Posted by POST NOLA DIEP PATIENT (post) on July 17, 2008, 8:46 pm
207.200.116.65
Dr. D,
I had bilateral diep 3 months ago, this was following a year of implant problems.. my question is.. I thought that using my own tissue was going to help with the pain and nerve burning and tightness but it seems to be almost the same as when the implants were inside.. how long will it take for the muscles to settle down.. and is there something that can be done about this nerve pain that I am not doing currently.. VITAMINS OR OINTMENTS OR EXCERCISES OR ANOTHER MEDICATION.. People (family especially) keep telling me that I should not be taking pain pills this late after surgery so why is it that there is still so much pain and uncomfortableness... The pain pills and muscle relaxers are the only thing that helps with the pain and spasm in the chest. I still cannot wear a bra more than 15 minutes or it will set off the nerve in the left breast side and it won't settle down for hours.. Is there some other treatment or something additional that I can be doing.. I am open to any suggestions.. or am I destined to just have to live with this??
I am 3 months post op from diep.. the muscles are spasming and I still experience such tightness in both breasts as if i am wearing an ace bandage around my chest all the time..even though only one right breast had radiation...It seems to be worse in the mornings or if I sit for any length of time without moving .. the diep surgery required that the muscles be laid back down after the implants were removed..and I was told that there was quite a lot of scar tissue removed from both sides even though the implants had only been in for a year.
my stomach is very very hard from about 4 inches above the navel(the infection was that high) and down in the genital area is still very swollen and hard and has some pain in there.. is this normal at this late date?? I am still quite numb in the deep deep tissue of the abdomen, and of course I knew the breasts would remain very numb on the surface and all the way around to the back muscles.. the pain and tightness I experience is deep inside..because the surfaces are numb..I don't know if I am making any sense..
Other people that I have talked with don't seem to be having the same issues.. ??
My right breast has a few areas of hardened scar tissue on the armpit side and tightness in the armpit muscle, and I do not have full range of motion still..but that was the side that was radiated.. it is also a lot smaller than the left side but I knew that going in that it would have to wait until phase II..so I am hoping for some symmetry at phase II..
There are large patches of hardness in the tissues of both breasts mostly along the incision lines.. is this necrosis??? is there something that can be injected in there to soften this??
I have tried in the past week massaging the abdomen and breasts myself..using an electric massager.. is this causing more irritation?? should I continue this?? and if so how often..
I was told no pools or spas still so swimming is out for now..
My navel still has dead hard skin in there that I cannot get to come out and I hesitate to keep picking at it .. I don't want to cause another infection.. it may have to come out surgically I was told because tugging just is not working..I just keep putting alcohol and betadine on it..BUT IT HAS BEEN 3 MONTHS..
Is it possible to add some Alloderm to add some volumn to the right and help alleviate some of the tightness?? I do not want to put an implant back in because of the radiation and fat transferred may not stay.
I know this is a lot of questions but I have not been on the boards to talk to you for quite some time as I have been busy trying to heal.. I should have been on here asking all along instead of letting them build up..
Oh I also had a MRSA infection that ended up with me being re-hospitalized 2 additional times this past 3 months..the infection was in the abdomen.. could the infection being playing a part in the hardness of the tissue??? and will this be permanent scar tissue??
My doctors here have been mostly treating the infection that developed.. there has not been a lot of treatment or talk about what to do with the diep recovery part of the surgery.. I think that there is hesitation to step on other doctors toes, if you know what I mean.. they did not do the diep so they don't want to treat it..this leaves me sort of hanging out here.. However they have all been fascinated at the whole process.. I was quite the talk of the hospital out here..
I am now done with the infection part so far.. no antibiotics.. and so far no fevers for 3 weeks now.. a good sign.. I had been on antiobiotics of some form or another for the past 15 months..
I was told by the infectious disease doctor out here that I can begin to think about phase II.. as long as I use the Zyvox and Rifampin a week prior to and at least 2 weeks following the surgery..
so will all of this be addressed at that time with regard to tightness and is it possible to look in on the left side and see where that nerve might be inflamed??? of all of the things that I think is the one problem that if it can be fixed would be great.. then I might be able to wear a bra??
The best part of all of this is that I have warm breasts.. the silicone was always so cold..and they never felt like part of my body.. So I am grateful for that.. they do feel so natural..
wish I was closer to New Orleans so that I could be telling you this in person.. it has been really hard to be so far away with all of this going on.. It has been a long 3 months..
I know this note is long.. but I have not been able to talk to you for quite some time now..
And I do know that you are quite busy..so please bear with me..
Phase II and nipples are the goal for me now.. I was recently told that liposuction might be out of the picture for me now because I had the MRSA..?? even though it is gone now??? But if we can get to some symmetry and nipples by Christmas that might be what I will have to settle for..
Thanks for letting me bend your ear.. Hope to see you soon.. as soon as I can get on the schedule..
PS> HAVE YOU GUESSED WHO I AM YET???
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