Inner Thigh Flap (TUG) Anyone?
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Two Hobbies - I''m worried about you using the exfoliant on your scars because of the little pieces in the scrub that might stick to the scars and possibly cause an infection but perhaps I'm being paranoid! I just use exfoliating gloves or a washcloth and rub gently.
Happy - welcome - your advice is definately wanted here -thanks for popping in! I will reduce my carbs and see what happens. I eat a lot of protein so at least I'm doing that part but I know I eat way too many carbs (they help with the nausea from chemo). Any advice on nausea would be greatly appreciated.
Yes, my seroma is coming back already. They took about 250 ml the first time they drained it and this last time they took about 350! Time to try the low carb diet.
Hey, where's the sunshine? I need to work on my suntan on my bald head.
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No one is more paranoid than me, Lifelover. Now that you mention it, I'll just use the washcloth - gently.
Did you ask your doctor if they can help with the nausea? I know with methotrexate (not taken for cancer but another conditon) they have a whole regimen of zofran and benadryl. I'm not saying that is the answer for your particular therapy but hopefully they have a way to help some.
Good way to get your vitamin D with that extra skin exposed, but don't forget a little sunscreen! Your photo proves a smile is more important than hair.
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Thanks Two Hobbies. Yeah, smiling is so important. It helps me stay strong.
My nurses seem to think that I might do better without nausea meds because they make me so anxious and I already take an antidepressant for my anxiety. However, they did give me Zofran. I don't know anything about the effects of benadryl but will ask about that when I see my oncologist this week.
More gardening to do this morning. I'm planting some flowers from seed as I love watching the little plants start to grow. Only problem is that my cats love the newly dug dirt and think it's their personal play and area and litter box
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I love seeing them grow from seed too. I said to my husband that I'm always amazed that they come up and grow. He didn't get me - said that's the way they grow. Yes of course they do but I still find it amazing to watch.
I don't have cats but chipmunks or squirrels do the same thing. I think its chipmunks that love that fresh tilled soil. I actually think chipmunks have been eating my strawberries and not birds. I put a large toy T-Rex out there and it seems to be working! Take that! I wonder how long I can fool them. I wonder how many T-Rex I need to watch my garden. We have one area with fencing around but others without and I don't think I'll get fencing up any time soon. We''ve been having sunflowers eaten and I'm waiting for someone to munch up the broccoli and cauliflower that are coming up from seed.
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Hi Ladies. I am about to have the TUG surgery next week - thank you so much for sharing your experiences so far - it has really helped! I am another one who has been so stressed about the reconstruction side of things that I "forgot" I had cancer - glad I'm not the only one - I feel like I've been going slowly mad! Thanks to your advice, I have now got a list of things that I need for the hospital & some ideas as to what to do and expect afterwards - just got to get one of those pee things! I am definitely going to miss looking after my garden & veggies though for a while.
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Welcome, 80sGirl, and good luck with your surgery next week. I hope everything goes smoothly. I am two months post-op and I have come a long way towards normal. I still have some fatigue issues on the days I try to do too much. I think I'm going to be really happy with my surgery. . My breasts look good and I'm going to love my thinner thighs. I was even able to find a bathing suit yesterday that covers my healing -up incisions and I'm ready to go to the pool and hit the lazy river. I hadn't been sure I was going to want to be seen in a bathing suit this summer, so I'm thrilled I found one that seems to cover all the red marks.
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Thanks TwoHobbies. I am pleased for you that you have found such a good swimsuit - have you tried it out now? I am now back at home. The surgery went ok and I am slowly recovering. I've got quite a bit of leg pain at the moment so I can't sit for long, but I've found using one of those rub-in pain killers helps to numb it to the point where it is bearable. The worst bit for me at the moment is not being able to do very much & having to ask others to help me do the simplest things! It gets very frustrating. I know I should be patient, but I'm not very good at that either!
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I'm glad your surgery went well. Sometimes it was hard for me to find the exact angle to rest my legs at. Too high was not good and too low was not good. Keep experimenting. I also hated being helpless but you'll get beyond that and be up and around. Next stage you'll hate being able to get around but not do everything. And I'm at the stage I can do everything but it wears me out way more than it used to.
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80sgirl, Just try to bear with the inactivity and the frustration. It will not last, and you definitely want to avoid pushing it too soon. Let people help you as much as you need, and then figure you can return the favors later in some fashion. TwoHobbies is right about the stages. Even after you can do most or all of the things you could do before, you might still find yourself needing a nap rather unexpectedly, or feel an odd twinge over the front of your knee from your quad having tightened up. I hope your leg pain has eased up by now.
I am pretty much back to normal except my leg feels tight on the inside and back side. I'm working on gentle stretching, as well as massaging my scar, which has already smoothed out quite a bit after about 10 weeks. But I'm still massaging it to help avoid tightening of scar tissue.
My arm cording is pretty much gone thanks to an awesome physical therapist. I would urge anyone who can't raise their arm not to wait the oft-quoted "4 or 5 weeks" to see if your range of motion comes back. (Of course don't see a PT until your surgeon says it's OK, though.) I started therapy at 3 weeks and had 5 sessions with her, one about every 10 days, mostly working on my arm and a bit on my leg. I've got full range of motion back in my arm and no pain.
I'm still worried about the possibility of fat necrosis, as my hard area has not softened up at all. I have a checkup in about 2 weeks, so I guess I'll hear the official verdict then and see what's next.
TwoHobbies, I'm glad to hear that it sounds like you're doing pretty well.
Lifelover, how are you? I hope you're tolerating the chemo and finding something lovely in every day.
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Exercise again? I'm at about 9 weeks postop and my right breast has a hard area along the top of the breast. PS says it's edema due to overdoing it one day, but it doesn't seem to be budging. How long did it take your swelling to go away after overdoing it? My right leg also seems a bit tight and I'm mainly doing short walks for exercise. When were you able to do more strenuous exercise? Which exercises did you start with? I love partner dancing (especially swing) and was running/biking before surgery. Thanks for your help! It's so great to see so many women on here who had the same surgery.
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Thanks Louisa, I'm doing ok. I really hate the chemo and the way I'm tired and sick to my stomach everyday but I'm trying to relax into it knowing chemo will be over hopefully in September.
Squishon, I guess I overdo it sometimes but I'm careful now because I've had a lot of problems with a seroma in one of my thighs. My surgeon says he may restrict my movement if I keep having problems. I can walk a bit but no more - due more to my lack of energy from the chemo.
I'm now just over 3 months post-op and still have numbness at scar sites (I'm told this could last a year, possibly more). My breast tissue is soft now but my breasts ache. My scars are slow to heal but I should be massaging them more often then I do, I suspect. My surgeon says I'm a slow healer. But I haven't had any infection in my breasts. My chest is sore but when this goes away I'm promised I can have fat injections in the top of my breasts which are looking rather skeleton like - the rest of my breast areas are round and looking good though. And I have nipples which look quite realistic.
Squishon, I admire you being able to do so much physical exercise and I aspire to be like you when my chemo is over. Thanks for posting!
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Squishon, I'm coming up on my three month mark and my exercise is primarily walking. I do my stretching exercising for the upper body and I walk four times a week about 35 minutes each time. I haven't been able to walk more than four times a week yet. I seem to need the recovery time, so I decided to just stick to that schedule for a while. I do think I could ride a bike (if my tire wasn't flat), but I haven't tried it yet for that reason. I go to the pool but I grab a tube and float around the lazy river, so I'm not really swimming but still kicking and moving my arms occassionally. I think in my case that running would be too jostling and painful at this point, on both my chest and thighs. And I think I'd have to dance gently and slowly. I do still get some swelling in my legs but not as bad as earlier. I elevate my legs when I sleep and its better in the morning but still comes back a little during the day.
Louisa sounds like you are doing well and you always remind me to do my arm exercises, which I don't really like. Its not the exercises, its feeling sore the next day I hate. I have good range of motion in the one side, but still tight where the nodes were taken out on the other and probably have about 80% range, so I need to continue to work on that.
Lifelover, I'm so sorry the chemo is giving you a rough ride. Sounds like you're at least half way through so hand in there.
80sgirl I hope you are healing well and seeing a little progress on the helpless thing.
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Squishon, I had my surgery (unilateral) about 11 weeks ago. Exercise-wise, I was not "super-active" before the surgery. I do tons of gardening, which entails lots and lots of stretching and bending and some lifting. I also used to do the odd pilates or mild cardio class once or twice a week. And lots of walking. I was pretty flexible to start with.
I did not have any complications like infections or seromas from my surgery. As of right now, I would say that I feel confident that I could hike several miles. I can bend and stoop and stretch almost normally. I can also do child's pose again! But not for very long. I am starting to work on squatting, which is my preferred weeding posture. But my legs--both of them--feel a tad odd, maybe weaker than before, when I try to do that. I still have numbness below the incision on the back and inside of my leg, but it seems to be decreasing. I just read somewhere that nerves are supposed to regenerate--if they are going to--at the rate of about 1 in. per month. I have run a very little bit--across a bridge, and across the yard. It sort of feels good to let loose.
As for my breast, well, I'm only an A, so there's not all that much to be bouncing around no matter what I do! : )
TwoHobbies, I honestly think that the physical therapy sessions themselves did at least as much good as my exercising my arm between sessions (10 days)--if not more good. My therapist specializes in women's health, so she knows all about lymphedema etc too. She really worked at my cording. Sometimes it hurt a bit, but I trusted her and she helped me immensely. The last session we worked on my leg. She said that some of what I was feeling was actually due to my quad atrophying a tad. She gave me some easy exercises for that, as well as a few basic yoga series like cat/cow/downward dog/child's pose, and also a kneeling sun salutation.
Sorry for going on and on. I tend to do that. . . .
Well wishes to everyone!
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Lifelover, I am saying prayers for you every day...I hope you come home soon!
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Thanks my dear friend MD! I love your picture! I'm finally home from hospital! Hooray!
Yes, I've had my seroma drained now 6 times and about the 5th time it became infected and I now have cellulitis. I developed a high fever (am also in the middle of chemo) and was in hospital for a week getting IV antibiotics.
I am going to try to live with the seroma for now until my chemo ends in September - perhaps my body will absorb it afterall. If I keep having it drained, I will risk further infection.
My oncologist said I should start walking and keep moving to help my body deal with the seroma so today I'm starting a regular walking program - gradually increasing the time I walk.
I hope you are all well and having no complications!
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Lifelover, sorry to hear of another trip to the hospital, but I'm glad you are back home. Hopefully that seroma will give you a break and just disappear on its own.
Louisa I'm trying to avoid PT mostly because I just wanted to take the summer off without doctors, hospitals, being poked and prodded. I postponed my nipple surgery because I wanted to be able to go swimming. I'll do it in the fall instead. I'll have my BS check my range of motion when I go back in September, but I think by then I'll be fine.
I'm 3 1/2 months post surgery. I still get soreness in my chest later in the day but none in my legs. Breasts and legs are still numb but improving. I have about 90% range of motion in my "bad" arm (sentinel node side). I can reach straight up now but not up and behind my head. I walk 30 to 45 minutes several times a week. I still get quite tired but its hard to tell how much is from surgery and how much from getting up at 5:30 to go to work.
Health and happiness to all!
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Hi Two Hobbies,
Congratulations on your progress - you are doing so well despite the after effects of the surgery - they are all normal from what I've been told. One day we will wake up and feel wonderful and look wonderful. 5.30 am for work - good for you!!!!! You are a star!!!! Not everyone would or could do this even without having had recent surgery.
GOOD NEWS: The infection in my seroma is gone and the swelling is finally healing and shrinking - the corticosteriod shot is finally working. My clothes fit well and I'm walking around sturdily now. No more "sloshy" thighs
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Yeah I'm glad your seroma went away and now no worries about to drain or not to drain and infection.
Oh I can't wait to feel wonderful again. Won't that be nice. Some days I feel close to normal, but not wonderful. And don't feel like a star, but thanks. Just getting back to real life, one foot in front of the other.
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Does anyone have advice on bras a few months post-surgery? At my 2 1/2 months post-op my PS said I could wear a regular bra, sports bra, or go braless, whichever I preferred. So far, I have been wearing no bra most days, some days I wear a sports bra. The no-bra method has been the most comfortable, for some reason the sports bra hurts after a few hours.
Yesterday I had a coupon and thought I'd go see if I could find a comfortable bra. Turns out I tried on bra after bra and couldn't find anything that seemed to fit or look good. I don't know if I need to wait longer for something to settle or swelling to subside or if I need different brands, different size. I measured the way they tell you to measure, and I started out looking for that size, but they were all too small. So I tried one band size larger and a cup size larger. Going up a cup size seemed to be the closest fit. I did find ONE bra that sort of fit and didn't look odd, but it seemed a tad too big at the top half of the bra and I was afraid it would pucker after a few washes. So then I thought I would try demi-bras or push-up bras and maybe that would solve the problem. After trying on more than 20, I was tired and discouraged and decided I'd continue with my no bra, sports bra rotation for a while.
Knowing my luck, I'm sure the answer will be that I need a bra that costs a fortune.
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Hi Two Hobbies,
A demi bra that pushes me up works best for me. I'm too thin on the top of my breasts. My surgeon says he will give me some fat injections there to round them out. But right now I don't look so great without a bra because of the thinness but it is by far, the most comfortable.
All bras seem to be uncomfortable because of the band and even without a bra, my breasts ache at the end of the day.
Oh, I did try buying a tight camisole top (the kind that hugs you) and that is quite comfortable although hard to get on and off.
I like to wear sexy bras because I feel better about myself in them . . . to be honest . . . they feel the same as the sports bras . . . a bit uncomfortable.
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Hi, everyone. I've been on vacation. We went to my brother-in-law's cabin and then, wonder of wonders, I went on a canoe trip with my husband and brother-in-law! I had originally planned to stay at the cabin with my sister-in-law while the two guys went off. But as it turned out she was leaving early, so I decided to go for it. We went to Quetico Park in Canada. It was all lake paddling. I was able to paddle like my old self! The portages were mostly fairly short, and I was able to carry a pack across them. The only slight difficulty I had was in going up hills, because my legs are not as strong as they had been before the surgery. Before that, we also did a 10-mile bike ride (5 miles in to town and 5 back). Again no trouble, except my legs were tired.
I am pretty happy with that, and would be entirely thrilled with the whole surgical outcome if I just didn't have this darned necrosis gob and hairs on my skin patch. But I am putting off any decisions about revisions, laser hair removal, nipple construction, and fat grafting until late fall or early winter. I am leaning toward having the liposuction and microfat grafting to fix the necrosis, because the prospect of living with a big hard lump is not very appealing. But for now it is such a relief to be able to quit thinking for a while about cancer, surgery, follow-ups, and moving carefully.
I hope this is encouraging to you all. I hope for you, Lifelover, Two Hobbies, Squishon, and 80sgirl, that you will soon be seeing any difficulties in your rear-view mirror.
Oh, TwoHobbies, the bra question. I am only a 36A and don't need much support. I've been able to wear my old bras. The new breast is a bit fuller at the top outside than my own breast, and I have a slight indentation beside the necrosis. I agree with Lifelover about the demi-pushup types. They make me look better--a little fuller, and having just a smidgeon of padding conceals the skin patch shape and any discrepancies between nipple and no nipple. For comfort, I just wear a lightly padded, no wire bra or else an old stretchy Moving Comfort bra. Their products are designed by women. I don't know any other brands offhand because I do most shopping at Marshall's/T.J. Maxx. I've typically found sports bras a bit uncomfortable because they tend to be so tight. Good luck finding the right thing, and hopefully it will be affordable!
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Louisa, that's great news about your fitness! That's very encouraging for all of us. I look forward to my strength returning after chemo is over - which is soon
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Cheers! I have greatly appreciated reading about everyone's experiences and thoughts about the TUG procedure. You are all wonderful, wonderful women for sharing so much with all of us, and I wish you the very best!
I have already had a right side mastectomy and TRAM reconstruction, so now I've developed a new cancer in my left breast, and it's not an option so the PS is recommending the TUG. Just reading through this discussion has answered so many questions I have, but one I didn't seem to find addressed. And that is: did any of you notice any visible difference in the size of your thighs when all the swelling had finally subsided? After having the TRAM and tummy tuck 7 years ago, my thighs absolutely ballooned in size. (The PS says that can happen, since you've lost so many fat cells with the tummy tuck, and if you tend to be "chubby" like I am, the fat has to go somewhere. And that somewhere will depend on your genetic makeup.)
I am wondering if I will need to have some balancing procedure done so my thighs won't be so mismatched. AND, if those fat cells are missing, I'm a little concerned about where any fat I gain will deposit itself next!!! Actually, it is a very small concern, since I am soooo happy to still be alive!
Mostly, I just wonder if any of you have any thoughts or experiences on the subject!0 -
Hi Cestlavie,
I'm sorry you now have cancer in your left breast but keep on fighting!
My thighs are slimmer at the top and in between since my BMX/TUG. I look much better in trousers as I don't have the fat at the top rubbing together anymore.
But, I have gained weight in my stomach because I've been eating more out of anxiety
I would think that you could have surgery to correct the balance. I'm not sure what the risks of that surgery would be - that would be something to consider. Ask your PS what, if any, options there are for symmetry.
Do you have a date for your surgery yet?
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Hi everyone - sorry I've been away for so long, but I've not really felt like talking. I'm feeling better now though and my PS & breast surgeon, plus my physio are all happy with my progress. I do feel lucky that I have not had to go through some of the stuff you ladies have, but I've had other stuff going on in my life that up until my surgery had me pretty stressed out & anxious & then I had to focus on myself and I just seemed to stop and couldn't be bothered very much any more to do anything. But I'm coming back again and was inspired by some of your posts to pick myself up, dust myself down and get on with life.
Louisa2 - I am so impressed with your fitness - you are obviously stronger than you think in more ways than one!
Lifelover - I'm really glad that your seroma has gone & that you are finally healing - I pray it continues for you.
TwoHobbies - I hope you are still putting one foot in front of the other - that's a really good thing for me to remember to do aswell! Re: the bra thing - I've had to this week resort to a "chicken breast" prosthesis as I am so unhappy about the shape of my new breast at the moment. It is sitting so much higher than my natural one that if I try to wear the tight-fitting clothes I like you can really tell. That has been one of the things that has really affected me since my surgery - I know I should be grateful that I'm alive & healing well, but I can't look at myself in the mirror without getting upset. I haven't experimented with bras yet as I am still healing and can't have anything with a wire under my new breast, although I haven't yet tried it with the chicken breast which might cushion things I guess - I'll let you know!
Cestlavie - I have noticed only a small difference in the shape of my upper thigh, which is really only visible if I was to wear tight trousers and someone was really looking! Could you ask your PS if you could have lipo on your other thigh at the same time as the TUG surgery to help even things out maybe? Ask to see post surgery photos, or I don't know whereabouts you are, but in the UK there are sometimes meetings at the local hospital for women to get to see what post-surgery looks like on some really brave women who will also answer any of your questions too. Good luck with the surgery!
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Do you guys have issues with your legs at all? I'm 3 months out from a bilateral TUG and my right leg is having issues. The muscle on the inside of that leg towards the back gets sore and tight and I find that I have to keep doing small lunges a lot to try to keep it flexible enough so it doesn't hurt while I walk. (My hamstring on that leg is also tempermental.) My left leg loosens up with stretching, while my right just feels like not much is helping it. I'm worried that it may be more of a long-term issue and was wondering if any of you had this issue. My PS said it was probably my muscles making up for the loss of part of the gracilus. My PT thinks it's scar tissue inside where they took the fat and gracilus from that needs loosening up. (I was told a large area on one of my breasts was just swelling initially, to find out later that it was necrosis.)
What types of leg exercises did you do? Do you remember how your legs felt at about 3 months out and what kinds of activities you were able to do? I walk several times a week for exercise but am anxious to be more active soon.
Cestlavie--I had a bilateral, so I can't speak to differences between the two legs, but I imagined before surgery that I would have an indentation at the top of my legs and need lipo later to even it out. Ends up I don't have an indentation and my legs look amazing. Just wish they felt better, though. Did your legs increase in size after your tummy tuck because you gained weight or because your body was trying to replace lost fat cells? If you're concerned about symmetry, you may want to look at pictures from your PS of similar patients and ask them about your options.
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Louisa, you go girl! And I can totally relate about the vacation from cancer and doctors. I am taking a bit of one myself, for the rest of the summer.
Thanks everyone for the advice on bras. I'm thinking my second shopping trip I'll try on several brands starting with the demi bras. Since the top seemed to be the part that was too big, it makes sense that a demi should fit better.
Cestlavie, sorry you have to fight the cancer again. I had bilateral, but I'm sure the PS can lipo the other thigh to make it even. Allegedly, as an adult your body is not depositing new fat cells but existing cells increase in size. So I guess you would gain weight wherever you have the most fat cells, although really you are gaining weight all over. At least that is the theory.
80sgirl, I hope you will "even out" to where you are happy. I'm sure they can make the other one look like the reconstructed breast. Not that another surgery is fun to look forward to, but it can be fixed if necessary. I wouldn't doubt it you were swollen and not in your final state yet. I hope your stresses and problems will ease. Getting back to normal life, I've had a few down days when I thought, this is what I wanted to live so much for? All the things I couldn't deal with had piled up -work crap, medical bills, son's new school wants this and that. I was taking on too much trying to get caught up and back to normal. I'm still figuring out how to stress less about those things and enjoy every day. I decided I will try to chip away at the bad pile a little at a time but still have some fun and focus on happy things every day.
Squishon I have not noticed anything unusual with my legs. I started walking first and at three months it would hurt quite a lot if I squatted. Now at four months I can do a little more squatting. What kind of activity are you doing that causes that pain? I walk a lot but that is the same motion over and over. I'd probably hurt if I tried tennis or soccer or something like that.
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TwoHobbies: I walk several times a week for about 40 min each time, but find that I need to stop occasionally to stretch my leg as it bothers me. It's the muscle on the inside of my right leg towards the back and the hamstring on the back inside of that leg that bothers me. (Feels like it's all one big muscle back there, and all of it is sore and tight.) I feel it most when I walk, although I haven't tried running or biking. Walking uphill doesn't bother it as much. My PT mentioned it may not bother me as much on the hills b/c it doesn't stretch my leg as much as on the flats. She mentioned I could try running on a treadmill for 5 minutes to start and could help drain some swelling in that leg, but am worried about hurting myself. (She said running would extend my leg out less than walking.) I would love to dance, run and bike asap, but it feels like it's a long way off. What kinds of activities are you able to do at 4 months and how do your legs feel now vs at 3 months? Thanks!
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Hi, everyone.
80sgirl, keep your chin up. Sometimes it does seem like every time you turn around, something new gets added to the load. But over time, things always seem to ease up. Do what you need to do to take care of yourself, and allow yourself to vent once in a while if it makes you feel better.
Regarding the higher/lower issue, I read in a number of places that many women who have unilateral reconstruction get a breast lift on the unaffected side so that it will be a bit "perkier" to match the new breast, and that insurance should cover it as a "revision." I also read that the surgeon should prop you up during surgery to help achieve a more natural balance.
Before I had my lumpectomy (that was the first attempt, but small margins necessitated a mastectomy), I went to a prosthesis store and tried out a few "chicken cutlets," as the breast surgeon called them. I wanted to know if I could handle wearing one every day and wasn't at all sure how the radiation would leave me. Maybe you could try the chicken under your unaffected breast to give it a boost so it would sit more like the new one. Or try one of those bras with removable push-up pads, and take the pad out of the surgery side.
It took a good three months for all the swelling to dissipate. I'm not sure when you had your surgery, so maybe swelling is still playing a role. Good luck finding a solution that you are comfortable with.
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Squishon, I think I would say at 4 months I feel a lot more comfortable doing activities than at 3 months. Meaning I have more comfort that it won't cause pain and I don't worry about my balance riding the bike any more. My activities before surgery were walking, hiking, biking, gardening. I feel comfortable doing all those. I definitely think my legs would tolerate starting to run or dance, but I'm not doing them so not sure. I would be a little reluctant to bounce my chest around too much as it seems it might hurt. I should clarify that my doctor said no restrictions when I was at 2 1/2 months, so physically it would be OK to do all that. But I'm just saying pain-wise and comfort-wise it seems like I might not want to bounce around..
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