prophylactic mastectomy after RNY

When I got discharged, the PA said that i will need about 2 more fills and then i have another surgery to take the expanders out and put silicone implants in. I think it will be about six weeks total.   I am guessing that after this lovely little journey that the implants will be done at the day surgery center.

Hope you are progressing further each day.  How are the drains doing?  I remember being very concerned about their removal.  It had me freaked out as my breast surgery was my first instance of drains.  But it really wasn't too bad.  The nurse pulled them when they were ready to come out.  She told me to take a deep breath and as I let it out, she pulled the drain.  That caused me to focus on the breath and not the weirdness of the feeling from the drain coming out. 

Did they say anything about how permanent the implants were?  When I was talking to one of the PS that did implants he indicated that they lasted 10-15 years.  What happens after that?  Do they have to be replaced?  Monitored?  Does insurance pay to have them replaced since they were put there as a result of mastectomy?

 

Hopefully you are right and the implant placement is just same day surgery.  Those are usually not too bad and given the bad experience you had with that hospital, I would think you would not want to stay there again.

 

JoAnn

all I can say is ouch. I have not been able to get on the computer cause I can't hold my arms so I can type. Both the drains clogged, even after multiple milking. Had one removed Thursday, and one to come out on Tuesday...at my scheduled post op. My boobs are so full of fluid that, even though I was a size c after the operation, I am now larger than i was before I went in....plus some has drained into both armpits, and down my left ribcage. I called the doctor on Saturday, and he said as long as i was not in excruciating pain or having red marks on my skin or fever it can be drained on Tuesday. It doesn't hurt, but I can't open the door, I keft the cap off the liquid antibiotic in the fridge cause I can't work the child proofing, etc.  Todays big accomplishment was a washing in the shower stall with a bucket of water and dry shampoo. I have not taken any pain meds since yesterday morning, and I am sleeping and eating ok....bariatric regular, modified for my TMD (TMJ), which just means a lot of soft food.  Sleeping in the recliner. And social security needs me to go to their office on the other side of town Monday morning so I can drop off paperwork that I have faxed them twice...then they will release my back pay..I am down to about thirty cents so I will do that  first, then probably show up at the surgeons office again on Monday. I don't understand why BOTH of the drains got clogged Not to be too graphic, but there was a lot of sort of tissue trying to come out besides fluid, and the RN said that was normal....but it was too big for the drains.  Oh well. You were right about the peace mind though. I am no longer looking at my breasts like time bombs waiting to go off...even if the reconstruction fails, I am SO grateful that they are off. I think I felt my insides relax a little bit more.

Once the implants are in they are good for up to ten years, and the surgeon recommended I get an MRI every 2 years...theoretically I will only need two more expansions before they are ready to take out the expanders and put in the implants, but I bet it winds up taking a while to get all this fluid drained off me before they do that...and that means my hysterectomy will be delayed too...its nerve wracking cause my COBRA is up on Dec 1, with no option for conversion, and then, because I got social security disability, I will just have Medicaid for 6 months before I get federal Medicare. Unless this new Obama care lets me buy something on the exchange.....I am not sure that it will because I have Medicaid...but maybe. Hard to say. I am afraid of winding up with essentially nothing and being in the middle of a mess.

That tissue coming out is a good thing. That is the reason to strip or milk the drains. You don't want that to clog them. Maybe you are producing more than normal. Perhaps stripping them more frequently would help.
Sorry that you are experiencing so many issues but the peace of mind and the light at the end of the tunnel will make it all worth it.

Take care
JoAnn

Yes, I have been stripping them about every four hours, but they had to pull one drain on Friday, and yesterday, even though I was stripping it, the device has no suction in it any more...I was on the phone with the med tech and she  had me take the tube off the bulb and try to get all the guck out of there which I did, and put it back on, all cleaned with alchohol prep pads etc, and I squeezed it and rolled it up and it started whistling, and the tube itself remained flat, and does not inflate any more. It looks like there is some guck stuck at the top of the tube right where it comes out of the skin, but I am not able to get to the place underneath my skin where it  started to come out. I called the surgeon yesterday and he said he plans to take the second drain out on Tuesday, and aspirate both sides with a needle. He said he didn't know why the drains malfunctioned. I only saw  some really thick guck that was way too big for the tubing, so that's all I can figure, unless someone placed them incorrectly inside me. Maybe that same person did not order my meds in the hospital or pay attention to the part about I can't have toredol. I don't know, but it is starting to feel like a chop shop.

My initial reaction to this doctor was that he was kind and knew what he was doing, but seriously so many things happened at the hospital that I am starting to wonder...for now I am trying to roll with it. More will be revealed.  At least I am used to my boobs hurting, as they hurt prior to surgery....thanks for being there.

Every now and then my tubes would no expand. What I would do is start at the skin and try and press the tube the opposite way to get it to open up. Sometimes i would have to roll the tube between my fingers to loosen the clots that are in the tube. Then I would just keep doing this all the way down the tube - a real pain in the butt. I was usually able to get it to open up and create suction again. You might want to give that a try maybe it will work. You've got nothing to lose. Sometimes the clot would get stuck at the bottom of the tube near the bulb and I would play around with it the same way to clear it there.. I would assume the doc put them in right - gotta assume he knows what he is doing. Although it doesn't sound like the support staff is too sharp.

Thanks for the tip. I did fool around with it a bit, and then fell asleep, this morning they confirmed it was broken and pulled it. Took 130 cc's off each side with a needle. I feel a lot better now. Doc also ordered a strong antibiotic. He said that other than that, and a direct quote by him, as he was aspirating the fluid "this is so annoying"...everything was ok. He was kind and stuff but I didn't want to ask him what, exactly was annoying when the PA was working on one side, and he was on the other. Maybe on Friday when I go in for the next aspiration. Anyway, I DROVE to the appointment today, as I did not have any other option. It was rather interesting. I went for 20 min, and rested, then another 20. Then when I got closer to the office, where I NEVER go, cause it's so far, I got lost. This was just the opening that he had available today. At least he still saw me. Much easier going home than getting there. But they told me not to do that again. (it was THEIR schedule that needed accommodated, the regular office is 5 min from my house) anyway...whew, I am tired. Thanks again for listening.

The drains are a necessary evil.  I understand that they do serve a purpose but they are a pain in the butt.  PS always feels bad when he tells me that I will have drains for a procedure.  But the alternative is that the fluid builds up inside which is what it sounds like happened to you.  Doesn't sound like draining that fluid was much of an issue for you.  Most folks really complain about it - say that it is painful.  But now that the fluid is out and you are feeling a little better, perhaps you will progress faster in the healing process. 

Its a shame that you had such a long drive and ordeal.  But at least you got things taken care of.  I felt better when I got back to driving.  Felt like I got some independence back.  I didn't feel cooped up in the house anymore.  I would go to the local supermarket or wal-mart and grab a cart and walk around the store.  Made me feel more normal. 

 

Take care of yourself.

 

JoAnn

Hi again...just now back on computer. Have been getting fluid drained out bi weekly. They thought i had an infection and have been soooo sleepy. Just wanted to say i am okay, not out of the woods yet. I get so tired now and the expanders hurt! Feels like getting stabbed in the chest. Still sleeping in the recliner. And,, i just might live. I really appre iate your support during this time. The family has not been taking it well, because my surgery reminds them of all the family who have died, so i have been mostly on my own. Which makes me very grateful u were there. Thanks