Unilateral mastectomy & reconstruction
Comments
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I agree Sparkle, good luck whatever you decide is right for you,
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Hi all! I just wanted to report in 3 days post exchange surgery. Everything went well - I have been pretty sore, especially on the reduction side. Not much pain on the TE side. But used the hydrocodone for two days and then switched to ibuprofen today. Taking the heavier pain pills at night to sleep, but not during day. I can't believe how even both sides look - not pretty right now of course, but can't wait to get back into regular bras and shirts. Thanks for the tips on lining the bottom of the sports bra - that has helped tremendously, and no one in the PS office thought to mention that. Looking forward to getting some energy back but am so very glad to get this part behind me!
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ISWHATIS55 - great TO HEAR your exchange and reduction went well. BE CAREFUL not to over do anything - you may feel inclined to lift and reach and overuse the arms but try not to! let the site on both sides rest - honestly, take it easy as you want the area to have the proper time to rest and renew... if you have any issues getting into and out of bed and being comfortable - try sleeping on couch propped up so nothing is pressing against the front... did your DR give you a recovery bra - just curious how you are bandaged and for how long they advise you to wear it? and when you will be able to shower (don't risk getting them wet) hope you have a terrific recovery0 -
ISWHATIS55- Congrats on completing your surgery and having that piece behind you! How awesome to be even. Take good care of yourself!
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Iswhatis55- it's wonderful to hear that surgery went well and you came out even. Rest up.
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Hello, I am also one of the few unis here and will have exchange surgery (exchange on right and implant/lift on the left) on November 12. I am planning to be out of work for only two and a half weeks, I am wondering whether that's enough, but I will see. I was healing fairly quickly from the mastectomy, but I am a bit freaked out to have now both breasts involved ... and I am also second guessing as I think I should have had a double MX, but too late now. What do you wear after surgery, bra-wise? My PS is great and I fully trust him to do a great job, but I have my pre-op only one day ahead of the surgery and would like to shop in advance if needed. Have any of you had a drain for the exchange surgery? Sorry, you might have mentioned this somewhere above, I did not read through the whole thread. Thanks for any input you can provide. I am freaking out a little bit right now, and my husband thinks that this surgery is a piece of cake, especially because it's outpatient.
Thank you,Alexandra
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Summerwheat, I actually would like to know those same details about recovery from exchange. I have two kids and if possible I'd like them to know as little about this sx as possible- we've put this BC behind us- If I can have an exchange on one side without them really knowing about it that would be great. -- like have it on a Thursday and just stay recovering away from home in the city for the weekend. Probably wishful thinking that it wouldn't be that apparent.
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Momwriter, I have two kids as well, but no way to hide this. I was planning to talk to them this WE. On Wednesday, we will drop off the kids at school, go to the surgery center, and when I am done in the afternoon, my husband will take me home and then pick up the kids. Sometimes it would be nice to have family around ... good luck with your exchange.
Got to do some more work tonight, feeling a little harrassed a few days before going out for a few weeks - I am the only one who does my job and who knows how to do it in my department.
Alexandra
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Congrats iswhatitis!
I'm going back to work Monday but at PS on Thursday nurse told me i have developed tendinitis and need PT, we will skip next weeks fill. I have been pretty uncomfortable yesterday and was wrapping my chest in a heating pad on low setting and took Advil around the clock. Now i regret saying I would come back but i was feeling really good up until this last fill. Have a PT appointment after work on Monday and I will leave early. I'm not going to feel like I have to be superwoman.
I am only at 360ccs!
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Iswhatitis- glad to hear everything went well for you, now take the time to heal properly.
Summerwheat - Welcome to the board. After surgery they sent me home in a surgical bra that didn't fit very well. While recuperating I actually tried not to wear a bra, it felt better without, but I sometimes wore a cami too. Every PS seems to have different thoughts on what to wear afterwards, some say nothing at all, some say underwire, some say anything except underwire so who is to know what yours will say. After you start healing a bit, the problem with bra shopping becomes the scar on the lifted side. The band of the bra can really irritate that area. A lot of us here have found the Bali Comfort Revolution bra #3488 or #3484 to work the best. The band is very soft. The only difference between the two styles is padding or not.
I did have one drain afterwards, but it didn't stay in long at all, nothing like the MX, when I had it for 3 weeks. For me personally 2 1/2 weeks would have been a little shy, even though my PS medically cleared me around that time, I looked at him like he was nuts. I was still exhausted from the anesthesia and still sleeping most of the day. They had originally told me 4-6 weeks off, and I took 5. I also had fat grafting and lipo done so I was under for quite a while longer too.
4minor - Darn it - and you were recuperating so well. You have the right attitude, don't push yourself this isn't a race. One thing I have learned through this journey is to expect the unexpected. I just found a lump on my mastectomy side so I have a call into the BS and should hear back next week. Just when ya think you are done with all of this . . . .0 -
Frostecat - Here's hoping the lump is nothing! You're right - after all this you should be DONE! As far as work, I really think it depends on the type of work you do. I am an accountant, so all desk work. And I'm lucky enough to work out of my home so I can lay down whenever I need to. I would think minimum of two weeks to be off from an office and then maybe half days. I think it takes awhile for all those drugs to work out of your system. If you have any kind of physical capability needed, you need to think longer time for being off. I did about an hours worth this morning and am now tired! Ugh!
As far as bras after surgery, my PS said wear sports bra - no underwire - as much as can stand it. So I have been 24/7 except during shower, which they said I could take after second day post surgery. Stitches are protected by steri-strips. There is still a little bleeding so be prepared to keep gauze or minipads ( as suggested above) between bra and skin. I use the nursing pads for the nipple area and they have worked well. I think under clothes your kids would not really be able to tell much, except you need to make sure they don't accidentally bang against your chest area. So minimal info for them should work well. I figure I'll wear the sports bras for a couple of weeks and then see if I can switch to the Balis. Walmart has some inexpensive sports bras with no underwire.
Summerwheat - I had no drain for lift/reduction on natural side - not sure how much they took out, but it seems like quite a bit. The nurse had told me they never know until they get in there if you are going to need it. This is the side with the most pain. But I have been surprised that my range of motion for my arms has been fine. I can wash and dry my own hair!
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Frostecat,
I want to hear that the lump is nothing. I know its nothing, but I want to hear it anyway.
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Frostecat, hopefully, it's just scar tissue. Please keep us posted.
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Summerwheat, welcome! Best wishes on your up coming surgery.
Fourminor, I'm sorry about the bump in the road. Listen to your body. Hope your transition back to work a smooth one. My PT told me that expanding the pect muscle is really hard on the tendons in the shoulder. Could you ask to have less fill per visit to let the area adjust? Tendonitis is not fun. It can take awhile to heal. Could you ice it to keep swelling down? I hope you are right handed so at least you can rest your left arm. Big bear hug to you too
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Frostecat, I am praying hopefully just scar tissue, they took everything else out so what else could it be,,,, stay positive and we are all here for you, waiting to see what Dr says.
Loveroflife, I was told no ice on MX side ever as we have no nerves and can very easily get frostbite. Kind of tired these last few days, going to take a nap, healing Hugz to all,,,,,,
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Thank you Jeanie for the reminder. We need to be very careful with heat or cold pad as we have nerve damage to the MX area. Sorry Fourminor...just be careful
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I wish they had "like" buttons on our post
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Thanks. I just had my feeling sorry for myself moment. We had a babysitter and went out with friends. I had stopped taking the NSAIDs yesterday and was feeling OK, using a little low heat and stretching but also resting. Well I don't know what it was, the air was cold, the restaurant was loud, or whatever, but the whole pec just felt awful, throbbing in the tendon, heavy at the TE and I just couldn't get my mind away from it. By the time we drove home, every bump was bothering me and I just started crying.
I did a little yoga earlier in the day, non-weightbearing to the upper body, focusing on my hips, ,mainly, and everything is so tight. I need PT, I need to be doing yoga however I can. I am hoping work will be OK tomorrow.
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hang in there Fourminor, it was just a bad day, you know we will have them just don't know when. It is kinda like,,, I feel good lets go do something, then just when you feel u might enjoy yourself that dam BC does "something" to remind us what we have been through or are going through,, I hope you feel better and get some rest.m your in my prayers hun🙏🙏🙏😉😉. Healing HUGZ,,,,,,,
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Hello ladies, thanks so much for your comments, that's very helpful. Iwill have to ask my PS what bra he wants me to wear. I am so dreading this, I have anesthesia. I have a desk job by the way (paralegal), so no physical labor, and my commute is 15 minutes by car (or I can work from home if need be), so I should be fine. I think my bigger issue might be not to do any house work. After my MX, I had my sister in law visiting, and that was great. Now it's just me, the husband and the kids. Fun. But we will manage. I hope this is getting me closer to getting done with this stuff (aside from Tamoxifen and Herceptin anyways).
Good night!
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Summerwheat,
On my way in today. Wearing a Rebock low impact sports bra seems to be most comfy right now. My job is all desk too. Thought it might help not to be home in a way so I stop cleaning.
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Summerwheat, best wishes on your surgery tomorrow. Hope everything will go well for you.
Fourminor, how is your shoulder? I think icing the area, of course being careful to not involve the skin near the MX, would help keep the inflammation down. I had tendonitis from playing badminton (yes,sometimes I can get competitive and spike more than my shoulder can handle). I found that resting the shoulder and icing it helped. I know it's a different scenario but it is the same tendon involved. Hope your PT can help you resolve the problem. I'm having TE placement sx in January and I'm a bit nervous aboutnot only how my skin and pec muscle will do, but also if my shoulder can handle the stretching. My PT already warned me about the possible shoulder pain with reconstruction.
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Update on me, can't get into the BS until November 26th. This is not fun to wait on this.
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Oh Dear!! I'm sorry for the long wait. Hopefully, it's just scar tissue. This journey sure is roller coaster ride. I will keep you in my prayers. Try to stay focus on spending time with family. Big hug.
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Frostecat- Waiting is so hard! Am Cheering for it being nothing. I myself have to have a 3mm cyst on my good side aspirated- she's 99% sure it's nothing- but -
I'd love to know what people tell themselves to get through these mammos/ultrascans and waiting periods.
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The nurse said that the BS usually likes to wait a couple of weeks when something is discovered to see if it disappears. She said if they have any cancellations she will call. The likelihood of that happening seems slim to nil to me.
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hi everyone,, been a few days since I have been on,, my Oncologist says to wait for the mammo until January and all of a sudden I am having some burning and pain in my upper pole area of the lifted breast,,, doesnt make any sense,,, cept I am still red the whole incision area and surgery was in July,, so PS said to wait until this starts to clear up before we do the implant,,,, hmmmmm... dont wanna call cause he justs saw me on Wed, but he did squish the breast to show me how it would look with implant and I had to move his hand as it was tender then,,,,,,Hang in there Fourminor, I know the waiting is the worst,,,,,,,, healing hugz to all........ J
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Hey all,
Been back at work for a week.
Skipped this weeks fill. I started feeling good again on Wednesday. Have done 2 PT sessions, but I feel they are more like an exercise session than anything about the discomfort I have with the TEs. That just has a predictable pattern. 48 hours of 6-7/10 pain, 48 hours of 4-5/10 pain. 24 hours of 2-3/10 pain and then I'm just back to the baseline iron bra. Moving my arm is not the problem.
I hate the divot at my axilla from the SNB. It come right up to the upper outer margin of the implant and looks horrible. I hope this can be addressed at exchange.
However, biggest problem now is the oncotype score of 20 I got. i was hoping for something more conclusive as I now feel as upset as I did at the point of deciding on removing one or both breasts. LCIS was in my final path which makes me feel like keeping the right one was dicey. However I can't imagine how i would deal with bilateral mastectomy and recon at the same time.
MO said, well, you are young and most women who are young and have these low intermediate scores decide to just do it.
For me, that is not a sound argument. What most people do doesn't mean anything to me. I already didn't want to do radiation the first time. Now all I can think was if I had gotten a mastectomy back then, i wouldn't be here now. I was not referred to an MO or put on Tamox--apparently that has changed in 6 years too. So those were two wrong suggestions just 6 years ago that didn't really work out for me.
(Although i may not have my beautiful son if I was on Tamox, so maybe it was the right mistake.)
In any event, I would like to know, what is the chance that CMF would do anything to the cancer they just removed from my body? Why should i risk working with chemo fog or long term neurocognitive defects? Give me a good reason to do that.
I don't like the, "you can't make a wrong decision here," answer either. I have a 3 year old. I am supporting my family. I can too make a wrong decision.
Writing a bunch of questions for this chick.
Frostecat. That sucks. I don't know, I can feel angry for you too right now, I have no problem with that. Jeanie, I hope your boob settles down and behaves!
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Fourminor, I wish you didn't have to worry or make any more decisions regarding this subject, but as we all know,,, we do,,, but please DONT make ANY final decisions until you are satisfied with the answers you receive. Until then keep asking,,,, (hugging you),, as I am reading these posts I have noticed that I am not as informed on my own Cancer status as I should be. I have no idea what an oncotype is or what the numbers mean, tomorrow will be 1 yr that I heard the 4 words that changed my life forever, lots of emotions.my puter is acting up ,,, will write later,,,,,, dang thing,,,,healing hugz,,,,,,,,
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Fourminor- I'm sorry to hear your onco score wasn't lower, and has thrown you into another quandary of decisions arghhh! This damn BC, it just sucks!! Do as much research as you can weighing the pros and cons for your individual situation. Maybe it would help to see more than one MO for opinions? I'm glad to hear your pain is subsiding, take care hon, I'll be thinking of you.0
