POSTED UNDER Breast Reconstruction Reviews
Different Circumstances....ATM Gene Mutation. - Duluth, MN
UPDATED FROM imschwer
24 days post
The Bra Nightmare....
I got the okay to go and get a good compression (sports) bra. My right side is pretty swollen yet as my drain is only a few days out.
So I go to Target after work. I pick out two bras that I imagine I can get over my head-even with my tender armpits. I wrangle one one and it feels really good. I cannot get it off. It took me a good five minutes. You'd think I would've stopped right there but nope, I tried another one on thinking this next one doesn't seem so complicated. I was in that dressing room in a dither for a good 20 minutes trying to get it back off. It felt great but I couldn't get my arms up to pull it back off, and I scratched up my back trying to snag it to pull it off. I was all about to call for help when I glanced in the mirror.....I still had my steel toed boots on from work and my work jeans, my hair was standing on end, my glasses were crooked, and my face-well, I started to giggle. Good thing there are benches in changing rooms because I had to sit down.
I didn't buy a bra. I need to find something with a front closure. I just need something cheap and comfy to use until my swelling goes down.
So I go to Target after work. I pick out two bras that I imagine I can get over my head-even with my tender armpits. I wrangle one one and it feels really good. I cannot get it off. It took me a good five minutes. You'd think I would've stopped right there but nope, I tried another one on thinking this next one doesn't seem so complicated. I was in that dressing room in a dither for a good 20 minutes trying to get it back off. It felt great but I couldn't get my arms up to pull it back off, and I scratched up my back trying to snag it to pull it off. I was all about to call for help when I glanced in the mirror.....I still had my steel toed boots on from work and my work jeans, my hair was standing on end, my glasses were crooked, and my face-well, I started to giggle. Good thing there are benches in changing rooms because I had to sit down.
I didn't buy a bra. I need to find something with a front closure. I just need something cheap and comfy to use until my swelling goes down.
Replies (4)
Go to Wal Mart and look for an all cotton variety with three front eye hook closures until the swelling is gone and you are healed. They come in white and black.
Thank you! I'll look for them.
Genie bra or similar allows you to step in and our without wrangling overhead, and bonus is there's no hardware to irritate you. I lived in them for a few weeks and found them more comfortable than the front-hook sports bras. Walmart version is about $5 each.
I'll have to look that one up. Pretty sure I'll feel better with something holding me in.
These do a good job of "holding you in." Still have them and still love them! It's so much easier to pull them up than to have to get arms overhead and twist around. Actually just got some for my mom a couple of weeks ago; she has arthritis which makes it hard to fasten things, and she loves them, too. :)
Much appreciated advice all around !
SS
Hey! It's been 12 months since your procedure. How are you doing now? We'd love to hear from you again :)
I am now but I had so many complications last year. Everything from dripping infections from incisions that wouldn't close, to gaping holes in my chest from where the skin died. Not to mention the drains every time I had to go back into surgery. (9 times in all) The implants were removed, rinsed and put back every time. (Why, I don't know) I had pus pockets, encapsulation, sepsis, and psuedamona. I was pretty ill all year. I finally went to another hospital where they couldn't promise I'd ever be able to be fixed, but they took out about a large steak-sized clump of mesh and tissue and chest muscle. I had been telling my Dr that something was poking out the entire time but to no avail.I also had cadaver tissue put into my chest to take up the holes where muscle and tissue were removed. I have not had a fever since that day. Thank God! I healed for several months and caught my breath and went in for tissue expanders. I'm pretty misshapened now but I should be okay with fat transfer once they get swapped out for implants. They're ready to be swapped now but right after the expanders, I got blood clots in my lungs and so now I'll be waiting a bit for surgery since I'm on Coumadin for a few more months. If the implants give me any trouble at all, I'll have them removed and go with falsies, which I wear now but only if I need to dress up since I'm pretty odd shaped from having chest muscle removed and not so much skin left on my chest since it died little by little along each new incision line. I have to say I have a lot of trust in my new Dr since he'll explain every single thing he's planning, never promise me anything beforehand, and he'll never do a single thing without me completely understanding and consenting. He truly saved my life whereas the previous doctor just kept opening me up and closing me up and never tried to figure out why this was happening, or even how to cure my horrible illness. I thought I was going to die it was so awful.
UPDATED FROM imschwer
22 days post
Drains and stitches out!!
My stitches popped on their own...totally separated probably because my repaired side settled. No pain at all. Looks great. Getting the drain out however, was miserable. It had been burning since the day I got it and it burned like hell coming out. I may have even cried a bit. So glad it's out. I feel so much better!
Now to start doing light exercise to ease the painful lump feeling under my armpits. Is anyone familiar with that?
Now to start doing light exercise to ease the painful lump feeling under my armpits. Is anyone familiar with that?
Replies (2)
Do you have access to a lymphedema therapist? It would be good to discuss with you surgeon and see about a referral. The lymphedema therapist will take measurements and perform massage to ensure your lymphatic system is moving the lymph. It sometimes can build up and cause discomfort. You also can find info about manual lymph drainage self massage, as well as exercises to help maintain your range of motion. Check on breastcancer.org for some good medical information. If you can't find it, reply and I will find the link for you. Wishing you relief.
I will do that. Thank you!
Yippee! The massage feels wonderful, by the way. :-) I truly hope it helps. Insurance covered mine 100% for 10 visits. Be sure to get "handouts" of exercise or find instruction through YouTube. Several CLMT (certified lymphedema therapists) have instructional videos posted for public access.
I had a seroma ( fluid build-up) under one of my armpits. I thought it was the drain poking out but when they pulled out the drain and the armpit lump was still there I had an ultrasound and it was fluid. We could have aspirated the fluid with a needle or let it hopefully resolve on its own. I didn't want to risk any infection and chose to let it resolve and a couple months later it did.
Looking into massage just for this exact thing.
Massage by a person specialized in post masectomy ( physical therapist) not at your local massage spa can be very helpful. Not only for breaking up scar tissue and the seroma but it helped me get back more of my arm mobilty. Insurance may cover some of it btw. I did mine at the hospital where I had my surgeries.
I did find a masseuse that does it for cancer survivors. I saw her before my surgery and she told me she does this and that these 'balls under my arms' might happen. I should see if my insurance covers too.
See if she participates. I had to cover each session out of pocket but a portion was covered by insurance for a certain number of sessions. It got quite pricey but worth it. See if she participates or can help submit or maybe you will be fully covered which would be great. The soreness of the seroma does get better over time even if still there as it slowly gets absorbed, but it takes time. I started my massages I believe about a month after my bmsx. I did not need for the xchange surgery.
Ok. Going to try that. Thanks.
UPDATED FROM imschwer
11 days post
Expanders swapped out for implants
Surgery went well...two days later I got a fever. I felt like hell! Went for a recheck and couldn't find anything. Then was sent to a family Dr since mine wasn't in. This Dr seemed to think I had an epidural (?) maybe because my back hurt? He wanted me to go directly to the hospital for a spinal tap and Cat scan. I didn't go because I felt it was overkill. I didn't realize he thought I had the epidural, and his nurse kept on calling to see why I hadn't gone. It wasn't until the next day that his nurse got frustrated at my lack of understanding at how serious this 'infection at the site of the epidural' was that I realized how the wires of communication were crossed.
So I still had a fever that seemed to be going away during the day, but would spike at night. And the fever issue hadn't been resolved. I took it upon myself to take some antibiotics I had in the cupboard.
By Friday night, I felt like my right breast was swollen, or tight. Looked at it to see if it looked hot or red, and it did but my whole body was red because of my fever. I meant to go back and look but fell asleep.
In the morning, I felt bigger but thought I would make coffee and then go and look in the mirror. While I was making coffee, I felt something dripping onto my belly. So I went and looked. It was a gooey, pinkish leak out of my incision. Sort of a fast drippy river.
I called the surgeon on call and we met at the ER, I got prepped and taken directly to surgery for a thorough housecleaning and a drain.
It took me a few days to come around as I had been pretty sick and didn't do the the right thing by being insistent. I was left hanging with a fever but this is my body and I didn't care much once I got so sick because I was weak and miserable.
Incidentally, my wbc count when I first got the fever was real high, and in the ER, it was normal so I guess the antibiotics I had-helped.
I've gone for two rechecks now, and my regular surgeon has checked in with infectious diseases, and have decided to leave my drain in a few more weeks just in case, and keep me on antibiotics for also a few more weeks.
Feeling much better. Back to work this coming Monday. Excited about that although I'm sure I'll be tired at first.
In hindsight, I'll be more vigilant in taking control of my own body no matter how sick I am. That wasn't an excuse to ignore myself, especially after all I've done to keep myself from getting breast cancer. I fell. I got back up. Ready to push forward.
So I still had a fever that seemed to be going away during the day, but would spike at night. And the fever issue hadn't been resolved. I took it upon myself to take some antibiotics I had in the cupboard.
By Friday night, I felt like my right breast was swollen, or tight. Looked at it to see if it looked hot or red, and it did but my whole body was red because of my fever. I meant to go back and look but fell asleep.
In the morning, I felt bigger but thought I would make coffee and then go and look in the mirror. While I was making coffee, I felt something dripping onto my belly. So I went and looked. It was a gooey, pinkish leak out of my incision. Sort of a fast drippy river.
I called the surgeon on call and we met at the ER, I got prepped and taken directly to surgery for a thorough housecleaning and a drain.
It took me a few days to come around as I had been pretty sick and didn't do the the right thing by being insistent. I was left hanging with a fever but this is my body and I didn't care much once I got so sick because I was weak and miserable.
Incidentally, my wbc count when I first got the fever was real high, and in the ER, it was normal so I guess the antibiotics I had-helped.
I've gone for two rechecks now, and my regular surgeon has checked in with infectious diseases, and have decided to leave my drain in a few more weeks just in case, and keep me on antibiotics for also a few more weeks.
Feeling much better. Back to work this coming Monday. Excited about that although I'm sure I'll be tired at first.
In hindsight, I'll be more vigilant in taking control of my own body no matter how sick I am. That wasn't an excuse to ignore myself, especially after all I've done to keep myself from getting breast cancer. I fell. I got back up. Ready to push forward.
I have been there with same scenario in dressing room- lol.
Thanks. Going there after work to see if I can get one.