TE TROUBLE
Comments
-
Guess who called me about an hour later? The pissy Dr called me to apologize, she made some lame excuse and told me she was wrong, i was right, sorry sorry blah blah blah. I did not let her off the hook that easy, she really was nasty and got me all worked up. I told her she did not listen to what i was saying and she was bullying me into a mammo i did not want, need, nor benefit from. I wondered how many other women she has done this to, and put their tissue expander breast under compression!!!! My enraged hub sent a letter to her director about her lack of knowledge and her nasty treatment of his wife that has already been through hell.
This lady thought since i had my nips i had a partial masectomy(the kind they don't do anymore) and she is the top Doc at this place!!! Scary!! Well ladies the lesson today is Keep looking out for yourself, be brave and don't take anyones shit if it seems wrong for your health. Cancer chiks are Fierce!!Nancy
0 -
Chickadee521 - as far as I know, it doesn't have anything to do with the positive node (I only had 0.33mm on 1 of the nodes taken out). It's just a precautionary measure because I'm on Tamoxifen - the OBGYN I see just prefers to be super cautious so that if there's anything there, he can catch it right away.
0 -
Roadwarrior and LeeA, I added you both to the surgery list above.
GreenCowGirl: You did the right thing standing up to your doc!
Chickadee: I only see my onco 2x yearly. I have not had any uterine ultrasounds or biospies, my doc is not a believer unless I have symptoms (I do not). I will be switching to an AI within the year, so that uterine danger with Tamox will be lessened.
Sharon888: I developed a rash on my breast about a month after my exchange. It took 6 months to go away using Rx creams, several different doctors, and switching out all my laundry products, lotions, soaps, shampoos, conditioners to be dye and fragrance-free and hypoallergenic. I *finally* figured out what I was allergic to: I went on vacation and wore a hotel bathrobe and the next morning, the rash was back! I realized then that it was definitely an allergy to detergent/bleach. I used steroid cream for a week afterwards and the rash went away. My doctors all said we can develop these sensitivities randomly, and my thin skin is now my body's weak spot. {{{hugs}}}
0 -
Ren that is what mine said too. And when I pushed him on why he didn't do blood work this time he said totally unnecessary unless I have symtoms.
0 -
chick - This was my OB/Gyn experience last year - mine said no more PAP smears ever! I had a hyst/ooph 13 years ago but was told to get annual exams due to the possibility of vaginal cancer. I have never had an abnormal PAP, but did have uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, and a 3cm ovarian mass that was pre-malignant. This last PAP the NP said no more due to the potential for cracking the bladder with the speculum due to its dryness from the lack of estrogen caused by aromatase inhibitors! I was like...what? Since the upper part of the body is still being checked annually by both the BS and PS, I guess that is all I get, lol!
0 -
chickadee: Always nice to heaqr another doc is on same page as mine!
Specialk: Love your new picture! And oh my, cracking of the bladder? Now that is something to fear! Glad you don't have to deal with that anymore!
0 -
ren - thanks! I thought I should put a post BC pic up - this was taken very recently so is a true representation of how I look now. Actually, if you look carefully you can see the dent above my left implant because I am leaning on the table! That is making me think I need a bit more fat-grafting because I am not wearing a low-cut top! The left side is my problem one. The bladder cracking comment by the nuse practioner took me by surprise - it made me visualize my own insides like a dusty attic, lol! I guess the lack of estrogen that causes so much creaky joint pain sort of does the same thing to some of the other body parts too, yikes!
0 -
Chick, my OB says the same thing. I feel like she thinks I'm a worry wart, but I just don't understand why Tamox patients aren't at least getting an ultrasound just to make sure everything is OK. I'm going to ask my Onco when I see him next and try to get him to push the issue just to ease my mind.
Olgah, are you OK? I feel so bad for you, all of this worry with the recon, now another scan. Please keep your chin up & stay positive, and once you get the scan results that you are fine, hopefully your mind can go to a better place. Thinking of and praying for you. XO
How about Angelina Jolie getting that double mastectomy?? Maybe she can be an ambassador for all women, paving the way for BRCA testing to be available to everyone. That would be really cool.
Tats start on Monday. I'll keep ya posted:)
0 -
Momof3infla - I did notice my OBGYN wrote "pelvic pain" as the reason for the ultrasound. I don't have any pelvic pain...he just said it's a way to make insurance pay for them...
0 -
I only had the rash on & off with the expanders. They were in for 6 month. I also have been dying my hair at the salon. The beautician used Redken color gels Permanent haircolor. My allergist suggested that it could be a possible allergy to the hair dye or something at the salon. The allergist did speak to the plasic surgeon about a possible allergy to the tissue expander. There is no definite conclusion, so needless to say, I have not used any hair dye either since my implant surgery. I am going on a trip to Denver now, so I will dye my hair when I get back. I have been super careful with everything I do & touch. I cant be the first one with this type of issue.
0 -
Sharon, something else I do now that my rash is gone... before I shower I put vaseline on the area where I had the rash, to keep all soap products away!
0 -
I have a friend whose sister is on her third BC. She is getting the BRCA testing done but is getting push back from the insurance. How horrible.
0 -
Chickadee, have her check with Myriad, the company that does the BRCA testing. When my oncologist ordered it, I was given an agreement to sign with Myriad. That agreement said that the test would be conducted and submitted to my insurance and if the insurance did not pay, I would be obligated to pay instead but that it was limited to $365.00.
So I signed knowing the test cost about $3500, but that my max was $365. The test was done, they billed my insurance a huge amount and my insurance paid about $3300. So I ended up paying nothing, but was never on the hook for the whole thing.
This agreement was in a package produced by Myriad and on their letterhead. It was not something provided by my oncologist.
0 -
Chickadee and MondaysChild - I was given slightly different information about the BRCA test. I was told that if my portion of the payment would be $365 or less, they would not notify me and just bill me. They would only tell me if my portion exceeded $365 and in that case they'd ask me if I still wanted the test.
But my insurance wound up paying for the whole thing.
0 -
Very similar, Roadwarrior. The only difference for me was that they guaranteed no more than $365.00. Interesting that we both had the same amount quoted. Mine was in 2011, so perhaps they no longer guarantee the cap?
So there is some assistance out there. Those who desire the test might want to ask about it and that might mean contacting Myriad directly.
0 -
Chickadee...my ob/gyn has me come in every six months and does a vaginal ultrasound.
No mammos for me, and they don't even want to do mris. My PS recommends one every couple of years, to check for leaks, but says insurance doesn't always like to cover it. So, I may have to invent a lump or so to get the ball rolling.
Special K, love your avatar. I am on a mission with the vaccine trial. Going back for bloodwork only three weeks after the injection makes me crazy. The program manager says she has argued it like crazy and Walter reed won't let it be done in a patients home office. Also said she had a ton of people drop out due to that. I am trying to get some names of people to email. My onc said he will write a letter offering to do whatever it takes on his side.0 -
fluffqueen - Just so you know.....an MRI done to look for leaks is different from an MRI done to evaluate a lump. Different acquisition techniques are used, different magnet spins, etc. to accentuate different areas. They can only do what is ordered and what is approved by insurance. So, I wouldn't recommend saying that you have a lump if you really want to rule out leaks. I had a number of MRIs to follow some post-exchange lumps and was told multiple times that they could not rule out a leak with the parameters used for those scans.
It's never simple, right?
0 -
thanks for all the info guys. i will tell my friend to tell her sister!
0 -
fluff - Thanks for the pic compliment! I know what you mean about the trial travel! I have a ten day trip to Austria planned too that falls in between those visits - I am going to be so tired! I have not told my DH that one of those trips is just for bloodwork! I was trying to route myself through D.C. but it is proving to be too difficult - this trip is confusing enough as DH and DD are coming from Tampa, and DS is coming from D.C.!
0 -
Tina...well that just sucks. I know my pet scan noted that the implants looked good with no evidence of problems, so maybe I will lobby for that again in August. I see my ps next month so a little Botox treat to myself, so I think I might have the conversation on mris.
SpecialK...the bloodwork day, I got on a plane at 8 a.m., flew to Detroit, then to Charlotte, hopped a rental car, arrived at wake Forest at 2:00. Had bloodwork, was back in the car heading back to Charlotte by 3:00. Got on a plane at 7:45 p.m. To Atlanta, then on to Indy, arriving at 11:45. I am not sure I have still recovered.
I definitely don't have the stamina I used to have, no matter how many supplements I am taking, etc. just no energy, and I was a very high energy person.0 -
fluff - I know what you mean! Some days I am ok, others days not so much. I can't predict what day will be what! I go to DC for the 1st visit, then to Austria, then back to DC - I am going to be a mess!
0 -
Fluff thanks you so much for saying that! I used to have so much more energy too. It is so depressing. Why don't we have energy anymore?
0 -
Hello ladies, I have a question for the panel.When you got exchange to your squishes, was your stay an overnight stay and did you have drains.?
0 -
psalms91 - Mine was an overnight stay, mostly because I live 2.5 to 5 hours away (depending on traffic) from the hospital where my surgeries have been done. They scheduled it as a 23-hour stay so it was still considered outpatient as far as insurance billing. I was told that drains were a possibility, but I didn't have them. Every PS is different, but mine told me that he always uses drains if he uses Alloderm because the body reacts to it by creating a lot of fluid (I didn't have Alloderm).
0 -
Thank You Tina T:
I usually like atleast overnight stay.0 -
Rennasus, thanks for adding me to the surgery list.
0 -
Hello my ladies .... It's been so crazy for the past month.....I had cellulitis from the drain.... With 18 days of antibiotics..... Which made me so sick ... Nauseous ....headaches... Lost of appetite ... Weakness ..... Felt like I was dying.... ... Went back to my surgeon and she did fill after 2 weeks that I was feeling fine... But all the sudden I have red spots again ... My TE feels like I have I sand paper rubbing on my skin .... And today I woke up with my skin more blotches and the red is spreading .... This happen for Mother's Day ...... And it went away now it's the same..... When I went to my PS it had gone down so he said that it was nothing my blood work came back fine.... ... I don't know what it is... And I start radiation Friday .... I will send my PS a picture of my skin and see if he wants me to go to to ER and have them see me... But I don't understand what it could be.... So my ladies I had PT stretch out but when I did that I felt something pop just where the bra wire goes ...and ever since then it feels like sand paper agains my skin my PS said there is nothing there to pop or stretch????.....I feel like something snapped..... So many people has recommended me to him .... But I'm really scare ....
I don't know what to do0 -
Patriciahurtado, I was having pain after the fills and my doctor suggested physical therapy. It has been the best thing I have done thru this whole process. I would suggest asking her for a script for physical therapy. Good luck.
0 -
Kathymc.... Did you have any redness on your foob????... My botches come and go but today is worst and since I had cellulitis on that same place
0 -
psalms - I did not stay overnight and did not have any drains.
0
