Unilateral mastectomy & reconstruction
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Thanks Frostecat, Jeaniebeanie and others - That helps to know how the healing process will go. Definitely not a question of whether to do the lift/reduction - after all, we have to get SOME benefit out of this! I am older too, so definitely looking forward to a little younger look there. LOL
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jeaniebeanie, I had the "anchor with areola reduction". I remember seeing a large metal staple holding everything at the bottom, which PS removed with the stitches. Did I mentioned that I had saggy breasts? Surprisingly, I started wearing underwire bras within two weeks.
The lifted side looked scary, but the MX side hurt more. It has been 3 years since the lift /exchange and I use the pectoral muscles with no issues. Sometimes, I feel a little tightness on the MX side, when I do too many pushups, but the lifted side feels like I never had surgery.
It just takes time to heal. Let us know what your PS says.
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jeaniebeanie: KT tape is kinesiology tape - it is an adhesive tape with some stretch used most commonly in physiotherapy of sports injuries. I use it to help my patella track more normally when I run, but if you Google KT tape and hit the "images" button you will get the idea. You see a lot of professional athletes wearing it. I have sensitive skin and it doesn't irritate me. I have never tried using it to lift/support a boob but just read about another woman trying this. The upper part of a piece of tape was applied over her shoulder and the lower part was cut lengthwise into "fingers" that spread over and below the breast while she held it in a comfortable position. I don't think this was a long term solution or anything, but something she found useful while some rub spots from her bra were healing. Her other breast did not need support so this allowed her to go without a bra while she healed up.
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I was wondering how that worked. I couldn't imagine placing the tape under the breast for the lift, that would hurt. But now I have an odd image in my head of this tape coming over the shoulder with different "fingers" holding up the breast. Some of the things that people come up with on these boards is both imaginative and creative to say the least - but whatever it takes. It's all good!
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wow,,, that KT tape sounds like an awesome idea,,,, I think I have found the culprit,,, my sportsbra is a 40, not 42!!!!, i only need temporary support on my Uni side while I let my lift side heal,, still saggy so no worries about lifting that,,,lol..
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Hi ladies, I had not even realized that the natural droopy side I have that will be LIFTED may need the nipple moved - does that need to happen with everyone who gets a lift?
my 34C droopy breast really is droopy for a 43 yr old,,, and yes that nipple too is very low - i guess i will have to write this down
and type incision, scar for natural side?
and how feels having both sides operated on at same time vs uni mx?
and if under anesthisia for 4 - 41/2 hrs for this, can i stay overnight at hospital if feel very anxious over being released and not monitored - i have extreme anxiety... and don't do well with needles, iv's, etc,,,
and what bra will need to keep them up right after and compressed - i have the GENIE BRAS, have some seemless BARELY THERE brand bras and a few bandeaus that i like but those are not good bras for healing as they cut off circulation
have any of you tried putting bacitracin ointment on over your incision line - to keep stitches area moist - i do that at night 2 x week over the mx scar (anchor shape) - it seemed to help and i also rub it over entire TE - which is so hard and huge like a torpedo,, i do look forward to getting a silicone implant and having something not like this TE, a cement boob!
wondering how will feel 4 weeks out from this - is that enough time to feel up to getting showered, dressed and PULLED TOGETHER to work by that point? i had awful time 6 to 10 weeks out post MX,,, I THINK I OVER DID IT - DID TOO MUCH, which i hope i learned the hard way and feel i should opt to tell work - i need min 4 weeks - will TRY to be back but it may be more like 5 or 6 weeks,,, and maybe 3 or 4 PT DAYS for the first month as continue to heel and then add more hours after new year.... i hate to say i will be fine in 2 weeks and over do it - in case anything comes up. rather call and say i can make it back sooner after i know how it all goes...? suggestions - anyone - i never sleep well and after mx was up insomnia from it for 2 months - i was in shock, PTSD! and that took a toll but i dont want to piss off my co workers or boss either as they think she's milking this - which i am not - it has been really a LOT, LOOKING FOR ADVICE, thanks
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sparkle, glad you asked all these questions, many are the same ones I have. I just watched some youtube videos about the lift, very interesting. I also have the worry that you stated, how will it be now having both sides hurting instead of just the one. In hindsight, I wish I had had a double but then when I think of what just the uni felt like, I cannot imagine having both sides feel that way. At least I had the left side I could lift things with and can sleep on that side etc. After the exchange and life, I'll be back flat on my back again. Hope we get some good answers to your questions. I also wonder do they make a new incision to do the exchange or do they redo the one I already have on the mastectomy side. I'm scheduled for my lift and exchange 12/19, so have all this time to worry over it.
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I'll do my best to answer your questions, at least from my perspective:
No the nipple will not be removed for the lift, you will still have it and most likely sensation.
There are different types of scars for the lift, the most common being around the aerola, a straight line from the aerola to under the breast, and then across towards the armpit. This is the scar that gives most of us the trouble when bra shopping.
Two sides are affected, however the lifted side is nothing like the mastectomy surgery as far as being able to lift your arms and what not, but yes, sleeping is a bit of a different story.
I think most of these surgeries are done on an outpatient basis, mine was. And yes, they wake you up and send you off, so please be sure to have someone competent to care for you.
A lot of us like the Bali Revolution Comfort bra in style #3488 or #3484
I was not instructed to put bacitracin on the scar. As a matter of fact, I read somewhere that they didn't want you to. I did put a little on when I noticed some redness, but that was just a one time thing. For the most part, they want you to keep it dry. The scar should be closed on your MX side by now, and bacitracin is an antibiotic cream, so it probably wouldn't serve a real purpose as long as your wounds are closed.
My PS told me 4-6 weeks, I took 5. With my UMX I was ready to go back at 6 but had to wait for Dr. clearance, which made it 7 (he was out of town). I would not have been able to return at 2 weeks, personally. I was under anesthesia for 6 1/2 hours and that takes awhile to go away. Plus, I was having some oozing on the lifted side that I wanted to get under control. Not to mention the thoracoepigastric flap on the UMX side was painful for me until I hit the 4 week mark. Fortunately for me my workplace has been wonderful throughout this whole ordeal, and told me to take as much time as I needed to.
As I said, I certainly can't speak for everyone but I hope this helps.
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I am freaking out right now, as my surgery is next week, and the surgeon's office has not yet gotten approval from medicaid. Medicaid has to approve the implant, but they don't have to approve the breast reduction on the opposite side. the surgeon's office said it is not unusual to have to wait this long for approvals, regardless of what is being done. but i can't help but think that what is holding it up is the reduction part of the surgery. i am not about to go through life with a size G-H breast. in fact, as soon as i got the BC diagnosis, the first thing i said was "chop them off", as I have always hated my breasts, especially since the prolactinoma caused them to balloon out of control. even a significant weight loss in the past didn't do a thing to budge their size. i am so upset right now, i am tempted to cut the damn thing off myself. sorry to be so dramatic, but i am very nervous, and hardly slept a wink last night.
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It is federal law that any insurance which offers mastectomy must pay for reconstruction and any procedure necessary to the residual breast in order to facilitate symmetry. Don't worry, they will pay (at least something) for it.
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thank you fourminor. i read that the laws don't apply to medicare and medicaid, but hopefully they will consider my circumstances. do they honestly expect me to walk around with breasts size G-H on one side and C on the other?
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Sec. 713. Required Coverage for Reconstructive Surgery Following Mastectomies.
(a) In General - A group health plan, and a health insurance issuer providing health insurance coverage in connection with a group health plan, that provides medical and surgical benefits with respect to a mastectomy shall provide, in a case of a participant or beneficiary who is receiving benefits in connection with a mastectomy and who elects breast reconstruction in connection with such mastectomy, coverage for:
- Reconstruction of the breast on which the mastectomy has been performed;
- Surgery and reconstruction of the other breast to produce a symmetrical appearance;
- Prostheses and physical complications all stages of mastectomy, including lymphedemas; in a manner determined in consultation with the attending physician and the patient. Such coverage may be subject to annual deductibles and coinsurance provisions as may be deemed appropriate and as are consistent with those established for other benefits under the plan or coverage. Written notice of the availability of such coverage shall be delivered to the participant upon enrollment and annually thereafter.
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So I got my first fill today, 60 ccs. I'm tender and sore tonight. Thank god I asked if i was supposed to be wearing bras 23/7 because evidently my team says be comfortable. I will wear something during the day because my healthy breast needs it and I would like to smooth and even myself out. But right now I'm in bed with just a T shirt on em and it feels so much better.
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thanks for the info. Fourminor. I had to take a xanax to be able to sleep tonight, so i'm getting tired. I pray they approve it, since Medicaid has they own rules unfortunately.
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WTG Fourminor!, congrats on your first fill,,, it will be sore n tender but all in all I found the process pretty amazing,,,,try to get some rest hun and remember::::::: JUST CAUSE WE CAN ,,DOESNT MEAN WE SHOULD::::::
Scary,,,,, you will be fine hun,, I am sure they will approve the lift/ reduction,,, as far as a hospital stay,,, I don't think so unless there are complications, usually out patient services,,, but ALLdoctors are different,,, all you can do is ask,,, I also am a Uni, I don't know how the women who have had a double MX do it or did it,,,, God must be helping them,,, lord knows just one is bad enough,, but with the lift it is still pain on both sides,, for me the healing on the lift side is worse than anything due to the bra line,,,I have Dr appt in morning, can't wait to get these steri strips gone,, the tape is rubbing my arm raw,,,,sorry for ranting,,,,, just want this over already and get back to my "life", family and work and friends,,,, healing Hugz to all,,,,, J,,,,
P.S. Scary,,,, try to have a good nights sleep hun, I know it is scary,(lol) but you will be okay like the rest of us,, you will not be alone and we all know exactly what you are feeling,,,, HUGZ hun
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Well I volunteered to go pick up the lunch for the crew today at work, wrong move. I walked into the restaurant, and the gal walked up to me and threw a huge bowl of salad, a huge plate of sandwiches and a big box of condiments into my arms all at once. It must have weighed 40 pounds. She took me by surprise, almost like someone throwing a baby in your arms. I did NOT want to pick it up like that, but one at a time. Thank God there was a gal walking into the double doors that saw me in distress and opened the doors for me, walked me to my car, and opened the hatch for me. I don't know what I would have done without that angel, but I feel like I pulled something in the process. How ignorant of the hostess/server to literally throw something like that in someone arms without asking if it is o.k.? I'm sorry, under normal circumstances it wouldn't be an issue, but I just have to rant, cause I'm hurting a bit.
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ohhhhh, Frostecat, I sure hope you are okay Hun,,,,that was very rude of her to do that, I am hoping I didn't pull something when I was bra shopping a few days ago,,😱😱sure felt like it, guess I will find out in the morning,,,, healing HUGZ hun,,,,,,,J
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scary:
My fingers and toes are crossed that everything will be covered for you. These surgeries/treatments are already stressful and traumatic without having to worry about insurance coverage. I am a Canadian living in the States so I have difficulty with the fact that so many Americans lack access to high quality medical care. I am lucky enough to enjoy excellent medical benefits related to my job, but so many people here do not. I am hoping that you will get back to us soon and tell us that you will be able to have everything covered. I would consider anything else to be inhumane.
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thanks for the encouragement gals. i woke up at 3:30 this morning, so at least i got some sleep (onc. appt. later for bloodwork, fun fun fun). If they DON'T cover it, i will be on the news showing all, well at least through a shirt, and publicly embarrass medicaid. how can they let a person go around looking like this? i did some snooping and saw some official medicaid guidelines that stated medical necessity, but not psychological necessity, something like that, if i find it again, i will post it here. but then i read something about huge pendulous breasts, but they don't mention UNI's, they just explain if someone needs breast reduction due to huge breasts, back/neck pain, etc. If i were to need another surgery to do the reduction, medicaid would be stupid because they are paying for anesthesia, etc. again, because i'm not giving up. and i'm NOT going to rebuild the cancer side to a size H either.
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Scary: It will be paid for. Trust me. Medicaid IS NOT above the law. The only issue with Medicaid is they don't pay as well as some private insurance so its a matter of whether your doctor will accept it. But they must pay.
Frostecat: I would be livid. She is lucky you didn't toss it all on the floor. But people are ignorant and most of them have their head up their heineys. I'm sure it will be OK in the end, but I would have a word with her to make sure that was a one time occurrence.
Everyone: Here's something my PS brought up during my initial consult which I have not heard here or otherwise. At the time I was not sure if I was going to remove one or both (now going through this as a uni i have no idea how women deal with it on both sides. Part of the reason this is bearable right now is that I have no pain and a good arm on my right).
Anyway what he said was that if I did a lift/reduce on the natural side, and then got cancer on that side later, that the scarring would make a mastectomy on that side more difficult.
I really think my PS feels better letting you hear all bad news so you go in with both eyes open, and assuming he's telling me the truth, this can be filed right with telling a woman that if she chooses lump/RT, she may have problems with reconstruction later. Not impossible, but not as easy. Did any of your PS mention this to you?
BTW: Ouch on the fill. Not fun. Trying to keep the goal in mind right now.
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Fourminor - that is a first for me to hear. I wish they could provide us with a list of the pros and cons of each of the various surgeries to take home with us to study before making a decision. I don't know about you all, but after the initial shock of being diagnosed with this, I was in a bit of a fog, so a lot of the things the Dr's told me flew right over my head. My DH was usually with me, and some things he caught that I didn't, but he too didn't catch everything. I event took a notepad in with me, but the Dr's are busy too, so it is impossible for them to tell us everything. I was provided with a lot of reading material, but nothing like a pro/con list.
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thanks Fourminor. I am a very nervous person as it is, so every if and or but tends to go through my mind. i go to the oncologist today, and i will probably mention it to him too. A week from this moment, i will be on the operating table. yes, the time has gone by very fast.
p.s. a friend said to me recently, "why get the other one reduced? get the rebuilt one big". i was like, um........no thanks.
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Jeanie,
Like I said about the RT issue, even had I known that it would complicate a future reconstruction, I highly doubt it would have changed my choice to go with lumpectomy and RT. I had about 1 cm of DCIS on my first mammo with no family history. Being a positive thinker, I never imagined I'd be back on the biopsy table five years later. I thought I paid my dues. Those who think its easier to hear the second time--in my experience its just as awful, just a little different.
That being said, Once again, the statistics give me at least a 90-95% chance of being done with breast cancer at this point, and aesthetics are important to me so I'm not sure it would dissuade me from a contralateral fix. I think his point was, any time you do ANYTHING surgically, it changes what can be done later. He didn't say you couldn't do a mastectomy, just that it would not be as easy. But then, I'm sure my mastectomy was not easy from the lumpectomy scar, which is why I lost more above nipple skin.
Its all risk-benefit in medicine. Its just nice to know all the info so there are no surprises down the road. That's what they mean by INFORMED CONSENT.
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Hi Everyone,
I have posted on other boards but am glad to have found this one. I had a UMX with TE in 10/12 but still haven't gotten around to swapping for the implant- i just keep finding a reason to put off another surgery.
At the moment my breasts are very asymmetrical. I was going to keep the right (droopy, natural) breast just how it was and just use a bra to look even because I didn't want the scar tissue of a life to complicate imaging such as mammos. However, every time I have a mammogram I get a call back (it's been twice) because my breasts are so lumpy (my original 3 cm tumor never showed up on a mammo even when it was very palpable to me). And those mammos, especially for the callback image, are so painful- they twist and smush, not to mention the stress of callbacks. So lately I've been wondering:
1) Should I just get the right one off? I enjoy having it natural but I hate the stress of callbacks- the latest is a 3mm cyst. Would I regret compromising another side? I also hate the idea of another major surgery- and it probably would be major with second UMX and implants.
2) Should I get a lift on the right side since I get callbacks anyway- might as well try to be a bit symmetrical. But how extensive is that surgery and recovery? I really want to minimize surgery and recovery- I have two kids who are young teens and I hate to have them preoccupied by this.
I'm just wondering if anyone else with a UMX has thought of getting a BMX to avoid the hassle of a UMX.
Thanks
Stephanie
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it medicaid would have allowed me to get a bmx, i would have done so in a heartbeat. but that's just me.
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I think only you can answer those questions, Stephanie. I would not personally remove a healthy breast and risk complications to avoid a short period of discomfort during mammograms, but everyone is different and priorities vary! There are many women who have made that decision and not regretted it one bit, and have found additional peace of mind about reducing the risk of a future cancer. So there is no right or wrong, just the choice that is right for you.
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I agree with Flannery. It's not an easy decision. I would remove the healthy breast if I have mutated BRCA gene for peace of mind. Originally, I was going to go for bmx,but I m so glad I didn't because I can't imagine not having any feelings in both breast and having to deal with possible neuropathy. Ultimately, it depends on your priority.
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Scary, Loveroflife, and Flannery,
Thanks for responding so quickly! You're right- I think I have to sit with it all and see what is right for me. I was just so freaked out.
I will have to get this 3mm cyst aspirated soon or looked at again in 6 months.
Though the radiologist after U/S and mammo is 99% sure it's nothing, it brought me back to that horrible time 2 years ago when I first found out that the lump I felt (which did not show up on a mammo) was cancer. I usually leave those memories behind but with the mammo, it all popped right back up.
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momwriter,,,,,, I agree with the other ladies on here,, we can't make that decision for you, we can give you our experiences,,, I am a UNI also and had my lift/reduction in July,, I still have sensation in my nipple which is what I was going for,,, I wasn't huge to begin with,, 40C,,, which is exactly where I am now,, I just asked doc to get me to a "full" C cup,, I did not want to take off a perfectly healthy Breast, it was traumatic to loose one,, I could not imagine both,, God Bless our sisters who had no choice,,,I am happy with MY decision for myself,,, the only problem I am having is the healing under the Breast due to being irritated by wearing the bra 24/7 for my implant side,,, I have not had any other problems and if not for this issue I could of probably be just about finished with my surgeries, but the recovery I found to be way easier than the MX, AND QUICKER,,,,I also tested negative for the BRACCA test, we are all different and symmetry was important to me,,,,, good luck with your decision,,,, healing Hugz to all,,,,,J
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Fourminor,,,,,, how you feeling hun????? Just checking in on ya
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