Latissimus Dorsi Breast Reconstruction
Comments
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Today is 4 weeks post-op. I suddenly started feeling pain on the bottom of the right TE. I noticed it's also softer and smaller than before. Not sure if it's from my imagination though. I don't know if it's a leak or because I just went back to work and used my arm too much on computer. Also I was wearing a bra, maybe too tight? Or because I slept on the side and pressed it too much? For the ladies who had TE leak, did you have pain?
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Oh yes insurance will pay or it!!0 -
So I got one drain out and one had to stay in
....so the one they took out the hole looks HUGE! He said it would seal up on its own....what did you do when drains came out??0 -
xinghong - I did have a leak in one TE when I originally had my BMX. It was not painful at all. I just noticed that it was getting smaller. I did have to go in and get it swapped out. Very minor surgery but was frustrating because I had to start over with fills. Let me know what you find out.
Clyday - my PS told me the same thing and it did close up pretty quickly. He just wanted me to keep it covered until it it stopped oozing. Within a week it looked much better!
Good luck to all of you recovering. It's a process, but worth it in the long run
Hugs,
Kathy
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Thank you Kathy for your information. I had high fever yesterday morning and more pain and swollen on the right side. I went to surgeon's office right away. The surgeon said it was not a leaking, but maybe irritation. I am on antibiotics now and also taking Tylenol. This morning I still have high fever and still lots of pain on the right chest. I will wait one more day to see if I will get better. I just don't understand how it suddenly happen. I was feeling great before this.
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Xinghong - I would be concerned about the high fever too. What is your temp? Maybe you should call your surgeon's office back and see if they have any concern about the fever still being there. If you weren't having pain in your chest, I would wonder if you caught a flu or something. That is a definate change because you've been doing so good.
Hugs,
Kathy
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Hello all! It's been 6 weeks since my double mastecomies & LD flap on both sides. I started back to work last week, & that has been wonderful for my recovery. I still have tightness in my back, but find I'm able to lie on it w/out major discomfort - I even wake up during the night actually lying on my back. So, I'm thinking I'm not so guarded when I sleep. I still haven't slept w/out waking to reposition, but at least I'm going right back to sleep, so feeling more rested. I also stretch & massage incisions (front & back), & that seems to help w/ sensitivity. I'm not a fan of TE's - I've had 4 60cc expansions on both sides & find it very uncomfortable for at least 24 hours. PS put 600cc expanders, but I really don't want to go to 600 since that will mean 6 more. My PS said we can continue to discuss, but she does over-expand to accomodate for the implant. She also said the fullness under the arms will go down in time. Have pulling & twinging in the front, but apparently normal.
Keryl - I can sympathize w/ back & shoulder burning. Experience that daily & think it's how I'm holding & guarding my body. Can't wait until I feel like I can just relax.
Healing thoughts & speedy recovery to all!
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Hi Kathy, my temperature was 38.4 yesterday morning. I started taking antibiotics yesterday noon. This morning was 38.6, but temp was decreased to 37.4 this afternoon. I do have pain and swollen on the right chest. If I still have temp higher than 38 tomorrow. I will call surgeon's office. As you said it's definite a change, but I just don't know how it happened.
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Xinghong-I am sorry to hear about your temp. ; hopefully it will respond very quickly if that's what it is...each evening my temp up one degree then normal again each morning. Dr not concerned. I don't have a TE but definitely have one spot on bottom of breast that is very tender and a little more discolored than the rest and it hurts more during the mild massage I am doing.
I had my recheck yesterday and all ok. I started a few excercises today but taking it slow. I don't want to lose mobility but find it hard for us to trust bodies and recovery these days. I can't even imagine going back to work - but I am just at two weeks. I can walk a bit, stretching and massage. My back "loaf" as I call it is smaller. My back still feels like it could open though! I am still taking meds but can get by on about half and add in some Advil. Eating tons of protein powder stuff and lots of vitimins, C especially, lots of water.
hang in there.
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Xinghong - thinking of you & hoping antibiotics will knock out whatever is causing temp & you feel better soon.
Keryl - at 2 weeks, I also wondered how I would ever return to work. But, I can tell you, at about 5 weeks post op, I started to feel like it was possible. Overall, the recovery has been more than I ever anticipated. I'm very impatient, & although each day is a little better than the day before, feeling normal again is not happening as quickly as I would like. I constantly have to remind myself to take one day at a time. It's a new normal for sure.
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Following all your recoveries and love reading your posts. Best of luck as you continue to heal!
Have any of you used a wedge pillow? If so, did you like it or can you recommend one to me? My surgery is a few weeks away, and I'm trying to do my research. Thank you!!
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Ladies 2 weeks Post Op and am having trouble finding comfortable way to sleep. How long were you on pain med and did DR give you anything to help with muscle back aches that is safe to be on while you heal?? I have been trying to just take Ibuprofen for last few days but had take pain pill today. I think I am just restless and inpatient and need more time to heal...
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Sorry CLYDAY, I don't have an answer to your question. However, to you, Kfinnigan, DPiggy, Xinghong, Tangles & everyone else, I wanted to say that I have been reading this forum for weeks and finally decided to take the time to thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
Reading all of your experiences has been helping me to face the frightening choices of breast cancer. With the help of all of you wonderful women I will be able to move forward with my reconstruction more fully informed. Nothing can compare with the voice of experience.
Equally important is the fact that by reading your posts each day, I feel less alone. I'm certain that there are many more women reading here--who may never add their voices to this discussion--who, like me, root for you all.
Wishing each and every one of you writers (and readers) of this forum success with your reconstruction, freedom from pain and for cancer to never again enter into your lives.
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CLYDAY I took oxy for two weeks, then after that took advil, ect and an occasional oxy if I really needed to. I had more pain then most. Still 3 months out I am having to take a tramadol once a day Mostly in the afternoons that I work. Not sure if the back pain will ever totally go away but it is much much better..............0 -
Hi,
I've been busy and haven't checked in in awhile but I wanted to see how everyone was doing.
Clyday, I took valium every night for at least three weeks and found it helped a lot -- it is more of a muscle relaxant (and anti-anxiety med) than a pain reliever but for me I was more bothered by tightness than pain (I never took narcotics once I was home, only motrin for a couple of weeks). I've been doing a lot more physical activity now (I'm 9 or 10 weeks post-op now, can't remember exactly!!) and last night I had a lot of tightness in my upper back and neck -- found one last valium and took half of it and I slept very well. Hope that helps.
Xinghong, I hope your infection is better!
Just to let everyone know, 9-10 weeks out I'm feeling really good -- no pain, some tightness at times but no more than mildly uncomfortable. I'm running 2-3 miles a couple times/week and just started back at a serious dance class this week (I definitely feel the tightness there but am surprised I can do almost everything, although it's harder than before). I LOVE my physical therapists -- I try to go twice a week and they make me feel so good. They spend about half the time doing massage and half the time stretching. Highly recommend PT once your surgeon says it's ok. Find someone who specializes in post-mastectomy patients.
Good luck to everyone!
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I still take oxy at least daily but just when needed and fill in with Advil. I am two and a half week out. I am doing mild excercises and looking forward to PT when ready. I have had a long road since 2008 and used PT along the way. I agree it should be someone who know post bc and now , post lat dorsi. I wish I had done this surgery earlier and not nursed the radiated breast so long. I am a bit worried it will take me much longer because of that. My friend brought be a wedge pillow but actually it was too firm and rigid. I like having a mix of soft and firm and move them around. I wake up 2-3 times but get decent sleep. I can't imagine returning to work anytime soon so dpiggy your update helped. Hang in there everyone.
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Honeybadger, you said things that I feel, so thanks!
I have to remember that since my mastectomy and major lymph node removal almost 6 years ago, that I am still tight from that and everyday I stretch which makes a big difference, so hoping the lat flap doesn't make it majorly worse! I am hopeful that I can feel as well as I do now and recover quickly.
Thanks Keryl for the wedge pillow info. My coworkers went ahead and ordered me one from Brookstone, which looks like I can use it to stay propped up to watch TV. I find now (I'm on Arimidex) that when I sleep on firm pillows, I get a stiff neck for 2 days!
I'm going to ask my PS (I see him next Monday for my pre-op) about physical therapy too.
Xinghong, are you feeling better yet?
Peaceful healing thoughts to all! Soft hugs
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Clyday - I stopped talking oxy when the last drain was removed, which was about 10 days post op, & switched over to ibuprofen, motrin, tylenol, whatever would work. I find I go longer before needing something to help when I'm tight & achy, which is considerably less than it was several weeks ago. I do take one pain med the night of my expansion & the next night to ease the discomfort so I can get some sleep, but then I'm good. I had my 5th expansion today, & have 5 more scheduled. Definitely not my favorite thing, but I know it is all part of the process. You need to feel comfortable, so take what makes you relax for now; your body doesn't need to be that stressed. It will ease up in time. For 3 weeks post op, PS would only allow me to sleep on my back, & that was very uncomfortable. At 3 weeks, she said I could sleep on my side, & that help tremendously.
GabriellaM - I'm married to a PT, so I totally agree, therapy works wonders. Massaging is awesome for the incisions & tightness, mild yoga stretches for the back & stretching for arms & shoulders. My PS allowed me to start stretching above my head @ 3 weeks, but waited until 6 weeks before I could begin full rotation. I was given the green light to use light weights, but gauge by the pain that I feel.
Xinghong - thinking of you & hoping you're doing well.
Honeybadger - I also used this forum to help through the reconstruction recovery & to know that I wasn't alone. Thank you for joining!
Healing thoughts to all!
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Keryl, I was looking back and I didn't remember that you and I were in the Clinical Trial E5103 together years ago!! All those fun discussions...lol
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hi all, ok I think maybe I did too much. My surgeon said I could begin some of the early excercises. I was really only doing mild raising to 45degrees and some shrugs and circles; climbing wall only to certain height and walking. NOW I am with terrible tightness now almost akin to what it was initially. Not as much pain, but definitely so so so tight it's fairly incapacitating. I am back to couch potato hoping it calms down. Geez. I am going to ignore my husband who keeps saying " it's going to be hardwork". I am going to not let him bother me. I am almost 3 weeks and I do not want to lose ground! I think it's too soon.
Kfinigan, yes I had double mx and lymph nodes out 6 years ago also which cause me lots of ongoing physical issues. The last two years I have really neglected this ongoing sickly side so I am sure it plays in on longer recovery, darn. Yes, the Trial E5103- Wow that was a traumatic time for me - I remember feeling so alone then and this site really helped me get through. As for comfort, the other thing I use is a small fleece blanket to tuck in wherever needed. It's soft and forgiving. You might try that too.
Dpiggy, why did ps say no sleeping on side? Is that because you had both or expanders? I have been on my right side since day one but then only had my left done this time around, no expander needed.
Ok, take care everyone.
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Keryl - no sleeping on my side due to having LD done on both sides @ same time. She wanted to be sure area healed to a certain point before placing any pressure by lying on my side. I'm not a back sleeper, plus my back was causing me the most discomfort, so there were many sleepless nights. I still wake during the night - every 2-3 hours to reposition - but go right back to sleep. I'm 7 weeks out & still experience tightness from time to time. Be patient - I know easier said than done. I too felt very discouraged & was depressed for a while (I cried all the time) because I couldn't get back to anything normal for some time. And, I was so tired of being in constant discomfort. My husband constantly told me this is a work in progress, that I'm strong, & in time, it will get better. After the third time, I told him I appreciated his encouragement, but he didn't have a clue.
Has the PS recommended massaging your incisions? This seems to really help me. I am anxiously awaiting the day when I no longer feel the pulling, twinging, pain (especially after my TE expansions), tightness, etc. - when I can finally exhale & just relax. I know it's coming - that's what keeps me going.0 -
Hi all! Thanks everyone for thinking of me. I started to have bad pain and high fever suddenly 4 weeks post op and I was really doing great before this happened. Last Friday I had to go to emergency and was admitted to hospital. I was treated with iv antibiotics and pain medication. Fever was gone on the first day in the hospital. I had a little swollen and light redness and now they are almost gone. I don't have pain right now because I am on stronger pain medication since yesterday. My surgeon said it's an early infection but can't tell how it happened. Yesterday I noticed that my TE is slight caved in at the bottom. One of the residence said the shape of TE may change after infection and may get back to normal after more fills. I couldn't do my 2nd expansion due to the infection. It's scheduled on next Thursday. Hope I can do it by then. To be honest I am feeling a little depressed and worried now. I felt so good after surgery and recovered really well. I thought that's it and it's not that too bad, and then suddenly it happened, and I even don!t know a reason. And I don't know if it will happen again. Nothing too serious this time, but it does makes me worried a little about the process.
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Xinghong - glad you're back. Hopefully, this was a one time issue, & from here on out, things will go smoothly. Be sure to rest, & sending positive thoughts that this too shall pass.
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xinghong , yes glad to hear the treatment worked and addressed the infection. I am three weeks and was hoping I was beyond the infection risk, but I guess it continues. Keep the course and will be thinking positive thoughts.
My breast is a little dented on top; seems it's where my pec muscle separates a bit from breast. Hoping when this all relaxes, it will improve. (?)
Dpiggy, when does the sandpaper like ing stop on your back or does it?
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Keryl - my personal experience has been that the different sensations/sensitivities change during the healing process. I no longer have that intense sandpaper type of burning, but now it's more achy, tight (but getting better) & also feel pulling. I am still unable to sit the normal way in a chair/couch/bed, but I've been trying. A few weeks ago, I would have never considered even trying. I notice that activity can increase those sensitivies, sometimes the day after. But, I want to be more active so I can feel like I'm doing something normal again. I do know that it's my TE's that cause me the greatest discomfort now - front & back. Usually starts several hours after & into the next day. I know it's coming, so no surprise, but still doesn't make it any easier. I had radiation on both sides, so that may be why it bothers me so much. And, it's also stretching the muscle & tissue that was pulled from the back. I keep repeating to myself, "this too shall pass." It's what keeps me going.
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Hi ladies, I am 9 weeks post-op bi lat LD flaps and 1 week post-op left TE repositioning, with 4 nights hospital stay this time. My PS has me wearing a sling on my left arm for 2 weeks to restrict my movements with that arm, to stop the left TE from moving back under my arm. Therefore, I am back in the recovery mode of not being able to do much. Soft hugs to everyone going through recovery.
Lucy20, Why did you have to have further surgery on your left TE.
cheers from Chris
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Christabell-my left tissue expander curled so the magnetic circle to insert the needle to fill was unable to be detected. I could not even feel that I had it curled until we were trying to do some expansion fills, PS didn't really say it was from me moving around too much but she did say they can move around. My LD surgery... my PS did not fill the expanders so that is probably why it moved so much. Now, 4 weeks after my tissue expander redo...my left back side is so tight. My next fill isn't until June 27th...going slow.
Hope you fell better soon
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Had my pre-op appt. yesterday - so much information!! PS said NO sports bra until phase 2, he wants nothing tight against the moved lat flap. What did you girls wear after your phase 1? I will get a left lat flap with TE. Will be off work 4 1/2 weeks, but will have to come back to work with no bra? Well that will be weird...
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Hi kifinnigan, 2 weeks after the surgery, for about a week, I had sandpaper burning feeling on the chest, I felt like I need bra to hold them when I went out for walking. I weared sports bra for walking and VS bra ( took out the wires) for work. 2 days after going back to work, I got pain, swollen on the bottom of the right side (no LD, only TE), which developed to infection. It's from inside, not incision. So I am thinking maybe the bra pressed too much on the TE? My surgeon couldn't explain why I got infection. So Now I don't wear any bra any more. I just wear a tan top with loose clothes. I only had one fill so far because of the infection. Hopefully I will get my second fill this Thursday. Then I can look a little bigger after it. I am skinny any way, so with loose clothes I think I look ok.
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I am four weeks out and no plans to return to work yet. I have only used a tank top though I have been pretty home bound. My dr doesn't like anything binding either. I am reading about all of you having expander where my dr put in an immediate small implant with LD- after removing the prior implant and all unhealthy tissue. Now at 4 weeks my incisions look great , my back is still tight , but improving.....but I have recent pain in the crease with some throbbing pain in breast overall. Minimal fever. No discolor. I haven't been on antibiotics for over two weeks but the pain is new and real. I am hoping this is not an infection but I am starting to think so. It is a very distinct throb and I do feel some lightheaded/nausea. I would be happy if he agreed to go on antibiotic big time but he may not. I don't think they will do an IV without admittance/fever. Worried now that maybe the expander minimizes infection risk, not clear on that.
Xinghong and anyone else that had a wave of pain at four weeks, what was the determining factor for treatment? I am having a hard time determining referred pain vs. site of origin with no visable infection.
KFinningan, what date is your procedure again? Best to you, sorry for my bummer news above--
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