Nipple Sparing Mastectomy with immediate reconstruction
Comments
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Well ladies no yippie squishes for me today. I went to the surgery center at 6:30 and they prepped me and I met with the Dr. Over an hour later the nurse came in and said they whole floor was having issues with equipment and they couldn't do any surgeries. At that point they didn't know when it would be fixed and my Dr. had another surgery in another hospital. We decided to reschedule for the first thing next Friday. Everyone felt really bad about it, but what could they do. I'm sad today no yippie squishes.
Hurleygirl-glad your doing well and 400's! You go girl!
Speech529-saw your pics on the thread and you look wonderful! Your results look very natural. I would be thrilled with a result like that.
Dustymom-glad to see the nipples are looking better.
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WHITEDOVE Not being able to feel my breast has been a struggle and adjustment for me too. I'm glad to hear that Kate and PB22 got theirs back,...I have something to hope and look forward to!
SPEECH I am very happy with my outcome. As I told Dr. B, I feel like I have been given a gift with being able to have so many options. I have no complaints with my BS and PS and I am grateful for their talents and skills. Everything is going well other than not being able to feel them, a little itching as you mentioned, and adjusting to their size (bigger than before NSM). I'm a little confused,..did you also have your implant place on top of your muscles in an Allo-bra/sling? Am I the only one with this procedure?
PB22 Wow, having to wait for 6 months for things to settle! Being patient isn't always my strong point but I guess things could be a lot worse!
KATE I recently joined a group that meets once a month at Chandler Regional Hospital. I'm new still, so still no opinion from my end. I was just wondering if you had a group you liked.
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SMH, I had an NSM and just got my final implants yesterday and I have a lot of feeling..actually this is really odd too but lately I have a very very slight feeling in the right nipple. It wasn't there before..this is super recent and it perplexes me!
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Speech, my implants are under the muscle with an acellular dermal graft(mesh) as a sling to form the pocket.
SMH you can revise sooner but from my experience you want to see how everything is going to settle, ie nipple direction, scar tissue that may form and pull, dimples, divots, folds, etc.
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Speech- Just checked out your photos on the picture forum. You look amazing!
Sweetie- Aw, no Y.S.'s this week? That SUCKS! Don't they know how much mental prep we do before these things? So, so sorry!!!
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sweetie sorry about the delay...don't know why these things happen. It's a disappointment and hope you are okay.
SMH my implants are under the muscle. I wish I could have had the implants go over the muscle, but there is a risk of rippling with thin skin. As it is you could always see every blood vessel in my breasts and my nipples are very pale, too. The submuscular implant is hard to get used to. The breasts move when I flex. I have stopped doing any pectoral lifting on purpose. Today when I was vacuuming (I hired a maid when I had surgery so I haven't had to push the thing in a while) I could feel my pecs flexing. It feels strange. It's getting accustomed to the physical part. While I like the way I look there are some physical feelings that I have to get used to.
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NSM sisters-thanks for the love. I was totally bummed but I'm getting over it. I have booked myself solid with things to do all week so the time will pass quickly.
Twirlcurl-your up next so will be thinking of you and wishing you the best!
Vmudrow-it looks like we will having our exchange on the same day now.
Sweetie
Diagnosis: 2/25/2010, IDC, 1cm, Stage I, Grade 1, ER+/PR-, HER2-0 -
I am so sorry for your delay sweetie...I think i would flip out as I am so ready to go...
as my kids would say..Two more sleeps..
Thanks for all the well wishes everyone
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sweetie2040 - I would be sooo disappointed if I was there and ready to go and it had to be rescheduled - as I am getting the house cleaned, wash done etc to be ready. You are a good sport about it. Yes, I am on the 8th also - we can have sweet dreams at the same time. I hope mine is early in the morning. Let me know how you feel after etc.
hurleygirly - So glad everything went well for you.
twirlandcurl - good luck!!
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Sweetie, what a great attitude you have. I sometimes think that things like that happen for a reason. Good luck!
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twirlandcurl-one more sleep for you!
Vmudrow-I hope you get to go early too. They said they would put me on first thing but I still have to wait for the call.
whitedove-aww thanks. I think your right about things happening for a reason because today I ended up getting my haircut because my friend was interviewing for a job and they needed a hair model. I ended up getting a great cut by the owner for free! Not only was it free it turned out to be one of the best haircuts I got in a long time, so who knows maybe that's the reason. Maybe not,but still a good haircut is always worth it.
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Sweetie- You will be lookin good in more ways than one!
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twirlandcurl- Good luck tomorrow!!! Hope there are NO delays in your pursuit of yippee-squishiness!!! :-D
Sweetie- whitedove is right. You do have a great attitude. Glad you were rewarded with an awesome haircut! (I, on the other hand, would have probably moped and pouted and gotten squat- so there you go!)
speech- I agree with you that the physical feelings are the bigger adjustment. Things I used to take for granted now create some very bizarre sensations. Hoping I get used to it over time.
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off topic, but did anyone else notice the different formatting on the boards? Not sure if it is my computer or something on the site?
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Sending soft hugs and healing to all of you who are in the midst of exchanges. I can hardly keep up with everyone lately. I wish I had more time to spend here, you all have been such an encouragement.
twirlandcurl-YAY!! Congrats on your y.s's. Hope your feeling well and getting plenty of rest. Take care of the new "girls"!
Sweetie-Friday will be here before you know it! You've been such a trooper, your positive attitude is contagious! The Y.S fairy will be flying overhead soon!
Kate-Your amazing. You do such a fantastic job encouraging ALL of us! Hope your continuing to feel well and are beginning to be able to look to the future with smiles~
Lots of "soft" hugs!
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To all the up and comers to exchange, sending warm wishes for a smooth X-chg.
- I wanted to share a humorous story other NSMers would get. Went to the MX store for bra fitting so I could be the proud owner of some fine Chantelles, Freyas and Natoris.Young Saleswoman:(eyes on my cleavage) You have to be a BC pt. for a discount on our bras."
I: "I am. Bilateral Mastectomy."
Saleswoman (now looking me up and down, Giving sideye on cleavage): "Really?"
We go into dressing room, she stares at the Yippee Squishees in full glory and still is suspicious as she doesn't move to go find me bras. Squints at the nips and looks even more confused. I can see her eyeing my flesh colored scar-tape, possibly thinking I'm trying to cheat my way into the bra discount! I'll take that as a compliment.
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GAgirl01- I was having such a crummy day and your comment just cheered me right up! Thanks so much! You guys keep me sane I swear!
whitedove- Too funny!!! (Like you'd fake being a BC patient to get a discount on some skivies!) Everywhere I go (dermatologist's office, hair salon, swimwear shop, etc, etc, etc) I try to spread the word about NSM. Have not met one single person who has ever heard of it! That is so wrong!!!! We need to get the word out because you never know who might need the information. I hand out my BS's business cards and tell women to file them away because you never know. I can't believe that someone at a MX store wouldn't even know. Maybe it's time to book Oprah?
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Whitedove that's a great story....where do you find MX bra stores?0
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Hi Speech. I had no idea this place existed. I must have driven by it for 10 years without noticing it. My friend with BC told me about it. Could you ask Mayo? They usually sell prosthetics, bathing suits, surgical bras and perhaps even higher end bras. I only found out about insurance covering from the thread: Bras 101! I also have a Nordstroms nearby but went to the MX shop as they had the brands I wanted.
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Hi Kate, EXACTLY my thoughts! What does it mean that the MX store does not know about NSM? Yes, we do have to spread the word about this wonderful procedure. I guess more people are not in the know as one would think. I almost wonder about calling the store's owner and educating them. If I had not been in a light mood, I could have become offended.
Another plus about my having had the BMX, as extreme an operation as it was, is that even though I have to take T for 5 yrs, I really feel worry free about the BC as it reduced recurrence to nearly <2% (sshh, plug your ears as scandalous words to follow..) well, I feel, cured. ecI don't know if I would feel that way had I opted for the lumptectomy, as some were pressuring me to do. Everyone I know says that prior to the surgery, I looked sick and pale. Someone used the words, "Older, and kinda grey". Now I feel less tired and have more color to my complexion. I think it was the cancer zapping away my energy.
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HI NSM sisters-It's been a busy week and time is flying. White dove your story made me smile big.
I showed my NSM results to was my primary care Dr and his nurse when I went for my pre-op for my exchange.. It was like neither of them have ever seen anything like it and were both amazed. I think they expected me to be hacked up or something. They didn't need to see it as part of my physical but I asked both of them if the would like to and they both were very interested. They were both like, wow, you look really good and that is just with my TE. I can't wait to go back for my annual physical and show them both the final results.
White dove- I agree and feel the same way. I feel almost like I'm free now that I had the bilateral.Whether it's in my mind or the reality I just feel like I did all I could and now I feel peaceful about it all.
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Whitedove: I love it. Makes us all want to test our PS work at the mast. shop. If I ever run into one, I'm stopping in.
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Heh heh. I hope this will help them know what an NSM looks like. When the day comes that people don't expect MX to look "hacked up" as sweetie described the dr's and nurse's reaction, then we can really rejoice!0
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All:
I had NSM on 09/17 (bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction, DCIS Stage 0). I lost the nipple on my left breast, since the mass was too close to the skin, but am hoping the nipple of my right breast will survive. The top of the right nipple is quite dark, but the PS seems to think this is just a scab, and healthy tissue exists underneath. More to follow . . . .
Julie
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Julie,
Welcome! So glad to hear your surgery went well. I believe your PS is right about it being a scab as that happens to us NSMers. It can be pretty scary to see the nipple like that, but in time, the scab usually falls off and fresh new skin underneath should appear. Hope you are feeling well in your recovery.
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I am 3 weeks since my uni nsm. I had a checkup with my ps and he says, "the nipple is out of the woods". Yea!!. It was iffy in the begining. He does not want to risk starting fills for another 2 weeks to allow the tissue more time to heal.
I have a question about fills - he is plainng fills of 100cc 2 weeks apart. Does that sound like alot? I am starting with 150 in the TE from the intial surgery.
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Congratulations on being in the clear. I guess PS are all different. I was going for fills weekly but the max I would get was 35ccs. I know, I must be a wimp. I think it was bec I was small to begin with.
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I am a barely B cup on the natural size. He is planning on only 2 or 3 fills! I asked today about going bigger then the natural side and giving it a boost. He said that we won't know until we see how the fills go and if the skin can take it.
I'd love to hear about other people's fill experiences - how much and how often.
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my first expander I went slowly..60 cc each week..sometimes every two. My second TE I went quick because I went into surgery at 300CC and came out with 240cc. I would have him put in a double ..120cc each week until I had that baby overfilled to 600cc. Only the last fill was uncomfortable. I tell you honestly..the regular augmentation I had on my left side is far worse than anything they did ever on the cancer side.
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I had 150 in at surgery, then 100cc fils 2 weeks apart, and it was fine. A little tightness after the fills (especially the first time) but no pain, nothing too bad. It's different for everyone though! Just see how it is, and make them tailor it to what works for you, whatever their plan!
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