nipple reconstruction

Unknown
Unknown
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi, I haven't visited here for awhile and see lots of new names! It's wonderful people keep coming and that I can come back! I just had nipple reconstuction with a donor skin from my inner thigh/groin area. I was told I could take off bandages in 2 days and shower. so today was the big "let's see how I look now day" When I took off what seemed like yards of ace bandages, then gauze, I found a rather large bandage SEWN with stitches into the area around the new nipple. So I called and said, "am I really supposed to cut this off myself?" the nurse almost had a panic attack! NO, You haven't done that have you? I said that was why I was calling. So anyway, she apologized, someone gave me wrong advice, and now I stuck with the sponge bathing until next week. Kind of makes my traveling plans for Easter just a bit more difficult. Otherwise, I doing OK. It always amazes me how long I stay fatigued after surgery from anesthesia. I didn't feel the need for any pain pills this time, so it must be just the anesthsia. It's my 5th surgery in 17 months and my LAST one! Thank goodness (And God) for that.
Has anyone else had a bandage sewn right unto them? Will check in early next week.

Comments

  • live42day
    live42day Member Posts: 64
    #2
    Last April I finished up my reconstruction. Yes, I had sort of a spacer made of a kind of rubber sewn into the outer part of my new nipple. This spacer kept the bandages away from my nipple until it healed a little. My plastic surgeon had used bright blue thread to sew it on. When it came off my nipple was just as perky as if I was out in the cold. I couldn't believe how real it looked. It feels good to be done doesn't it?
    Janet
  • blossomtime
    blossomtime Member Posts: 98
    #3
    I had my nipple reconstruction done in december and I also had a rolled bandage sewn around the nipple. But I had seen this before since I am a nurse. After it was removed the dr made a suggestion to further protect the nipple while it was still healing. Take a 4x4 gauze, fold it in half and cut a small half moon in the center of the fold line. Unfold it and you a perfect little cirle in the middle. Center this over the nipple and put your bra on over this. This helps to keep the nipple from being compressed down during the day while wearing a bra. There can be a shrinkage of the nipple during the healing stage and this helps protect it. Worked well. Good luck.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #4
    blossomtime said:

    I had my nipple reconstruction done in december and I also had a rolled bandage sewn around the nipple. But I had seen this before since I am a nurse. After it was removed the dr made a suggestion to further protect the nipple while it was still healing. Take a 4x4 gauze, fold it in half and cut a small half moon in the center of the fold line. Unfold it and you a perfect little cirle in the middle. Center this over the nipple and put your bra on over this. This helps to keep the nipple from being compressed down during the day while wearing a bra. There can be a shrinkage of the nipple during the healing stage and this helps protect it. Worked well. Good luck.

    Hi Ladies,
    If you check back, thank you for your advice. I guess it was called a "stent" (SP?) sewn on. I now have that off. They gave me antibiotic ointment to put on every day for a week. Does the new nipple relax at all? It's like a tiny little cap on a bottle - not much like my other nipple..... I know I shouldn't expect perfection, but this isn't quite what I expected either..... but yah, finally, it's great to be done!
  • donna488
    donna488 Member Posts: 1
    #5
    unknown said:

    Hi Ladies,
    If you check back, thank you for your advice. I guess it was called a "stent" (SP?) sewn on. I now have that off. They gave me antibiotic ointment to put on every day for a week. Does the new nipple relax at all? It's like a tiny little cap on a bottle - not much like my other nipple..... I know I shouldn't expect perfection, but this isn't quite what I expected either..... but yah, finally, it's great to be done!

    Hi! I am new to the discussion group and have a question for you or anyone who reads this. How long passed between your breast reconstruction and nipple reconstruction? I was diagnosed with bilateral cancer in Sept.'03, had 5 surgeries in 2 months and had my last chemo treatment 2 weeks ago. I am looking forward to my last two surgeries and being 'done' as well.
  • SanFranciscan
    SanFranciscan Member Posts: 9
    #6
    donna488 said:

    Hi! I am new to the discussion group and have a question for you or anyone who reads this. How long passed between your breast reconstruction and nipple reconstruction? I was diagnosed with bilateral cancer in Sept.'03, had 5 surgeries in 2 months and had my last chemo treatment 2 weeks ago. I am looking forward to my last two surgeries and being 'done' as well.

    Hello. I had a bilateral mastectomy w/ flap reconstruction in Nov. 03 and got my new nipples (constructed out of some of the flap tissue already there) right before Xmas. The areoles were tattooed in February, and now I'm done. However, I healed fairly rapidly after my initial surgery, and did not have chemo, so your timetable may differ.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #7
    donna488 said:

    Hi! I am new to the discussion group and have a question for you or anyone who reads this. How long passed between your breast reconstruction and nipple reconstruction? I was diagnosed with bilateral cancer in Sept.'03, had 5 surgeries in 2 months and had my last chemo treatment 2 weeks ago. I am looking forward to my last two surgeries and being 'done' as well.

    Donna,
    There are 2 types of "nipples" people get that I know of. And it sounds like SanFransican had parts of both - the surgical and the tatoo. I just had a skin graft from my groin area (right in the crease of the leg). The skin there was an amazingly good color match. My PS does not like the tatoos. He said I could have the nipple done about 3 months after the final implant was in. Some wait for 6 months. I actually waited 5 months due to work schedule. I've had most of my surgeries around holidays to take advantage of vacation time. Next year I'll get to have real vacations! Good Luck with yours!
  • tootie
    tootie Member Posts: 4
    #8
    donna488 said:

    Hi! I am new to the discussion group and have a question for you or anyone who reads this. How long passed between your breast reconstruction and nipple reconstruction? I was diagnosed with bilateral cancer in Sept.'03, had 5 surgeries in 2 months and had my last chemo treatment 2 weeks ago. I am looking forward to my last two surgeries and being 'done' as well.

    Hi! I am new here and I am glad to see Im not alone.I was first diagnosed with ductal cancer in my right breast last July.I opted for having my other breast removed at the same time.They put in tissue expanders when they removed my breast and I woke up with a little bulge.My tissue expansion was completed in September/October last year .I just had them removed and Silicone implants put in this past March.They also did my nipple reconstruction at the same time using skin grafts from the sides of my breast.My breast look ok but my left nipple is as flat as a pancake and also my right nipple is a lot lower than the left one.I could just cry.Its not just a fraction lower but a lot.It makes me wanna tilt to one side to make them look even in the mirror.I dont know why my plastic surgeon did my implants and nipples at the same time.Insurance????IHas anyone else had this problem?Should I have the other nipple done again or pray the right one shrinks more?Its only been 2 1/2 months but I hate the way they look.One Flat ,One sticking out.One high,one low!!!Im scarred to let the plastic surgeon do them again.Any advice would be appreciated.Thanks in advance,Tootie

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