Latissimus Dorsi Breast Reconstruction
Comments
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Linda - I did look at the link and although it is interesting, one should not watch it BEFORE they have it done. Such as the case with me. Yikes! But I will make it through.
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Jo, that is the reason I gave the warning...some people cannot watch live operations. As for me it does not hurt but helps me. Before my hyster last summer I watched a vaginal hyster then I watched a robotic surgery.....I knew from watching that no way did I want the vaginal and I told my doctor that. I ended up with the robotic. That surgery is amazing to watch. It gave me confidence that everything was going to be OK.
I did not see this video until much later after my LD surgery.
The best to you Jo on your upcoming LD surgery. If I can answer any questions for you just ask...
have a great day
Linda
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Jo, that is the reason I gave the warning...some people cannot watch live operations. As for me it does not hurt but helps me. Before my hyster last summer I watched a vaginal hyster then I watched a robotic surgery.....I knew from watching that no way did I want the vaginal and I told my doctor that. I ended up with the robotic. That surgery is amazing to watch. It gave me confidence that everything was going to be OK.
I did not see this video until much later after my LD surgery.
The best to you Jo on your upcoming LD surgery. If I can answer any questions for you just ask...
have a great day
Linda
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Well it is 4 weeks now since my LD surgery. Still feel tight in the front but not near as bad. My back does not really bother me, in fact I lost my little love handles so that is a bonus. Got the ok to get a bra or two last week, can only wear for a few hours though, its gets painful on my side where the stiches are. Still feels like tupperware up front. I hope they drop and get softer like my BS said they would. Not lifting yet, have been doing stationary bike and eliptical, and very light strength training for arms. I have not been able to ride my horse so that is a drag!! Doc says no bouncing right now. Just need to let time heal me. Hope everyone had a nice Easter!!
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I realized the other day that I have absolutely NO Iron bra feeling anymore! Not sure exactly when it left me, but I am past the 1 year mark on this surgery and it is gone.
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that is wonderful news Beth .... April 28th will be the 4th anniv of my surgery. My iron bra feeling has gotten so much better. I have been lifting more weight at the gym and wonder if that has had a positive effect. I know some on the boards say that lifting too much weight is not good for this tightness but it apparently has help with mine. I do not work the lats because they are no longer where they should be.0
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Beth & Linda - Have a question - is the iron bra feeling because you had TEs?
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Jo, I think it is because of the muscle being tunneled and repositioned on the chest. I am not sure about this but it makes sense. But I might add that there are a couple of ladies in my town...(same surgery, same PS, same time frame) that I have asked about the tightness and they have not experienced it. I guess some of us are just lucky..
I did feel great discomfort (like a boa constrictor) when I would run...that was when I still had the expanders in. I thought for sure that when I had the exchange the tightness would be gone...I was so disappointed. I worked with a PT but she really did not know what to do for me. That was a waste of time.
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Linda - That is good to know. It is something I can be aware of.
Have an appt with the PS tomorrow afternoon. The reality of all this is sinking in and I am getting nervous. I have to sign all the paperwork and get pre admit stuff. Can't believe how fast the time has flown.
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Jo, my thoughts will be with you tomorrow.
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I just watched the video. Wow! I had to switch to other pages and just listen at times. I think I had seen it before but didn't finish it. I found it very interesting. Thank you Linda for posting the link again.
Jo - I hope it didn't freak you out too much.
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jwilco - I was kind of hard to watch at times. At least I have a much better idea of what is going to happen. I will not be getting an expander - no implant. Thank goodness I will be totally out while the surgery is going on.
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I watched some of it. Yes, glad that I will be in lala land while the doc is having his fun with me. I also read through my PS's publication on Medscape which is pretty much of a step -by-step "how to" guide. Yikes! Ignorance WAS bliss!
My surgery is at 1pm tomorrow. I had been told to expect it to be at 730am, but, oh well. Nothing to eat or drink after midnight tonight so I will be well dehydrated and starved by 1pm. With the late surgery, it looks like I will not be going home until Friday.
Jo1955... good luck to you next week. I will try to update you on how it goes for me, but as you have certainly been told many times already, "everyone is different". I wish I had a buck for everytime I haved heard this through this whole BC journey.
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joan888......I pray your surgery goes well and without complications or infection. Check in with us when you feel up to getting on the computer.
Linda
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joan888 - Keeping fingers crossed everything goes well and wishing you a speedy recovery. Check in when you can and let us know how you are doing.
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My buddy Joan, thinking of you! Be not afraid.
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Back from the PS. Have to go to the hospital on Friday to be preadmitted and have labs done. They will let me know what time to be at the hospital. The nurse told me I was on the schedule for 8:00 am. Will be put on a 23 hour observation and will go home sometime on Thurs - YAY!!!! I asked about showering with drains and PS said no shower until drains come out - GRRRR! Will have one or two - not sure yet. No bras for probably a month. Now just want to get this over with.
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Good luck Joan888 - you will be fine. One day at a time and I promise each day gets better.
Jo - I'm sorry he said no shower with the drains. I guess all drs are different with their rules. So I hope your drains come out quick.
Anticipation can be almost as bad as the surgery. I wish you both luck on your big day. You will both be fine!
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Wow, it's amazing how every PS has a different opinion about showering with drains or wearing bras!
I did not have to wear a surgery bra, and I had SIX drains for my surgery last July for BMX, ALND, Immed Recon w/Direct Implant Surgery plus an unexpected second surgery 5 days post-op to evacuate a massive hematoma.
Even with all that mess, I was still allowed to take a shower as soon as I got out of the hospital both times. I had the drains for 3 weeks, too. I had a shower chair and the shower massage with cord so my husband had to shower me and wash my hair everyday for at least 7 days. Then I could do it myself, but still sitting in chair and hand held shower thing, with arms down low.
Yuck - it took about three showers to get all that antibacterial yellow-orange slime off and out of my nooks and crannies! Then the damn hematoma happened, back in OR, cut open again, added yet another drain, more slime on my bod again! And PS STILL said I could take showers with drains!
Soooo, in two weeks I have my "Revision Plus" surgery at JH-Baltimore. PS there said I might have one drain. Don't know what his discharge instructions are gonna be, but I can tell you I will be one non-compliant patient if he says I cannot shower until drain is out. I don't know if he's heard from my cardio yet that I am to stay on my aspirin and heart meds again through the surgery, and whether aspirin increases the possibility of having a drain.
I was on Keflex (antibiotic) for the 3 week duration that I had my drains. I didn't have any problems except I felt like a freak with six snakes sewn in me. My husband assisted the visiting nurse everytime one was ready to come out. If I have a drain this time, I may ask the surgeon if my husband can remove it. There are other survivors on these boards that live in rural areas that said they were given a drain removal kit.
Just in case I plan to pack my special camis that hold drains.
I have two pretty camisoles that open up the front, and have velcro, detachable pockets for drains. Mine only had four pockets, but having six drains still worked because I could fit two drains into one pocket. The black cami I actually wore out in public which mainly meant going to doctor appts. The white one looked to "underwear-ish." I got them at a mastectomy boutique, and insurance paid for them.
Well wishes to you Jo with your surgery. I'm a golfer, too, and can't wait to play again. Missed last summer, and now this summer again?, but you know how it is - once a golfer, always a golfer.
Blessings to everybody with upcoming surgeries!
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Joan's DH posted on another thread that Joan is out of surgery, back in her room and doing well. What a relief! I have been thinking about her all day.
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Thanks for the update. I'm glad all went well.
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thanks Beth for the update.....glad the surgery is behind her...now one day at a time...and for everyone who has upcoming surgeries....it does get better each passing day.
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Beth - Thanks for the update. Glad joan is out of surgery and resting.
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Wow, no shower while the drains are in? That's pretty harsh. They let me shower while I was still in the hospital!
Can't wait to hear from Joan. I'll be thinking you Jo next week. Hope we all start the summer looking fabulous!
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alex - Guess that goes to show you how different each doctor is. Another sister had to stop all her medications 3 weeks prior to her BMX and immediate recon. The only one I have to stop is the Fish Oil. I will probably find a way to shower with them in. I have not heard of anyone not being able to do that. I hate sitting in bath tubs and then washing my hair in the sink.
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Hi ladies. Yes, I am doing okay. Psi serially thrilled with the outcome. Proud his work, as he should be. Surgery took 4 hours so i didn't get into a room until around 7pm. So, i won'tbe going home until sometime tomorrow. PS said there was a whole lot of scar tissue built up that he was able to remove. The new boob is rather flat, but very soft. PS promises everything will fall into place. And no more cellulitis infections. But now, I will have two different feeling boobs. The non-radiated side has just the implant and my new boob has an implant covered with fresh tissue. That may take some time getting used to.
My PS and my BS insist on a shower 24 hours after surgery. Can't wait for that to happen later this afternoon. My DH is going to help me. And we will be getting a refresher course in handling the drains. I have 4 and sounds like they will be with me for a few weeks.0 -
Gotta love that auto speller on the IPad. That should say that my PS is thrilled with the outcome
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What great news Joan! I'm really pleased with mine too. I know you're jazzed right now, but take it easy and give yourself time to heal. Be careful bending over - it's the wierdest feeling ever!
Jo: You're right, all docs are so different. Mine told me to absolutely NOT take a bath while the drains were in. I don't get it.
Be well!
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Joan - So glad you have great news. Wishing for a speedy recovery. Take it easy and be kind to yourself.
Alex - When I had the catheter in for the mammosite rads I could not shower and my BS really did not want me in the tub but I found a way to do the tub. I took the tubes that were hanging down and taped them to my chest and just washed carefully. You know the old saying - "Where there is a will, there is a way."
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Hi! I am wondering how many weeks after the lat dorsi surgery you ladies were able to do 'heavy' lifting?
A little background on me if that will help: I had a unilateral mx January 2011 with TE (had surgery when I was 6 months pregnant!), but due to capsular contracture, I had both the TE and some extra skin removed so that my right side has been completely 'empty' since June 2011. In August 2012 I am going to have the lat dorsi surgery. I have been waiting to do that surgery so long because I am breastfeeding with my normal left breast and I need to be done with nursing before the operation. I'm not going to have an additional implant or TE placed in the reconstructed breast until I'm done having kids and done nursing (since pregnancy and nursing do crazy things to breast size and the PS won't know how big to make the final result until then). Anyway, at the time of the lat dorsi surgery, my mother will fly in and help with my baby who will be 16 months old by then. My husband will take time off work too. Now to the point of this post... When should I expect to be strong enough to lift my toddler?? I expect she'll be about 25 pounds by then. How many weeks should I plan on other care for her? I am a stay-at-home mom, so normally I carry her all the time. Thanks!
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