One step implant procedure with Alloderm - Anyone?
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Welcome Carole H, I'm glad you're pleased with your results. Good luck with your oncotype score...keep us posted.
Welcome tashrox, I would check with your insurance company. My friend had bmx with one step and was not happy with the results after a year. Her PS would not do her revision surgery. He said he did not accept any insurance, but he did for the original surgery. My PS doesn't except insurance either...she excepts what the insurance co pay her out of plan which probably isn't much.
After bmx my breasts were even but high, then the right one dropped a little...then the left one dropped, now the right one dropped again! We are all flat in the nipple area. A good bra will even everything out when dressed. I tried many, many bras...I wear a comfortable bra by Werner, style 2003. My advice is to wait awhile before any revision surgery.
Big Apple, It's great that you presented a seminar at your PS office. You have been through so much...you're the perfect choice to share your knowledge and experience.
IamOK, Good to hear from you! Happy you are doing well. I don't want to think about bathing suits! Let's just say I'm glad to be in the privacy of my backyard pool!
Fortunate1, Enjoy your weekend! It's my dh birthday tomorrow. He requested peach cobbler. I have this recipe I'm going to try:
10 medium size peaches sliced and peeled....pie crusts dough
¼ cup white sugar... ¼ cup brown sugar...½ tsp. salt...½ tsp. apple pie spice...2 tbsp. apricot brandy
Mix and pour into pie crust. Cut small circles of dough or weave pie dough on top and brush with egg whites. Sprinkle with sugar....Bake 350 for 1 hour.
Okiegal, We have been in a heat wave also...sooo hot and humid, but we have a cold front today... 88 degrees!
Carole, I saw my bike in the garage...it looks good there! lol
Dh was supposed to be on vacation next week, but something came up at work and he can't take the time off...so much for bankers hours! I finished my design for the quilt square I'm making for the bear quilt. I never made a quilt before, but there's a quilt shop in the next town that I will seek for advice. I have 3 weeks to get it done. When I'm finished I'll try to post a picture.
I was thinking about Ally. I hope she is doing well. Have a good weekend everybody!
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CaroleH, I recently started to wear a sports bra I bought at target. It is soft and not tight on me and very comfortable. I have not worn an underwire bra since bmx. I think the bry is by champion...
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Hi, Ladies...welcome to tashrox and carolineh
Wow...the Veronique bra looks interesting. For those who have tried it...how different is it from an ace bandage? I actually used an ace a couple of times when I thought I needed more support. My PS is pretty relaxed about all this. I am wearing a front close sports bra and now doing pressure massage 4x daily. She told me to do N-S-E-W pressure for 30 seconds each position. My left breast is looking good (but it's the natural one with implant). My mx breast is still a bit high and round. I am doing the pressure for a bit longer on that one.
Fortunate1 your peach cobbler sounds yummy---less sugar than what I was making! But I can't bring myself to turn the oven to 400 when it's 113 outside! Maybe when we have a "cooler" day I'll try it!
Cheers!
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Hello ladies, I have been updating myself on your past three or four pages of comments regarding the outcome of the one step and take interest as that is where I am now as well. I usually post on the nipple sparing skin sparing one step site.
I had the one step with placement of mentor high prof. 375cc silicon 8 months ago. Requested a lift at that time from sagging with breast feeding. I was inially thrilled with the result, waking up with breasts, keeping the nipple etc. In comparison of before and after pics so much better. Once the swelling went down I realized a divot in the upper pole and did not have the upper pole fullness and did not fill out the nipple portion of the cup of the bra. Waited six months for things to settle even more. Everything was symetrical and perfect except for the look I wanted of the cleavage and space between the breasts was too large where I lied down or in a bathing suit top I would look flat.
6 months later had a revision , which insurance paid for. I had the 550cc high prof. placed. Recovery was shorter without drains, most pain lasted about a week. The implant was high enough to go over the divot, gave me more cleavage and the breast were closer together, just what I wanted. Breast fill out a cup perfectly. Now 7 weeks post op, swelling gone. Still wish I had more upper pole fullness, like the swelling look. Non cancer side dropped nice, cancer side tight. Nipple on cancer side pointing liitle north easterly direction. PS says all that can be easily corrected, move the nipple over. I'm wondering should I have went 100cc more for the upper pole cleavage.
I, too question whether the expander route would have eliminated the guess work or not. I am wondering if my chest muscle is so tight that it pushes the implant into me instead of letting it project out more, which may take time. I am a petite person and wonder how this implant could seem like its lost in me. Now, if I look at myself in a bra it looks perfect with the bra pushing things where they should go, in pictures alot better than the saggy pre shots. To what Okiegal was commenting, I am happy to be cancer free and this is all icing on the cake now, but when do you stop and accept. My fear with more surgery in fixing anything is when you fix one thing something else will seem to be uneven etc.
I try to equate this to when you remodel your home and you seek out the best contractor who your friends used because you loved their outcome. Then when he gets into your house, and does a teardown, find the wall uneven, then the tile goes up and you can't fix an uneven wall. Only you notice it and not your friends. Or you have a beautiful window put in and your baseboards are knocked up. You wonder will it ever end. You learn to live with it. I figure my PS has a harder job, he can't predict how one will heal or how gravity will take place or what underlying conditions a person has that effects the outcome. If I think this way, I calm myself down about it.
I am questioning that these implants should be specifically designed for the mx pt in mind and not shared with the augmentations. I think the implant design should address more fullness in the upperpole and nipple areas and be of a high profile than offered with the width. Something could be better.
Carole, thanks for the tamale recipe, can't wait to try it.
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Welcome PB22, glad to have you join us. You have given an apt comparison with your contracter/remodeling comparison. I guess a MX with reconstruction IS remodeling in the most absolute sense of the word! You probably know this, because you've done implants twice, but the reason anatomical implants are not as popular as the round ones is because they can shift and the "upper pole fullness" ends up elsewhere. None the less, some women do go that route. Now that I'm a year and about 9 weeks post surgery and reconstruction, I've stopped thinking through all of the perfectionistic angles that occupied my mind last year. I have scars on both breasts, uneven reconstructed nipples and a slightly noticable "drop off" at the top of each breast. I liked my implants better before they dropped and settled. I have a slight bulge to the center of the scar on the left breast. It all sounds so awful as I'm typing all of this, but it isn't. I'm actually mostly happy with my outcome. Especially when I'm not thinking about it!
Overall, my breasts shape look better than they would have otherwise at my age (50). And they are bigger and won't sag into little pancakes someday. And I look great in a bra which is what everyone sees me in. I think time to heal and moving on with life is what helps us accept our new reality (assuming an acceptable job has been achieved.) As much as I might want to "fix things" to utter perfection, as you mentioned, the end result is unpredictable and our tissue can only handle so much surgery. Plus, surgery has it's own risks and then there's always $$$$.On another note, I'm still wearing my bras I bought at Walmart and Kmart. They are by Fruit of the Loom at Walmart and by Hanes at Kmart. See a picture here. They're so comfortable, I can't see any reason to wear anything else!
Hope everyone is having a good weekend.
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Okiegal, yesterday I received my before/after photo given to me by the PS. The photo looked very good and in comparison of how I was it is beautiful. When I studied the nipple I noticed that on my before shot it was pointing in that same side direction and of course much more saggy. Funny thing is I never noticed that I had sagged so much or had a nipple not perfectly centered.
You are so right about focusing on bra and clothes. Pre-surg. you'd shower, dry off and after putting on the bra you check yourself out with the outfit on. Now post surg, its my naked self in the bathroom mirror checking out what has dropped or settled overnight.
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I combined a couple of your peach cobble recipes: I softened 10 sliced peaches with 1/2 brown, 1/2 white sugar, 2 tbsps of melted butter, placed them in a caserole dish, topped them with dough circles and baked at 425 for 10 minutes and served with ice cream. Thank you.
Salad was raw beets, thinly sliced (liked Carole's jicama salad), sliced mangoes, balsamic and olive oil, placed on bed of greens and topped with goat cheese. So good.
Those two dishes along with cedar planked salmon, risotto, and green beans and our guests were impressed.
Okay, so we are suppose to be talking about breast stuff here. Cleavage and width of the implant seems to be an issue. My cleavage is about 3/4 of an inch between each and I do find the implants wider than my natural breasts. How close can they put the implants together?
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We're in Walker, MN, in an rv park that's right beside the Paul Bunyan bike trail, which hooks up with the Heartland trail. We can bicycle from our rv site to the trail. Yesterday morning I headed north by myself and rode for 30 min., then headed back home. DH has been under the weather with a sinus infection that gave him toothache. Today he felt better and we biked south toward Walker and beyond and on the return trip stopped at Jimmy's Restaurant for breakfast. I had the special, Eggs Benedict, and enjoyed the MN version. At Brennan's in New Orleans, the dish doesn't come with crispy hashbrowns but I ate them. Our round trip was 14 miles. Tomorrow we'll aim for a few more miles. It's easy biking, paved surface on former railroad line.
On the subject of breasts, I vacillate between thinking I'll have more revision in search of a better result and thinking, oh, what the heck, be satisfied with the much less than perfect state of things. So who knows what I'll do. I would like bigger implants and more cleavage and would also like to lose the sunken spot on the left cleavage. In the fall I'll probably go back for a consultation with my PS, and I can guess that he'll be in favor of another trip to the OR.
I'm most comfortable without a bra, but when I get dressed to go somewhere, I do wear a bra. The molded foam ones add some projection and size.
There's a swimming pool at this rv park, but I'm wondering what chlorine would do to my artificially blond hair. Does anyone have any expertise on this subject?
I'm continuing to study bridge, using free software from the American Contract Bridge League. I also have a program on my computer that allows me to play hands.
Hope everyone is having a great Sunday.
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Hello Everyone,
Right after my diagnosis of bc I wasn't even sure I wanted to go through reconstruction. Actually, I was sure I didn't. I was more concerned with the cancer and possibly radiation and chemo. It was my girlfriend who encouraged me to go see the PS. My family and DH stayed out of the decision making and said it was up to me. The only reason I had the reconstruction was because of the "one step." I was told my bmx and reconstruction would be done at the same time...no expanders, no additional visits for fills and no additional surgery for permanent implants. Sounded good to me! PS did say that there is a sunken area at the north pole. She had consulted with colleagues and none had an answer to prevent it. She never mentioned dog ears or the fact that they would drop and move to the outsides. PS did say they come with a 10 year warranty. If I make the 10 years I'll be happy! I really had no idea what to expect as far as the outcome. I was pleasantly surprise when I first looked at myself with the surgical bra on. I did not look at my breasts for a week or more after bmx. The foobs are what they are and I'm OK with them even though they are not perfect...Much better than having nothing. I do wish I was a candidate for nipple sparring. I hate the thought of going for the tattoos and then touch ups every few years.
I didn't have the time to make the peach cobbler for DH birthday...instead we had chocolate mousse cake with strawberries. I'm going to try to make the cobbler today...I'll have to walk my 3 miles first!
Have a good day all! Still hot and muggy in NY!
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I am 6 weeks post--so pretty early in the healing process I suppose. My real breast with implants is looking pretty normal. The mx breast is slightly higher and much rounder. When I bend over, the real breast hangs normally, jiggles normally and the mx boob is just plastered there on my chest. I hope that changes a little!
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Speech, rest assured, it will change. While your reconstructed side will never jiggle as much a normal breast, as things heal (over the months) everything will settle a bit and sort of "loosen up". You'll get a little "jiggle" back.How are you doing at 6 weeks?
PB, you're comments are SO true!
Meg9, I don't want to have to maintain cosmetic tattoos either. I'm going to check in to permanent ink tattoos....someday!
Everyone's pies sound incredible, be they chocolate or peach! I don't need to eat a bite of any of them!
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Thanks, okiegal....it is reassuring. I can't complain, I look pretty good, just feel a bit tight. Is it the alloderm or the scar tissue or both?
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Speech, being that I have bilateral MX and reconstruction, I'm not the expert on adjusting to a "one side, one step" (this is starting to sound like a real dance!), but I think in a few weeks, you should start to notice some settling. I don't remember exactly when I noticed that mine had settled. Perhaps I was slow to heal, but if I remember correctly, everything started to loosen up a bit after 12 weeks, even months later. Time will tell, but I think you can expect noticeable changes.
I received an advertising flyer in the mail along with the usual grocery store advertising. In it was an ad for a company with a website, "www.dreamproductscatalog.com". The picture that caught my eye was for a bra that looked just like the one my PS gave me. I went to their website and discovered that they have all sorts of very inexpensive (under $10.00), comfort/stretchy bras. It might be a good resource for some of us? They aren't beautiful bras, but they are certainly functional!
Have a good day all!
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Hi Speech, I am another one side, one step (cha cha cha). My tight feeling went away, but its been quite a while now so I can't say how long it took. I do remember that it seemed to me that it was soft and squishy very quickly. My PS is very pleased with the softness, even took a picture. However, it is an implant, and doesn't move like a real breast, even though it is a bit jiggly. So when I lean over it doesn't move forward like the natural one. Like you said, it stays back there on my chest. I don't know if we are typical or not.
Oh no, I hope my tattoo doesn't fade away. It was done by a "permanent makeup" tattoo-ist.
PB, I didn't know they could go with that big an implant with the one step. I learn something new every day here. I actually scolded my PS when he told me that my reconstruction would be fuller on the top and flatter at the tip than my natural breast. I asked why there wasn't an implant shaped for BC reconstruction. He said they were working on it.... the gummies and anatomicals I guess. I got exactly what he told me I would, it bothered me for a long time, and now I am OK with it. What a strange trip.
Carole, it sounds like a lovely relaxing vacation, poor hubby, though. I don't know how to prevent green hair, but I think you can reduce the chances by shampooing right after swimming. Ah yes, and I think there are shampoos especially to get rid of, and maybe prevent chlorine hair.
Okiegal, do you have any projects going? Are you buried in tomatoes? For me it's now grapes and the last of the apples. And roses. And covered jars in the studio.
We all have our minds on food, glorious summer food. Me too, plus the addition of the new semester racing towards me at high speed. Yesterday I did something for the first time ever. My son and daughter-in-law gave me a gift certificate for a manicure and pedicure.... maybe a year ago. I spend most of my time wrecking my hands. It couldn't last so I kept putting it off. It was weirdly fun, I'm very shiny, and will resume wrecking my hands today.
Hugs to all.
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I had a bilateral simple mastectomy in February and immediate reconstruction with Alloderm and silicone implants. I still have to go back for nipple reconstruction down the road. I feel that my surgery and recovery have gone very well and my breasts are very symmetrical. Initially, they were very hard and swollen, but every day brings some improvement and they are beginning to feel more "normal". My only real complaint is that I have tightness in my chest ALL the time - feels like someone wrapped duct tape around me at some point in the surgery. I can do everything I did before, but some things just feel crummy. I recently started PT (only two visits so far) that includes some massage and also exercises. I didn't have any lymph node involvement so know that's not the problem. The PT seems to help a little but it's a bit early in the process to be sure. I'd love to hear from other women who are going through this. I was diagnosed with DCIS in Dec. at age 58 - had atypia in the other breast (and a lumpectomy) four years earlier - having lost my half sister at age 62 to b.c., I needed to be rid of them. It was a good decision which I don't regret because the pathology came back that I had more atypia in the other breast and it was only a matter of time for more problems to surface.
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Nina, the tightness is very normal. Eventually it lessens and/or you get so accustomed to the feeling that you don't notice it. My bmx was a year ago. For quite a while, my breasts wouldn't flatten out at all when I lay on my back. Now I notice that they do flatten somewhat. As time goes on, there may be changes. I realize in retrospect that my breasts were at their best early in the recovery process. Time has not improved my appearance, but it has made me less likely to scrutinize myself in the mirror! I remember that some of us "oldies" on this thread made fun of ourselves for being so breast conscious.
Fortunate, I had my first manicure just a few years ago and have had only one pedicure. The polish applied by the manicurist seems to be tougher and last much longer than the polish I apply. It feels so luxurious to have a manicure! I didn't enjoy the pedicure because the technician was too rough.
DH and I have a "twilight" tee time at 3:16 today. It has been hot and humid here in northern MN the last few days, though not the same hot and humid as we would be experiencing in south LA. The temp. here has been mid 80's.
Okiegal, I'm starting to like crockpot cooking. Today I assembled a tuna noodle dish that should be ready to eat when we return from golf. I can sit down and enjoy my cocktail without a lot of meal preparation for dinner.
Meg, our next move is to Two Harbors, MN, north of Diluth. From there we can do a day trip to Grand Marais and to Ely.
It's great to have some new one steppers join our group. Welcome and please stick around. We talk about many subjects.
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Thank you Carole for your comments - I wish I had discovered this site a few months ago - I am learning that the shared experience truly helps - we are all different in our perspectives and backgrounds but truly together in our thoughts and fears. I think you are right about getting used to the tightness - I hope it will go away, but if it doesn't, I can live with it.
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First of all, I wish I had found all of this earlier in this journey. I am 2 months out from exchange surgery rt side and lift/reduc lt side. I am noticing that the implant is flatter than the nat'l side. Will that even out, go away?? Also, I notice that I feel movement in the implant when I bend over? Is this normal. My biggest decision looming over me is whether to have surgery for nipple recon or do 3D tattoos. Whadya think?
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Hi everyone and welcome to Nina and Survivormom! Nina, I think Carole is right, things will continue to change for you. It's hard to be patient! I had problems with a fairly intense and insistent "pins and needles/tingling" pain sensation about 8 weeks after my BMX. None of the doctors I talked to had a clue. I kept asking and was temporarily prescribed Neurontin for "chronic pain" and at eight months post op finally saw a pain specialist who also prescribed Neurontin for the "neuralgia" I had developed. He told me that at a year to 18 months post BMX, it would go away on its own, but that the Neurontin would help along the way. I stopped taking it a few months later because of side effects, but it did help. I relate this little story to illustrate that it takes quite a while for our bodies to adjust and heal after this type of surgery. Long after our last PS appointment, our bodies and nerves are still working to get back to "normal".I also sometimes feel like I'm wearing a bra, when I'm not! It's not a constant sensation and neither are the "pins and needles" or the itching or phantom itching that I have. I'm trying to just learn to live with it. I hope that it goes away someday.
Survivormom, are you talking about the implant looking flatter because there is no nipple mound? There's no way to replicate one, really. I struggled with whether or not to have nipple reconstruction. I did have it and although they have flattened out considerably and they are uneven and I don't have tattoos yet, they do help me feel more normal. I was unhappy at first because they take a while to flatten out and I was worried about "show through", but I'm fine now. It's not a problem. Fortunate1 can give you her opinion on matching the other side.
Carole, sounds like you are having a lovely vacation. My sister and I are planning another trek to New Mexico to escape the heat. We'll leave on Saturday for several days. Glad you are enjoying the lazy feel of crockpot cooking. I love that it feels like you "haven't done that much", that there isn't much to cleanup, but that you have a great meal to enjoy!
Fortunate1, the tomatoes have mostly shriveled or been eaten by squirrels. The lettuce burned up, the cucumbers developed a virus, my cantaloupe experiment has failed, the squash never produced and the other cucumber plant is half dead due to a gopher eating its' roots! My basil is doing great, as is a green chile plant and three eggplants. We'll get some bell peppers yet. Gardening in Oklahoma is a struggle. There's soaking rain and mold, pests, viruses and heat. I'm sure it's the same in many locations. I'm just grateful that I don't have to survive off of my own produce!
I am researching "monotype" print making methods. I've always wanted to do printmaking, but have never really had the opportunity to explore the techniques. Think I'll order a book soon.
I need to update my toenail polish!
Have a good day all!
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Carole: If you are going to Grand Marais soon we could meet for dinner? It is less than an hour drive. Next Wed/Thursday is good for us. We could meet early and can make it there by 5:30.
I'm not sure if we are on different time zones. You may be an hour behind.
Hi to all. Here's hoping we can all meet someday.
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Thanks ladies for your support and comments - I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through the nipple reconstruction part of this healing process. I'm learning about different types of tattoos, etc. and I have no idea what any of this is about. Also, what do they reconstruct the nipple from? Still doing the PT exercises and I do believe they are helping - even if it's all in my head, I'll take it.
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Hello,
I have not had my BMX yet, still waiting to for a second opinion, which from what I understand will be the same. But I was thinking about the possibility of having a one step implant. Can someone talk me thru this? I have an appt with a PS tomorrow and for the next 3 days I am meeting with others till I find one I am comfortable with. But before meeting with any of them, I would like to go in with some idea of what to expect.
Thanks!
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Hi Basia
I am only 7 1/2 weeks post mx with one step alloderm. I am early on in the process and I had right mx and implant placed in the left, so I don't know if my experience will be of help. I opted for this because I had to have more excision and I did not want radiation. I also opted for this because I did not want any more surgery.
What questions do you have for those of us who have been through this procedure?
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How do you feel 7.5 weeks into this? Can you move around with ease?
I honestly don't know what to ask the PS tomorrow. I think I would prefer the one-step since it seems like its only one surgery vs 2. I understand there maybe followup touchups but they don't seem as drastic and I assume even with the TE there would be touchups.
When you meet with the PS, do you start off by telling him/her what your desired outcome are? Discuss size? shape? I never really paid attention to other women's breasts before, so I don't know what I want. I know I would like to go down a size or 2.
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I have been looking for a while and this is the first discussion I have seen on the One Step Implants. I had this done on 4/14/10 along with a bilateral mastectomy. I really would have been ok with doing nothing at all but both my Surgical Oncologist & PS encouraged this procedure as it was only 1 surgery - I was vehemently opposed to any stretching. After the trauma of Chemo, I just wanted a quick end to all the pain and stress and wanted my life to return to as close to normal as you can get after going through all this. However, going against my own instincts, I agreed to the One Step surgery. Well, I came home with 5 drains - all filling to nearly full 2x a day. There was a lot of pain but I controlled it with Percocet or Vicodin or Darvocet, depending on how bad the pain was. Now, I did not expect this to last too very long but guess what? At 16 weeks after surgery I was still at times reaching for a Vicodin. The PS finally took out the last of the 5 drains after 4 weeks and it was still filling up 2x day. I have a lot of chest fluid (chest wall edema) and all the PS will say is "they look great"! He (& I believe that is part of the problem, 'he' is a 'he') can't say if removing them will help with the chest fluid or not. I am living with a nightmare of sorts, don't know for sure what to do but if surgery to remove them is needed, have to do it by the end of the year because of insurance. Anyone else have post implant edema? This is one of those cases where I wish I could turn back time and if I could, I would listen to my own instinct to do nothing.
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Basia - Be SURE you ask about pain, how long it will be with you & chest wall edema. I think the 'chest wall edema' is a bad subject with PS and with good reason - they don't really have any answers for it as best I can find out. When I opted for this procedure I was told I'd be pretty much back to normal in a couple weeks, certainly by 4 weeks. I am now at week 17 and still reaching for Tylenol and very uncomfortable.
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Hello Basia. I am 5 weeks post bilateral mastectomy with nipple and skin sparing, using Alloderm and silicone implants. I'm sorry to hear about some people's negative experiences. However I've been very happy (and perhaps lucky?) with my experiences. I highly recommend the one-step procedure; it was the right thing for me. Here are some ideas & questions to ask - some general for surgeries, and some specific for BC & recon. I would ask the surgeons if you are a candidate for nipple and skin sparing. Have them explain the Alloderm procedure. Do they need bloodwork done ahead of time? How are they checking lymph nodes for cancer (sentinal node biopsy)? Will you be put on prophalactic antibiotics while the drains are in (recommended)? (I had four drains; two came out after a week, and two at two weeks). You will likely be able to go down sizes easily (?); going up is harder if you are keeping your skin as it can only stretch so much (although mine seems half a size larger now, to a C). Ask about silicone vs saline implants (I chose silicone for more natural look & feel; I think there's enough evidence that they're now safe to use). Ask about scars (a small 3 inch scar extends from above my nipples to the armpits, easily concealed under a bikini or summer dress). Ask about pain and meds. (While I was overnight in the hospital I needed Morphine 10 mg regularly, especially when I was lying down and trying to sleep. I was going to be given just Emtec = Tylenol 3's on discharge from the hospital, but after I asked for stronger meds, was also prescribed Dilaudid 2 mg which I used every night for 2 weeks to help me sleep, and I slept on an incline, on my back. Otherwise I used Tylenol 3s, then just plain Tylenol, and nothing daytimes after 2 weeks, although my breasts still feel tight. I haven't needed nightime Tylenols after a month). Ask about constipation, and if you end up needing lots of pain meds while in the hospital, would they consider giving you an enema before being discharged from the hospital? (A friend who had breast reduction did get an enema. I didn't and ended up with excrutiating constipation four days after surgery, despite drinking lots of water, eating prunes etc, and walking regularly right away. Or perhaps you could try taking bowel meds before day 4). Ask about return to activity / work dates, based on your lifestyle / job. If I had a desk job, I'd feel comfortable going back at 4 weeks. They want you to not reach above your shoulders or behind your back for the first 2 weeks, and to lift less than 5 - 10 lbs for the first 6 weeks. I needed help with personal care for the first week; I didn't drive for 3 weeks (2 was recommended). Have someone who'll be closely helping you to be trained with you (after surg?) on how to milk and empty the drains. Ask about medications you take & timing with surgery (I recommend asking about and taking Arnica 30cc tab, three times/day to help with pain, swelling, & healing until the wounds are closed). Have front-close clothing to wear, about 2 sizes larger than you normally do, for the first week or two while drains are in. Good luck on your appointments!
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Good morning all! Caroline-H, wow, I think you've nailed it! Basia will be well prepared for her PS appointment. I would like to add that the "one step" is reserved for women who are not extremely overweight and for reconstruction to size A or B. Basia, your PS will explain the procedure to you, but you'll probably have lots of questions, so come back!
Nina, the nipple reconstruction is usually done using existing skin at the sight of your original incision. The PS re-incises at the scar and fashions the skin into a nipple form. They usually look surprisingly large to begin with, but flatten out and soften up considerably as time goes by. It's a simple, out patient, surgical procedure (with a risk of infection), usually preformed at about 12 weeks (or later). After several months healing (or more) many women opt for a cosmetic tattoo. There are several "nipple reconstruction" discussions on these boards, it's helpful to read what other women's experience is. Also, I was thinking of you and wanted to suggest that stretching exercises might help with your tightness. I finally bought an inexpensive exercise ball. It's been a stable way to achieve some good stretches. I've also read comments that yoga helps some women with that "bungee cord" or tight feeling.
LilyLou, good grief! I hardly know what to say, what a saga for you! You are definitely outside the norm for the one step. Have you considered the issue of lymphedema? Perhaps you could ask a question at the lymphedema forum? The women on that forum are wonderful and have lots of resources. I'm wondering if a camisole would help. You may need to pressure your doctor for physical therapy or a consult with a lymphedema specialist. It's best to attack lymphedema ASAP before it gets worse. Don't be timid, push forward with this until you get some action. I'm so sorry you are still struggling. Please keep us posted.
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Hi Basia--sorry this is so long
I went back to work 4 weeks after surgery, which may have been a bit too soon. I am also recovering from a vaginal hysterectomy on June 2. I think I am doing pretty well considering all the surgery. I have started slowly exercising again--I used to go 5 days a week and right now with work, I am able to exercise one day during my 4 day work week and two days during the weekend.
My range of motion is getting better all the time. I can reach up as high as I used to but I do feel some pulling on the mx side. I try to stretch daily. The swelling has resolved, although if I overdo it, my breasts swell slightly. Nothing really bad, it's almost like a natural barometer for me--my body says "REST!!"
I agree with all the CarolineH posted but everyone's pain situation will be different. I don't experience too much pain--I was off pain meds 4 days after my hysterectomy and lumpectomy and about a week or so after the mx/reconstruction. I took ibuprofen for a while to help with discomfort associated with swelling.
I did not have a sentinal node biopsy. My PS uses silicon implants for a natural look. I am learning to be less critical of my mx breast now. The scar is fading fast...someday it will be a hair line that will not be visible. My nipple looks totally normal now. At first, half of it was black--dr said it was loss of circulation but it was healing. Now my nipple looks totally normal.
I had one drain. I think the size of the tissue removed has something to do with the number of drains. My breast was less than an A--so not much there to take out! I did not have my left breast removed, only implanted. Until the drain comes out, your movement and activity level is very limited. I was on an antibiotic until the drain came out. I had lots of fluid the first couple of days, but it dramatically decreased over the next three or four. The last few days it took a while to go down below 20cc (where my PS wanted it before removing the drain). My fluid was down to 15cc when removed. I had to travel a few days later which caused some swelling because of lack of rest. But my body managed to handle all of this pretty well.
Incision--my incision is 2.5 inches long and starts from the top of my nipple and extends to the outside of my breast. I would say that more than half of the scar is now the same color as my skin. I have no feeling in my nipple or skin around it. My nipple responds to cold and touch as it used to do.
Anesthesia and pain meds can make you constipated. I never got constipated after the hysterectomy but that surgery was only 1 hour. I was under for almost 4 hours with the second surgery. I got a little constipated after the mx but nothing that Miralax, prune juice, fruits and bran could not help. Drink lots of water--helps with this and swelling.
I know that I have a few more months before things are going to be more "normal". My mx breast jiggles a bit like a real breast, but not like the other side. It's shape is different too. The nipple has a flat projection, but I don't have trouble filling out a bra.
cleavage---I never had cleavage before and my natural breasts were very far apart, probably 3-4 inch gap. Now the gap is 1.5 inches, so to be honest, I think I look better than before.
Everyone has a different experience. Some women go without breasts and are fine with that--in fact they say they never felt so free. I knew that I would not feel that way. It is very personal. It is good to get all your questions answered.
I suggest you write down all your questions or you will forget.
Good luck!
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Caroline and Speech, what good posts for Basia
Basia, I tried to look back in the posts for the NY newscast with the animation of how the one-step is done, but couldn't find it. I did find this http://www.breastrecon.com/id27.html which has a great illustration that shows where the Alloderm goes, replacing the need for tissue expanders. At the PS appointment ask to see pictures of his/her results, specifically of the one-step results. Definitely talk about what you would like and ask the PS for ideas. That can help you think about what you want. Definitely ask if you can have a nipple sparing surgery, and where the incision will be. Some will put the incision from nipple to armpit or nipple down to breast fold. Good choices if they're possible. For me the one-step was the simplest and most straightforward of the options. Everything was decided with an amazing amount of ignorance on my side. You are lucky to have found the boards before surgery, you'll be much better informed. You're right, many women have smaller additional surgeries for nipples or more refining of the shape. My physical recovery was amazingly quick and easy, the emotional adjustment took longer. Let us know how it goes, and any questions.... there's so much.
Nina, my nipple was made by folding and stitching some of the scar tissue. It shrank to almost nothing, but I'm still glad I did it. Even the teeny tiny nipple somehow helps. It was tattooed 3D style by a permanent makeup tattoo artist, and at first glance I look "real".
LilyLou, Okiegal is right! If the PS isn't taking your pain and edema seriously I would go to someone else... right away... the Surgical oncologist perhaps? Get a referral, don't let them ignore it.
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