rads w/implants want to hear fromyou!

beacher4209

Hello Ladies, Im starting this  thread to hopefully find  more of you out there. Ive have been on the "Still Uncomfortable after implants" the ladies were very willing to help and then i realized alot of them did not have rads and that is a whole diffrent set of added problems.Also i was on the thread "1yr post rad chest tightness and muscle cramps" i did not find alot of us on there?

I have had tons of pt and have got  almost complete range of motion back. I am now having Pt for aws "axillary web syndrome" or cording.But what bothers me most is the implant sits on an area that stops my ability to reach without pulling alot! when i actually grap my implant with my opposite hand and pull it over closer to my center/cleavage i can reach without pain or tightness.i am not sure if that is just ruined tissue from rads impending on my arm nerve /tissue and torso ?w and then the implant making it worse? So not sure what to do? I have found a few difrent  procedures t0 take out implant ,but not sure now if that is what is going to help because of the residue damage from rads???

My question is if anyone has dealt with rads and reconstruction and actually had problems but found the procedure/answer for us out her living with this, for me "poor quality of life("use to be very active jazzercise instructor) Pleas speak to us Thanks you

beacher4209

im not sure what bumpup is ?i looked it up in abbrv. but still do not understand?but look nobody has problems with there rad boobs/boob but me....im happy for them all but i feel like i have been cursed one more time:(

kareenie

Beacher I did have rads with an implant already in place but it was already extremely contracted.  Did you see this thread though?

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/70/topic/744891?page=1#idx_20

The PT is a great idea I did that too. But I'm waiting on the fat to kick in now.

Bump just means someone posts so that your topic will stay near the  top of the list.

bher

Beacher - I finished my rad treatments last January and had my exchange surgery in April.  My mx side had capsular contracture.   The implant was never soft and was very hard and high.  I had a very hard time wearing any clothes due to severe asymmetry.  It was so unnatural looking.  There was also pain and tightness involved with the implants.  I couldn't stand it so I had my implants removed with fatgrafting done and I am basically starting over.  I am going to ask my family doctor about PT at my next visit because I have still have tightness on the mx side.  I am also waiting for the fat to kick in. I am hoping the fatgrafting will help my radiated side but it is too early to tell.

beacher4209

Thanks Kareenie and Blher,so it sounds like fat grafting does help radiated breast that was one thing i was not sure of,the other women i had posted to had used dr.k too and loved there results but were not radiated so this answers that !!!thanks

im thinking,of a diep need to hear from diep radiated bc ladies too !!!

J-Bug

I have not done any surgery yet. I am doing AC and Taxol DD right now. There will be a mastectomy in the first week of November.

My surgeon has told me several times that most PS's will not do implants when there is still radiation, because they have so many problems with the radiation destroying the results. I am not sure where they draw the line on that because I am still in way over my head on the surgery information. Did you really have silicone or saline implants before your radiation or just tissue expanders? Please excuse my lack of education on this. I am trying to get there for my own decision making process.

beacher4209

 j-bug, i did have tissue expandersa put in at my mx surgery, BUT at that time we did not think i would need radiation. But ometimes i wonder why my cancer surgeon when she realized how far close she was to my ps who came in after her to do the t/e ect....why she did not say do not put t/e in she will need radiation, think about that now almost a yr. later . Maybe if they just do the mx and then radiation then let it heal from rad damage which not sure it ever really does then the t/e and implant would not be so uncomfortable,maybe ask your surgeon that or maybe someone on bco know that answer..if you get the answer let me know i hope it works out for you....

J-Bug

So even tissue expanders are a "no-no" if there is radiation coming? I have so much to learn on this topic!

Yanyan

I had tissue expanders in at the time of my double mastectomy in May. I started radiation in Aug and just finished my last of 28 sessions last Friday. My right breast which was getting the radiation feels tight and hard.I heard that radiation can make your skin shrink or swollen, everyone is different. I am not too worried about it...they can always take the extra tissue from my tummy should there be a problem.

beacher4209

YANYAN, SO I TAKE IT YOU ARE HAVING THE DIEP PROCEDURE,NOT IMPLANTS?

mammalou

I had a tissue expander put in and then radiation.  Rads completed July 28th. I was told that it works most of the time, but there is a higher rate of complications.  I am supposed to start finishing my TE fills in 3 weeks.  I don't see there being any problem yet.

karen1956

I had rads with expanders in....I was done with fills during chemo.....exchange about 7 months post rads.....My implants were very lopsided...the bc side was much higher....PS tried to fix this at exchange....looked great at first, but then the pocket fell....PS did a revision, putting in a new implant and it was relatively successful....I hated the implants so a year later I had PS swap them both out for smaller ones.....that is 3 years ago and so far so good....the bc side isn't as soft as the other side, and I do have some tightness from time to time, but overall the results are pretty good....Of course I'd much rather have my original packaging, but since I can't these will have to do...in clothes I look pretty good....small chested, but that is what I wanted....all the best to you...

beacher4209

Thanks Karen 1956 You know my name is Karin and i was born in 1956! Sounds like you are doing ok now like u said its not the original packaging but being comfortable is what matters ,at least forr me sounds like you too. Just saw my ps today he is willing to swap me out to smaller implants too ,i have a 500 in mx left side and 250 in native right  side. the native is much larger than mx side you can go on the picture forum if u waould want to see my crazy chest. So anyways i had to have a revision to get even. But i am in alot of discomfort ,mostly under arm and side torso... he says smaller implant mat not help that but im willing to try, he also suggested ultra sound to break up scar tissue? gonna talk to my other doc tomorrow about that. He would not do the diep on me says i cannot handle the pain and does not promise it will take my issues of tightness ect.. i have now  HMMMMMM but hearing smaller implant might help sounds good,but did u have alot of tightness ,like me ?

beacher4209

                   ULTRA SOUND TO BREAK UP SCAR TISSUE???? ANYONE HEARD OF THAT???

kittycat

I had a bmx when I had my first diagnosis of DCIS.  No chemo or rads.  When I got diagnosed a 2nd time with IDC, I had to do chemo and rads.  Bummer!  The rads made my right side tighten  up 3 months after I finished rads.  I looked very assymetrical.  I just went in 2 weeks ago for a revision.  My PS did a full capsulotomy and Alloderm sling.  Everything looked ok at first (had a red breast, but it cleared up).  However, it is still tight.  It looks a lot more normal, but I'm afraid that it's not going to get any better.  I need it to drop another inch and the top of it is really swollen and tight.  Ugh!!!  I hate cancer!

rockstar22

I had BMX on August 30, 2011 wth TE implants. The surgeon for some reason didn't take out the fascia and on follow up visit he informed me I have margins in the fascia and I will now need radiation. I'm sure you can imagine the anger I feel over him not removing the fascia. The reading I have done indicates it's pretty standard. Saw my PS yesterday and I could tell he was pretty annoyed too. He said the recent studies show that better results are being seen with having expansion done, then final implants, then radiaton. I just got my drain tubes pulled yesterday and my first expansion yesterday so have a long way to go. Going to get some second opinions.

beacher4209

Rockstar i had mx immediate t/e in Nov 2010 and then radiation. then i had my reconstruction on June 13,2011 I was thinking that maybe i should had radiation at the end too,not sure what is better but alot of the b/c women who did it the way i did have problems so i hope your way works!! Please keep posting people should know your results ,take care

sweetbean

beacher, how long did you have to wait for your exchange?  I am fairly lopsided right now and praying that my PS will be able to fix it.   I see her next Friday - I will let you know what happens.