One step implant procedure with Alloderm - Anyone?
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Where is the picture forum? I'm making a decision for saline vs silicone tomorrow and would like to see some pics of completed reconstructions...thanks!
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hi ladies...sorry i havent posted in a while....i am still hanging in..lol..my left side that was off the side is back that way even after my surgery in July..i even wore a sports bra all the time...my right side still swells & we have no idea why..no infection or leakage according the MRI..but i cant even weara sports bra b/c it swells & Hurts..i go back to my PS next week..i'll keep u updated..
i read that someone here wanted to know abt waering a bra during an MRI..as long as its not medal u can ..sports bras r good for this...
also read that someone here wanted how to get to the pic site...i am going to paste the directions i had..they may have changed..if this doesnt work, then go to Exchange City Board & ask them ..they will get you in touch with Tim-Tam site (not sure of the spelling)..good luck..
1. Click on this link.
http://tamako.milkcafe.to/luv/forum/Blah.cgi?v-login/
2. A small pop-up window should show up.
Check the "remember my password" option first and then type in the followings without any extra spaces at the end:
(Remember this is NOT your own log-in information and will not change no matter what.)username: usbaldchicksrule
password: bcsuckshope its starting to cool off by everyone..here its still hot & muggy...
L'Shana Tova (Happy Jewish New year) to anyone that celebrates!!
hugs, Tink
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Okiegal: Thanks for the razor info. I think I'll not bother for awhile until the next big occasion!
Fortunate 1: Thanks for the kind words. Hope your class went well.
Yes, I think you should all post your pics. I'll be right behind you (okay, maybe not).
Tinkerbell: Good to hear from you. Happy New Year to you.
Does anyone have Ally's email. Can you check on her to see if she's okay?
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Good to hear from you, Fortunate. Your mini-vacation sounds delightful. The talking, the eating, the wine. My Carole among the hollyhocks picture is cropped from a full-size snapshot. The hollyhocks were in Eden, SD, and they come up year after year and bloom with no tlc. I thought they were wonderful. We don't have hollyhocks in LA. Or at least I haven't seen any. I've seen some beautiful perennial gardens this summer in MN.
Hope the special class goes well tonight.
I use one of those razors with the blade embedded in soap. But not very often. Hair growth in the armpits seems to have slowed down. What a topic of conversation!
Have been watching the US Open tennis coverage on tv. Almost makes me want to dust off my tennis racquet.
Hope everyone has a good evening.
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fortunate1 & Okiegal I will eventually post, but I need to get over my shyness/qualms. I think it would be a help to others needing to make a decision. As far as the weird stories, I read one post on TimTam's site that said the Alloderm is made from pig's skin!
I have been counting calories for three days now...tonight I was so tempted to sit and eat tortilla chips...my downfall. But looking at the nutrition info keeps me honest. Hopefully I can keep at it. Good luck to you too!
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Hi Speech, shyness is holding me back too. I think I will do it though.
Lifecell, the company that makes Alloderm (from human skin) also makes Stratice from pig tissue. That's probably the confusion. It has been around longer, I think, and is used to repair hernias as well as in breast reconstruction. There's a lot of interesting information on their web site.
L'Shana Tova to you Tink. I was in class tonight while DH dined and went to services. Boo Hoo. It was a very good class though, and everyone worked hard. I am sorry to hear that your reconstruction is still uncomfortable.
Good night everyone. Time to read the mail and go to bed.
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Hello Everyone,
Carole, I like your new avatar! Sounds like you are having a wonderful trip. I posted a link to the square I made on Aug 26th.
Okiegal, I wish I could get on my bike, but I know I will hurt my knees...always happens. I'll just keep walking and lifting. I need to watch my diet more.
Speech, Glad you have turned a corner...it will continue to get better!
UpCreek, Happy to hear the wedding and your toast went well. I bought an electric shaver in preparation of my bmx, but only used it a couple of times. I mention months ago that my arm pits were much deeper than they were and it was difficult to shave. It took a long time, but it has improved. Like Fortunate1, I find an occasional long hair that I missed. I think the underarm skin was moved during mx.
Fortunate1, Happy to hear your Dad is doing better. Your trip sounds wonderful! We are not far from a winery. I do not drink, but enjoy the scenery and watching others taste the wine...fun. I'm sure your class went well! As far as Tim Tam...these foobs are for my eyes only! Maybe if I ever get my tattoos I will change my mind, but I have become self-conscious of them...even with DH. The extra pounds haven't helped either.
Tinkerbell, Good to hear from you...hang in there!.
It is cool today...70's. I love the fall. I hope to go apple picking this weekend. Hunting season in MN started Sept 1. One of the research bears was shot this weekend...a yearling named Sarah...I cry every time I think about it. Off to walk...I hope you all have a good day.
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Oh, Meg, I could cry, too, over the death of a yearling bear named Sarah. I'm sorry, but I just don't comprehend hunting and killing animals. Take a photo, instead. I grew up in a culture where boys usually got b-b guns for Christmas when they were 10 or 11 years old. In some cases more serious guns like shotguns. During the last week as we were driving around up here in northern MI, we've seen pretty deer. Today there were two small deer still with spots beside the small 1-lane highway. We slowed down and they bolted toward the woods, not toward the highway.
One of my brothers is part owner of a hunting camp in MS located on a big parcel of wooded land. The hunters actually put out food for the deer off season to encourage them to stay around. Then they build deer blinds to hide behind with their guns so they can shoot an unsuspecting animal coming by. Really sporting. Especially with guns with scopes.
Yesterday was a gorgeous day. DH and I drove up to Copper Harbor, which is as far north as you can go in the state of MI. We played a lovely little 9-hole course at Keweenaw Mountain Lodge. Interestingly, the course was built by the CCC. I didn't play well, proving that not playing often doesn't improve your skills!
I will not post any photos of my reconstructed boobs at one year out from surgery. I have found that time is not improving the final results for close-up scrutiny. Larger implants would probably smooth out some of the ripples and the dent in the left cleavage, but is it worth the risks involved in surgery? Probably not.
The leaves are already turning colors here.
Hope everyone has a great weekend.
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Why was the bear shot? Hunting is a big thing here but we don't hunt but we do fish when we get the chance.
What causes the rippling? Too much skin? I don't seem to have that problem yet.....
Saw my oncologist yesterday and she said I had the best reconstruction that she has seen. So I was happy to hear that. She is just following me to check my nodes etc., and am good for a year.
DH is going away golfing for five days. I have a nephew staying here so I won't be alone.
Hi to all. Hope you all have a good weekend.
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Upcreek, what a compliment from your onc. About the rippling, it's something I can feel on the bottom portion of my breasts when I'm lying down. I think I've had enough stretching take place in a year that the implants don't fill up the pocket as tightly as they did at first.
Hunting bears is legal in MN during the designated hunting season. I assume the young bear was killed by a hunter. Some people eat bear meat. Also, bears are sometimes considered a nuisance. I've had zilch experience with bears other than looking at them behind a glass barrier at the bear center and seeing a couple of small ones years ago in the Smoky Mt. State Park.
I suppose it's better for the bear population not to let them overpopulate an area because of the limited amount of food.
Today I've been cooking a whole chicken in the crockpot. It will be interesting to see how it turns out.
Hi to all.
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Carole: Come hiking with me--I will show you bears!
Hope your chicken turned out okay.
Entertaining a 21 year old nephew is challenging. Totally different than my daughter. One sided conversation from me and grunts from the other side of the table.............
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Hi ladies, I am panning to participate in study ( Toronto) and hopefully have nipple and skin sparing mast with AlloDerm one step recon and just want to ask , are you happy with cosmetic result of recon? Does breast look like before mostly or there is a huge difference between before and after? How long does it take to recover to the point that there is no pain and you can freely move your arms?
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Good morning everyone,
Welcome BRCA1, you've come to the right place! I would say that I am happy with my cosmetic outcome. I chose implants that were slightly larger than my natural breasts. Eventhough I am not 100% happy with my nipple reconstruction, I am pleased overall. At 50, I would say that I have a nicer bustline than previously, but I pretty much look the same. I think immediate reconstruction allowed me to bypass the emotional difficulty of having to adjust to being flat chested as it was reassuring to wake up from my MX with breasts!
I was able to drive at three weeks post op, but had some very atypical issues with nerve healing (I developed a pain syndrome that has mostly diminished). Most women are back to full speed at about 8 weeks. Hope that helps!
Carole, I regularly cook a whole chicken in the crockpot. I scrunch up a few balls of foil, wash off the chicken, rub some salt and paprika all over it and place it in the crockpot breast side down, then cook on low for 6 or more hours. Turns out perfect every time and leaves me with a wonderfully flavorful chicken broth. I'm sure yours turned out great.
Meg, so sorry to hear about your bear.
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Hello everyone,
UpCreek, When I first saw my OC and BS after bmx they both said I looked really good. Over time my breasts have dropped down and out. Not so bad, but I definitely look different now than I did. I wear a bra all day in an attempt to stop the breasts from dropping. I don't know if it will make a difference. I do not have any wrinkles, but I do have an area of extra skin on the outside of right breast where the scar ends. I have difficulty sleeping. They also feel heavy at times. I am happy I had the reconstruction.
Braca, I had bmx with alloderm. I did not have nipple sparing. My breasts were large for that procedure. Pain is different for all of us, but for me, the first 3 weeks were the most painful. The drains were uncomfortable, but not painful. I felt much better when the drains were removed. My range of motion was limited for the first 2 months. The "one step" was the right choice for me...I did not want additional dr. visits for fills or a second surgery for the exchange. I wish I knew that my muscle was going to be cut during the procedure...not sure what my decision would have been. Good luck to you and let us know how you are.
Carole, In MN bear hunting season started September1 and will end on Oct 17. During the first weekend of hunting season one of the research bears was shot. She was wearing a radio collar with bright ribbons to let hunters know she was a research bear. It is not illegal to shoot collared bears, but the DNR and the Bear Guide Association has asked hunters not to shoot the collared bears. There are on 14 bears with colors...now thirteen. They are all female and of the same clan. There is 20 plus years of scientific research invested in these bears. There are thousands of bears hunted in MN every year to control the population. There was no reason for this yearling to be shot. I just finished writing letters to the legislators of MN to make the shooting of collared bears illegal. Please if you have the time, Animal Planet is repeating "Bearwalker of the Northwoods"...Thursday, Sept 16, 7:00 PM EST. As you may tell, I am very passionate about this and have a lot more to share, but this is not the forum. Thanks for listening.
Okiegal, Last week I used the crock pot to make roast. Everyone enjoyed it. Did you ever hear of wrapping potatoes in foil and placing the whole chicken on top? I'm thinking of trying it...what do you think? Thanks for the mentioning the bear.
My dog got into the garbage yesterday and has been getting sick since. I have to go give him a bath. I hope everyone has a great day. Sunny and in the 70's today...50's during the night.
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Hi BRCA1. I am happy with my reconstruction. It did take a while to get to this point. The one-step with Alloderm was recommended by my PS for the simplicity and easy recovery. I refused muscle moving surgeries. Mine was a unilateral. I am a full B cup with no sagging so no lift was necessary on the good side. More simplicity. He told me what the difference would be and delivered exactly what he said. The difference was more fullness in the upper pole and flatness at the tip where the remaining natural breast has a soft point. I mourned it for quite a while and am now pretty much over it. In a bra you can't tell at all. Nude, it is perfect from the front. For me the recovery was almost startlingly fast. I went back to work at three weeks, but could have earlier. The nipple sparing option is great. Since you're in Canada, if you do the anatomical cohesives you might get the shape, too. This is a great group of women, let us know how we can help.
Hi everyone else! On the yummy cooking front, I had a bit of fun yesterday. I made a "winemaker's cake". My grapevine is dropping grapes all over. The cake has a cup of wine in it and 1 1/2 cups of grapes. It was rustic and pretty and very good with grapes and crunchy sugar showing on top.
Upcreek, the best reconstruction she has seen? That's fabulous! Maybe you should lead the way for the one-steppers on the picture forum. I am a genuine scairdycat.
Have a lovely day everyone, and welcome BRCA1
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Thank you so much for taking time to answer me! I hope I will recover fast too....just waiting for app now, which is a little annoying. I guess from the moment I make up my mind that I am going to have surg, I just want to be done and over with it ASAP...I am straggling with patience.
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Fortunate1: You are so funny! No, I won't be going first.....
Meg: You must be such a caring person. The bears are lucky to have you in their corner!
Okiegal/Carole: Haven't tried the chicken in the slow cooker yet. I was afraid the heat wouldn't be high enough to kill the salmonella.
BRCA1: Welcome and good luck with your decisions. Keep us posted.
Lost my border today. All alone for a couple of days but don't worry, I will survive.
Hi to all.
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BRCA1, Waiting is the hardest time. After things got in motion the goals and the fight took over and made everything easier for me. Hope your wait isn't too long.
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BRCA1, did you test positive for the mutated gene? I went to a geneticist three years ago and followed up on his advice to be tested because of some family history. My paternal grandmother died of ovarian cancer and may have passed along the mutated cancer gene to her daughter (my half-aunt) and to my girl cousins, daughters of my half-aunt. All three tested positive and all three developed bc. To my relief I tested negative! So did my younger sister. My other sister has not opted to be tested. Imagine my surprise (among other emotions) when I turned up with IDC in June of 2009.
Good luck to you as you undergo surgery. I wish you a quick and complication-free recovery. I would give my reconstruction results about a C plus or B minus. My ps has not ever "released" me as a patient. I cancelled the last apptment because I knew he would try to talk me into revision surgery. He wants to replace my implants with larger ones and improve the symmetry by slightly lowering the pocket in the right breast. My nipples were slow to heal but now look perfectly normal. Lately I've begun to feel more sensation, namely itching, in the breast skin. The passing of time affects natural breasts and reconstructed breasts, too. There can be dropping and shifting outward.
Given the opportunity to decide again, I still wouldn't opt for the TEs. I read some of the threads and so many women undergo a lot of pain with the fills. The exchange usually isn't a big deal because the tissue and skin are already stretched to accommodate the implants.
Okiegal, my whole chicken cooked in the crockpot was tasty. I stuffed it with chopped onions and celery. With the leftovers, I put together a casserole using the chicken drippings (degreased), canned artichoke hearts, mixed veggies, white wine, chicken soup, and chopped chicken. I cooked it an hour and a half on high and then added cooked noodles. Very edible and enough for 3 meals!
Today was moving day. We drove a beautiful highway from Houghton to Ishpeming, MI, which is near Marquette. The woman who checked us in at this rv park has a great short haircut so I got the name of her stylist and managed to get an apptment for tomorrow. My hair is quite long and shaggy. The woman also has pretty gray hair. Seeing it made me wonder again, "Should I go natural and see what my gray looks like?" I admire pretty gray hair that is styled well.
There is so much leaf color here in northern MI. Some brilliant reds.
It has been unseasonably cool. The high today was only about 62 and the low tonight is supposed to be in the mid-40's. Definitely jeans weather.
Hi to all and a good night to all.
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carolehalston, yes I was tested positive 5 years ago for BRCA1 , strong family history for both ovarian and breast cancer. I was waiting until AlloDerm will be available in Canada, as I can not imagine go thrue expanders ( I am just not strong enough to do this to my , for now, healthy breasts). I am going to be 35 in few months, my mom had bc at 34 and died from ovarian at 50...so i really need to hurry up with my surgeries.0
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BRCA1, is your surgery date set? Here's hoping you get there soon! When it gets time to discuss specifics, be sure to ask your PS about what sort of pain meds and muscle relaxers he/she prescribes. It really helped me to have muscle relaxers to help the pectoral muscles accomodate the implant. My sister in law had cosmetic breast implants at about your age and claims it felt like an elephant was sitting on her chest for a few days. I didn't have that problem. Because I had good meds which I took regularly and as prescribed, I would describe my pain and recovery as mostly uncomfortable. The drain tubes are annoying, but they don't last that long. I was never in any serious pain.
Carole, your dinner sounds tasty! I cooked pork tenderloin in my crockpot yesterday. I used a nicely seasoned "carnitas" recipe and will use it for tacos or sandwiches (with BBQ sauce).
UpCreek, a crockpot definately gets hot enough to destroy Salmonella. Whenever I cook chicken it is usually falling off the bone by the time I take it out of the pot. Sorry to hear you are minus the monosybyllic boarder.
Meg, I think it will be getting cool enough in the next few weeks to try a roast again. UMMM!
Hi to everyone else, hope you all have a great day!
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Welcome BRACA1. Hi again (other ladies) - from Victoria Canada. I'm happy that my recent 2 months post-op appointment went well; things are looking good and I feel good. If you're interested BRACA1, I (& we) wrote a bunch of our experiences around Aug 13, in case that'd be helpful for you. Updates since then are that my Oncotype came back high, so I started chemo last week. And my Tamoxofen sensitivity results are as a moderate metabolizer, so after chemo we'll probably be upping the usual Tamox dose. Onward with this next part of my healing journey! Thanks for all your supports.
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Braca1, my cousin Iris's daughter (in her 30's) tested positive and opted to have a bmx with reconstruction and a hysterectomy. She has two adopted children. She went the TE route because she had full C breasts and wanted the same. Even my half-aunt's two sons are carriers of the mutated gene and one son has two daughters. The older daughter has been tested and is positive. She has been advised to think about having a family at a young age and then have a bmx and hysterectomy. She's only in her early 20's and isn't even engaged at this point. The younger daughter hasn't been tested yet, but I'd guess her chances of being negative aren't great.
DH and I went to the famous Marquette courthouse today where Anatomy of a Murder was filmed. It's a lovely building and the stained glass dome is beautiful. The story in the novel and movie took place in the Marquette area. A few years ago when we were here I got a copy of the novel and read it. Marquette has a pretty downtown.
Tonight we'll have to re-think opening the bedroom window. The forecast is for mid-30's!
The hair stylist I went to today gave me a nice cut but the color is too brown. I washed it tonight with dish detergent to try to lighten it. If I don't like it more after a couple of days I guess I'll have to get some blond highlights.
A good evening to all.
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BRCA1 I am sorry you are having to go through this whole ordeal. But all of us are here to say that you will make it through. Waiting seems to be the hardest!
On June 28 of this year, I had a nipple and skin sparing unilateral mx on the right and immediate reconstruction with alloderm and an implant. They implanted my left breast, also, for cosmetic reasons. I am 51 and my breasts prior to all this were much smaller than A cups (I barely filled an A bra!). My left breast was pretty much flat and would have looked silly without implant. I opted to go larger to a large B cup.
At first, both breasts were very high and swollen. I had a drain on the right side. I did not have much pain, but the drain was uncomfortable and I could not wait for that to come out.
As time has passed, my breasts have dropped to a normal position. My breasts are farther apart than I would have liked, but so were my "real" breasts. My husband thinks I look great and so do all my friends and family.
I am pleased with how the scars have healed. The mx scar has faded more than the implant scar. It took a while to get used to having breasts that looked like breasts should look. My right (mx) breast is slightly higher than the left but this is only visible when naked.
The texture of my right breast feels a little "bumpier" in a soft sort of way, but you cannot see this at all. I have no rippling. One thing to be aware of: although I still have my nipple, it does not have the same profile as the nipple on the normal left breast. My nipple sort of presses down on the areola. I wonder sometimes if I should do anythign about that, but it is so minor that it's not worth messing with it. So overall, I am very pleased with the results. Recovery? I was able to begin getting back to normal exercise and activity about two months after surgery. I took it slow and I would say that I am now fully engaged in previous activities (hiking, swimming, yoga, weights, etc). One thing that I did prior to surgery was to begin working out at a higher intensity. I started about 6 weeks prior and I think it helped in my recovery.
I hope all goes well and you are at peace with everything.
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Great post, Speech! Love your final sentence and the sentiment about being "at peace" with everything.
Hi to all. We'll be moving farther east in the UP tomorrow to Cedarville. We have a waterfront site reserved at a park overlooking Lake Huron. Kind of sad to be leaving Lake Superior.
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Okiegal: Good word re nephew! He gave me a hug when he left so I guess he enjoyed his stay.
Carole: Lake Superior will miss you!
Hi to all.
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Hello Everyone,
Braca1-Do you have a surgery date? As you get closer we can give you a few suggestions to prepare to make yourself as comfortable as possible. Of course we are here to support you all the way. Good luck.
Carole-H, Sorry to hear your oncotype was high. I wish you all the best as you go through your chemo treatments. Keep up posted.
Carole, Blonde highlights should do the trick. I had my hair cut this morning at a new salon. I'm happy with the results and will go back. What an adventure you're on! I would love a road trip...just me, dh and my dog! Things have been more than stressful around here.
Okiegal, I tried a new recipe for meatloaf...It was very good. If anyone is interested I will post it.
UpCreek, I have a 24 year old son. He always answers me with one word answers... if I'm lucky.
When I woke up this a.m. it was 51 degrees and cool all day. I will be watching "Bearwalker of the Northwood" tonight at 7pm. I hope everyone had a good day!
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Hi all,
I'm currently cooking an adjusted Indian Chicken curry like recipe in my crockpot and will cook another recipe that uses sundried tomatoes, onion, mushrooms and olives with chicken thighs tomorrow. Why so much cooking? I bought too much chicken and now need to find some way to cook it! Plus I love having food stored in the freezer.
I'm excited to be leaving for Los Angeles in a few days. My sister and I will be going back for fun and visiting friends. It's been 4 years since my last trip! The day after we return, we'll do the Susan B. Komen Race for the Cure (walking). Anyone else joining in this month?
I'll let you all keep the home fires burning and check in when I get back!
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Okiegal, I hope you and your sister have a great trip to LA. The chicken recipes sound good. I like chicken. Hmm. Along with most other foods!
Meg, I would like your meatloaf recipe. DH is a meatloaf fan.
We had a nice travel day. Funny experience when we stopped for lunch along the way at a restaurant with a big sign on the roof--EAT. The huge parking lot attracted our attention so we pulled in and parked next to an 18 wheeler. Once we were seated, I noticed the behavior of the two waitresses and wondered if something wasn't wrong. We placed our order and glanced around at the other occupied tables. "Nobody seems to be eating," I remarked to DH who had taken note of the same thing.
Eventually we learned that the cook was new, working his 2nd day in the kitchen. Our waitress, a short, stubby little woman was trying to help him in addition to doing her job. She rushed out with two plates of food for a table of 6 older women. There sat the other 4. A few minutes later 2 more plates arrived and eventually all 6 had their meals. By now DH and I were laughing and so were some of the other patrons. But one couple got up and marched out. The waitress called after them that their burgers were cooked but they didn't pause. After over an hour of waiting we were served our meal, which was very good.
Our site here at an rv park in Cedarville, MI, has a panoramic view of Lake Huron, thanks to a lot of empty sites. Rv travel has slowed down now that the children are back in school, and we are getting some better rates. By the middle of Oct., most rv parks will be closing in the north and many owners will be headed south for the winter.
Hi to all.
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Ladies:
I have spent most of the evening reading your post from the beginning of the summer. Carole, I followed your nervousness to have surgery to your moving day this week.
I am having a masectomy with an immediete alloderm reconstructive surgery. I am scared to death. Seeing how you all got through it has helped me immensly. I am still on the fence if I should take the right breast as a proactive measure. I do NOT want to take tamoxifen and that would ensure I wont.
I have DCIS stage 0 and my lumpectomy did not reveal clear margins. I feel I may be being way too agressive for such a low grade cancer.
Also, I am so worried about the skin dying from the one step rather than the safer tissue expanders.
Any advice will be sooo appreciated.
I admire you ladies so much! God bless you!
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