January 2014 Surgery Sisters
Comments
-
Oh believe me I know!!! When I had my 3rd c section I had the worst constipation and did end up in the ER!! Nothing would work. Last night I finally got my bowels to move after taking Colace, prune juice, milk of magnesia and dulcolax. I feel better today. I was actually throwing up anything I ate because it had no place to go. Tonight's dinner was the first "meal" I had since Wednesday!
0 -
Grace - You must have had a lot of skin to work with if you had 300cc during surgery! That's great - you're almost done with fills! I can't help you with bras.... I have been wearing soft cotton sports bras that clasp in the front, but they aren't comfortable. Everything irritates my left armpit where I had nodes removed, and I don't really have enough breast to wear a regular bra.
Alexandra - I'm sorry about your path report. I know how it feels to get a not good one. Good for you for doing the UMX, and thank goodness no nodes involved! Chemo is yucky, but there are SO many ways to combat the side effects. I worked part-time all through chemo (took my treatment days and the next day off). I think losing weight during chemo is kind of a myth. Almost everyone in my (Sept) chemo group on here either maintained or gained weight. My sister-in-law gained weight. My best friend was sick almost every day throughout her chemo and she didn't lose that much. For me it was a lot like being pregnant - eat when you can, what you can, and stay on top of your meds to keep you feeling decent.
Diane - that doesn't sound like fun at all! Yuck. But... as we all know, gotta do what we gotta do!
mommyathome - WOW that's a lot of ccs during surgery! How much are you going to get total? I thought somewhere around 500 was usually the goal amount? Yay for getting a drain out!
I am starting to really hate my left tissue expander. I can't wait until I go back to my PS to see if it's normal. It's just so ODD. It seems to be positioned way up in my armpit so it hurts all the time, and it's misshapen and lumpy. I know I only have 100cc in there so it's not going to look normal, but the one on the right actually looks like a breast, albeit a small one. The left one just looks deformed. Makes me wonder if something is going on in there. Maybe it'll look better once it's filled some more. I hope so. Right now it looks like ... I don't even know. LOL
0 -
Lighthouselady,
Hi. The ps said they could be filled to 750 I think but we will see how they look as I get fills. I'm supposed to get a fill tomorrow but I just woke up and I'm stiff, sore and nauseous/dizzy. We will see what she thinks. Cancer fn sucks! I hate the way this is making me feel. I'm still dealing w constipation issues. They changed my pain med from dilaudid to Vicodin but I still feel yuck!!!
0 -
Michelle. I'm don't really know the difference between these TE and what I have. I won't have to have mine removed...they are permanent. They have these fill ports that will be removed when the fills are done...but the implant stays in place. These fill ports are what are uncomfortable for me. I still have to sleep on my back because these ports are bulging out on my sides. Do you have fill ports? Do they bulge out too?
I'M SO SICK OF SLEEPING ON MY BACK! That's why I think I wake up so many times in the middle of the night. It's just not cozy!
So today I took off the bandages! Looking pretty darned good I think. I'm going to go jump in the shower very soon! I'm back on antibiotics...so my tummy feels gross again. Only 5 days worth so I will manage.
OH...AND I'M SO SICK OF BEING TIRED...JUST FEELING WIPED OUT ALL THE TIME!
I hope we are going to all keep in touch...somehow. I really enjoyed having all the support this site has offered.
Laurie
0 -
Mommy, those are huge amounts of cc to have at one time. Tho it was in surgery, I know. Maybe you had,hopefully, plenty of skin already to withstand that amount. Dont rush getting fills now- those amounts are practically what some ladies end up with!
0 -
Saw my plastic surgeon two weeks ago and he wanted me to email pics of my incision so he can see how I'm healing. He just emailed me back and said "good healing indeed... let's start expanding soon". Soon as in TOMORROW! Yikes. So now I'm scrambling to make this all work with my kids and school and my hubby and work, because it's a 3 hour drive each way to my PS office. And the only appointment they had was 10am. I'm excited to get started, though... the sooner we get these expanders filled the sooner I can start rads and be DONE! I think they'll only do 50 in each.... does anyone know if that's all they ever do at a time? If so it will take forever! Or do they just start slow? I only have 100 in each one now.
Laurie - I don't think it's the port that's bothering me. I think it's just the position the expander is in, because the one on the right doesn't bother me at all.
0 -
It really is funny how different that all of the doctors are. I came out of surgery with a 600 cc tissue expander filled to 360. I am not sure when I am going to start my fills. I still have bandages on my incision and I was to go back to the doctor tomorrow, but we just had snowmageddon, so it might have to wait until next week. Hope everyone is doing well this morning and keeping warm.
0 -
I had 100 in surgery, then 50cc fills each time. Took about 5 times but I wanted to stay small. None bothered me at all, til the last on one side, when it shifted and hit a neck nerve. That resolved after a few days. Was very happy doing small fills, no matter how long it took.
0 -
I wouldn't mind doing small fills and taking however long if I didn't have rads looming on the horizon. It's already been almost 5 weeks since surgery and I haven't had a fill yet! I don't know if there's a preferable "window" of time where you're supposed to start rads after surgery, but I'm thinking sooner is better than later.
0 -
My PS said about 60cc each fill...will take about 4 visits. So yours sounds very normal. What size did you choose? She told me it would be very tight...maybe painful. So I'm supposed to take at T3 before I go. Getting high sounds good to me!
Laurie
0 -
Just jumped out of the shower...OMG I feel like a human again! What a difference a shower makes.
0 -
Oh my Gosh Levassel, I agree. When I got my last drain out last Friday I told my doctor that I was going to get in the shower the minute I got home and not come out until the Super Bowl started. It makes you feel like a real person again. This is very personal, but when everybody was waiting to get bandages off or changed, did you notice a strange odor? I didn't really have bandages, I just had tape over the incision and I was over two weeks out before I had it changed the first time. supposed to get it changed tomorrow, but the weather is too bad to travel to get it done. I am really a clean person and this just baffles me.
0 -
doughboy....I've been changing my bandages 3x a day since jan 2....no opportunity for any odor. I would imaging if they were on for long time odor would happen....
Laurie
0 -
Doughboy - maybe it's the betadine you are smelling. You and I had surgery the same day, but my drains came out on day 4. My PS let me take showers, but for the next week, I had to paint betadine onto my incisions and my son said I smelled like the hospital. This past week, I've been allowed to skip that and put on lotion, so no more Ode de ER! Showers are divine! Someday, we will all be able to take baths too.
I have my PET/CT scans this a.m. Nothing but water for 6 hrs before and they inject you with radioactive stuff and let you marinate for an hour in a recliner listening to music. The scans were okay, except that I had to lay on my back with my arms over my head for 1/2 hour and they blew yet another vein in my "good' arm. I'm SO glad I did my exercises, or it would have been even more uncomfortable than it was. Results in 24-48 hrs., so please think good thoughts.
Diane.
0 -
Got a call from my oncologist this morning. PET/CT and Bone density tests are ALL NORMAL! I'll admit I was worried. So glad there isn't anything else lurking in my body waiting to pounce.
Laurie - I was a side/stomach sleeper before BC and was waking up a lot. What seems to be working is turning my bed into a recliner. I put 2 pillow under my shoulders/head (1 horizontally and 1 vertically) so I'm at a slight incline, then 2 pillows under my calves and 1 pillow on each side to elevate my arms slightly. This seems to work, and also keeps me from rolling over. I've been able to sleep 6 hrs at night and 2 hrs during the day.
Diane.
0 -
Dtkd: a big congrats on the clean scans!!!! So happy for you. Today I awoke with swelling under my armpit on the side where the took nodes. I have more pain today too. Anyone rose have this type of swelling; I am 8 days post surgery. I will ask my PS too at my appointment this afternoon to get drains out.
So funny how each of our docs are different. I was allowed to shower from day one but was instructed yo just melt the water rib down my incision sites. No betadine for me??? Also no scans for me unless I become symptomatic .
0 -
Girlstrong,
If it were me, I would also call my breast surgeon to make sure there isn't something they can do in case it's lymph node related. So sorry you're hurting. Hopefully it will pass. Also I had the scans because of elevated liver panel and history of benign tumor in my Liver 10 years ago.
0 -
I accidentally posted this in the January 2013 thread last night, oops!
8 days post surgery. Managing pain with only Tylenol and Advil... the Percocet was just too strong (I can handle mild pain, but severe nausea, no thanks). Drain #2 was removed yesterday, as well as the pain pump. I am averaging about 50 cc total per day with Drain #1... hoping it'll be removed early next week (I can't wait to take a full blown shower). Now I have a full blown yeast infection, but thankfully, I still had one pill left from the last time I had one, so I should be better tomorrow.
I am still waiting to see an oncologist to determine the next step. With DCIS, a MX and now cancer free, I wonder if there is still a chance I may have radiation and/or chemo. If not, then the PS can start filling the TE. But if I need radiation and/or chemo, they would wait. Is this the norm?
0 -
Claire, unless they found something in your lymph nodes, I would be surprised if you need chemo or radiation for DCIS with MX. My tumor was invasive but with BMX and clean nodes and good pathology they said just estrogen blocking therapy. One thing in learning on this site is that all the drs are different in their approaches.
0 -
Yay Diane for clean scans. One less thing to worry about!
Claire, I agree with Diane, I had a lot of invasive small tumors and clean nodes but don't need rads because of the BMX and no muscle involvement. am still waiting on the oncotype to totally rule out chemo. I will be urged to do hormonals
Really don't want any of the side effects, we'll see.Just took a lovely shower, had to get the lawnmower out to shave my legs...lol Can't believe I am 3 weeks out from surgery...Still in denial. Making sausage gravy and biscuits for dinner..oooooh ya! so not healthy...but yummy.
Hope everyone else is doing well.
Eve
0 -
Sounds good Eve...pork chops with potatoes and onions in gravy in the crock pot here.
Anyone taking Anastrozole for their hormone therapy? When I went to pick it up, the pharmacist said to take it with food or it might make me nauseous...awesome!. The printout with the drug says with or without food and there is are a lot of unpleasant side effects listed. Hopefully it won't be too bad, since she wants me to take them for 5-10 years. I'm supposed to start taking them tomorrow.
0 -
One week post-op and I have downgraded to Tylenol hopefully it works I also got a call from BS who gave me my pathology report which was CR. Thanks ladies I don't post often but I am on everyday reading and each one of you have touched me with your story. ((((Hugs)))))
0 -
great news SoutherGirl1974....
Well I returned from the PS and drains are out!!! What a weird feeling having them out, but so glad it's done. Talked about my armpit swelling do he said it was due to an accumulation of fluid that is looking for a new place to drain now that some lymph nodes are missing. I guess it's pretty common and he said that if doesn't go away on its own, he can drain it. I hope it goes away....:) hope everyone is continuing to heal well.
0 -
lol eve....I shaved under my arms today for the first time in a month and a half....quite a chore that was! But all's good now!
Laurie
0 -
I had invasive lobular....onco score was only 8. So with BMX I only have the hormone therapy. I really don't think I'm experiencing much for SE.
Laurie
0 -
oh ya...I'm successfully sleeping one side again....feels soooo good. Don't always last that way the whole night....baby steps!
Laurie
0 -
Diane - YAY for clean scans! Woohoo. I may need to try your pillows trick in bed to get some sleep. I am a side sleeper and even with two pillows under my head, I ended up on my side last night and this morning I was numb in some places and sore in others. Ugh.
Claire - I had a yeast infection from the antibiotics I was on after surgery. Miserable!!!! There were a couple of ladies in my Sept chemo group on here that got TE fills during chemo, and I'm getting mine filled before rads. So I wouldn't say there is a "norm" LOL I guess it depends on how soon your MO wants you to start rads and if you can get filled before then. My PS wants me fully expanded before because he says radiated skin is so much more difficult to work with, and won't expand as well or as easily.
Southerngirl - Congrats on your path report!!!!
Girlstrong - Great news on getting your drains out. Such a wonderful feeling to be free! LOL I have a little swelling behind my armpit, too. The lymphedema specialist I saw today said it wasn't lymphedema... just some leftover fluid and muscle tightness. Most extra fluid is absorbed back into your body.
Laurie - I'm jealous of you sleeping on your side. It's still not comfy for me.
So today we had an interesting day. We got a little snow last night, which pretty much shuts down this west TX town. LOL My kids had a snow day so they spent the day next door at my father-in-law's house since we had to go to Dallas for my appointments. What's normally a 3 hour drive took 4.5. The interstate was pretty much clear most of the way between here & there, but once we got to the Dallas-Fort Worth area it was awful. Lanes covered in snow and wrecks everywhere. I had to call my PS office and tell them we'd be late because we were stopped on the highway 10 miles away at my appointment time. LOL
Anyway, got my first TE fill. They only did 50 because my PS is still concerned about the "T" in my left incision. He didn't want it too stressed I guess. Anyway, we also discussed reconstruction options - I'm not sure why, because that's going to be WAY down the road... like six months after rads which I'm not even starting until March. LOL Anyway, originally he was saying stomach, now I don't have enough stomach to do both breasts, so he's saying stomach & thighs. Brings in another PS to meet me... apparently this guy is the surgeon who did the first ever PAP flap procedure. He and my PS are one of only two pairs of surgical teams who do the stomach/thigh combo surgery. The other team is in New Orleans. I'm feeling pretty important now. LOL Anyway, turns out now they say I have enough to just do the PAP flap (one benefit to having lots of junk in your trunk...LOL) and not mess with my stomach. That's fine with me - one less area to cut sounds good! Of course all this could change between now & then. I'm pretty impressed with myself that I've stumbled onto such a great team of doctors pretty much by dumb luck.
After that appointment I saw a lymphedema specialist/occupational therapist. OUCH! She did some lymphatic massage and some stretching on my left side, and then showed me some exercises to do to help my range of motion and fix my "forward shoulder" problem. I really liked her, too, and feel like she'll help me a lot. I won't be able to see her very often since she's hours away, too, but I will see her again next Thursday when we go back for my next fill.
I was telling Hubby, though... even though he does all the driving, these appointments so far away really tire me out. We left the house at 6am today, drove 4.5 hours in the snow, had the PS appointment, drove 30 minutes to lunch, then another 30 minutes to the OT appointment, then 2 hours home. <yawn> After chemo and surgery, my poor body can't keep up with that kind of day. Thankfully I have nothing planned tomorrow, and my cleaning lady comes! Yay! ha ha
Healing thoughts to my surgery sisters... hope you all are well!0 -
Wow Michelle...that is an insane day! I can't even imagine how tired you must be. As vast as canada is all my cancer specialists are in one hospital an hour and a half away! And even that wears me out!
Hugs
Laurie
0 -
lighthouselady: what a day!!! That would tire anyone out!! Crazy that you have snow n Texas. If imisery loves company, we are absolutely sick of this harsh winter here in Michigan. The 5 inches we received yesterday still wasn't enough to close schools but was enough for our car to get stuck backing out of the driveway! LOL!, Sounds like your getting great care and what a perk... You are in the hands of plastic surgeon pioneers!!! I found a microsurgeon about a hour away who does IGAP and SGAP flaps and I thought About those procedures. For now, however, I think I am so mentally tired from everything that I am going to stick with the implant approach first and if need be, I can do flap surgery later. For me it seems as though I am stuck in a never ending array if medical stuff. I am probably doing rads in March and still have to continue with Herceptin infusions for a year or possibly longer if I decide to participate in a clinical trial my MO has discussed with me. I know that the recovery time for any flap surgery is longer than implants but the results are impressive. Sigh......the last 8 months gave been incredibly long. I truly can't wait to see where I am and where we all are 8 months from know (that will be October 2014). Love you my BC sisters.
0 -
I'm hoping if they do the PAP for my recon that they do some fat grafting from my hind end, too. LOL I have always been bottom-heavy and I just can't picture having much thinner upper thighs and still my big old booty!
0
