TE TROUBLE
Comments
-
bevg - OMG - who left you on Plavix while doing these surgeries? That is nuts! I would have concerns for you with a big surgery like a Lat-flap and your healing issues - and diabetes. I would leave it alone for a while and see if you can live with a mastectomy bra/prosthetic. I think another surgery would be terrifying for you and your family and I am so sorry that you had this experience.
0 -
Bevg - Wow! Don't rush into anything. Trust your instincts, you are frightened for a reason. You will know when the time is right.
0 -
Thank you so much monkey, specialk and curly for your kind responses. I was on the Plavix for too long and my old cardio guy failed to mention it. I quit him a couple of years ago over a billing dispute and (my extreme stupidity) I didn't get another one til 6 months before my breast surgery. I got my endocronologist to continue writing the perscription. I was also on a whole aspirin but the new cardo doc at last stopped that and put me on a baby one. We went on his computer when he had to clear me for surgery. I saw with my own eyes it said stop for a week before surgery than you can go back so that's what happened. The problem was I was on it for 10 years, way to long and my BS told me I had zero platelets in my blood during the first emergency surgery and that is why, suring the second, they gave me the platelets and blood. They got my whole family together to tell them there was a heart attack risk because the platelets could gook up in my arteries. They said it would happen real soon and it didn't, thank god so there is no one really to blame for anything by me for not following up on my heart issues. The good thing is I'm in love with my PS. He took me through the most horrendous period of my life. He was there it seemed instantly for the surgeries, in was in the recovery room at 2 a.m. then back for rounds every day at 7:30. He put me in ICU and was there during the day after the late night surg. I almost feel bad because the practice is very proud of the very beautiful plastic surg they do and I feel like I f ailed him by not allowing him to accomplish it lol. Now, I KNOW that sounds incredibly dumb. I think I'm going to get the not heavy surgery to make my chest flat then worry about recon., if I want it, in the future, after I've lost some weight. Thank you ladies for reinforcing what I'm thinking for myself.... I've been following the threads here and I'm really glad that most of you are doing relatively well. BC sucks big time, you get thrown on a conveyer belt and go rom a to b to c to d, having to make decisions we arent ready for and it's all scary. So you (we) deserve every bit of good news we get....
0 -
Bev - I am so sorry to hear what you have been through. Only you can decide what is best and what you need... however, if I had gone through your troubles, I think I'd simply be happy to wear prosthesis - foobs not worth the trouble.
Be well, and keep us posted. I will be thinking of you.
0 -
bevg - keep us posted on your decisions - there are no "wrong" ones, but time will tell you what risk you are willing to take in the future. Hoping that your clean-up surgery goes well and that there are NO issues at all! Have them do a CBC right before the surgery too to check your platelet situation.
0 -
GM, My PS also positioned the nips along the mastectomy scar, and the left one is WAY higher than the right because of all the scar tissue that was removed at exchange time. She said that she could do a quick procedure at the very end (1 year after the tats) and it would even everything out. I don't necessarily want the extra procedure, but if it would make everything as even as possible, I would probably go through with it. Small things compared to what we've already gone through. I hope you all have a really happy and healthy New Year:) Big hugs to you all! XO
0 -
Hi, I have searched the topics and I just am not sure where to post this. I had a bmx on Dec. 19 for DCIS and strong family history. I had tissue expanders put in and filled to 200cc. I had 50 more put in on Friday. I am having a hard time trying to figure out if this is the kind of pain I will be in for the two months waiting for the final implants. I can't take a deep breathe and my chest is so tight I can't function. I thought I had a high tolerance for pain, but I am known to have very very tight muscle by my massage therapists and past PTs. I had a bit of relief when the first two drains came out and I still have two. Will my chest feel this tight for the next few months? Help.
0 -
brownlee - it is hard for me to answer you specifically because I did not have any fills for quite some time after surgery, aside from the surgical fill. I personally don't think anyone should have fills while they still have drains, I have seen it go wrong too many times. I found that feeling of tightness and pressure resolved about the 8 week mark from BMX, so what will happen for you is that you will feel better on the inside as you heal from the surgery, but you will feel tighter across the chest - kind of on the outside - from the fills.
0 -
Bev-good advice from everyone. No matter what you decide, give yourself time to heal and build your immune system up.
0 -
thanks fluff, it was GREAT advice from everyone, kind of like what I was thinking but I was fighting myself because I felt like a failure or some stupid shit like that if I did not go all the way. I couldn't bear to go through anything even close to what i went through last June. He (PS) says I can go for recon any time I want so for now, I am making an appt. at Nordstroms dept. store where they actually have a dept. just for this with a fitter and mast. bras and prosthetics. They even work with my insurance who said after a $100 deductible they will pay 100% on some and 80% on other bras and prosthetics. I know that percentage is of what they deem appropriate which means it'll cost more but not full cost and anyway, I'll be comfortable and be able to forget about this for awhile and I can always go back and do soething if I so desire. Thanks for all the affirmations ladies and have a wonderful New Years. Do not drive if you drink. We all have enough problems !
0 -
bevg - Nordstrom will sew a prosthetic pocket in any bra or bathing suit they sell for free - so if you see a beautful bra, get it!!! You deserve to feel like the beautiful person you are!
0 -
Bev: I have been through a lot, too. Many of us have. I was ready to call it quits after my emergency surgery. Right now I have a permanent implant in the left side, and a removal of the implant on the right, with all those lumps and bumps and fat deposits you mention. I wear a pocketed bra with prosthetic on the right. With clothes no one would ever know.
Some days I tell myself " I am done, no more surgeries, it's not worth it". Other days I decide to kick arse and fix it all. I've come this far, I'm not giving up now. I've been at this since my BMS in Nov 2011. I am now scheduled for DIEP in May 2013. It seems it will never end. But I will not give up.
It is a personal choice. You can always give yourself a break for months, or years, and decide to do the reconstruction later.
0 -
I sometimes wish there was a quote function here. Anyway, SpecialK, you said "I personally don't think anyone should have fills while they still have drains, I have seen it go wrong too many times."
--
What you said has given me pause for thought.
I had quite a bit of output in the right drain and as the PS was filling the right side he said "this may force more of the fluid out." Well, it sure did...the fluid amount went up in the drain (on the right side) and then it within just a few days that the right side that became red/infected and then onto IV antibiotics, etc.
That said, I'm in absolutely no hurry for future fills - even though the right side/left side are off-balance in terms of size/fluid. The drains are out but I might ask him to wait a few more weeks before doing any more fills.
0 -
bevg - I would be just as scared as you are if not more so. I can't believe all you've been through and it's hard to imagine what it must have been like for you - looking down and seeing (and feeling!) all that happening to your body! I don't think I've ever read an account quite like that in all the time I've been reading here (and I've been reading here since late July when I first had my "bad mammogram").
If you don't feel compelled to have more surgery, i.e. for the reasons you listed (no longer breastfeeding, don't wear bikinis, etc.) I would just consider a clean-up.
My first impulse was to have the double mastectomy with no reconstruction and to be perfectly honest, being flat-chested (for lack of a better description) for the first time since grade school doesn't really bother me all that much. I had skin-saving mastectomies and there were fills put in during surgery so there's something there - but not too much -so the effect really is flat/minimal. I still like to wear swimsuits (we have a pool and I use it a fair amount in the summer) and that's probably the only reason I finally decided to do reconstruction - that and the fact that the insurance company would pay for it.
There's a thread around here - I think it's an older one - and a woman/member was kind enough to post a series of her photos wearing the same outfit with both a prosthesis and then without the prosthesis and to be perfectly honest, I thought she looked great with both but if I would have been forced to make a choice between the two looks I would have chosen the without the prosthesis look. Maybe I'll see if I can find that thread and post the link for you. If I recall correctly I read it from my cell phone during the early days just following my diagnosis so it may take some digging but maybe it will help set your mind at ease (?) regarding going the non-surgical route.
As for me, I've never been much for wearing a bra - especially in the years since I haven't worked - and wearing a prosthesis would, I think, be uncomfortable for me. That's why this woman's thread was so interesting to me.
In any case, best wishes on whatever you decide. You've been through the trenches and back!
0 -
bevg -
That was easy. I found the thread (it goes back to 2007).
I thought (and still think) it was so great that this woman did this "project" (posting photos of the flat look vs. the prosthesis look).
http://community.breastcancer.org/topic_post?forum_id=82&id=610613&page=1
0 -
Brownlee--It looks lke you're not even two weeks out from surgery. I suspect what you're feeling is normal post op discomfort. My TEs were filled to 200ccs during surgery, too, and I had a hard time distinguishing what was what, couldnt take a deep breath, etc I turned the corner in terms of feeling better close to four weeks out. Continue to take your pain meds and take it easy. Your body has been through a lot!
0 -
Happy New Year everyone! I don't think they will operate on me next Monday, because I have got cold...I don't have fever, (yet?) but chills, throat hurts and runny nose and sneezing...my bad luck...
0 -
olgah - good to see you, sorry about the cold! Treat your symptoms and you may be well enough by then, keep us posted and feel better!
0 -
chicken soup, emergenC, airborn, vitamin C, sleep, plenty of fluids and positive visualization ~
I get phantom cold symptoms before surgery but I've never had an actual cold.
Olgah, I so hope you feel better!
0 -
I take emergenc packets in water for my vitamin c, as I get tired of chugging big pills. It is great!
Olgah...I hope you feel better and get past it quickly.0 -
Very Happy New Year Ladies.
I am pretty new to forum and many times having hard time finding where to post.
Hope I can get some help today. I had UMX on 11/26/2012 with Tissue Expander placed in my left breast. From the last two weeks i am in deep pain,, tightness, difficulty in breating, pain while sneezing or coughing or laughing etc. Sometimes pain is not tolerable. Any ideas what to do?
Another thing happening to me is I am still not healed from surgery, Incisions kept opening, PS has tried to closed them few times (3-4 times already) but they keep opening. On my last visit, tissue expander was deflated fully (100cc which they added at the time of MX, is removed), so now i have tissue exapander with no fill in it,, and it is painful.
Not only that couple of weeks back, I fell in the garage and broke my foot. Possibly a fracture. So from all sides I have something going on.. May be any words from you ladies can help me.
0 -
Hi Nancybc...I had my left tissue expander placed about a month ago and had the same pain as you but it has definitely been feeling better the last week or so. I didn't have any issues with my incision on this surgery but I did with my first port...eat lots and lots of protein and take vitamins if its ok with your MO and surgeon. I find that advil worked with my pain but don't be afraid to ask for something stronger if you need it. Maybe a hot water bottle or heating pad as well?
0 -
LynMichel: I have never heard of letting a staph infection clear up on its own. I know you posted a few days ago... I have not been on the boards... how are you feeling now? Have you seen your docs? Please update us. Personally, I think you need antibiotics!!!!
Nancybc: Sounds like your body is fighting the TE. Do you have any signs of infection? I had incision issues for 5 months before my PS removed the TE and we let it heal for 5 more months before I began the whole process over again. As Love74 above suggests, make sure you are eating enough protein... you need 100 grams DAILY.
Olgah, I have faith you can beat this cold and keep your surgery date! Let us know.
BrownLee: I agree with SpecialK, getting fills while still having drains is rushing things on your doctor's part. Was he/she trying to fit in a pre-holiday fill?
Bevg49: Thanks for checking in and what a wild ride you have had. Totally agree with yur decision.
SheChirple: Girlfriend, sorry to see you moving on but totally get it and wish you the best. Let us know how its going once you've had your surgery!
Happy New Year to everyone!
0 -
Hi Love74
Thank you for your reply, what kind off issue you had with your first port with the incision? What did you do for the healing?
THank you
Nancy
0 -
Woohoo! After 2 months of waiting my surgery is finally scheduled for next Friday, January 11th. I will be getting the left TE replaced.
Now my biggest worry is them finding a vein for the IV - my veins are so shot after chemo.
0 -
road - yay! When you go to pre-op ask for whoever is the best, or most experienced, at finding a vein and setting an IV and start with that person. Explain the situation and a lesser experienced nurse or tech will gladly hand you off, they don't like to be embarrassed and I am sure they don't want to hurt you. Unfortunately you can't hydrate to help them out but maybe a warm compress for 5 minutes will help bring the veins up.
0 -
SpecialK - yes, I'll definitely be bundling up. One time I walked to the chemo center with no gloves on and it took 2 hours before they could get enough blood out for a test!
0 -
road - sure hoping this TE will be a keeper and that everything goes smoothly!
0 -
Happy New Year everyone! It's been awhile since I've posted. Everything is going well. I will be seeing my surgeon next week. I will be having another surgery scheduled that will hopefully fix my right side. I do not have a natural drop/fold under that foob. I hope the 'veterans' here are doing well and have either gotten to exchange or are almost there. For the newbies, you will find understanding and info here!
SpecialK - Hi! You're on Arimidex now? I had extreme joint pain on that. Bleh. Took Claritin and it did help.
Michelle
0 -
BCAvenger - Hey! Happy New Year! Hope the surgery will fix righty. Still recovering from the fat-grafting - no issues with pain but frustrated at not being able to work out until Valentine's Day! So, I am back on the diet and walking 5 miles, with tunes, so I am faster, lol! I switched from Femara to Arimidex because I developed trigger thumb - on my dominant hand, so very painful. Couldn't hold a pen or scissors, or a knife. Much improved on Arimidex - I think often you have to try them all out to see which one is best for you individually.
0
