May 2018 Surgery Support Group
Comments
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How do people with TE’s are sleeping? Especially when you guys are going on vacation. I am 3 month post op, and recovery is great, except the fact that I am still sleeping in my recliner and can’t find a good position in my own bed. Wedge pillow is not working. I wanted to go on a short vacation, but can’t figure out how I be sleeping in the hotel. Any feedback is appreciated.
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InnaB2018 --- I am still sleeping in a recliner. LOL But I am going on vaca if it kills me. I try every weekend to see if i'm up to sleeping in my bed. So tonight is the next test. I will tell you what I think is going to work. I have a wedge pillow but it is really on of those "sit up in bed and read pillows." I have turned it upside down and forced it to be a wedge. I have stack other pillows up to make a gradual incline. and the frosting on the cake is a Billow. It's a massage pillow I bought to use when I go to my physical therapy. I have a bad hip that needs work and I was going every week until the BMX and this past Wednesday I went for the 1st time since surgery. It worked great. I could lay on my stomach, a miracle. My issue is I want to sleep on my side. I'll update this in the morning. I have heard other say that using Tempur-pedic pillows or buckwheat/beads work for molding around the breast and side. I've tired that and it worked for about an hour and than I was back on the recliner. We are driving to our destination so I am bring my pillows with me.
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SN75 - Thank you so much for posting the pics of Banjo! Adorable and I never would have thought of a therapy camel, but I find pretty much all animals therapeutic, so it works for me 🙂 My daughter also starts school on the 22nd this year. Seems so early, but I am ready for her (and me) to have a routine back. For your sake, however, I wish it were later there. I worked many years at an elementary school office and the Principal had such a demanding job.
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Hi ladies,
I am feeling better today. Still sore but better. I showered and got dressed and then took a 3 hour nap. Lol! I think the pocket work is what's making me feel a little worse than I expected. The fat grafting really wasn't so bad. She took two very small spots from my tummy area. One on each side. It feels bruised for sure but not unbearable. From my understanding, the more fat they take, they more pain you'll have. I'm wearing a tank top Cami today with a built in bra and I kinda like my shape. I've never had any "umph" before as my mom always put it. So I'll take it.
Kandyhunt, glad you are getting the hang of the fills. They do get easier but it's even better when you're done.
Sn75, I a a high school teacher. I've been off since the end of April with my lumpectomy. Then I had to get the mastectomy and never went back so it will be good to be recovered and ready for school by the end of August. I'm a little worried about all the standing with my back pain but I know my endurance will return.
Sending positive thoughts to everyone! Hang in there.
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inna - try one of those u-shaped body pillows. I got one on Amazon for about $70. It's great. I can shift around and it also helps with back pain.
Spd - it's amazing how many different therapy animals there are!
Ljm - I understand the back issues and standing in a classroom. Good teachers are always up and on the move! Consider some good shoes and maybe an ice or heating pad at school to use during lunch or a break - even though most teachers are running around doing stuff during breaks and linch
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Sn75, which one did you get
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It is the Queen Rose 65 inch full body pregnancy body pillow. It comes with a removable cover. I love it! Can't say much about comfort when traveling. I just make due but this thing is a God send.
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I SLEPT ALL NIGHT IN MY OWN BED!!!! Ok. Half way through the wedge pillow was tossed to the floor. I restacked the temper-pedic pillows up and placed the Billow over them. It was a amazing.
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kandyhunt, I'm glad you slept in your own bed!! Yay!!
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This thread has gotten quiet over the last few weeks which is great!!! It means we’re all starting to move on and not focus around this as much anymore!!
I’m going in for my last fill today. I’m going to ask that she only do 25cc because my right side was very sore for a few days after my last fill (they also get very sore if I lay too flat at night! Time for new pillows!). This will only bring me to 250cc and id really like to get there. I want to give her as much wiggle room so to say for my exchange surgery. I’m afraid if I ask her to remove 25cc it will leave me too small in the end. My left side is fine so I want to try and push the right side a little bit more, I can always have her take it back out if it’s that bad. Also hoping to walk I out of there with my exchange surgery booked!
Hope everyone is doing well
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Sll - how did the last fill go? Did you get your exchange surgery scheduled?
Still waiting on my PT referral over here...
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SLL hope your last fill went well and you were able to schedule your exchange.
Tomorrow I will be one week out from my exchange. I had my follow up with my PS today and feel better about things because I've been so discouraged. They look great so no complaints there but I really do feel like I'm back to square one with pain. I'm back to sleeping sitting up, the left side is incredibly sore, can't lift or use my arms again and I'm exhausted and can barely look after my kids. Well she assured me all of this is normal. She did A LOT of pocket work on the left side to even them out and give me cleavage. So all that stitching is making me extra sore. Plus my surgeries were only 2 months apart so just as I felt almost normal - wham I'm down for the count again. There's bruising and swelling but otherwise I'm healing fine. I say this because I was expecting a quick recovery and it may take weeks or even months. So hang in there ladies. And be patient. It's a lesson I'm learning.
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In California you can go to a PT for evaluation and they can start without a referral from a doctor. It saves time.
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last fill done on the right side and we only put in 25 cc....I’m a hurting unit today! Also still no exchange scheduled! She will not doing it until at least 3 months after my original surgery so that would be the 21. And she’s on vacation that week. Anyways she wants to see me back to check my right side to see if it’s still really tight. I go back in 4 weeks and I’m not leaving until we start the paperwork for surgery. my husband works the big e (my New England ladies would know what that is!) so I don’t want to schedule it for those two weeks in September. So I’ll probably be an October exchange surgery
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SLL : how are you feeling now? 🙁 so sorry that you have to keep waiting for the exchange surgery scheduling.
Ljm33 : Any improvement in how you are feeling?
BAZelda : I think I might have been able to do that on PT, I just felt like I was stumbling in the dark on who to even start with. Referral from chiropractor supposodly being sent today and I appreciate that he has someone that he specifically recommends.
Had another follow up with BS today. She was pleased I was in better spirits and that I have felt some improvement. I feel a bit wimpy when I complain about wanting it to be more improvement faster. I have been taking 1mg of valium each day as a muscle relaxant and it does seem to take a tiny bit of the tightness edge off. She suggested I take twice per day as long as at least 8 hours apart. She did say I had a small area of my incision that was raising a bit ( she had a name for it that began with a k?) and she suggested I use some Vitamin E on it. Next follow up is in 6 months.
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spdgirl- I feeling better now. Still a little sore when I sneeze or cough.
I see you’re still seeing the breast surgeon. I haven’t seen mine since the week after surgery. I’ve only be visiting the plastic surgeon. Should I be? I assumed they would tell me if they wanted to see me
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SLL - I didn't have reconstruction, so I don't have a Plastic Surgeon. BS has been instructing me on return visits at each appointment. First one was 6 days after for pain bulb removal. Next was about 5 days later for drain removal. She then scheduled follow up 3 weeks out. Then another 6 weeks after that. Now she has scheduled me for a 6 month follow up.
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SPD - I saw my breast surgeon twice after the mastectomy and the. We scheduled a 6 month checkup in December so that sounds ok to me. And don't feel bad about feeling wimpy. Believe me, I'm right there with ya!
SLL - good luck getting the exchange scheduled. I know waiting stinks but it may give your body more time to heal.
I am feeling better pain wise but not exactly great. Bottom line, these new foobs of mine just aren't that comfortable. They are much softer than the expanders and a little bigger than my originals. I'm hoping I'll get used to them. It hasn't even been two weeks. Sleeping has been hard again so I'm tired and grumpy. Plus, I can't go back to PT for another two weeks and that helped me so much the first time regain my movement and help with stiffness and back pain. I know I just have to be patient. And they don't look bad. I'm filling out clothes and my swimsuit for the first time in my life which is nice. But I just wish it didn't feel like a foreign object was hanging from my pecs. Ok, I feel like I'm rambling. It's just that everyone talks about the magical moment of exchange and while I'm not in pain by any means, I'm far from comfortable.
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ljm33, I'm sorry you're feeling uncomfortable - your feelings matter. I hope you feel more comfortable soon. I didn't think you were rambling.
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are they recommending 10 years tamoxifen now? I heard 5.....is there a certain type or size or whatnot that needs 10
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I was recommended 10 years of it due to my age of 31. I'm only a stage 1b, my oncologist said it doesn't necessarily go by the stage but age. I have a larger increase due to being so young. It's been some stuides that's suggested 10 years is better than 5 & it's needed due to the first 10 years is the highest chance of reacurrance. I'm not sure how true that statement is so please don't quote me on it. I read a study at my cancer center. Some people it causes horrible side effects but I was warned we would work with any side effect because this medicine is the best chance at a lesser reacurrance. I'm only a stage 1a, onco score of 14, 9% reacurrance rate. I did have 5 cm of DCIS, and 3 other masses the largest of the invasive was 2.9 cm. Hope this helps, SA
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Ljm33 - Am hoping that you feel better soon. Am praying that comfortable is right around the corner for you! This whole process has effected so much more of my life and body than I thought it would.
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I head in for another fill tomorrow. It's been a month since my last one due to my doc being on vacation and his office screwing up my appointment three times. Ugh. I'm sitting at 650 cc each side with 150 to go. I don't know if I can handle it all at once - I usually only get 100cc at a time. I'm hoping we can settle on the exchange surgery date and start discussing the type of implants. For those of you at the the exchange stage, what kinds are you considering?
I'm back at work and trying not to feel overwhelmed. But between tons of meetings, housing half a school from another site due to a construction project (bringing me to over 600 students and an additional 17 staff on top of 45), a new two story building with things already breaking, new classroom furniture, and 2/3 of the classrooms in boxes due to moves, I'm trying not to lose my shit. So what do I do this weekend? Get a new kitten so the old cat can have company since the dog died. And put my entire office at home in boxes to build six new bookcases and a desk. Because, yeah, let's add to the chaos of life! Haha!
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sn75: I hope your fill went well and that the chaos that always attends the beginning of school settles down to a manageable level. (Although you must admit the kitten and bookcases were self-inflicted, lol.) I went back today for teacher planning and school starts next Wednesday, so I will be with you in angst shortly.
I am so ready to get these TEs out. I thought I had gotten used to them, but there's an edge poking out in one area that is very painful to the touch- like I can't even hold something between my arm and chest on that side because it's so sensitive. I have no idea what brand of implant I'm getting, I just know they are silicone and they are not gummies. My exchange date is Sept. 4. I think I will need grafting and a lift but my PS and I agreed to do it later, like at Thanksgiving or Christmas, so I don't miss more school. He likes to do grafting after the exchange anyway.
My college roommate texted me today to see if I would talk to her cousin who has BC. She is only 32 and is having bmx, 20 weeks of chemo, and radiation - I think the cancer is stage 2 or 3. I feel guilty for having gotten through this (so far) with only a bmx and Tamoxifen. It certainly put things in perspective for me today.
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Prayers for all you working in education that are back in the swing of things!
Sn75 - you are the 4th person this week that has told me they have taken in a kitten....I am feeling the pull...one of my 2 cats passed away right before my BMX and it was so heartbreaking. I hate the idea of getting so attached and then the trauma of loss, but I also like having 2 cats around. I am not sure Molasses, or as she prefers to be called "Queen of Everything", will welcome a playmate or not.
ReadyAbout - so good to hear how you are doing. ☹ on the TE discomfort and all the different appointments that you have to keep up with. How is Tamoxifen going?
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I hope the fact that this site has not had a lot of additions means that everyone is at least getting somewhat better.
I have had a set back. I have been so good and sailing along but about 2 weeks ago I noticed that my right TE was looking weird. Well it is confirmed it has failed. No saline in it anymore. I saw the doctor yesterday morning and he will be scheduling me for a replacement. He was not thrilled by the look of the left one and is going to take a closer look while I am under and at the same time maybe replace both. I am now just beyond sad. I don't know how long it will take to schedule the surgery. And how far behind this will make me. My insurance year ends January 15th and I wanted all of this under this years deductible. I also wanted to schedule the tattooing for spring break in March. VinnieMyers does not want to do the tattoo s unless it has been 5 months out from your exchange surgery.. I am also tired of the feeling like I am wearing a bra that is 3 sizes too small. It was one thing when I knew I was going someplace with the pain, new FOOBs. Now the pain just pisses me off. As I didn't get a fill in either side I am looking like a Picasso.
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kandyhunt, I'm really sorry that you've had this setback and I hope they schedule your new surgery soon and it works out much better for you.
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Hang in there Kandyhunt,
My situation is very different to yours but I am feeling a bit fed up with so many doctors appointments, scans and physio. Seroma in one and hematoma in the other, I too feel like a Picasso (that did make me smile).
Like Aussie cat I hope your scheduled soon so you can get back on track!
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helenlouise, I hope that your seroma and haematoma resolve soon and you can have fewer annoying appointments. I know how exhausting it can be.
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So sorry, kandyhunt, about this horrible setback. I send you warm wishes for getting through it all. And GENTLE hugs. Awful.0
