One step implant procedure with Alloderm - Anyone?
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WELL I FINALLY GOT MY SNOW!!! i am loving it..we must have abt 2 ft of snow!! its so much fun!!!
so i dont think Wendy (bigapple) posted here too abt her infection..she has a staph infection...she lost her implant too!! Prayers to her..
so Ally & Liz how r u guys doing ? Soon its my turn....i go to PS Wed for pre-op for him....as glad as i am to have this finally done..i must admit i am getting more nervous as time gets closer..i pray the 1 step will work..the issues & troubles these poor women have to go thru w/ TE ..oy...my heart...
well i hope everyone is enjoying the weekend...who has gotten snow & how much?
so many birthdays in Dec...so am i the youngest here? 47 yrs old ..few more months i will be 48...lol
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A belated Happy Birthday New Bride! And welcome UpCreek, I hope your convalescence is going well. I didn't start posting until about my 3rd week of recovery from BMX. All1423, will this be an easier week at work with a few days off? Here's wishing you increasing stamina. You are amazing!
Wondering about Wendy, I looked at one of her posts elsewhere and it sounds like she has a stubborn infection. What a difficult and unexpected complication....
Here's hoping that the antibiotics have kicked in and that she is home and healing. Fortunate1, I just read a post mentioning something about using Alloderm in nipple reconstruction to increase projection. Is this something you have researched/are thinking about? I always loved the weather in L.A. this time of year. Right about New Years Day, it always seemed that the weather was magnificent and then, about Feb., the rain began! These days, I really appreciate the Winter solstice and the turning point toward "longer days" that it signals. Shoshi, I'm glad you received your beautiful snow!
I spent most of the weekend Christmas shopping and still have a bit more to do. The house is a mess and the Christmas tree is still waiting for decorations, so I better get busy!
Have a great days everyone!
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Has anybody had any problems with slow healing areas or rash on the reconstructed breast that has the slow healing areas? I am seeing my PS today but my none cancerous breast has had the hardest time in this. I have had a slow healing area that is healing SLOWLY and last Thursday I woke up with a rash on my right breast. This side also has some drainage problems...my PS took drains out too soon on that side. Its harder than the other one and looks swollen compared to the other one. Plus I have some hardning underneath. I'm kinda freaking out here a bit because I have been asking him for 8 weeks...is this normal, am I ok yada yada etc.
I would really benefit from hearing from somebody who has gone thru similar issues.
Allyson
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Thanks for all your good wishes. I am feeling stronger but have allot of tightness and soreness on the side where sentinel node biopsy was done. Have others experienced this and does it improve soon?
I started gentle stretching this week and will start physio on Wednesday.
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Hi Amcadams48, I healed pretty well, so I probably can't help with anything but sympathy. When I whimpered about the drains, my PS did say he had been over compassionate in the past and had learned his lesson about taking drains out too early. Call your doc. The thing I am very familiar with is how difficult it can be to get anyone's attention around holiday time. It would ease your mind to know that you are healing as expected, or to get the fluid aspirated, or whatever they think is right. Just worrying - not good- especially if he hasn't seen the rash. Best of luck.
Okiegal, I had heard about using alloderm in the nipple reconstruction. Of course I forgot completely about it when discussion time came. Do you suppose Life cell sells little packages of alloderm? That stuff is expensive, and sold in pretty big sheets.
My house is still a wreck, and getting worse! DH and I bought ourselves a present yesterday, a pressure cooker. Fun in the kitchen for the happy cooks. We cooked a bunch of stew meat right away for me to use in empanada filling, a yummy Christmas tradition in our family. Ordered a Smithfield ham for my brother. Can you tell that food is important around here?
Wendy and Meg, still sending healing thoughts your way. Shoshi, you're a snow angel. Happy day to all.
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hello ladies...amcadam...sounds like you need to get to the ps, rash, drainage, hardness, if everything is ok, at least you'll be reassured that it's part of your healing process. upcreek...i'm still experiencing tightness and soreness, i'm 4 wks post op, but it is getting better, also i still feel tired, not quite myself yet. okiegal, yes this will be an easier week, and thanks for all your support and cheering me on, and all the great info....you've been right on about everything. happy decorating......ally
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Allyson, I had slow healing of part of the incision on my left breast. At 5 wks, I had to go back into surgery and have about an inch and a half of the incision trimmed to remove a thin line of necrotic tissue.. After that the incision healed immediately. I also had a round area about the size of a dime on the right aureole that was slow to heal because it had been shaved too thin during MX surgery. It has completely healed now and is not visible. I did not develop any rash or hardness.
My drains were removed after 9 days. The NP checked for fluid retention with ultrasound to make sure I was ready to have them removed.
Hope you can see your PS soon or at least talk to him. Worrying is very stressful.
Ally, you're superwoman to go back to work this soon. I continued to feel some fatigue for 2 or 3 months after surgery. It didn't stop me from doing what I wanted to do, but as soon as I sat down, I felt tired. Gradually the fatigue lessened and I'm close to being back to normal stamina at 5 mos. In my case, though, age is a factor. I'm the senior lady in this group at 66. I was going great guns until bc took away my estrogen! Do I ever miss it!
Shoshi, what fun that you're having a white Christmas. We had frost this morning, but it was soon gone as the sun shone and the temperature rose into the 60's.
Hope everyone's Christmas preparations are fun.
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Carole..i have been truly enjoying the snow,,,we got abt close to 2 ft & the schools r closed b/c of it this week,,,vacation starts on Wed for my school..so i got a 2 day early start..yay!!!!
Chanukah is over & my menorahs are cleaned & put away early this yr..now trying to prepare this house for my upcoming surgery..so much to do in this house to make it even presentable for when ppl come to visit..oy....
i hope everyone is having a wonderful week & for those of u who celebrate Christmas i hope u all have a wonderful Christmas......
ALLYSON: Go straight to ur PS & dont take no for an answer & do NOT let him blow u off...make sure he answers ur questions & helps u out....u should also try & go soon....good luck & keep us posted...
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JulieL had some slow healing issues, maybe she will weigh in.
I kept one drain for about 2 weeks and the other for 3 weeks. My PS reassured me that eventhough I was uncomfortable with them, I would be much more uncomfortable without them. It's a difficult and slow process for the tissues to remove the fluid and heal without drains. Let us know what you found out Allyson.
Shoshi, my neighbor brought over "Rugelach" yesterday. Yum! Thanks for the Christmas wishes. Busy is good before surgery, but don't over do it!
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Hi I am home at last.
The infection was a staph it only responded to the vancomycin and now the zyvox, I should know next week if it was MRSA. The infection is still there but much better, the redness is now only pink so its getting there.
Hopefully my follow up will be good next week, and hopefully we will know what the surgery road will look like.
The whole infection thing puts everything in perspective, since the implant was not the only thing at risk, staph can kill you and it was so aggressive, I am still shocked by how fast it grew and how much stronger the lighter antibiotics made it.
We need to remember to examine our breasts all the time, because of the lack of feeling, a little something can blow into a big thing super fast and can kill us, no joke.
Everyone stay diligent.
Wendy
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Welcome home Wendy, That was one scary episode. We really are vulnerable aren't we, definitely no joke. I tend to think of us as tough survivors, and we certainly are resilient. But our "new normal" has a lot of things to watch out for. Thank You.
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Allyson,
I had slow healing as well on the non-cancerous side. I had my first surgery on August 11th. The left side wouldn't heal so he brought me back on October 2nd and did a debridement and closure. It still didn't heal so he brought me back on October 28th and did another debridement and closure with 15 visits to hyperbarics. I really believe that the hyperbarics did the trick. It was 2 hours for each session and if you can handle being 32 feet deep for that long it is well worth it. I only had to come up early once because I had to go to the bathroom. Better safe than sorry on that one. I am almost two weeks out on the nipple reconstruction and I believe that the hyperbarics has helped this heal quickly as well. I had the same problem that you did on that breast. It was tighter and fuller and more painful than the other one and I think that pulls on the sutures and delays healing.
I am having a problem right now on the cancer side with one of the flaps from the nipple reconstruction turning black but I am just home from the PS office and he said that it is going to heal from the inside out and when everything is settled he will do an in office procedure and trim the big one to match the smaller one. I was worried after having such a healing problem about going back into surgery and having more sutures but I'm glad I got it done because the areola and nipples look great (except for the dark one that is a slow healer).
I thought my incisions were healing after the mastectomy but what I thought was healing tissue was alloderm. He got me in the next day for surgery and has been very aggressive in treatment. The longer it takes to heal the more chance there is to have an infection get to the implant. I would ask him how long is to long because it is starting to really worry you and that doesn't help the healing process either.
Wendy, welcome home. I'm glad that caught everything in time and you were treated appropriately. I hear what you're saying about not being able to feel anything so we really have to keep an eye on the girls.
JulieL
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Allyson,
I had slow healing as well on the non-cancerous side. I had my first surgery on August 11th. The left side wouldn't heal so he brought me back on October 2nd and did a debridement and closure. It still didn't heal so he brought me back on October 28th and did another debridement and closure with 15 visits to hyperbarics. I really believe that the hyperbarics did the trick. It was 2 hours for each session and if you can handle being 32 feet deep for that long it is well worth it. I only had to come up early once because I had to go to the bathroom. Better safe than sorry on that one. I am almost two weeks out on the nipple reconstruction and I believe that the hyperbarics has helped this heal quickly as well. I had the same problem that you did on that breast. It was tighter and fuller and more painful than the other one and I think that pulls on the sutures and delays healing.
I am having a problem right now on the cancer side with one of the flaps from the nipple reconstruction turning black but I am just home from the PS office and he said that it is going to heal from the inside out and when everything is settled he will do an in office procedure and trim the big one to match the smaller one. I was worried after having such a healing problem about going back into surgery and having more sutures but I'm glad I got it done because the areola and nipples look great (except for the dark one that is a slow healer).
I thought my incisions were healing after the mastectomy but what I thought was healing tissue was alloderm. He got me in the next day for surgery and has been very aggressive in treatment. The longer it takes to heal the more chance there is to have an infection get to the implant. I would ask him how long is to long because it is starting to really worry you and that doesn't help the healing process either.
Wendy, welcome home. I'm glad that caught everything in time and you were treated appropriately. I hear what you're saying about not being able to feel anything so we really have to keep an eye on the girls.
JulieL
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hello everyone....wendy...glad you're back and in the healing process. juliet what symptoms did you have that made you aware that you were not healing? carole, like you , i had the nipple sparing procedure, and my incision was around the bottom of the areola, they are in the process of healing, the left areola scab has come off, and looks pretty good, the right one is a little slower to heal, still some scabing and redness, the ps said this is normal and will probably be healed by my next ps visit in mid january. i don't know if you experienced this, but even though they are my nipples/areolas, they look somewhat different, maybe because they are in a different place and they aren't completely healed. i'm happy to know that this fatigue, and other symptoms will lessen in several months. how is golfing working out?....i think that is pretty amazing a few months post op. i will probably start walking on the treadmill this weekend. i haven't done any exercise, and that may be contributing to my fatigue, i'll start slowly and just walk....no jogging, or weights and floor exercises that i used to do.....i am just not motivated to do any walking, i look at the treadmill, and say...maybe tomorrow.....i'm sure you gals are running around doing last minute christmas shopping...hugs to all........ally
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Ally, we're all individuals and should treat ourselves as such, but I'm a real believer in "use or lose." I forced myself to start walking around the house the next day after surgery. I must have looked like a spirit back from the grave as I wandered from room to room! I would have to review my posts to remember when I first took a walk outside, but it was no later than the 2nd week. I walked about a city block the first morning. I had been cautioned not to sweat and risk getting bacteria from my skin on the incisions. After a few days I was walking at least a mile. I would take a shower with antibacterial soap as soon as I finished the walk. On a visit to the PS, I told him the NP had cautioned me not to sweat, and he told me to go ahead and walk, so with that okay, I was back to my 3 mi.
I was back to playing golf about 10 wks. Yesterday I walked 18 holes while my gym rat friend rode in a cart. She gave me some tows between holes. Last night I had that really nice fatigue that comes from exertion. I'm lucky to have a whirlpool bath and that helped ease tired muscles.
If I were you, I would probably climb on that treadmill for just 5 min. You might feel better afterwards. Gradually work up to more minutes. The PS should okay weights before you start easing back into weight workout. I've lost some strength. Down from 20 lbs free weight on the right arm to 15 lbs. Left arm was always a little weaker but it seems to have caught up with the right arm. Left was the "healthy" side of the chest.
We've switched my mom's hair apptment to today because tomorrow the forecast is for thunderstorms.
DH has been delivering his home-made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies to the neighbors along with a small cutting board that he made in his shop. One neighbor handed him a container of home-made pralines. Another neighbor had already delivered a Christmas Kringle--yummy little coffee cake in the shape of a ring. The presence of cookies and pralines in the house is not helping me with my weight control. The Kringle has already been consumed.
Okiegal, what is a rugelach?
Happy Tuesday to all.
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I am scheduled for unilateral mastectomy on Jan 5, with immediate reconstruction. I will have a slight reduction on other breast for symmetry. I live on a farm and need some idea of how much help I should plan for. I live alone. My PS says two nights in the hospital, then home. My brother and mother are coming at different times for the first week to visit, and will help me for the first week. My PS says I will be driving in a week. I am a good recoverer -- when I had the lump removed in September, I came home, took a nap, put on two bras, and rode my horse.
How soon will I be able to feed the horses? This will involve carrying buckets of feed (about five pounds). How soon to blanket them? I will need to lift arms to lift blanket over their head. I have a tenant who can help me, but I am trying to figure out how long I will need her help.
Also, do pets increase the risk of infection? I have a small dashund type, who is a real cuddler. He will not understand if he cannot cuddle up when I am sitting or lying down.
Thanks for whatever tips I can get!
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Hi, AnnL, I had a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction which is more than you will be recovering from. It's the implant under the muscle that causes the most inconvenience and needs time to heal. The pectoral muscle will be lifted up and the implant inserted. This, along with the removal of breast tissue causes quite a bit of "trama" to the area. The surgery will disrupt the normal flow of the blood vessels and lymph nodes making your healing slower than with your previous surgery and increasing your chances of infection. This is what we all deal with and why your surgeon will place drains for both sides and you will take antibiotics. I was able to start driving at about 3 weeks and could carry groceries (that were probably at least 5 pounds). I'm sure you will find ways to work around most of your chores, but you will be sore for a while. You will also have limited range of motion early on, but that will improve as you heal. I would guess that by week 3 or 4 you should be doing quite a bit, but might have some problems with stamina. Eventhough this is a common surgery, it's major surgery and your body will need time to recover. Also, be sure and ask your doctor these same specific questions.
Your dachsund sounds so cute! Good luck with your surgery....stick around and let us know how you are doing.
Wendy, I'm so happy to hear that you are home and hope that you are feeling better each day. Your experience has heightened my appreciation for the comparatively uneventful healing most of us experience.
Hi Carole, Rugelach is a Jewish sweet, individually rolled, dough pastry with various fillings. It is not traditionally eaten at Hannukah or so says Wikipedia. My neighbor's treats were filled with cinnamon, sugar, cocoa and nuts. There are only 3 left! I will be enjoying lots of sweets and good food soon and will have to pay for it too! More house cleaning and packages to wrap. My shopping is done. Whew!
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edited for clarity, I must have been loopy this morning.
Hello Ann, If you are a good recoverer and your doctor expects you to be driving in a week, you might be in for a relatively easy time. It was for me and a couple of other women on this thread - especially I_AM_OK, who was taking long walks almost immediately. She had a lift on the 'good' side for symmetry. My surgery was also unilateral, but no lift. I was feeling pretty good by the time I got out of the hospital at 2 days. I found extreme fatigue to be the main problem. I could walk around the house just fine, but an outside purposeful walk wore me out really fast. I think I tried driving at about 10 days, was not at my best, and waited a few more days and was fine. My PS said no driving until the drains were out. He feared that in any sort of quick decision situation I could pull the stitches or drains.
As for strength, in the beginning I was fine on the good side, not so good on the surgery side, don't remember how long. It improved quickly. As you will have surgery on both sides, lifting your arms up might be difficult for a while. The muscles on the mastectomy side will not be at all happy in their new position for a while. It would probably be wise to plan for help and then assist your helper as you regain strength and mobility. Stock your pantry, freeze meals, treat yourself well.
Good morning everyone, crazy cooking day for me. Tomorrow morning I'll be Dad's caregiver and Christmas will begin. I'll try to check in later today.
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Hi everyone,
Wendy, I'm glad your back home. Sorry for what you've been through. I wish you a speedy recovery. My PS warned not to use an ice pack. She had a patient who gave herself frostbite.
Allyson, We all heal differently. It took me a long time before I was able to lift any amount of weight. Even opening and closing a window was painful. The chest muscles need time to heal. I did not have any strength in my hands....opening a prescription bottle was difficult. Reaching will be difficulty also...move things lower into your reach. My PS said not to shower until the drains were removed. My drains were in for two weeks. We all feel very restricted while the drains are in. When they are removed you will feel more confident moving about.
Unless your dog jumps on you, I don't think he/she will be a problem. Mine dog sits on my lap. When I had the drains in I was concerned he might accidently pull on them while he jumped off an on. I did not have him sit on my lap while I had the drains in. He did sit by me. Good luck to you. Feel free to ask us any questions.
I hope everyone else is doing well.
It is freezing outside. We still have a lot of snow from last weekend's storm. I had a bit of a turbulent week... My son was in a car accident..he is OK. He spent a night in the hospital. Then...there has been a lot of politics going on at the church. Not my thing... Being a volunteer was a lot more enjoyable. Sadly, I quit my job. Life goes on.
I still have wrapping and some baking to do...and I'm sitting my sister dog while she is vacationing in Florida!
To all who celebrate...I wish you a very Merry Christmas!
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hello anne L...i agree with oikiegal and fortunate 1. even though you are a good healer, your prior surgery, lumpectomy ,is very different than mastectomy. i felt totally fine after lumpectomy, took a 3 mile brisk walk the next morning and then went to dinner out east. as okiegal explained, mastectomy is totally different, regarding the muscle displacement, and all the trauma to the breast, biopsies drains, etc.....you might need help with your chores for several weeks, especially after some of the complications that can occur as reported by several women on this site. good luck and the advise that the ladies on this site gave me was to take care of yourself.....ally
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Happy Holidays from my sister's home in Spanish Fork, Utah...we just arrived yesterday. It's been thirteen years since I enjoyed a white Christmas, so this is great fun.
I'm not so worried about the rash now that I have the antibiotics going and the steroid cream. It is gone from my face and neck, still somewhat present on my arms, and as of yesterday, roaring to life all along the backs of my legs! Like the steroid cream that helped it heal on my face, trunk and arms pushed it downward and out my legs. I'm going to start researching tamoxifen and rashes...the docs say no connection, but that is the only new "thing" in my life and I gotta wonder...
I'm healthy otherwise...no fever or aches and pains...so I can deal with this discomfort and still enjoy my family and the snow. Allyson, my rash started in the radiation field around the reconstructed breast, but it changed in texture and spread far beyond that, so the docs don't think it is related to the breast cancer treatment.
New Bride, my cousin also suggested it could be a fungal thing...I will pursue that possibility when I get home on the 30th if I'm still struggling with this. Amazing that a fungul infection could hang around in one's body, but I do believe it...something in my sure got triggered.
Wendy, I'm glad you're home and out of those woods. Best wishes to everyone here, and welcome to those who are new.
Tracy
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hello ladies..is evryone here who celebrates Christmas ready? so what do u do on Christmas?
Hello Anne L..it looks like we both r scheduled for Jan 5th...i have having a BMX w/ immediate reconstruction (as of now..lol) saw ps today & we r ready 2 go...so now i have a question for all u wonderful ladies..my niece is adopted & her mother had a mamo finally afte ryrs of not having 1 & they see saomething (she is not sure what) & they r palnning on doing surgery on her (she is not sure what she is having done) the only thing she knows is they r putting her to sleep inserting a tube & removing a speciman...whenever i had biopsies i never had this done (being put to sleep & an incsion) unless it was a lumptenectomy..she is scared & of course cannot get in touch w/ this surgeon....& he is out oftown..i told she should call & demand to talk to the surgeon &/or get a 2nd opinion....just wanted ur input....
thx!! any answers or ideas woud be g8t!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HEALTHY & HAPPY NEW YR!!!!
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Tracy, I'm glad you're enjoying the snow. Too bad about the job Meg, it sounds like there is quite a story there. Okiegal, Wendy, Carole, Allie, Julie, Shoshi, Erika, NewBride, Upcreek, I_AM_OK, Liz, I'm sure I must have missed a few. Year!, hope you are well. Merry Christmas to all. I am so glad I have you all to celebrate with, grouse to, and discuss this weird journey with. You are all great. I'll be back in a few days.
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fortunate 1....have fun while you are away, and i agree...it's been great that we have each other to go through this incredibly weird journey.....shoshi...it sounds like your relative might be having an excisional biopsy....i had one of those, and they do give you anesthesia....meg....i'm glad your son is fine.....that's scarey....my worst fear, having one kid that drives, and one that will be taking drivers ed next semester....as fortunate said, the job thing sounds like an interesting story...and we all have had a few of those. traceyanne...glad your rash is under control, and you're having fun in utah......merry christmas everone
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Thanks again for all your good wishes, encouragement and advice. We are lucky to be a part of this very positive and supportive thread.
I started physio yesterday and am very hopeful that each day will be better.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to everyone!
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Just a quick hello and Merry Christmas to everyone! Looks like ours will be white this year. It's supposed to start snowing in a few hours. Our family will get together this afternoon, eat homemade raviolis and much more. Then unwrap presents. Best to you all!
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Meg, sorry about the conflicts that led to your quitting your job. It must have been very unpleasant for you at this sacred time of year for Christians. Thank goodness your son survived his auto accident without serious injuries.
Okiegal, your family menu featuring homemade raviolis sounds enticing.
Fortunate, I hope you dad enjoys Christmas.
I did some cooking yesterday and today. Will finish up several dishes tomorrow morning and take everything to my younger sister's house, where the family will gather. Only about a 20 min. drive. We'll have some children present, two babies and two youngersters, 4 and 6. Christmas is always fun with little ones. My family no longer exchanges presents. After years of drawing names, we decided everyone had enough shirts and sweaters and bottles of cologne to last them. We all buy for the children and for my mother. Her birthday is Dec. 27 so she also gets birthday presents. My husband built doll cradles for the little girls.
I bought myself a combination Christmas/BC Survivor present--diamond earrings. I shopped for earrings like these in 2008 when I was turning 65, but didn't buy them. I intend to wear them with jeans, golf clothes, whatever.
Our next door neighbors have an open house every Christmas Eve so we'll go over later and enjoy a bowl of gumbo and a glass of wine.
Merry Christmas to everyone. Wishing us all a healthy, happy 2010.
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Merry Christmas everybody!
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Hi ladies: I was concerned that I'm not where I thought I'd be at this point (it will be four weeks on Tuesday) but I read some of the old posts which helped me allot. Thank you.
My right side is better than the left. I had a SNB on the left and have a small hematoma which is very sore and my rom on that side is decreased. Also having some aching in my wrists (not sure what that is about). Physio tomorrow.
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hi upcreek.....i developed a hematoma when i had a stereotactic biopsy, it took awhile to heal. i'm not sure about the wrist thing. i know what you mean, though i'm a little further along than you and still having pain issues...my range of motion has definetely improved......i guess it just takes awhile. i had numbness in my left arm until very recently.....what did the ps say about the hematoma?
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