I had a double mastectomy in May 2011 for mucinous carcinoma in my right breast, which had spread to two lymph nodes. They removed a total of 12 from my right side. I had tissue expanders placed under the muscle, and then underwent chemo while being expanded. The right side was filled by about 125 cc more than the left, so would require a larger implant. The day before my exchange surgery, my blood count came back too low to undergo surgery, and I had to wait. It was another three months before the surgery, and my surgeon "forgot" about the difference in size. I wound up with a full C cup on the left, and an A on the right. The surgeon told me to "deal with it", "wear a pad in your bra", and to "consider myself lucky."
I fired that PS, and found another. The new doctor wanted to redo everything, I just wanted saline added to my right implant. I'd been through five surgeries already, I was ready to move on. He went in and added 50 cc to the right, said that's all I needed, but said he did me a favor and stitched my right implant up, to keep it from going into my armpit. So after this surgery, the sizes were still not right, and I eventually developed lots of pain in the breast area on my right side doing certain exercises or activities, or just for no apparent reason. I also had extreme rippling of the skin on both breasts.
It's been 5 years, and I decided this year together another opinion. I was 38 when diagnosed, now 44. I met with the surgeon in February, and he explained I would be a complete doover. Implants would be removed, muscle resewn to chest wall, and tissue expanders placed on top. I would go through expansion again, and then exchange them 4-6 months later with silicone implants. Surgery was May 10th. I did everything as told, and 4 weeks out went back to work, and started exercise as was told I could. I developed extreme lymphedema of the right breast. Was having 200cc of fluid removed almost daily until it eventually found its own path out of me, through my incision. On June 26th I had another surgery. There was no infection, so he removed the expanders and went ahead with the placement of my permanent implants on both sides. It will be two weeks tomorrow, and two days ago my incision started to leak from the same spot as before. I'm scared. I'm kicking myself for going back to have anything done. I'm wishing I'd left well enough alone and dealt with the pain and the differences.
I'm not sure this doctor knows what he's dealing with. He was unfamiliar with breast lymphedema, and now I'm wondering after all of this internet research if I have a tunnel wound?
I'm going to call him tomorrow, and I have an appointment with a lymphedema specialist on Tuesday. Should I see a wound care specialist? I'm not sure what to do. I haven't worked since May either.
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I had a double mastectomy in May 2011 for mucinous carcinoma in my right breast, which had spread to two lymph nodes. They removed a total of 12 from my right side. I had tissue expanders placed under the muscle, and then underwent chemo while being expanded. The right side was filled by about 125 cc more than the left, so would require a larger implant. The day before my exchange surgery, my blood count came back too low to undergo surgery, and I had to wait. It was another three months before the surgery, and my surgeon "forgot" about the difference in size. I wound up with a full C cup on the left, and an A on the right. The surgeon told me to "deal with it", "wear a pad in your bra", and to "consider myself lucky."
July 9, 2017 - 5:38pmI fired that PS, and found another. The new doctor wanted to redo everything, I just wanted saline added to my right implant. I'd been through five surgeries already, I was ready to move on. He went in and added 50 cc to the right, said that's all I needed, but said he did me a favor and stitched my right implant up, to keep it from going into my armpit. So after this surgery, the sizes were still not right, and I eventually developed lots of pain in the breast area on my right side doing certain exercises or activities, or just for no apparent reason. I also had extreme rippling of the skin on both breasts.
It's been 5 years, and I decided this year together another opinion. I was 38 when diagnosed, now 44. I met with the surgeon in February, and he explained I would be a complete doover. Implants would be removed, muscle resewn to chest wall, and tissue expanders placed on top. I would go through expansion again, and then exchange them 4-6 months later with silicone implants. Surgery was May 10th. I did everything as told, and 4 weeks out went back to work, and started exercise as was told I could. I developed extreme lymphedema of the right breast. Was having 200cc of fluid removed almost daily until it eventually found its own path out of me, through my incision. On June 26th I had another surgery. There was no infection, so he removed the expanders and went ahead with the placement of my permanent implants on both sides. It will be two weeks tomorrow, and two days ago my incision started to leak from the same spot as before. I'm scared. I'm kicking myself for going back to have anything done. I'm wishing I'd left well enough alone and dealt with the pain and the differences.
I'm not sure this doctor knows what he's dealing with. He was unfamiliar with breast lymphedema, and now I'm wondering after all of this internet research if I have a tunnel wound?
I'm going to call him tomorrow, and I have an appointment with a lymphedema specialist on Tuesday. Should I see a wound care specialist? I'm not sure what to do. I haven't worked since May either.
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