Exchange City
Comments
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Janhart;
Great big wishes for a smooth day tomorrow, say goodnight and goodbye to those TEs. Let us know how you are when you can. (your PS works on Saturdays??).
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Janhart, Good luck tomorrow... I know your surgery will be a breeze... and you will feel sooooo much better.
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Janhart, I hope everything goes well for you!
I am six weeks out and am still sleeping in my chaise lounge because to lay flat all night is too painful. Does anyone else have that problem? I find sleeping in my mastectomy camisole is the most supportive and wonder what others are doing? I had a bra fitting today and the woman said I should feel good support but need a bra low on the sides (because of the numbness and incision) and something not too tight or I will keep swelling. After reading WhippetMoms thread on bras, I asked to see an underwire and the lady said to come back in three months once the swelling goes down.0 -
Margie, I hope your surgery goes well too!
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Moments before surgery, I decided on a uni. I am sooo happy I did. The problem is going to come in matching the real with the foob? The ps used botox which made it possible to put in 300 cc's at the time of the mx. I only had 60 more put in this week. No more. I want to be a modest size B. This means I will have to reduce the natural breast from a C to a B. Will this happen the same time as the exchange? Or does this mean another surgery?
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Lindsey- I was in a recliner for months after surgery for the same reason but when I started working with the PT she said that it is not good for my back and to get back into bed asap. I started using a pillow called the side sleeper and I am doing a little better now. It is shaped like a candy cane and your shoulder fits into the curve.
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Home from hospital at noon. It seems like the TE pressure pain is gone but maybe too soon to tell. Just feeling a little bit of soreness. Have a prescription for lortab, don't feel I need it yet. Might just stick with Tylenol. My son ran to get me coffee and bagel and now just relaxing with my daughters. I will try to milk it a bit....it's nice to be taken care of for a change.
PS said to leave surgical bra and dressing on til Tuesday when I go to see him. I took a peak, though, and so far so good. Will be fun to see how it all looks on Tuesday.0 -
Glad recent exchanges went well.
Ginger, I used a wedge pillow from Bed,Bath & Beyond to sleep a bit upright on my back. I use it sometimes now for reading in bed.
Terri
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After my BMX in September, I found a system of supporting myself with pillows (7 to be exact) and slept pretty much sitting up on the sofa. Took 2 Vicodan when I "settled in" and I slept wonderfully. My stomach grew and grew (I looked 8 months pregnant) and neither the plastic surgeon or breast surgeon had any explanation. My internist asked a few more questions including whether or not the surgeons knew that I'd been sleeping sitting up for between 3-4 weeks. They hadn't asked and I hadn't thought to mention it (they asked how I was sleeping and I said fine!). Turns out lymph fluid from the abdomen has to go out through the thoracic duct in your chest. When I never laid down, the fluid had no where to go. The Viocodan also slows down things in your intestinal tract so he felt I had a fair amount of gas in there too (I hadn't sensed any intestinal problems though). That night, I switched to Advil, slept flat, and lost 4 inches around my waist overnight! I didn't sleep nearly as well though and had some trouble getting comfortable. My Mom recently sent me a picture she had taken of me and my sister during that time, my big belly looked even worse than I remembered!
My exchange surgery is on 1/23 so I may look for the wedge pillow this time around and will work at sleeping flat as soon as I can. At least this time, I'll have something up top!
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My exchange is on Feb. 2. (Whoo hoo!) How long did people take off from work?
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My exchange is Jan 17th . Yippee!!!! My PS said I should wear same support as BMX, I wore sports bra with closure in front. Wasn't that comfortable, any suggestion from you girls that are beyond this point. Went to a breast boutique yesterday & they are looking into coverage from my insurance, should hear from them early next week. My sides seem to be where my discomfort is, everything cuts into that section. I would love some suggestions. Thanks
Janet0 -
tenaj I love the barely there sports bras. I got them at kohl's and jcpenney they are in a pack of 2 for $26. Super comfy and you can step into them if you can't raise your arms well. I now wear them to sleep in.0
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sweet bean, just had my exchange today and will be out of work for a week....love the time off. Feeling ok today so hope I can get out a bit.
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Nothing changing here. Still not happy with these new foobs. They're not dropping or fluffing yet.
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S
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Sweet Bean, after my exchange I had 4 drains, then needed to wear a compression band due to the excessive swelling. I was off work about six weeks. But I've been off a total of six months having four surgeries. The exchange was just the last and I thought the easiest,yet I still had drains! :-(. But I have had swelling and drain problems from the get go with the BMX, so it seems most ladies have it much easier with exchange. I'm so jealousssss! I hope yours goes well and easy!
Thanks Ginger48, my back is sore, so it's probably time to get in bed and stop with the sitting up position. But since reading Goldens comments, I will limit it to two pillows:-)
Carrol, thanks for the bra lead, I will look at them also on m next outing.0 -
Golden, your post of your swollen belly helped me. My belly is also swollen. I've been using pillows sitting up sleeping on the sofa. I'm going to lie down tonight and see if the belly disappears. I've also been working on lymph drainage I'd learned from my last therapist. It seems to be helping, which is pushing downward toward the groin...also circling your hand around the gut area. I've found taking strong pain meds at night gives me a good night sleep. I've recently found myself waking up lying on my side instead of my back.
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Golden- I had the belly swelling too. My lymph specialist was horrified about my sleeping in the recliner for so long and insisted that we get me as horizontal as possible as soon as possible.
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Carol12-thanks for the sports bra info, will check it out. I am taking several weeks off of work. My husband is having surgery on Feb 1st for an ankle tumor(biopsy neg-more tests during surgery I return the 6th. Hopefully I will be recovered enough to take care of him. He has been such a god-send through this ordeal!! Sometimes I feel like I'm in a nightmare with all these things going on!! I have to say these forums have been such a help to me, thank you.
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24 hours and counting. Exchange is at 10 am tomorrow. Ended up only doing that, oopherectomy is 1/18 so they can use robotics to do it (same hospital as exchange but different building), at this point, just want the TE's gone. Thanks for the comments on laying flat, I am a side sleeper and not looking forward to being back on my back, but will ensure I do. Thanks to all for the encouraging posts, amso ready to get this day over. Lisa
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Yeah! Exchange day for you is tomorrow! I have had a series of problems, so haven't posted much. Have a hard time typing as my right hand has a pain sleeve and ace bandage on (tendonitis). Just wanted to wish you good luck! I am not too far behind with exchange scheduled for 01/25. I am so happy that is still going to happen with all of the problems I have been having.
Good luck tomorrow!
Phyllis
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Good luck on your exchange tomorrow Scuba_duchess!!
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Best of luck tomorrow Scuba duchess!!! Welcome to the squishy club!
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Good luck Scuba_duchess! Sleep well. Congratulations on reaching this part of this journey :-)
Janet0 -
Janhart, glad to hear your doing well. It's encouraging :-)
Janet
8 days & counting......0 -
Hello again and Happy 2012! It's been awhile since I posted, but I have brand new nipples! I posted on the photo forum 2 post-op pictures from my nipple reconstruction on Jan. 5, 2012. The pictures are 2 days post-op (in bandages with Medela Therashields), 3 days post-op- rather bloody looking-sorry. My PS did a flap procedure using the BLMX scars and used small cylinder nipple implants made of an alloderm-like/collagen material. This helps prevent complete shrinkage; I am expecting about 50% shrinkage to occur. I will do the tattoos in a few months, hopefully with Vinnie Myers in Baltimore.0
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tenaj my husband had a really bad accident a month before my excahnge surgery and lost the use of his left hand for about 3 months. He was able to help me with the few things I needed during the first week but by week 2 I was feeling really good. We actually went on a road trip only 2 weeks after my surgery from Kansas City to New York, two days of driving 12 hours a day. When we got there I took the trains and walked all over NYC. I got a little tired at times so i would jsut take breaks and sit for a while, but other than that I was fine. I did develop thrush in my throat from the antiobiotic but thats another story.0
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Scuba duchess, best of luck tomorrow. Had my exchange yesterday and just feeling a bit of soreness. Have to remind myself not to overdo it. I am so glad I finally got to this point...it seemed like a long journey. Let us know how you are tomorrow!
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Good luck everyone!
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less then 24 hours to exchange -- yea.... we will be at the hospital tomorrow at 530am with surgery 730am. I cannot wait to get these TEs out
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