to stay the same size but really didn't care about going down to a B. So during the pre op marking he tells me "Right now it looks like I can get you a 350-400CC.. If I can't get that I may have to put in the TE.... Luckily when I woke up I had breasts.  But it really was funny listening to the jockeying for skin.. they used different color markers and when the BS would mark my PS would come in with his and go "How about you make it like that" and the BS would go "But I need that"   

    They have to be comfortable enought to work well with each other. I've actually read on here a few pple BS also did the the PS.. The Breast Surgeon is all about getting the cancer out and so therefore the PS has to follow behind..He can't make the final decisions of how much skin will be cut.. He can give opinions about the incision.. ....

    Good luck.. Oh in the beginning I hated mine.. they looked a mess with this huge scar going across, they were hard and high.. uuuggghh!!!.. I cried constantly. But honestly about 7 weeks out I started seeing promise.. And now it's 11 weeks later, I used Bio Oil on the scars and they're faint.. I put my fingers cover where the nipples used to be and they look like   pretty damn good. I can't wait to get my nipples (that sounds so crazy to write...lol)

  • lilithmoon
    lilithmoon Member Posts: 97
    edited February 2013

    Mareluna - 3 weeks was a kind of turning point for me.  There was pain but less as time passed.  In another couple of weeks you should be feeling much better.

    o's Jocelyne

  • mareluna
    mareluna Member Posts: 275
    edited February 2013

    Hi,

        I made it 24 hours w/o a pain pill. I took one about 30 min. ago. Evening is usually the worst.

    Jocelyne,  I am glad you are doing well.

    Peggy, I told my PS if they can't do direct to implant I opted no expanders just leave me flat.

  • kap
    kap Member Posts: 9
    edited February 2013

    Peggy, I also gave permission for TEs but the plan is onestep. I was told that sometimes the skin gets "stressed" from the mastectomy and bruises. Under those circumstances my PS will put in TEs instead of implants.

    Karrie

  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 5,292
    edited March 2013

    Yes! I gave permission to go to TE 's if needed based on first, any medical findings that would counter indicate using one- steps and two, cosmetic appearance. I trusted my ps and if he felt the one steps would not give a good cosmetic result, he would have used TE's.

    Caryn

  • lilithmoon
    lilithmoon Member Posts: 97
    edited March 2013

    The same for me too

  • Lmimp64
    Lmimp64 Member Posts: 88
    edited March 2013

    Hi. It's been a while. I began chemo, shaved my head, and am watching the hairs fall out. Anyway, the thing is that I am now 8 weeks out since direct to implant with alloderm and still am in a lot of discomfort /pain. The pressure of the implants on my chest wall is constant and it feels like a vice pinching where the alloderm is sutured to my ribs. They are two different shapes too. I'm going for second opinions as my ps said the discomfort is in my head. I didn't have implants before this. It's depressing - pain and chemo. Can anyone give me input on the pain I am feeling?

  • Speedy4
    Speedy4 Member Posts: 44
    edited March 2013

    Hi ladies. I'm 2 weeks post surgery. I had right MX with one step w AlloDerm procedure. My drains were removed last week by PS. I still have steri strips going across the middle of my breast. The top of my breast looks ok but I'm worried about the bottom 1/4. There seems to be a little bump at the inside edge of the skin under the steri strip. Also, the bottom part of my breast looks flat instead of round. Has anyone experienced any of these things?

  • lilithmoon
    lilithmoon Member Posts: 97
    edited March 2013

    yes, get another opinion - your ps doesn't sound very sympathetic and I don't think you should be in this much pain.  Keep us posted, sorry you have to go through this

    -jocelyne

  • mareluna
    mareluna Member Posts: 275
    edited March 2013

    Hi friends, Hi Speedy,

        I had mine done a month ago. Mine look flat at the bottom. I think my PS told me it takes 3 to 4 months for implants to drop due to swelling. I do not have steristrips. I have glue across the scars.

    I am a month out and still in pain. I take one dilaudid every 12 hours now. I am weaning myself off. I see PS on Wednesday. Altrhough today i had a few painfree minutes. That was a moment of relief.

    I went to get a couple new bras at silouhette mastectomy boutique. I went from 44 D to 44 A. I can not find anything comfortable though.

  • softness1
    softness1 Member Posts: 100
    edited March 2013

    I'm going into my third month and I'm much better. My implants are starting to drop and the scars are fading. I don't know if it was internal healing but around 6 weeks I started having the worse muscle spasms. I had to take flexirels. My implants seem like they were moving. And the tightening. Like I was wearing a tight corset. I started stretching. It really worked



    I still get slight spasms and from time to time random pain. But I saw my PS last Thursday & he said everything was coming along great. Nerves rejuvenating and reattaching. I am starting to get some feeling under my arms and back. So maybe

  • lilithmoon
    lilithmoon Member Posts: 97
    edited March 2013

    I saw my PS yesterday.  He wants to go back in and replace the implant with the new Allergan gummy bear that was just approved.  He will also put in another Alloderm sling above (over the pec).  He doesn't want to put the implant under my pec.  He said that the new gummy bears require much more technical saavy and that few have it in the U.S.  He is pretty confident that I will have excellent results. I trust him as I'm 2 months from Mx + recon and have no pain or range of motion issues. This sugery will be at the end of May along with boob job on the other breast for symmetry.  I don't relish the thought of cutting myself up again but once it's done, I think it will be smooth sailing.

  • Lmimp64
    Lmimp64 Member Posts: 88
    edited March 2013

    I am joining you. I have had two second opinions and they both say I have capsular contracture and have to have the implants and alloderm removed. Then they will either do expanders or the lat flap with smaller implants. I have to wait until after chemo ends to begin. In the meantime I have to live with the daily discomfort and pain. And I have no hair and chemo is putting me into permanent early menopause. This is a rough day.



    Wishing you the best, Jocelyn.

  • lilithmoon
    lilithmoon Member Posts: 97
    edited March 2013

    Lmimp - I am so sorry to hear that you are having a rough time.  I'm sure you will have relief once the implants are out and your body heals from the contracture. Do you know which route you'd like to go? My thoughts and prayers are with you.

  • mareluna
    mareluna Member Posts: 275
    edited March 2013

    Hi Ladies,

        I went to PS on Wed. I have fluid in Left foob. It is still there so next wed. I see him. He said he'd have to drain it if I still have fluid.He said the incisions are healing nicely. I am nervous about the draining issue.

    Lmimp I am sorry you are having a rough time. I hope you get some relief soon. I am in a bunch of pain too. I might enjoy 5 minutes pain free every now and then.

    Jocelyne  I  hope you do well with the new gummy. I read about hem recently. Have a good night ladies.

  • lilithmoon
    lilithmoon Member Posts: 97
    edited March 2013

    Mareluna, I had fluid too. It made a weird swooshy noise but reabsorbed on its own.  Glad your incisions are healing nicely.  Have a good evening!

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