Nipple reconstruction
Comments
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I'm the same as Suzy. I had general because I had a revision to left and fat transfer as well. It took 3 hours. Don't remember any pain from the nipple recon. Discomfort was from the donor sites for the fat transfer.
Good luck today. This is really an easy one.
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Msbelle: Sending good thought your way!
I had general anesthesia and stayed overnight in the surger center part of the hospital. Great room, wonderful nurses, good food. I've had problems with low blood pressure after anesthesia but my doctor seems to have most of his patients spend the night. I was off work two weeks (had a fair amount of pocket work and scar revision done too).
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I have nipples!!!! Not too bad but a little sore. I have more feeling than I thought would. Just took my pain med anticipating the local wearing off. Sooooo glad it's over. Thanks to all of you for your support and words of encouragement and wisdom!!
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Msbelle- glad you did well!!!!!
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For you ladies who have gone threw the nipple recon allready im looking for advice. I have been scheduled for my nipple recon for a wiel now Sept. 18th is the big day, and now I have a 3 day trip planned Sept. 27th so that would give me roughly 8 days of recovery. should I postpone my recon or do you think that would be plenty of time for recovery? We also plan on some fat grafting.
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Bcs- I think you should be able to go but you might be a little sore. Maybe the sorest place would be the donor site for the fat grafting? You might want to think about the activites you are planning on your trip. (Swimming not a great idea.....). Ask your PS his/her opinion. Hope you can go!
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BCS2011, I had my nip and tuck done two weeks before a retreat with my 13 year old and all her buddies in the Texas heat. I was very concerned about doing it but because of all the support, went ahead and committed to it. The day after surgery I was good to go. I have yet to take the prescription meds. Lipo must love me because that has caused zero pain or discomfort with me. What I am not sure of is the shooting pains in my nipples and breast area. Phantom pain? Not sure but I have had sensation in my breasts for a long time. Not the same but definite feeling. Since the nipple reconstruction, I swear I have feeling and pain. Weird but yesterday it was sharp pains. I keep telling myself it cannot be so I ignore it most of the time. But back to you, I would say you will be fine. After dealing with what all we have, this is nothing.
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Not sleeping well, scared I'll flatten my new nipples. Keeping them in this gauze nest for a week until my FU. Paranoid I'm going to mess up PS handy work!! Did anyone have complications/ flattening??
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I started a thread about but nobody replied. How long do nipple shields normally stay on?
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I had my nipples done on 7/26. For the first two weeks, the were wrapped up behind plastic. I now have to make donut shields from gauze to protect them. I cannot wear normal shirts like tshirts because my little gauze donuts project through a shirt. Anyone have any idea how long I have to wear this in addition to my 24/7 bra of horror? Ready to hang loose. Texas heat not making this easier either.
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I stopped wearing any shields or gauze after a check up appointment with my PS at three weeks post surgery. The direction you get from them seems to vary according to who you go to. I think the breast reconstruction nurses seem to have a better grasp on why this information is so important to us - it's not fun to bind up and have issues with bras, heat and worrying over doing the new nipples damage! I did not have any further flattening after I stopped wrapping it up, just some softening which makes it feel more 'real'. There doesn't seem to be a definitive answer I'm afraid.
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I took my shields off after 5 days. The adhesive was making me itch too bad. Must admit that i am a PS nurse and our Docs generally say nothing constrictive for 3 weeks. Now wearing the donut gauze under a bra or cami. At home I just wear a nice loose t-shirt and it is so nice. With the skin origami to make the nipple, I know I will lose a little projection over time or soften as SuzyBlue said. They compensate for that at the time of surgery. Gunna take a benadryl tonight to help with the itching. Hope no one else had that reaction!
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Thanks everybody for the info! Will see PS in two weeks.
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Yes, Thank you! for all your so important information on this crazy subject. I decided to postphone my surgery until after my trip. That way I don't have to worry about doing any damage. Thank you.
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So with this donut gauze to protect the nipple, can you wear normal stuff to work without it being noticeable (I work with a bunch of men)?
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I have been wearing shirts and dresses with pockets on the boob part. I also can manage if the shirt is thick cotton. No cute tshirts or think shirts. I have an 18 year old son living at home and don't want him constantly seeing my headlights.
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I wear bras that are slightly padded and smooth (as opposed to having lacey parts on them) and you can't see anything through them. Just need to make sure they are not too tight.
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I'm wearing a loose bra and shirt. Nothing fitted. I tried no bra and just taped gauze but it didn't stay in place.
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I'm wearing a loose bra and shirt. Nothing fitted. I tried no bra and just taped gauze but it didn't stay in place.
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Okay, I'm three months out from my nipple reconstruction surgery and a month past the final thick scab coming off and it is official - my left nipple is lovely and the right one shrunk down so it is flat again. I'm planning on tattoos in the fall. I had decided I was done with surgeries but saw my breast surgeon last week and he asked if I was going to have it redone so I've been giving it some thought. I see the plastic surgeon in September and expect he will go ahead if that's what I want. Has anyone done a "redo" if the nipple shrunk too much? If you considered it, what were your reasons to go ahead or leave it be? Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions.
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Do most of you ladies have a skin graft for an areola as well as a nipple? I was anticipating just a nipple nub when I had my surgery, but found an areola underneath my bandages! I am pleased of course, but wasn't sure if this is standard. I had my TE exchanged and nip recon at the same time. PS said it will probably darken over time so I may not need tats since I'm very fair skinned.
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Golden01- darn! Sorry about the one nip! Ugh. I know what you mean about swearing off surgery but now maybe contemplating again. Such a tough one to decide! I did the fat grafting last month (decided to forgo the nips reconstruction) and some of it /most of it has reabsorbed. My left boob has some awful rippling. I don't like it one bit!! I keep telling myself to forget it, that it's fine, but it's not. It bothers me. I just can't stand the thought of surgery either. What to do? What will you do? I go see my ps next week.
Bcs2011- glad you rescheduled your trip. I was not up for much after my last surgery in July for at least 2 weeks.
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Jamie I know some folks that had the graft. They look great too. I just had the nips. I'm surprised your PS didn't explain what s/he was doing… It was probably in some of those papers you signed but forgot to read.
Golden unfortunately this isn't a perfect science. Seems everyone has at least one revision of something during recon. Is your ps going to fix it?
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Iago - I do have to ask him about it. When he took my nipple shield off, I couldn't see the final result. Imagine my suprise when I got home! He had asked me, "Can I go ahead and reconstruct the nipple if I can?" Sure! Get as much done as we can. Well he did!
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Lago - I don't know as I had made up my mind I was just going to go ahead with the tattoo and not do a "redo" on the nipple when I was at my last appointment. I see him again in September and am reconsidering so want to have it thought out before that appointment. You are right about many needing at least one revision.
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I am curious about the scabs people have mentioned. I have my nipple and areolas done on 7/26. At my one week post op, my ps removed the plastic and cleaned the area. No scabs at all. He replaced the plastic and at the next appt. asked me to just shield the nipple area with donut shaped gauze. My nipples other than having stiches in them look totally normal. No scabs whatsoever. They were huge when they first were revealed but have shrunk to normal and I love them. When can I be confident the shrinkage has stopped? Just curious as to the differences I am reading.
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I didn't have much scabbing but I didn't have areolas done. I think everyone heals differently. I have heard that after a year you won't have to worry. Mine were done last October. They shrunk quite a bit in the first few months. I don't think I've had much shrinkage in the last several though. Again, everyone is a bit different.
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My PS used a "skate" flap which looked a lot like a skateboard. I had small scabs on the left that came off in a reasonable amount of time. On the right, I had a good size scab and some slight bleeding that lasted quite awhile (would end up with spotting when I'd go on long walks, etc.). The PS ended up removing the scab on that side about two months after the surgery. Once it came off there really wasn't anything left underneath.
Will appreciate anyone's thoughts about deciding on a "re-do" on the right. I'm inclined not to do it but am working hard at keeping an open mind. Down the road, I want to be satisfied with my decisions and the result.
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Just had my nipple (UMX) done yesterday. Changed the gauze today and was anxious but happy. He told me not to wear a bra until my followup appt next week. Did anyone else have this instruction? I had doughnut shaped gauze that was put on yesterday. When I changed it today I sort of improvised with some gauze that I cut a hole in to make a doughnut shape. I didn't really have much more instruction other than no bra, no pressure.
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Yes I had same instructions. Told not to even let the shower spray directly on them. Told to treat them very carefully.
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