One step implant procedure with Alloderm - Anyone?
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So I'm like the proverbial red headed step child... I don't fit in here, yet can't find other ladies here with the same style of reconstruction. The Alloderm is the same. I understand my implants are not the same as most, but they are permanent implants. Thanks for letting me hang out here for a little bit.
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Oh stop, Eema! You can hang out here, for sure. Let's not think of you as "the red headed step child" but instead as someone in between two reconstruction worlds . . . neither an expander gal nor an immediate implant gal. No biggie.
I have a similar issue but re diagnosis. I'm on breast cancer, Round II, but I don't have a recurrence or mets. It's a second primary. Although there are women here on the boards, in general, you meet fewer women in this situation.
I really think we're all in this together - everyone has different issues, but we're all living with breast cancer, right?
Hope you have a good day today!
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Well, I am a red head, but you couldn't know that... I'm having a bad couple of days here. My incision looks disgusting and I am worried about the viability of that side's implant. I hope I just need more keflex and all will be ok.
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Eema, Wow, apart from the painful ports, an undeniable drag, you could consider yourself to have the best of both procedures. One surgery with the adjustabilty of expanders. A gorgeous redhead. And don't worry, the whole one-step thing is considered odd. I've even had people tell me I'm wrong about my own surgery. You're definitely in the right place and I'm sorry if I made you feel bad. But I still wish I could give you some comfort and words of wisdom about fills and ports.
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Thanks, fortunate1! My DH calls me a delicate flower. I'm feeling especially fragile right now as I'm sure I have some sort of infection. Less than an hour till I see someone about it, though!
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I have a question about the implants my aunt has seviere breast cancer and the whole breast needs to be removed but she has no insurence is there a program that can help her get those for free
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I always wanted to be a redhead, Eema! What'd they tell you about your pain? I hope it's something that can be fixed up, quickly . . . sorry you're having a crappy run of it. And you know, I was thinking that but for this infection, your way might be more comfortable in the short-run - I've heard that many women who get the one-step have discomfort from having the filled implant placed in there - no time for chest muscles to adjust . . . whereas w/your surgery, it's gradual. Hope you're on the road to relief.
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So day 17 drains out. My breast look nice. So far I have nothing bad to say about the all in one alloderm recon. My silicone implants are 757cc each. That sounds really big right but I was a D cup and I look smaller. The Dr said if that size was put into somone with breast tissue as an enhancement it would be like an I cup, but with no breast tissue I look like I will be a C cup. I still need pain meds but pain is related to the nodes being removed not the breast. The pain is all under my left arm and down the underside of the arm. I do admit though that I have muscle spasms frequently from the muscles being pilled over the implant. The flexeril works well for that.
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I always wanted to be a redhead, too, SAOIsenber, so I visited my hairdresser and I went from a strawberry blonde to a spunky redhead! Actually, when I had a crush on my husband before we were married, he told me he only wanted to be friends and that he always dreamed of marrying a redhead. The next day I visited my hairdresser, became a redhead, and the rest is history!
So what happened is I had a stitch in my incision that pushed its way up to the surface and was irritating me. The NP cut it out and advised me to put bacitracin on it. I think it still looks gross, but will call the visiting nurse to come see me tomorrow to make sure all is OK. She also told me to stop looking at my boobs every 15 minutes! I told her they were new, so I had to look at them to become acquainted with them. I'm still having pain, but have been using Armica gel which helps better than the prescription ibuprofen gel I paid $25 for that I had an allergic reaction to. It also is like a magic eraser for the bruising. I asked my pain management dr if it was OK to use, and she had never heard of it, but said if it works, to use it. Anyone else use Arnica? We don't use it as much as they do in Europe and other countries.0 -
Eema -- Once I was off the pain pills, I used Arnica homeopathic drops in my mouth, and it really did seem to help with pain. I didn't have any post-op bruising (a miracle !) but was told to use Arnica gel if I did.
Dixiebell -- glad your recovery is going well. I was never offered muscle relaxants but I think they would have helped a lot !
Hi to Sarah ! I just sent you a PM...
I am 3 months post-op and doing really well...have returned to a job that involves heavy lifting / physical activity (Fed Ex courier) and while the first 2 weeks were brutal, I just finished my third week and am really feeling more like my old self. So just wanted to send out an encouraging word that as each day passes, things really can get better !
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Hey Jen! Txs. for the message - hope you had a great weekend.
Eema - I LOVE that you took charge and did your hair - that is a riot! A woman after my own heart. Glad they've figured out what was hurting you - hope that the weekend and the Arnica have been helpful and you're feeling better today. I have used Arnica for bruises, etc. from gardening/biking/etc. - will keep it in mind post-surgery. I have NO idea what the future holds there!
Sarah
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Well, the arnica is a G-d send, I gotta say! I've never tried the drops, I think I will before the next surgery (ooph and hyst). I hope I will be able to get a little fill this week-- I know no one can relate to this, but I can feel the implant moving inside my skin and it feels weird. PS says once I'm filled that won't happen...
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Hi to all the new ladies. Where are all the old ones? Must be having a great summer!
Had a great labour day weekend at the cottage. Still having beautiful weather. Hope everyone is well.
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Trying to find out what type of weight lifting is ok with allogerm and implants and does anyone out there snow ski since their surgery??
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dixiebell: I don't have any answers regarding true weight-lifting. I lift heavy boxes at work (Fed Ex courier) and find anything over 70 lbs is quite a strain right now, really feel it in my chest. But it's getting better. I tried doing push-ups the other day and I don't like how that feels, it's a sensation of my chest muscles not strong enough to hold me up...I don't know how to explain it. I am doing planks instead, which feels less scary to me right now. I know this didn't really answer your questions (I also don't snow ski) but thought I'd throw in my 2 cents about lifting heavy things 3 mos post-op.
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Hey dixiebell - of course, ask your doc, but my doc has said no restrictions on anything once I'm cleared post-op . . . weights, pushups, skiing, etc. etc. etc. Just have to work back up to it, is all. But I do know that different docs have different ideas . . . .
Sarah
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Hi everyone - an old one here, a lazy old one.
I'm thinking about you all. I just got back from the PS. We talked about my long term result as we both see it. He gave the reconstruction a B+/A- grade largely because of the flattened nipple. I gave it the same grade for the same reason plus the upper fullness that doesn't match the slope of the natural side. Both of us like the softness and general shape and we'll leave it be. The result really is great in a bra. I won't see him for a year.
He gave a talk to colleagues about Alloderm and I asked him about it. He says he gives a lot of talks on it now, and that he really likes the surgery. Reasons? He said he never gets this kind of softness with tissue expanders to implants, the surgery is easy on his patients, more natural look. He said there are lots of new Alloderm-like products and he feels that alloderm is the best. Thought I'd pass that on to you all. He also said there are new things out there for nipple projection, but he's not too sure about them yet.
So here I am with my less than A (or A+!) results - I'm such a perfectionist. But I think I am content.
Now about weight. I lift 50# clay boxes and have no trouble doing it. Also 25# shelves held at arms length. I'm less happy with that as it requires precision and I'm more wobbly than before. The muscle on the reconstruction side does get sore and unhappy if I do a lot. I was never told to reduce the weight I work with. I turned down the muscle moving reconstructions for fear of weakness. I hate the jerky breast distorting movement when the muscle is used. I wasn't told that would happen. Jen, more than seventy pounds - Wow!
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Thanks ladies for your imput!
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Wow, you ladies are superwomen! I can't even lift a gallon of milk, and today had to have my six year old DS bring in the groceries for me today! He had to push the cart in the supermarket today, till I got annoyed with the cart races he was having! He is certainly a boy, and most defiantly six! Do any of you have pain (or did you) where the alloderm is attached to your ribs? It kills me right under my bottom breast fold, and today the BS said it was because that is where the alloderm is attached. I feel bionic, I'm held together by spit and wire and my new boobies stand up by themselves! After having saggy DDs, it is certainly a different feeling to have boobies that stand up and salute! Since I'm still healing, I dont even have to were a bra, and they still look perky! Haven't experienced that since I was 16! That is a good thing about the new ones!
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Hi Eema:
I am 4 weeks post op and I did have that pain but it went away about week 3. Now I just have the tight feeling across the top of my chest and the weird weird weird feeling when I pick up something. (and still trying to get used to that feeling when you use your pec muscle and the boobs move). Honestly my worst problem is under my are where all the nodes were removed! So it gets better!!
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I also had pain from the Alloderm at first. And weird tight feelings (iron-bra, anyone?). And when picking something up, feeling like my pecs are clamping over the implant. But everything has improved tremendously -- I am over 3 mos post-op and parts of my day will go by where I forget I have implants...they are starting to feel like a part of my body...really didn't think that was going to happen...
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Thanks Jen42 very nice to hear!!!
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Hi all, I am only 4 days post op. Had 1 step silicone implants ( natrelle style 15 457 cc) during my bmx. Nipple/ skin sparing and I hope to be about the same size. Ps described them as youthful looking large B's. One drain in each side and they are not too bad. Still wrapped in bandages and tube top garment so have no idea what they look like. Eema, my ps mentioned the one step type that you fill so I have heard of them! He was very comfortable w/one step but cautioned that all final determinations would be made during surgery and medical trumped cosmetic. Caryn
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Forgot to mention that I am a Kaiser patient too. Whether with Kaiser or not, each ps is different so it pays to really check them out . Caryn
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Hi exbmxgrl, glad you found us.
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An empty room. I hope everyone is out doing non breast cancer things. Hugs to you all.
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Well I am week 5 post-op and I have to say that there are hours at a time now I forget I have implants and stretched pec muscles. 1 am only using muscle relaxers maybe every other day at night only! Started physical therapy and so helpful. My dr said no bra for 3 months so thats the hardest part getting used to no bra. Incisions are completely healed and looking nice!!!
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Dixiebell: that is so great that at only 5 weeks post-op you are able to forget about implants and pec muscles ! I have heard that being given muscle relaxers really helps. I did not get those and it was at least 7 weeks before I felt better...and it's only been recently (I'm nearly 4 mos post-op now) that I have actually "forgotten" about my chest area. Until I get sore again from lifting too many heavy pkgs at work. Grrrrr.
I find it so interesting how doctors are different about their rules about bras. I was encouraged to wear something supportive (i.e. jog bra) after first 3 weeks in masectomy bra...then at 3 mos post-op appt told I could wear any sort of bra I wanted or just go bra-less unless I was doing something high impact (jogging, etc.).
I am pleased with how my incisions healed also, and the scars are fading nicely.
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Well, dixiebell & Jen42, whether it's 5 weeks or 4 mos., it's so nice to hear that those moments are happening . . . 'cause as you remember, when you're just about to have surgery, it's hard to believe there'll ever be a time like that! So glad for you both, and that your incisions are lookin' good - that helps so much, right?
Sarah
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Sarah: will be thinking of you and sending positive thoughts at 10am Monday (which will be 7am West Coast time, right?) as you head into surgery for your BMX. And I'm sure anyone else posting here will do the same !
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