TE TROUBLE
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DLL66, MICHELLE and ANNICEMD: Thanks for sharing. I seriously have to not do ANYTHING with my upper body, otherwise yup, I get increased fluid and out it wants to come. So far today, just a very small spot. Am going to take a nap now!
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Sleep well my friend!
Michelle
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Ren - I'm so sorry to hear that the 'leaking' hasn't stopped yet! It's been 1.5 months since your surgery so you'd think that even with the pinhole that some moderate activity wouldn't be an issue. I hope your PS gives you some encouraging news next week. In the meantime, enjoy your weekend:) Nothing beats getting away with BFFs.
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Hi everyone,
Had my first fill late this afternoon: 100 in the right and 100 in the left. My left is at 520 (think i'm done with that side) and my right is at 250. Next appointment in 3 weeks. So far so good with my Valium.
Ren, thinking about you.....thinking about you all..... will get through this....
Off to bed,
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My microbead pillow was a bolster shaped one. Only cost about $5 on clearance. I bought 4 of them for my mastectomy and had them tucked all over.
Saw the PS today. He is really happy with his work! LOL. He will do tattoos on February 7 (scares me...might have to take a valium or two...he uses a local) and then a month later, he will do lipo and fat grafting and make the nipple. Finally!
And my last herceptin is March 20. Not sure whether to be happy or scared...but March will be a big month.
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So he does tatoos first? I think mine does it the other way around. I go Feb 8th to discuss. Is there a reason to do tatoos first? I still have one pretty good divit that is driving me nuts. I can move it around so of course I am paranoid that there is a fold or pocket of something.
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Renn - I am so sorry about your continued leakage. I hope and pray things heal up and SOON.
I am finding myself with boob envy. You know, I never in my life gave a moments notice to anyone's chest before (unless they had very noticeably had work done) and now I find I'm "sizing up" people everywhere I go. Not in a perverted way, just.....out of envy. I know, I'm a head case!
I woke up on my side this morning and now my right TE feels "off". And it's not deflated, just off like maybe it is migrating toward my armpit. Glad I see my PS on Monday.
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T-I bow to you, 100 in a fill? You go, girl!
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ren - sorry about the continued leaking - is this on your incision line? Is it possible to re-stitch the area? I am with you on the 10 lbs. of extra weight deal, only I think much of mine os fluid. My MO ok'ed resumption of the diuretic I was on during chemo because my hands and feet are swollen. I went on it and promptly lost 5 lbs. I had been watching what I was eating very carefully so I conducted an experiment and stopped the diuretic. Immediately gained back 3 lbs. Arrggg! Have a fun trip with your BFF's!
Tatina - 100cc - I also pay homage to you! Glad you are progressing!
MT - I have boob AND hair envy. It seems like every commercial I see is for food (that looks delicious) and hair (that also looks delicious) and then everywhere you go there are boobs. Especially here in FL where it is warm and nobody is wearing coats or sweaters. My SIL's birthday is in mid-March in Key West - not sure if I am going yet since it will be so close to my exchange - for food/hair/boob reasons!
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OK, there's one reason to be thankful it's in the single digits and snowing here - good reason to bundle up! My fleece jackets hide my strange looking chest. DH wants to take a long weekend getaway to some warmer climate in February - I SO don't want to try on a bathing suit or wear non-bulky clothes. LOL!
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mtnester - I had this problem last year. I went shopping for a new bathing suit, although it was late in the season. There was not much to choose from. Since I already had bottoms, I looked for a tankini top. The only one I could find was one that tied around the neck and was backless as far as the mid back. There was elastic on that part but the elastic wasn't firm. The bottom of the tankini top was not fitted. It was an empire style. I went to my first water aerobics class and well...I might as well should have went topless! The water got all up in it. I felt like I was in the pool with a dress on. The skirt part of the top just floated all up! I got out of the water at the point. I was so mad. This year I will be looking for one early! Now, if only I could wear one of my many scarfs with a bathing suit..
Michelle
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I need to go back in time to when they wore bathing suits with sleeves and pants.
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ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Michelle
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I found the only swim suits that work with TE;s are halter tops. I am not sure how women wear bras with TE's. I never could.
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OMG I can relate to the boob envy! I had to go smaller than I wanted due to skin integrity issues
LOL SpecialK! I doubt that you need sleeves & pants on yoiur swimwear! Hope you find a great swimsuit, mrochon--they are already in the stores here.
Congrats on the fill, Tatina & congrats on almost finishing herceptin, fluffqueen.
Renn's pinhole can probably not be stitched or glued--if there is still fluid it will find another way out. It will eventually close on its own.
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LMBO....I would LOVE a bathing suit that covered me from neck to knees. Wouldn't I be quite a fashion statement?!
Chick I can't wear bras with these bricks, either. Even a sports bra irritates me after about 30 minutes.
DL-I'm sorry you had to go smaller. Can you use push up bras to accentuate?
Michelle-I'm giggling at the picture you painted with your words! The other night at the gym, I was atempting to pull my hooded sweatshirt off and my shirt kept riding up with it. Finally asked my friend to hold my shirt down, if I flashed someone at the gym my Barbie Boobs they may go into shock. LOL! Have you guys seen the beer commercial with the mardi gras beads? My hubby and I giggle because when I think of flashing my chest to get beads....who knows what they would throw at me! Ahhh, gotta love a sick sense of humor.
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MT - They would make me throw all my beads back!!! The last bathing suit I shopped for was when I only had one TE and I needed to find one that had a pocket thing I could fit the prosthetic into. I think I wore it once and that was in my own backyard! I can't even face going to the gym to swim in the indoor heated pool because it means having to swim in public in something other than longjohns! I am absolutely sure nobody would give me a second look, so why am I so concerned about this! My neighbor has a membership that allows her to bring me for free (yay!) but I am too shy.
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MT, it's all good. I will be happy if my replacement implant reasonably matches the one I got to keep. And, yes a pushup defintely makes it look even better. (And if I drop 20 lbs it will look better yet. Great incentive, yes?)
I bought a tankini top with pockets for prosthetics last year & have yet to wear mine as well.
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Hi all! and happy new year...It's been a long time! Just checking in, wow there's been a lot going on. Sending everyone healing thoughts. Everyone close to exchange, go you! and everyone going through troubles: we've all been there!
Jane, I can so relate. As you may remember I had a bilateral NS mastectomy with immediate recon (implants). About 3 weeks later PS determined that large areas of the skin on both breasts wouldn't make it. To be honest I was disgusted with myself. Most of my non cancer side was black and always seeping...and the right one wasn't pretty either....I had necrosis removed and both implants removed and replaced with TEs. Well 10 days later there was more necrosis on my non-cancer side and a nickel sized hole. I had to have TE removed and PS gave me a choice TRAM or latissimus flap surgery. There wasn't going to be enough healthy skin without a flap. I made the (rushed) desicion to have the lat flap. I swear by the time I went in for my surgery the TE was practically coming through my skin! eww...By then I had also decided not to have the TE replaced with the lat flap AND to have the other TE removed. I just needed time to heal without any foregn objects in my body....Well it's been almost 5 months and I'm still flat. It's not THAT bad. If I were single, it would be worse, I think. DH loves me all the same
I got 6 pretty mastectomy bras and breast forms (insurance paid for most of it) and with clothes on, noone would know! Noone at work knows what I actually had done (I just tell them that eventually I'll need more work done 
) and in the beginning I caught people looking trying to figure it out LOL.When I was first diagnosed with DCIS and the BS said I was a perfect candidate for the NS mastectomy with immediate recon, he made it sound like it was going to be a piece of cake. Or maybe that's how I interpreted it? I was devastated when things didn't go as planned. I'm glad that all the cancer is gone and I didn't need any other treatment, but seems so extreme for "just" "pre-cancer"...One day I might decide to start the reconstruction again. But I am terrified of TEs! so maybe I'll take a different route (DIEP?) next time. Or maybe I won't do anything at all.
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miasanta - Hi! We missed you! Are you feeling well and recovered?
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Thx SpecialK and ladies for the advice...I am so tired of waiting for a surg date. I was diagnosed right before Christmas on the 19th. I have been so biopsied and tested...they must have biopsied all the cancer out by now??!! My new surg and my old PS have been trying to get me a date when all 3 of us can be there. They dont wanna have to change the date cause they dont want me to freak on them like I did the last surg's office girl. (She changed the date 3 times and then at one time she had me and the surgs coming on different days...OMG) Diagnosis added and avatar loaded. I feel like I am waiting on a prom date & its making me nervous & edgy and I had to stop the bio id hormones and thats making me PMS. My dog is even whining all the time and he used to be an angel. Animals are so psychic. Getting bmx (not the bike)and TE and then implants. Dont wanna scare u but if you look at the anatomy u can see it aint the skin thats making the TE hurt,its the pec muscle they move away from the chest. Hope I get to see the PS and ask about using Alloderm,,heard that helps,any idea how long I get to keep the pain pump? My PS says I get one.
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layla - don't sweat the surgery date, I was diagnosed 9/27 (I knew 9/9 at the mammo/US) and didn't have surgery until 11/1 - the same thing, coordination of BS & PS. I also stopped HRT cold turkey on the day of diagnosis - not fun, but none of this stuff is! The Alloderm aspect will probably be dependent on if your insurance will cover it and what the is the status of your pec muscles - there was no way I could have gone without - PS said my pec muscles are paper thin, not strong enough to hold up the TE. I did not have a pain pump - so can't help you there!
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Did your Plastic Surgeon put a pink wrap or wrap around your breast after surgery? I had no bandages other than surgical tape over stitches. My PS asked me to wear the pink wrap (tight) 24/7 ... all day and night. I woke up with it after the mx. It keeps the implants in place. So...I've been sleeping on my side without problems after the first week. Even when I rolled over on my tummy it didn't move the implant. I saw the P.S. today and he thought it all looked good. So far no infection. I use the anti bacterial soap when I shower, and vitamin-e under the arm pit area and over the whole breast tissue.
But, today I learned that I have to have the TE for 2 more months. I had hoped to gave the implants by the end of Feb.
I said I don't want to be more than a size B...just a modest breast. My left is probably a size C. I ask if he would make them the same size. He said he wouldn't do anything but a mx on the left breast because I was once dx with cancer in it and he doesn't want to do cause unnecessary scarring. The first ps I saw was willing the right mx making the left one match...not perfect, but somewhat. So...I'm a little bummed, my ps is being stubborn about my wishes. I may just get the right one done, and go elsewhere to get the left breast to match.
Those of you who had your te's out...ever consider fg?
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Hi all
Regarding the order of things, my PS says he has done nips and tattoos in all orders, and just doesn't think it makes a difference. He prefers tattoos first. I kind of think it isn't worth making a big deal about. He is probably right.
On swim suits....after my exanders were removed last May, I found a cute tankini that I could stuff with these ilicone foobs I had purchased. Took that suit to Hilon Head in October after I had the new expanders and was mostly done with fills. I pulled that top up, ready to hit the beach, and that top turned ino a stripper top. Foobies on parade. Barely covered them. I called in my nurse practioner friend and we just howled. Same thing happened with a maxi dress I took down. I did wear it out but spent the whole night with my hands across my chest.
Mia- look into the suzanne sumers fat injection technique. Also the brava method used by dr. Knouri. I think it looks amazing. Works best if ou stay small except in suzanne sumers case.
Specialk- i have hair and weather envy. Rained ice hear last night.
Layla-it took from a bad mammo in late novemer, through three biopsies in ate January o find mine. It was all biopsied out with clean margins. BMX wasnt unti a month after that and nothing was found in the margins new.0 -
Thanks Mia - I remember when you decided to have the other TE removed and remember thinking that might end up being my decision. Thanks for giving me an update, it helps to hear from others! i have been reading the No Reconstruction boards a lot - lots of good advice for going flat.
Re: Fluffqueen's comments about BRAVO and fat injections - I did a lot of research on that and I do think that is a future possibility and very exciting area for the future. I got a 2nd opinion from Dr. Smith at Moffitt, who I really like, and he has actually gone to a training with Dr. Khouri on the BRAVO method and would like to find some "volunteers" to try it. He said the problem is insurance does not cover it, although I have heard you can possibly get some of it covered. He did not feel I was a good candidate because of my prior radiation -related skin problems. He felt the best outcome for me would be the pediculed TRAM flap which is a pretty major surgery. For today, I'm happily looking forward to surgery next week to remove the remaining TE and like you, I'll just see how it goes.
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I hope everyone is well.
Doing well after my Thursday fill; there's tightness but no pain/discomfort. I'm considering myself very lucky. I'm off to cover two stories today and one is putting me right near the mall. And I was thinking about heading into Macy's to look at bras. My PS's nurse said I could wear a molded or padded cup with my TEs but it could not be underwire. I'll see what I can find and pass the info along.
Here, in San Diego it's raining......I will not complain like I usually do (well, maybe a little).....knowing how many of you got hit hard by some nasty weather!
Take care,
T
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Hey gals
doing well here. I haven't been back to the PS since this past Tuesday when my port "magically" disappeared. LOL! It will be interesting to see what they will do, but I have felt all around the area and don't feel a thing! I think an ultrasound will have to be ordered to see if they can find it.
We'll see how it goes.
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Hey gals
doing well here. I haven't been back to the PS since this past Tuesday when my port "magically" disappeared. LOL! It will be interesting to see what they will do, but I have felt all around the area and don't feel a thing! I think an ultrasound will have to be ordered to see if they can find it.
We'll see how it goes. I'm hanging in there.
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Hi there,
Well, I got to the mall early for my TE bra hunt. Macy's was closed but Sears was opened. And I found it! The style was so different than what I would have worn before my BMX -- strapless, go figure. The fit is comfy and has plenty of padding -- so much in fact, I don't need to wear a scarf for camoflauge because the right and left side look nearly equal.
It's made out of soft jersey, spandex and nylon.
Manufacturer: Apostrophe Bra Collection, Seamless Bandeau Bra KSN# 01744912-5. $20 - got it on sale for $13.
Take care,
C
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tatina - I have been wearing those too. There is a little padding in them and I have a couple that have a pocket in them that you could add some fluff to and make both sides match. They stay comfortable for an extended period too. My DH is coming to San Diego on Tuesday, wish I could come too!
Fluff - why the hair envy? The weather envy I understand, ha!
jbl - I was in Sarasota today - thought of you!
On the Brava fat grafting from Dr. Khouri - I know one member that had it on top of her silicone implants and really likes the result. That way she could go with a smaller implant and still has the benefit of soft and warm feeling breasts.
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