Me again!
The nurse getting me ready for my op said that if they were waiting for my nails to go blue… it would be probably be too late!!
She was a scream!
Hi…possible solution!
My friend had similar prob. Doc said they only needed one toe on each side visible. She had her big toes ‘de-gelled’ and had stick on nails put on those two only and painted to match. Then after the op, she had them re-gelled.
Worth a call to the unit to see if it’s poss!
x
(Obviously , just unstuck the nails for the op!)
hi i have a question,
sounds silly really, and as previously explained about the index finger and probe probably not even sensible,
but i had 6 tax, and all my finger nails have fallen off !!!
hows about that then folks, would they wait for the ends of my fingers to turn blue, lol
actually my fingernails are half attached 2 have completely come off but the rest are close behind
love liz xxx
gosh that would work. I would not be in such a dither about this if i was not going away tomorrow and only coming back with a few hours spare the day before the op
Friends are alwasy asking what they can do, well i think I might ask one to get in touch with hosptal and get a definate answer and then arrange for an appointment to do whatever is needed at the very end of the afternoon before the op. A bit more work than I would normally ask someone to do for me, but I think it is worth it.
I am still amazed that it is not in the book.
gosh liz, our comments crossed. I now feel a total fraud. how can i be worried about the cost of removing gels when at least I still have all my fingernails.
puts it a bit into perspective for me
Liz: “and all my finger nails have fallen off !!!
hows about that then folks, would they wait for the ends of my fingers to turn blue, lol”
They look at the colour (and re-colouring reaction if depressed) of the nail beds, visible through your nails. If your nails drop off, the nail beds are still visible.
OAL (should be YAF!)
Ask your nail person if soaking in bog-standard nail varnish with acetone will dissolve a nail? I seem to remember having to buy special nail polish remover that didn’t contain acetone when I had them done a while back because regular remover would take the shine off, and eventually would take the whole thing off.
If your nail technician can reassure you then you will at least have the means of removing one nail per hand ready for the anaesthetist, if they insist on fingers and not just toes.
Absolutely NOT a trivial question either. I am absolutely pants at applying nail varnish and keeping it looking reasonable for longer than about 20 minutes. I had gel nails done and they looked fabulous for a fortnight, though they did eventually start peeling and then I picked them off - naughty girl. If you do find they start to peel after a few weeks, DON’T pick them off as you end up taking a layer of your nail with it, which is really not good for them.
I’m a nail girl, gels, polish and sometimes acrylic. And yes it all must go! They can’t get true oxygen reading etc, and they could cancel it.
As I stated above, nail polish doesn’t affect function of the SPO2 finger probe. I wear it all the time when having mine checked with a NI (non-invasive) vital signs monitoring system.
However, it DOES affect the signs that a gasman looks for. Also, TBH, I personally wouldn’t wear anything that could contain alcohol (e.g.perfume, aerosol deodorant) or other solvents (nail varnish even if allowed) in an OT full of piped O2 , electrical cautery systems etc etc.
Health & safety!
The breast nurse rang whilst I was waiting for the train to France. She said she did not see any reason to take them off. Never remembers their being an issue in recent years. She is going to double check with the doctor and the gas man and leave me a message. She has worked on the surgical breast team for some time.
I have now been told that acetone and tin foil for 20 mins works. But that maybe normal gels. Mine are Jessica gels that I think need heat to get off
When I had my op I was given a leaflet saying no make up and no nail varnish and was also told verbally at pre op appt. But I guess it is always worth asking. Good luck with op.
Eileen xx
Oh aye, just imagine the gasman looking at your complexion for signs of change and it’s a fixed Max Factor mask!
You really CAN see why they say this stuff…
Great thread and great sense of humour out there - there really are no trivial questions!
I have CT and bone scan on Friday and am pencilled in for MX, clearance & recon. on 5th July assuming nothing shows up to suggest I need radio/chemo.
Have been shopping for post-op nightwear and wondering what to get (given that I don’t possess anything). Thought that the ideal would be something with buttons to get on easily (PJ’s / nightie), soft cotton with short sleeves (hot flushes back with a vengeance since I had to stop HRT) and not too expensive - since I’ll never wear it again. AND plain - no teddies, monkeys or stupid slogans!!!
I haven’t had my pre-op yet but was wondering what to do about my belly piercing. I know I can’t have metal but I was wondering about the soft plastic ones (Likely having an LD flap not abdominal). What have others done.
TIA
Laurie x
great news–well potentially. I rang the breast nurse this mroning before i got the train, and she said she has never come across the nail varnish issue, said she thought modern methods should have got past the need to look at the color of the fingers to see if you were in trouble.
anyway she agrees with me that it would be daft to be sent home on the day because of this, so she is going to ask the doctor and the gasman and get back to me. she was so nice to me flappying over such a silly thing, said she would be reluctant to waste the money as well if it was possible to keep them on.
as to nighties-- i would definately say pyjamas with button fronts. I have a pair of mens cottton pyjamas that i have sewn the flies up. Not very flattering but realy compfy, and they will be thrown away as soon as i do not need them
Hey all,
I went in for my mx with nail varnish on as didn’t think about it, or read about it before-hand either - head in sand kind of scenario.
It was only noticed when I had to put suspension stockings and the nurses said it had to go because it was black polish (which is understandable given the very informative comments on here), which sort of gave me the impression that if it was a french manicure it may have been ok.
They gave me some remover, which was totally rubbish and after 20 mins of failing, came back with industrial strength stripper to attempt to remove it.
Post-op nightwear - I bought some cheap button through short sleeved cotton nighties (Matalan, white with little black hearts approx £9 I think), sort of mid thigh length and larger sized than needed - helped when I went to loo in night and had to drag a drain bag with me not having to pull PJ bottoms down half awake and juggle. I also bought a couple of cheap extra large sized ladies button through shirts, in addition to the shirts I borrowed from OH which I just put a nice belt around. Still struggle with overhead items 11 weeks on. Yoga/Jogging pants were a god send, as were elasticated maxi length skirts - in fact, anything I could put on one handed. I also found a cuddly teddy bear useful not only for ‘cuddly comfort’, but it acted like a tent in bed and kept the weight of the duvet covers off the surgery area too.
Didn’t buy any post-op bra’s - hadn’t researched or thought about it (it all happens too quickly), have been wearing my bikini tops for last 12 weeks as couldn’t stand anything tight around or near the chest area. They have worked well, but I’ve not had reconstruction yet, so not sure this could work for you as you may need support - I’ve seen front fastening post-op bras whilst looking for mastectomy bra’s.
Hope this helps
Bev x
Hi - I had my op 3 weeks ago and I also have gel nails, no one told me either but lucky the day before the op one of the nails peeled off. On the morning of the op they let me keep the gel nails on and instead attached the monitor to the finger that had the gel off of it and no one said anything else about it. I think they could check your toe nails instead but if there is any way to just remove one nail you might just get away with it. Also if you do decide to chance it make sure and take a heavy duty nail file and also nail clippers to help get them off if needed. The hospital does have nail polish remover but will take ages without clippers and file, hope that helps. xx and good luck
I admit to not understanding the nail thing as I’m a gardener and haven’t had gorgeous nails for years! I do think though that anything that could compromise your safety or well-being is just not worth the risk. I was told ‘no nail varnish’ by my bcn at pre-op. Its a shame to waste the expense of having them done but you could have them done again as a treat to lift your spirits post-surgery.
Take care, hope all goes well, x
oh clematis, i am a gardener, dog walker, general mucker abouter, and just thought for once in my life i would look respectable. and splashed the cost of having my hair done on the gel nails. If i had just had a manicure then they would be chipped before the end of the day.
its not the fact that i wont have pink nails that is the concern, its the waste of all that money. if i then pay to have them off and the doc says that they dont care that will be soooo frustrating.
I know compared to the results of the op and what might happen later this is extreamly unimportant, but it does not stop it being something i need the answer to.
Alesta29
I am 5 weeks post MX op and 3 weeks post Anx. Nodal surgery.
I found that the corset they give you to wear immediately after the surgery can be very warm in hospital so I found my strappy camisole type PJ tops ideal. I could just push the ‘bad’ side down and out of the strap then push the whole lot down my legs. 3/4 length bottoms meant the support stockings made me look like a pantomime prince, but who cares when you are in that state.
Since coming home, I eventually ‘lost’ the corset after the second op and bought a front fastening sleep bra from the internet (PM me and I’ll give you the site). Now, I have finally managed to get into a sports bra.
I wear leggings all the time, and have loose tops (that will go over my head - I count it towards my exercises).
Good Luck with the op. Just make sure YOU are comfortable whatever you wear, I would have still been in the corset as I found it so comfy and supportive to wear but a relief BCN put me into a bra one day.
Love June
OAL
Sorry your query has been hijacked.
I always understood that nail varnish was a no no for the same reasons you already have…checking the nail bed colour during the surgery.
Maybe this has changed due to better technology, and maybe one nail will be enough.
I can sympathise about the money I am like that also, I hate waste.
I am busy sourcing Head Squares and cannot believe the price of some headgear. (I’ve bought some material)
Enjoy your holiday. Have 1 or 2 bevvies for the beautifil, inspirational, shapely-headed women left on the site.
(((HUGS)))
June