Hello everyone,
Sorry I have not been able to visit for quite some time. I hope you all are having days that are bright between the days where you feel like crap!!
I am heading in for surgery on Tues the 3rd of Febuary and wondering if anyone here has been throught the same thing. This is for medical reasons not for cosmetic.
I am a bit nervous...well alot really. Please don't say, "Don't be nervous" because I am. It is also body altering and losing a part that is a woman. I don't see my gallbladder that was removed. But this I will...bothers me and looking for a bit of understanding.
Thank you ....Shari
Shari
I have no personal experience of this, but my friend's sister had it done and it made her back and neck so much better. All the very best for Tuesday.
Kathyx
Hi Shari :)
Totally understand why you're nervous. Hopefully it will address the medical problems you're having it done for. All the best for Tuesday. Hope you heal well. Rest up and take care............
Scottie :)
Thank you Scottie and Kathy. Just to add a note about the reasons for the Doc suggesting I do this. I have spondylosis in my neck where there is overgrouth of bone inside of the vertebrae. It is causing one side of my spinal cord to be flattened. We do not want anything that will aggrevate that. I also have repeated inflamation in my rib cage..over and over. I hardly have a moment that it is not inflamed. I have problems with middle back that have plagued me for years combined with a curve there.
Anyway, a quick overview...Shari
Next to the hemmroidectomy, the breast reduction surgery was the best decision I ever made. I immediately felt much better and looked much better too. No more horrible backache! I felt ok after about a week but it really did take about a month for the incisions to heal. The only SJS related problem was that the surgeon prescribed benedryl to reduce swelling. Make sure they don't do that. It made my eyes and mouth really dry. Once I got them to stop that I was ok.
Good luck. I felt a lot better afterwards.
Tuckerdog
Shari, my daughter-in-law had this surgery also for medical reasons. She never regretted it. She also went on to have my granddaughter, who just gave us our great granddaughter in September. So I wouldn't worry about being a woman afterwards.
You will feel so much better, not only in your body and mind, but your whole life will change for the better. My DIL has herself a grand time clothes shopping and discovering things that she couldn't do before.
Take care and good luck with this, you will not regret it I'm sure.
Pooh
Hey Tucker.....It's nice to know how long it may be for recuperation. Yes I know,
that it is differant for everyone but I can get a general idea.
The plastic surgeon says that the pain may be a bit worse for someone with Fibromyalgia
so has given me extra pain meds.
Yes, I think when it is all said and done I will feel a lot better by far. Part of a reduction is
an uplift so it will be time to clean my closets out and buy some new bras. He said to
wait a month on the bras to let things, "settle" (hope not too much!)
No Benedryl for me..thanks for the info. He gave me my prescription on the pre op appointment
so no one would have to go to the drug store that day. So just the pain meds.
I bought 2 soft bags of peas for ice packs but have not gotten my post op instructions of course,
so not sure if cold is reccommended.
Pooh, maybe I worded it wrong but it isn't that I won't be a woman, it's just that it is altering my body,
and one of the woman parts. Just altering seems weird and uncomfortable for me.
I actually leave at the end of the day Monday to stay at a hotel.
Doing this allows me to sleep later, and be a bit more refreshed.
If I leave from home I would have to get up at 4:30 am at the latest.
So, I am looking forward to not having my rib cage in pain and also
knowing that there is no extra weight pulling on my neck. I
am hoping that it may help the nerve pains I have in my left shoulder and arm
and down my leg and foot on the left also.
Thank you for listening, I appreciate it! Shari
Shari, I hope it helps with the nerve pain not only in your neck but the rest of your body also. Just losing this 60 lbs. has helped me a great deal with the pain in my hips and legs. Also my neck and shoulders.
I know what you were talking about, but you will always be a woman and you will feel so much better about yourself and who knows, maybe it isn't Fibro after all. Did you ever think about that? Wouldn't that be wonderful if the reduction gets rid of the pain, thought to be fibro? I think it would be great.
Best of luck and let us know how you make out.
Hugs, Pooh
Shari,
I just remembered that the surgeonn did say that women with autoimmune diseases heal slower than normal.
The only regret that I had was that I waited about 10 years too long.
Tucker
Shari,
I want to add my good wishes for a successful surgery and an easy recovery. I hope your neck and back and rib pain is all history!
Cheryl
Thank you all. As allways you never fail to lift the spirits and ease the anxiety. Thank you!
Yes Pooh, it would be nice if just the breast thing would be a cure all but it isn't the cause of other symptoms of Fibromyalgia . Tho my neck problem is not from Fibromyalgia it will remain a problem and will require surgery at some point.The breast reduction will take some of the strain off from it in the meantime and will help greatly in the inflammatory issues there.
Fibro causes a great deal of wide spread body muscle pain and combined with another connective tissue disorder I will still have pain issues but at least one area will have some relief!
Today has been crazy as my ride to and from Waterville was less than thrilled about taking me so I let her off the hook and scrambled to make other arrangements which I did. I am happy with the new arrangements as they are more than happy to help.
So, I take off at 2pm tomorrow, spend a night at hotel, and off to the surgeon Tues. morning. There is a frig ans microwave in the room so I have a dinner of soup, salad, sandwiches, and chips for dinner to save on some money. Watch a bit of tely and hopefully my room mate for the night does not snore!
Again, thank you all and Tucker.....very nice to hear from someone who has been there. I will get back in touch and let you all know how I made out..Thanks.....Take good care, Shari xx
Just a quick note. I am home as of 4 on Tuesday with 30 inches of incisions total. I certainly hope, and the doctor is confident, that this will take care of the rib cage inflamation. There is still fresh bleeding and the doc says that may continue for a week and then yellowish discharge after that for a bit. I have pain meds and help here. Tomorrow I may try showering alone (have had help with this) and changinf the dressing. It is very hard getting this huge tight bra contraption back on, I'll get a routine I'm sure. Till later, take good care Shari
Happy to hear you are home. I hope your recovery goes swiftly with no adverse side effects to slow things down.
Take care and rest,
Pooh
Hi Shari
Welcome back. I'm glad you've got that over. Take the pain meds and rest all you can. I hope you feel much better soon.
Kathyx
Hi Shari
Rest up and I hope the healing goes well. Hopefully as you heal you'll have a lot less pian than before.
Take care - Scottie :)
Tuckerdog...before I forget, you were right about it taking a week to start feeling like a human again. And also, how long before the swelling went down for you. I am thinking it will never go away!
So now it has been 10 days and I only have one small spot that is still weeping a bit. I had my post op appointment where the Doc said all looked good other than the swelling. All removed breast tissue was healthy other than some fibrocystic changes which is no big deal.
I have to start massaging breast gently while soapy in the shower and in one week add to that by removing cloth suturesand massaging the incisions with a moisturising lotion.
At the beginning of the week I can leave off the compression garment at night. Yeee Haaaa..I hate that thing.
I have forgotten how long I am suppose to continue wearing it daytimes so called office but they went on vacation after seeing me! I'm sorry!!
I will call them back when they return in 10 days.
I really did not get as black and blue as I thought I would tho it is extreme by most senses of the word.
I will admit that this afternoon I put on a sports bra and took a nap. I felt I would go completely nuts if I could not get that contraption off! So I have cheated and feel GREAT about it.
I have it back on now so no reprimands please!!! :)
I ventured out with my daughter to buy the sports bra and try to pick out a regular wireless bra for when I can wear one....well, what a fiasco that was. I had NO idea what size i was. Try telling that to the lady at the changing area. told her I had no idea, that I had surgery and did not want to have to come in and out so could I please take 12 bras in at a time. She whispered in such a sweet voice that they did have a section for women who had a mastectomy.
So I explained...she was so sweet and helpful to me. I came out with one sports bra that fit and a bit more sore. Then I went back and just grabbed one off the rack that looked pretty good and another 2 inches bigger (swelling on sided also) and took that home also.....it fit perfect when i tried it on at home. I went from a D to a B .
The doc said, "you have noticed a differance in how your rib cage feels?" YES....allready..I feel as light as air and do not feel that fulling in the certer of my chest. My neck makes about half the noise as it did before when i turn it. I think this will make a world of differance.
I must say if one can overlook the incisions being so new right now that they do look nice! But then again, I'm the only one looking!
Guess that's all for now...just more recoup time and remember not to do too much too son......Shari
Shari--
Best wishes for a smooth recovery. Glad to hear the procedure went well. I bet you're anticipating finding the perfect flimsy bra--I know I would be ;)
Shari,
I will tell you that for me it was about 2 months before my incisions healed completely so you are doing great. As far as shopping for a bra is concerned, the surgeon told me that I was going to be a C cup. So I just went out and got 38C's. No need for any real support anymore so I went for not getting big those bulges on my back where the bra goes around the back. Now my back looks smooth and instead of paying $80 for a bra I can get a bra in Walmart or go without if I want. I also found that there are some camisole type things that are really good - no bra lines in the back and very comfortable. I just passed my one year anniversary and I am so glad that I had it done.
Tuckerdog
Before the surgery I went out and bought a pretty dress with a too small of a top for me and backless.....can't wait to try it on now! Still, I'll wait. I'm still at the point of having a hard time putting on anything other than something that buttons in the front. Laying very low today..swelling is not so good. Happy Valentines Day All!
Hey all...just a quick update. I am doing well after 8 weeks. I had to have another check up 3 weeks ago for swelling and pain but other than that all is well. I still cannot sleep on my belly but an enjoying being able to sleep on either side. I get sore and a bit swollen if I do too much. Limited with anything physical still and doc said 3 months really makes a differance. I can rock my grandson once again so he and I are happy!!!
I am discovering what fits clothing wise and ejoying some very cute new tops!!
Just wanted to update ...Shari
Hi Shari
Lovely to see you. I'm glad you're enjoying your cuddles.
Kathyx
Shari,
It has been a year and 3 months since my surgery. I am so glad I had it done. Trust me, eventually you will heal completely. I really enjoy being able to shop and find things that fit, but the real joy is not looking like a freak. I was always "the one with the enormous boobs". It was like that was all people ever noticed about me. There was also a lot of pain in my neck and back. That is all gone now.
Tuckerdog