Exchange City
Comments
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OMG Ladies! I am back from 5 days in Atlantic City and there are over 10 new pages here!
I'll just reply to a few posts... as I see most who had real issues got excellent feedback already
Kittycat -- that does sound like good news, that this latest BC is a new primary... and having gone through ACT myself, I will say this: for me it was not awful... it was something to be gotten through/endured but the worse of it is the hair loss (and hair grows back)... some pain (for some) from the Taxol (my pain went away once I was done)... no nausea (Emend is a godsend... plus they give you steroids which help with the fatigue... actually the steroids kept me up all night and I got a lot of posting done here I counted the days down and while it did seem a longish time while it was happening, now that it's way over (I started in early August and finished in early October) it seems like it was a blip on the radar. Get yourself an awesome wig (I did) and you'll have fun wearing it while you wait for your hair to grow back. DO get your hair cut very short just before your second AC (it falls out about a week after and it's much easier to handle the loss if you've already cut it off). And you can probably get a wig made to match your real hair; some women even USE their own real hair to have a wig made! Other than that, avoid salad bars and buffets -- your white blood count will be lowered and you'll be more susceptible to minor things. PM me any time
Brenda -- I'm feeling pretty good! Thanks for asking Five days running around in a Atlantic City was at times exhausting but I took a few naps and went to bed early; my biggest problem was my purse, which normally I'm not running around with all day long on my shoulder, which added to my pain (I took a small one but even that was painful). I'm looking forward to just taking it easy this week! I'm still swollen and bruised on my reduction side, but it's getting better. Just wish it would get better FASTER. My implant looks and feels terrific.
Val -- lol on your explanation for why your hugs now feel normal Hope you had a good trip!
Kay and Jerusha -- if you know the size of your TE... and the approximate size options for your final implants ... you CAN go to the Allergan site (if you are looking at the 410 gummy, which I know YOU are Jerusha) and see what the options are. All implants are listed by height (low, medium, full) and projection (from low to extra full projection)... as soon as I had the details about the exact TE I had I went to the Allergan site (link is in the initial post at top of every page of this thread) and browsed. Jerusha -- the bigger size of a full height vs medium height will be primarily on the upper part of your chest.... so if you have a medium height TE now you probably want to stay with medium height implant. My medium height TE sat higher on my chest than my medium height implant... but I think if I had gone for a full height implant there would be more ME up high, as it were, and it would have sat like my TE (which I would not like)... hope that makes sense.
Big Apple -- glad there is less pain! Hope you are pleased with the results! Sorry the NS hospital sucked. I agree MSKCC has it all together in hospital care... and I wasn't even on the BC floor (they had no room the day I was admitted, sad to say) but the nurses on the 4th floor (where I ended up) were terrific... and I did end up visiting the 10th floor for my post MX exercise class before I was discharged
Jerusha -- I think maybe you just hit a bad day or something; hope your next visit is better, though I believe exchange is done as day surgery (though maybe because you are coming from so far away they will admit you?)
Laura -- prayers for your friend (our sister).
Kristinka -- so glad you have less pain now. I imagine you're right that since the implant was so much larger than the TE, you had more discomfort.
Rebecca -- how are you doing?
Anna M -- I wore a surgical bra for six days post-exchange surgery until I saw my PS and she took out the drain on my MX side (I also had a reduction on the non-MX side). Now I am wearing (per instructions) a soft, supportive bra 24/7 for a month (till my next follow up visit). Don't know what instructions will follow after that. Do you have a follow up scheduled with your PS? I've got a zip front sports bra (the Underscore from JCPenney that Nedeza recommends) as well as a bra with hooks and eyes in the front that my PS provided at my 6 days post-op visit; she also said the Underscore was great but that having two would be good so I could alternate (she was right about that!) My PS is anti-underwire so basically as long as I wear a soft, supportive bra until she tells me not to, I am fine. I also wore the sports bra during my TE phase (24 hours at first but after several weeks had passed I went to sleeping braless; am hoping to sleep braless again
Kate33 -- I always insist that all BP and punctures of any kind go to my left arm (I had SNB and MX on my right -- actually I had SNB and then because they found cancer in that first node they did axillary node removal, I believe (so had all 17 nodes surrounding that Sentinel Node removed). I figure it's better to err on the side of caution. My Primary Care Physician definitely rolls his eyes every time I see him and remind him he can't take BP on my right side... but I shall insist forever.0 -
DelrayBeach: After reading Whippetmom's links, I guess it doesn't matter too much how close we are in height or size--our bodies can still be so different! I have one last fill (hopefully) in a week and then the exchange 6-8 weeks later. My PS used the Alloderm with an expander plus it looks like he also stitched it in place under my arm so mine isn't going anywhere at the moment. These reconstructions can get pretty complicated and I know that Whippetmom will be able to help you get to where you want to be. She has been nothing short of amazing in helping me and as soon as I am all done I will be posting pictures of my entire journey on TimTam's site. I noticed there aren't too many uni's like myself on there (at least I could only find a few) and since I am opting to have an implant on my good side, I am hoping I will be of some help to others in my position.
Wishing you the best!
Mary
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Scrapmom40, Waldo and Susiered - Best of Luck on your Exchange surgery days!
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Hey MBJ! I too am a uni... and within that minority I'm one of an even smaller minority: a uni with a reduction on her remaining breast (as opposed to augmentation, or just no change to the remaining breast). I haven't posted pictures yet (the reduction is just TOO ugly still) but will as soon as the swelling and bruising are gone. Did you check out SandySunshine's uni pictures (she had, like you, an augmentation to her healthy breast). Also look at Nedeza, who did the same. I agree there aren't a LOT of uni photos but there are several.
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Hi ladies!
I am back from NYC, but I am pooped.
The trip was great. We got to see another onco and a nutritionist. And I got to see my sister and her family! I am going to bed, but I will fill everyone in tomorrow! 0 -
hmmm...im a little worried now.
Because it seems i had full submuscular TE's in,i am wondering if my PS will still be able to lower my left pocket by about half an inch??? Its that much higher then my right and is noticable in fitted tops. If the mucles is only attached at the bottom though,im wondering if they CAN lower it any more or if it would detach it if they tried????
Kate~~After my BMx,my blood pressure was taken around my calf. For the full 4 days i was in hospital. One nurse did go to put it around my arm on day 3 but i told her they had been doing it around my calf so she did it there too. I was asked prior to my op,if id take part in some research for the lymphodaema clinic.I agreed. They took my arm measurements and dimensions using a computer and once a month before a fill,i go to the clinic and they take all the measurements again. It also measures fluid volume in the arms. Mine seem fine up to now. I am only too happy to assist in research if it helps.
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Hi MBJ: I'm a uni too! My pix are on the forum, and I hope to post some new ones soon.
Kittycat: I'm so glad you got to go to NYC and get help, and have some fun as well!
Luna: I went around the house all day yesterday singing about "The Lollipop Guild"....DH wondered what was going on...
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What is cording?
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Waldo, I'm not exactly sure, but someone will pipe in! Good luck to you this week!!! and to Scrapmom and Susiered!!
Lilah, nice to get away and take your mind off recovery a bit, hope you got a little lucky;)
Mstar, sounds like a great research program, not only will you help others, but if you develop a problem will be right on top of it!
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Lilah, thank you for your assistance on the post exchange wearing of a bra. I so appreciate your feedback. It is amazing how I am feeling so down with this surgery, I guess I for the first time I just feel so unprepared for the experience and I don't know what you are supposed to be feeling. I am sore when I get up in the morning and move from a chair to a standing position during the day but pressure pain, not really feeling. When I shower I feel pressure in my chest, I figured that is because the new girls are not being supported. Definitely winded from an endurance perspective, takes me a good long while to complete getting dressed after the shower, ie. lotion etc. I see the PS tomorrow and I can't wait! Thanks again for your help! Anna
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Lilah, thank you for your assistance on the post exchange wearing of a bra. I so appreciate your feedback. It is amazing how I am feeling so down with this surgery, I guess I for the first time I just feel so unprepared for the experience and I don't know what you are supposed to be feeling. I am sore when I get up in the morning and move from a chair to a standing position during the day but pressure pain, not really feeling. When I shower I feel pressure in my chest, I figured that is because the new girls are not being supported. Definitely winded from an endurance perspective, takes me a good long while to complete getting dressed after the shower, ie. lotion etc. I see the PS tomorrow and I can't wait! Thanks again for your help! Anna
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Morning all,
Anna...I still feel winded very easily....for me I think it is because my implants are still pretty snug. They are much more comfortable than my TEs but they are still not very squishy. The sides are softer than the front....and my husband says they are much nicer
I see my ps next Monday and I'll see what he says about all this.Waldo I had cording for the entire time my TEs were in...I had a tight painful cord running from my armpit down my right arm to my wrist. I could put my fingers around it....and feel it in my arm...it felt like a cord being pulled tight. Once my implant was placed it started to improve and after 4 weeks it was finally gone
I think in my case the TE must have been pressing on a tendon or something of that sort.Have any other ladies had implants that weren't immediately squishy? I'm 6 weeks out and still feel pressure against my upper chest from the snugness of the implants. If so did you muscle wall relax over time and fell better? Is this part of the drop and fluff that can take several months to finally settle?
Just spent 2 hours gardening!!!! Feeling a bit sore but the advil/tylenol has kicked in an I'm feeling good
I am not sore where the surgery took place...but sore just from using my chest muscles that have been pampered forever Healing and comfort to all,
Laura2
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Just wanted to thank everyone for the feedback on LE. I am definitely going to start taking some precautions. It never ceases to amaze me how little info our surgeons give us. I am so grateful that this site is here. M-Star- that is so cool you're involved in the research study. I would be curious to find out how many current studies are underway here in the U.S.
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Hi:
Just back from a check up: Two drains out, two to go !!!!
Cording is like a traffic jam in a lymph channel, it can make the channel hard and painful depending on how bad the jam is. The one in my SNB arm was pretty bad, you could actually see the cord through the skin (sort of like a piano wire or guitar string look) and it hurt to touch and impeded ROM. There are PT things that can be done to pop the cord or break up the traffic jam. I had developed one under the SNB breast running down my trunk that was easier to resolve as I was able to stretch out the cord myself because of the location, and once the blocked part was stretched out, there was an actual pop feeling and the lymph flow returned to normal and the cord went away. There are some theories that cording can lead to LD and some that say it does not, but the same precautions help with both.
Sometimes it is called muscle cording or mondor(SP) cords, and the severity varies widely.
Hope that makes sense, I'm still on pain stuff so, i am a little fuzzy and disorganized with my thoughts.
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I can't wait to get my implants. These TE are sitting so low on my chest and my upper chest is so bony. That said- they look pretty good in clothes. I go back and forth between wanting them smaller. I know I want them higher and PS is in agreement as long as I can deal with a few extra scars.
Anna, Lately b/c of te increase in my exercise(yoga and spin) I started having a lot of pulling and pain coming from my lower sternum. I feel like something the PS used to tack stuff in place has gotten undone and I keep checking to make sure the TE's haven't fallen to my belly-button. When I go to shower it hurts more b/c they aren't being supported. I need to ask him to use more crazy glue on Thursday; Handing out Lollipops for all!!!
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Kate- My BS office did absolutely NO pre-op teaching about LE precautionsor anything for that matter. I felt like I fell between the cracks and thankfully I knew a few things because of my background but I wasn't given post op instructions for arm exercises or anything. The PS office did a good job bringing me in 2 weeks before each surgery and going over the details.
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Lilah I am feeling much better. Glad to hear you enjoyed your weekend.
Tomorrow will be my 5 weeks post exchange day so I will ry to post updated pics I am not as good as Laura2 about posting pics regularly though.
Hope all are feeling good and are staying cool it is about 98 out right now. Better than the 101 yesterday I guess.
Rebecca
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Rebecca -- was just wondering (maybe I missed it) what the results of the final pathology on your gall bladder were and how your RBC is doing? Before I went away for the weekend mine was finally trending up and my doctor seemed happy.
Anna -- I was told not to let the shower water go directly on my breasts/incisions... but rather to let water flow gently over them. I interpreted this as: don't face the shower but let it hit my back and flow over my shoulders onto my breasts. I also use a wash cloth, gently. It may be that some of what you are feeling is from water pressure directly on your breasts? I also think that anesthesia can leave you feeling depressed for weeks after you've had it -- especially if you've had multiple surgeries in a year (as many of us have had). I would consider whether that is contributing to your current malaise. I think I felt down after this last surgery as well... and only this past week have started feeling like my old self again (three weeks post-surgery). It has nothing to do with how I feel about the results (believe me it's still in process here with the swelling and bruising I have on my reduction breast still in a state of healing, to put it nicely
So get lots of rest and be kind to yourself 0 -
- My pathology was good I am taking injections everyday for my RBC's today I got the results I am now up to 7.6 which is great I will be taking the injections daily until Friday. Then I will be getting more labs done and we will go from there.
I feel much much better. I will be seeing my PS Thursday so I am just gonna let her know I don't want to do anything until September. The only bad part of that is that will push my nipples out till December probably but its ok with me I guess.
Rebecca
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Wow Rebecca -- UP to 7.6! -- so yours was mighty low.&nbsx; Glad it's'on the rise.&fbsp; Mine was'around 8 when they got concerned (because it had been 11 prior to surgery)... then rose to 8.6 naturally... so they are feeling confident it will continue to rise. I'm sure you'll continue to feel better aw your RBC rises. Thanos for the update!
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Ladies you all are the best! Laura, I amazed that you are out gardening! How many weeks post exchange now?
Waldo - I know what you mean about feeling as though the TE's hang low, that is too funny as I felt that my TE's were going to fall out my belly button. Now my implants are feeling that way as well.
Lilah - I am so scared to let the water hit me directly on my incisions so I try very hard to let the water roll down. It is so great to be able to share with you all.
Anna
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Another name for cording is "axillary web syndrome". I developed a wicked case of it after my BMX (had a 12 string going on in one arm). A nurse helped diagnose mine otherwise I would have never known there was help for it. When she saw it she told me I had significant cording and jumped right on getting me a PT order. That nurse was hours from where I live so finding someone locally who knew what it was and how to treat it was a challenge. The nurse helped me locate the medical term for it "axillary web syndrome" which resulted in finding a PT who knew how to address it. Once they all "popped" they have stayed away.
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Lilah: Thank you! It's good to know I am not alone on here. I have seen both Sandy Sunshine & Nedeza's posts--I can only hope I look as good! Wow, if they did a reduction on my other breast there would be an indentation LOL. The breast that was reconstructed was a whole size larger then my remaining one, so I decided to completely get both breasts larger so I wouldn't be constantly missing my dainty, little ones. I figured it would be better to not be constantly comparing them to what I had and just go with the new me. I have been taking weekly pictures and after I am done I will post all of them in succession-the good, the bad and the ugly.
M-Star: My PS keeps telling me that everything I don't like now will be fixed when we go in for the exchange--I hope that yours will do the same for you. You sound as picky as I am and you should be. No one would volunteer to have any of this done except maybe for the implants.
NVDiane: Thank you! I believe I have looked at every uni I could find on TimTam's site and it has been so helpful. I will soon join the ranks and hopefully I can help someone else in turn.
Waldo: Does your Dr. ever work with Alloderm and is it something he can add when he does the exchange so that they have more support? I never received any instructions for exercises or anything except what not to do in my surgery packet. I finally went to a PT today and I feel so much better--I knew I didn't have full use of my arm yet but I didn't realize how tight other areas were!
Rebecca: Where in California do you live that it's 98-101 degrees out? If you live where it's that hot then maybe it's better to wait until December for your nips--At least then if it's cooler you can cover up more, although lately it seems as if it's warm more often then not here. Take care of yourself and feel better--you are half way there!
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scrapmom, susiered, waldo: Good Luck on your surgeries this week! Hope they are complication free and with quick recoveries!
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I live in Palm Springs Ca. I just saw on the news that next Tuesday will be 109f so I will be oficially cooked by then.LOL
Rebecca
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Rebecca, Palm Springs is so beautiful, I was out there in April and it was already so warm. I can't imagine what it feels like in June. The misters out there will keep you cool, I loved having them available on every corner. Anna
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Rebecca so glad your feeling better...you must have been so wiped out when your RBC count was so low.
Anna my exchange was on April 26th...I just realized that I really pushed it....I though I was at my 6 week mark....not 4 weeks out......geeeez! But I'm fine.....when I saw my ps two week ago he told me to give it at least on more week on restriction. So I'm fine. I have felt a few zings this afternoon but nothing bad
BigApple and Packergirl thanks so much for the explanation on cording....I'm sure glad mine has resolved
comfort and healing,
Laura2
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Scrapmom, Susiered and Waldo: Just a few more days to yippee squishy! Hope you all have smooth surgeries and painfree recoveries.
TCK
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Lilah - thanks for the tips on getting through chemo.
I get my port in this Friday. I fired my breast surgeon (this is the 2nd one I've fired). I'm going with the radiology group that my onco recommended. I was very clear about not using my breast surgeon (he is a regular surgeon). He's been very defensive since I had my New Cancer! The onco at Sloan Kettering said "I'll bet" when I told him my BS was defensive. Hmmm... And I'm tired of his lectures before I go into surgery!
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Rebetata: At least it's a dry heat there! The only time we get that here it seems is when the Santa Anas blow. I would be parking myself in front of an A/C or anywhere else where I could stay cool. I grew up in LA yet when it gets really hot I still melt. I'm glad your RBC is coming up--that has got to be exhausting. Stay cool
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