Good day to all my fellow Warriors!
I’m a 65 year old woman who had a bilateral mastectomy with breast tissue expanders for future reconstruction surgery, on 3 26/24. The JP drains were removed on 4/4/24 and my first saline injections to the expanders, was doe on 4/11/24. On 4/12/24, I developed a low grade fever and their was a Betadine color liquid actually dripping from the bottom of original surgery site. Went back to my plastic surgeon immediately. He had insert another JP drain and was put on antibiotics for a 10 days course. My question and concern is should I even bother going through reconstruction surgery, do I even want to think about that in 10-15 years I will have to change the implants, assuming that nothing else goes wrong? Any thoughts or personal experience would be greatly appreciated.
Hello… Sounds like I was in same boat as you… I decided recently and underwent my reconstructive surgery. I’m 53 and been married for 32 years… we go to the beach Alot and I walked around with one breast for 6 months before I decided to move ahead with the LP flap surgery. All I can say is holy crap! I.was happy at first … but I am now developing a seroma at the end of the surgery site where on my back… I’ve been taking it easy , because at first I wasn’t. …and I believe I did this to myself. I had 4 drains, and just had them removed last week and I was wearing my compression bra, and my compression girdle, but developed fluid filled on my back where the bra ended. My breast is really swollen underneath my armpit also . But pain wise… it’s not bad… just uncomfortable. Also just noticed my arms have been tingling today. Weird. So… to say the least, if I was 10 years older, I would not have moved ahead I don’t think. Everyone is different… but what I’m going through, I’m starting to kick myself.
Welcome to the forum @warrior2024
It’s a very kind place and I hope you find the support you are looking for.
If you’d like to talk to our specialist breast care nurses about your concerns, you can contact them here on the forum on the Ask our Nurses your questions or over the phone 0808 800 6000.
Sending our warmest,
Lucy