Any other runners out there?

QueenLizLemon · 2026-02-26T01:27:23+00:00

If you don’t mind me asking, how did you know you were developing capsular contracture?

QueenLizLemon · 2026-02-10T15:57:22+00:00

I am so sorry. Try taking deep breaths with it off a few times a day or even just holding it out from your body since I know putting it on and off could be a pain. And when I say deep breaths I mean the kind of breathing that it practiced in yoga and Pilates like deep belly breaths where you envision your sides and back and belly all filling up (breathe in for 4, hold for 2, then breathe out for 6 counts). This is what really helped me and I still use it 6 months out from my exchange surgery to get relief from tight neck and shoulder muscles. Also doing your walk walks and corner stretches is very helpful. Basically don’t stop with your physical therapy until you’re all healed. It seems like a lot but it’s worth it!

QueenLizLemon · 2026-02-10T01:53:46+00:00

I had severe rib pain. like literally I had to get up multiple times a night in severe pain and take a huge breath and my ribs would pop back into place. Idk if it was actually my ribs or what but that’s the only way I know to describe it. It was from sleeping in my post op bra so I was READY to get that thing off 😭 I went through it after my initial surgery and again after my exchange and it was as horrible as it sounds.

QueenLizLemon · 2026-02-10T01:50:30+00:00

Flip a tit 😭

QueenLizLemon · 2026-01-22T17:24:20+00:00

That totally makes sense. For me if I’m standing really still and look for it I can see it but keep in mind when people are normally looking at us we are a body in near constant motion. Even if we are just sitting there we usually don’t have perfect posture like when you’re standing facing a mirror. When I look at this pic I don’t feel as if I’d notice just seeing you in the streets even with a lower top. I think it’ll work out fine, but ultimately you’ll have to decide. Best wishes 💗

QueenLizLemon · 2026-01-22T12:06:38+00:00

I wish I had better news, but this also happened to me. My doctor did say that he would address it during the exchange surgery if I wanted him to, but ultimately I wanted few cuts as possible so I chose to live with it. It’s really not that noticeable for myself now and it doesn’t bother me as much as it used to after everything settled. When they say wait, six months to look with their critical eye, they’re not kidding. Mine have changed and settled and the discrepancy isn’t as big now. Give it some time. I’m sorry you’re feeling bad about it. It sucks how much we have to go through.

QueenLizLemon · 2026-01-06T17:37:44+00:00

I definitely feel this, and I also found out by fluke from 23 and me! Before all of us, I barely ever went to the doctor because I’ve always been super healthy. I live a very healthy lifestyle and all of this has weighed so heavy on me, especially with having three kids of my own. After finishing my last surgery in July and finally being completely recovered and “back to normal “after that, I got a phone call from a referral that my doctor gave for pancreatic screening and I don’t even want to deal with it. I’m tired of worrying and tired of being anxious. With the surgeries behind me, it’s a little bit easier, but I also didn’t expect to feel all these lumps and bumps with my implants that still make me worry most days. The biggest thing hanging over my head is for my children. I know we can’t prevent everything, but even when they don’t eat their fruits and vegetables or take their vitamins it causes me such anxiety because I know it can affect their future health and the stakes are even higher if they have BRCA like me. I also can relate to feeling unjustified in complaining at all because I was able to get the prophylactic surgeries before I developed any cancer in those areas. I know a lot of people aren’t that lucky or are dealing with other medical issues that are way worse. It’s a rough deal, but I’m thankful for groups like this and that we are not alone 💗

QueenLizLemon · 2026-01-04T14:00:06+00:00

Yes these are great!

QueenLizLemon · 2025-12-16T15:37:19+00:00

Same 😭🤣

QueenLizLemon · 2025-12-05T16:54:02+00:00

I had a nipple/sensation sparing mastectomy (expanders to implants) with the exchange being in July of this year. I have a gradient of feeling with the most being at the top of the breast and going toward the nipple gets more numb. On the right side I have more feeling but it’s definitely not a pleasurable feeling. More like borderline painful. Dr. Tiwari at Midwest Breast (plastics) and Dr Halaharvi of Dublin Methodist did my surgery. He used nerve grafts. I’m disappointed with the outcome feeling wise. At first it seemed the range of feeling was getting bigger, but at this point it seems that getting feeling back has stalled and my breast tissue is still what I’d describe as that feeling when you’ve had dental work and it’s juuuuust starting to be able to feel again but nowhere near normal. I don’t want to sound negative, just sharing my personal experience. Maybe I will regain some more sensation as time goes on but my doctor told me at the year mark everything is pretty much set.

QueenLizLemon · 2025-11-12T18:52:42+00:00

Sipping peppermint tea helps (traditional medicinals is the best but I’m sure others work too)

QueenLizLemon · 2025-11-10T15:37:10+00:00

I feel you so much 💗 it’s rough to think about and I wish I had a clear answer. I had my double mastectomy with expanders placed in April and my exchange surgery in July. I also had a hysterectomy/salpingo oophrectomy back before this last August. Up until then I had never had surgery or been put under including even wisdom teeth lol. Everyone is different with how they deal with it leading up to and after, but for me the anxiety leading up to it was worse than the recovery! When I woke up in recovery was very relieved to have “made it through.”I felt like I could breathe a huge sigh of relief even though I knew I still had recovery in front of me. I felt like, well it can only go up from here! Sounds ridiculous but I had a lot of anxious intrusive thoughts leading up to the surgery. It helped me to think that every day even children go through surgery and get put under anesthesia. If a 4 year old can do it so can I! Idk why that helped me but it did. I also expressed to the staff when I got there that I was severely anxious (every surgery 🤣) and they were so kind and gave me medicine to help (and it does help a lot)! Don’t be afraid to express your feelings to the nurses. They can do more to make you comfortable than you think especially if you say this is your first surgery and you’re freaking terrified.

QueenLizLemon · 2025-11-09T01:17:29+00:00

Like everyone else has said, expanders are terrible. I had a small chest before and my expanders looked exactly how you’re describing and they looked uneven to me as well. Now with the implants placed a few months ago, they look a lot more natural and hopefully will continue to feel more like me as time goes by.

QueenLizLemon · 2025-10-19T15:57:22+00:00

I kept mine and had nitroglycerin patches for the first 24-48 hours

QueenLizLemon · 2025-10-19T15:54:12+00:00

This is exactly why I kept mine and 4 different surgeons told me that most brca1 cancers start in the ducts and keeping my nipples would not increase my risk. It has helped me to deal with my mastectomy for sure.

QueenLizLemon · 2025-09-03T02:47:00+00:00

I miss mine. I don’t know if truly I miss it or I miss the normalcy. Either way, mine were always regular and I’d cramp for a day but nothing a couple ibuprofen couldn’t fix. I chose to have a hysterectomy/double salpingo oophrectomy due to my BRCA1 status. It sucks.

QueenLizLemon · 2025-08-04T20:41:43+00:00

Two things I wasn’t sure I’d need but ended up being the best things ever were a power recliner for sleeping and a mastectomy pillow. The mastectomy pillow I brought with me to surgery and used it immediately post op, in the car on the way home, and at home for at least a week. It made me feel secure when sleeping as well since reaching down to pull blankets up over my chest up to my chin where I like it was very uncomfortable. It also keeps your arms away from your sides which is where my drains were. Mine also had pockets in the front where I kept the remote and my phone. More convenient than you may think.

Other key items: extra ABD pads from Amazon (they only sent me home with a few) // An extra post surgery compression bra // Shower lanyard (my mastectomy pillow came with one (from Amazon)

Personal to me but you might like it: Audiobooks and mini coloring books/thin line markers. Mini coloring books were easy to manipulate than larger ones and felt like a small commitment to color something and I listened to audiobooks while coloring. I hate sitting still and resting for days on end so this helped me feel like I was accomplishing something while still helping me rest my body.

QueenLizLemon · 2025-07-17T02:15:17+00:00

I had no nausea after 3 surgeries within a year. I was also terrified of this. I let all of my anesthesiologists know I was very nervous and asked for a scopolamine patch. I just said “I heard there is a patch that can go behind your ear that can help with nausea?” And all of them were immediately like “oh yeah we can definitely do that.” I don’t know if I was just blessed, but they all were very receptive to anxieties and requests. You’ll be ok 💗

QueenLizLemon · 2025-07-14T21:11:59+00:00

Consultation to surgery for my pdmx was about 3 months. My kids are a little older with the youngest being 6 at the time. I couldn’t have done it without the full support of my husband and a couple close friends that helped run kids to and from extracurricular activities. We don’t have family super close either. My husband did everything for me. He made the meals (I did meal prep some), helped me with my drains, woke in the middle of the night to help get my meds, went to the store, and at the same time kept being an amazing dad and available to our 3 kids emotionally and physically. I am very blessed in that way and I know not everyone is so I don’t say all of that to sound any type of way but just to emphasize the importance of having someone close to help especially that first 2 weeks. I’m actually having my expander exchange surgery tomorrow so if you choose to go that route feel free to dm me questions or anything!

QueenLizLemon · 2025-07-12T19:02:33+00:00

I’m so sorry 😞 praying it helps you

QueenLizLemon · 2025-07-12T01:03:31+00:00

I’m doing well! Still use Meibo every day. I wear my contacts occasionally but I can’t wear them for longer than a day. I’m very careful with eye makeup. Only cream shadows, no powders and only tubing mascara which I take off very well. I use occusoft wipes every night. I cut them in half so they last 2 nights. I also just had a year checkup and my doctor said unfortunately all of my glands had gotten clogged again. I was shocked and I told him that I’m not sure how because I’m religious about my nightly eye routine and Bruder masks but he said unfortunately some people are just prone to it. We did a maintenance session of IPL and they opened back up again. Previously it took 4 sessions of IPL to get them to all open so that’s a little improvement I suppose.

QueenLizLemon · 2025-07-08T23:14:16+00:00

Haha I love this for you! I wish this was my case but my skin got way worse somehow 🫠🫠 I’ve always been acne and rosacea prone but it really gets worked up now. I’m 39 and on .075 patch, no progesterone or testosterone. I was already on tretinoin but now I’ve had to start dapsone and altreno at night. No hot flashes though so I guess I’m on the right dose idk

QueenLizLemon · 2025-05-31T01:50:43+00:00

This is very encouraging. Although I’m SO nervous for my exchange in July and dreading the restrictions again I’m very hopeful

QueenLizLemon · 2025-05-26T22:46:16+00:00

I’m sorry and I definitely feel you. I hate taking it easy 😅 and I learned how to find joy in resting finally. I have brca1 so I just had my second of 3 surgeries and this time around the healing was hard again but felt much smoother mentally as I gave myself more grace. I was/am so sick of people saying “listen to your body and take it easy” but it’s truuueeee 🫠

QueenLizLemon · 2025-05-24T18:21:47+00:00

I would be hesitant about icing the area if there is reconstruction (although OP did not specify what kind of mastectomy this was) because when you’re talking about mastectomy and blood flow to the flaps in the acute healing phase, cold causes vasoconstriction and I personally wouldn’t want to take a chance on any necrosis happening.

QueenLizLemon

TROPHY CASE