TE TROUBLE
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thanks guys.
Have sent a PM request for access to the photo forum but not going to hold my breath as I haven't been posting here for long. But, I have found all the comments and advice on this site a huge help and so glad I found it.
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Purple
How are you feeling?
v
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Purple - You're right side up again!
I take that to mean that you're feeling a little better... yes? 0 -
Hi ladies,
I am a somewhat new member to the BC forums - I joined in the beginning of Feb. 2014, just before my bilateral MX on Feb. 14th, along with initial reconstruction with TE's inserted and 3 lymph nodes removed. The goods news from my pathology report was that the cancer did not spread to my lymph nodes, and they believe all the cancer was removed in the surgery, which was awesome news to hear!
My recovery (I'm now just past 4 weeks post-op) has gone generally well, but I definitely have had a fair amount of pain and soreness from the tissue expanders. I've had intense chest muscle spasms (feeling like a charlie horse in your calf), and a constant feeling of wearing a very tight, restrictive bra, that I can't remove. Or, light someone has put a tight belt around my chest and armpits and has pulled it really tight. Some nights it's even felt too sore to breathe deeply. UGH! I must say that in the last few days, finally, it has been getting a little bit better, with now there not being any problems with breathing deeply. I honestly am not sure that I would have chosen this type of reconstruction if I had been aware of all of the post-op pain and soreness! One thing that added on to my sore condition was that I caught a GI virus last Thursday, and all weekend was feeling really miserable with a fever, body aches, throwing up and diarrhea. Needless to say, this did not do much for easing the soreness of my chest! Fortunately, as of last night my fever broke and this morning I'm feeling a little closer to normal, just weak, and still dizzy from losing a lot of fluid. My sister who is a physician believes that the fact that I was on an antibiotic for 3 weeks (clindamyacin) removed all of the good bacteria from my gut, and left me open to all kinds of viruses, and in a position to not fight them off very well. She also recommended that I get on a probiotic vitamin - STAT - to help rebuild the good bacteria. Have any of you ever developed issues from being on antibiotics?
The other question I wanted to throw out to you all was if sleeping on your side within 4-6 weeks post-op with TE's was something you could do comfortably. I am traditionally a side-sleeper and since my surgery, the only comfortable position I've been about the sleep in is on my back, propped up with pillows. Once when I tried moving onto my side during a nap I felt definite pain in my right side that lasted a few hours. I so would like to sleep on my side again, and soon! Also, when did you all stop wearing a compression bra that you often get post-op? I've been wearing mine 24/7 since surgery, but am now feeling like it's a bit to constraining, and especially with having stomach cramps from the GI bug, this compression bra has been putting too much pressure on my upper abdomen, and so I resorted to just opening the bottom clasp on my bra and only keeping the upper two clasped. This helped immensely! I just wanted to check in with you all to find out when you stopped wearing a compression bra. It does still feel better keeping the little mounds I have now stationary and not moving much at all. Are sports bra's the best thing to transition to next?
Thanks for any input you can share!
KMeade
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KMeade - Welcome to BCO! Yes, TE's are painful and very uncomfortable - kind of like this (but not quite so attractive):
I'm also a side sleeper and was able to get comfortable in that position after about a month. Eventually, I would start out on my back (which isn't normal for me) and wake up on my side. That scared me a little, so I asked my PS if that was going to be a problem - and she said that your body will do what it wants when it can. So yes, you'll be back on your side very soon - just be careful about tossing and turning. Also I have never been asked or required to wear a bra (compression or otherwise) at all through any of this. You'll find that PSs are as different as the women on these boards.
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AZ - Thanks SO much for your speedy reply!
It's great to hear that you are a side sleeper and that you got back to your preferred sleeping position relatively quickly. I'm going to try my side again and see how it goes. My back will be much happier as soon as I can, I'm sure! Love the pic you share - SO true!! I can totally relate to that - hopefully, this constant tight feeling will go away soon (or at least in the near future!)
KMeade
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kmeade - I noticed a real difference in my comfort level at about the 5-6 week point, so hopefully that will happen for you too. I also did not wear compression so it might help you feel like it is easier to breathe without it - a sports bra, Genie or Ah bra might be more comfortable for you. Sorry to hear about your GI woes - that had to be miserable. Whenever I have to take an antibiotic I always have yogurt daily in an effort to protect my gut flora. A probiotic is a great idea to try to get things back in sync. Watch out for any lingering issues, and if you have them tell your physician asap. C-diff is a nasty side effect for some who have been on strong antibiotics and they can test you for it. It is a potentially dangerous thing so pay close attention to how you feel and your GI situation.
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Hi SpecialK - Thanks so much for your very helpful reply!
It's so helpful to hear from other women who have gone through this recovery and what their timeframes were on healing and pain reduction. So glad to hear that you felt some relief at the 5-6 week mark - I'm coming upon that soon, so hopefully, that timeframe will follow suit for my recovery! That's a good idea to have daily yogurt consumption as part of my regimen - I'll have to start doing that - as of today. And, good to hear your input on C-Diff - that had been mentioned to me by a NP at my PS's office as a possible concern - I'm going to see how I do over the next 24 hours and if I'm still having diarrhea, I'll go to see my primary care doc tomorrow. Thanks again for your advice and support! Hope you have a great day
!KMeads
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I am so depressed. I had this surgery on August 1, 2013 and still experience sternum pain. Its been on and off all day long today. I am so tired of taking pain pills. I took Valium this morning and it seems as if it did nothing. Now I am thinking about taking a Vicodin which makes me itch, but I will also have to take a Benadryl to stop the itching. I am just plain tired. My exchange surgery is April 9th. I just feel like crying. My sweet husband tries to comfort but he really doesn't understand the pain I am having. I am so tired of complaining all the time, so sometimes I just sit and suffer.
I am just tired of it all.
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shorfi, is it ONLY at the sternum that you feel pain?
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Only the sternum.
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Have you checked it with your MO? I'd just have him check it out. Or have you told your PS about the pain? He should check it out too. It could just be a bruise on the sternum from surgery. They may have had to dig around there and bumped it more. So call. Much love.
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I have to wait until tomorrow. The receptionist said she will make sure the nurse calls me first thing. I left a detailed message on her line, but she obviously didn't listen to the messages. It has hurt like this occasionally, but today it is bothersome. I will just take a Vicodin and hopefully the pain will go away.
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Did you try to do touch and maybe strained yourself? That can be a problem sometimes.
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Yep, I have issues with constipation and when I strain it hurts, even a little bit of straining starts up pain. And I think I did too much house cleaning this weekend because we had guests over. My hubby told me not to do a lot, but of course, because I feel ok, I feel I can do anything. Maybe I should listen to him...
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repeat the mantra: Just because you can do something DOESN'T mean you should do it! Repeat. Repeat!!!
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agree with Moonflwr mantra.
Also, guest probably wouldn't even have noticed house cleaning. Sometimes you have to let your standards slide a little and look after you!
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Hello TETer's!I really don't know where to post this, but I knew that I'd get some good feedback here so I thought I'd give it a try.
I posted the other day about phantom nipple/breast pains. In addition to that, my left side has been sore and bothering me. Tonight I noticed that there is some sort of lump or swollen area on the left side. It is really bothering me and now I'll be honest I'm kind of freaking out as to what this could be. I have quite a bit of extra skin/fatty tissue left over from my failed TE's, I just wonder if this is scar tissue or something worse? Has anyone every felt anything like this? It feels very close to my chest wall.
((hugs))
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I had a fat infiltrated lymph node and had it removed. Others have had a lot of scar tissue someone will answer that.
I have had the phantom nipple pain. I'm pretty sure it's just nerves on the incision line lighting off. But it is weird.
Much love to all.
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I still have nipples (but yucky necrotic area on the right) following peri-areolar incision and have feeling like nipples have been through a cheese grater. Lumpy bits from TE but have been reassured by the lovely people on these forums that this is ok and have stopped fretting. Sometimes you can get scar tissue and fluid accumulation which can feel lumpy. If it is worrying you, be worth getting doctor to check it out to make sure it is ok.
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I posted about this on another thread, it was suggested I had a seroma, but this feels solid. My understanding of a seroma is that is filled with fluid. I have an appt to see my BS Thursday afternoon. I guess my head goes to worst case scenario now on everything, and I've already contemplated that this is some sort of mets to my breast bone. I know probably a crazy leap, but that is how my mind works these days. *sigh*0 -
Tangandchris, hopefully the BS will be able to reassure you that everything is fine. Glad you are getting it checked out because nothing worse than worrying about all the possibilities. Thinking of you.
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I'm a side/stomache sleeper too. I had a medical wedge pillow, and then I put a pillow behind my back and one kind of under my side. I could lean back a little bit and feel like I was sleeping on my side but without all the pressure. It protected the front also.
My stomache plan was crazy. Made my husband laugh out loud. I cannot get to sleep on my back so I spent a couple months taking a lot of ambien. For the stomache, I put a small microbead pillow under my foobs. and then one above, so I was raised up just a little. Stacked my main pillows to be level and then gently lowered myself. It was like a little house for my foobs. Oftentimes this allowed me to get to sleep but then I would wake up in another position, so I must not have lasted a long time.
I think I wore the compression bra for about 6 weeks? cant remember exactly, but it was a long time.
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Hello all,
No surgery for me, at least not for now.... Here is the plan. Finish antib and reculture, if any signs of inf. still in fluid, then surgery. If not we continue to watch it... see PS every week and reculture every 2 weeks(if drainage) until recon. Skin is fragile from all of the other surgeries and he doesn't want to cut around areola, because I will probably lose sensation. This sounds like a plan to me, much relieved and happier today.
Vivian
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Tanga,
Best bet is to call PS or BS and have him/her check it out. My lumps have been fluid and also infection in my breast without the TE. It can be scar tissue/irritation and the more you touch it, the more it hurts. I just had an area that became hard and it hurt to touch it, for me it was an infection and fluid. But I also have a pinpoint hole in my breast that never closed since my TE was removed on 11/4 and has been draining seroma/lymph fluid.
You are currently going through chemo, your last surgery was in January, it could be an area having a hard time healing due to chemo or you may be doing too much with that arm.... I wouldn't think the worse.
Keep us posted, feel better.
Vivian
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viv so glad you have a plan. That so often helps to make one feel so oooh much better! Much love.
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Pillows seem to be the key to sleeping, especially on your side. I'm 3 months out from my last surgery and still must have one between the foob and the mattress in order to be comfortable on my side. Then there is the problem of the top arm. It "falls off" onto the nearby foob, pressing it against the bottom foob and waking me up. I don't like it when the foobs are in such close proximity to the other. So now I put a pillow under the top arm, a pillow behind my back, and clutch another one to my chest in addition to the small one beneath the foob and mattress. It's quite a sight to see, I'm sure, but I'll do anything to put me in JUST the right side sleeping position.
Like several others, I didn't have to wear a bra of any kind, much less a compression one after any of my three surgeries or during TE time. My surgeon said to wear a soft sports bra if it made me feel better. It didn't, so I don't. Once in awhile I put one on...don't know why...maybe because I have them...but they don't stay on long. It just feels better to go without. Others have the opposite experience.
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Sandra...that is exactly what I had, only add to it the one I stuffed between my knees as I don't like them to touch. Just feels like bone on bone.I had about ten small pillows, some with the beads and some just little pillows. I think I used them for 18 months in various ways. For the food area it was nice because I put them between my arm and the expanders after the bmx. That was a huge help in comfort. I got all kinds of great information from other threads on this site. One person had a list of things to have and it was invaluable.
My biggest worry until I asked was whether I would be able to take care of things after going to the bathroom. Much relieved to find out I wouldn't need help.Second best was to check all the insides of jackets to see if there was an inside pocket to hold the drains. I had several warmup jackets that way and it was great.
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AZ...lol. I had to redownload pic to fix. Didnt want you tilting your head to see me.
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I think I am finally healing but have been so tired and in pain. I have been in bed since I got home from the hospital. Trying not to move much so that I will heal. Just so tired of all this. Think I maybe getting depressed.
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