Healing time/expanders

Rampage13

I had a double mastectomy and expanders put in on 10/29....about 5 weeks ago. They filled my expanders pretty full during the operation to 500cc's. I'm back to work and basic normal activities. However, I'm still really sore. Like a bumpy road is painful. Not a pain bad enough to cry or anything, just a relentless aching. I haven't been able to sleep on anything but my back and mostly in a recliner. Doc still wants to give me 100-200 more cc's. Just wondering...I know everyone's different, but how long did it take for you to recover from this procedure? At least enough so that I can sleep in bed on my side? Doc did say I was swollen and still really hard. What were expanders like for you? Do they stay painful? I know they are hard but surely they don't stay this uncomfortable? Just trying to figure out what to expect.

AmyQ

TE's are the worst! I have to say I was miserable most of the time, which is not what you want to hear, however I got used to them and was actually able to eventually sleep on my stomach with them in. I used a lot of down pillows to support myself and prop myself up so I could sleep on my stomach but I finally was able to get a good nights sleep after my drains came out about 3 weeks later. Of course a little pain med just before bedtime helped. Mine were as hard the day they came out as the day they were put in, again, sorry to say. I had them from 2/27 to 9/16 but lived to tell about it. I do think you will adjust to your new normal but also be very grateful for the day they are exchanged. One last bit to recommend, if they continue to hurt, don't be afraid to take meds - it's the only thing that got me through - that and a lot of nice calming warm baths before bed. Good luck to you.

Amy

mnmbeck

I had my surgery on 10/24, just a few days before you, but you are WAY ahead of me in fills! I had 360/300 cc put in in surgery, and I feel like that was a LOT! (it is a lot......which is why I really feel for you!!!). I have had 3 post op appts. NO fills the first time. I was still in such pain the second time that he only added 30 cc to one side. Today was my 3rd appt...he only added 25 more cc's to that same side. (so I am now 360/355). As of 2 days ago, I finally feel like that "deep achy" horrible pain started to go away. I went to my appt today feeling terrified. He gave me that small fill and referred me to PT. Many people on this site said that PT was the beginning of comfort for them. I have an appointment tomorrow and can't wait! Today is the first day I have not taken any narcotics. AND, I don't have another appointment for a fill for 2 weeks. There is no hurry for fills.....it is no wonder you are so miserable. I cannot even imagine! try to slow down those fills. Sheesh! ALso....are you taking muscle relaxers? Those really help. So do the narcotics when it becomes unbearable. I don't plan to be able to sleep on my side for a long time after my exchange surgery. But, I am back in my bed with lots of pillows. I hope you feel better soon!

Rampage13

Thanks Amy. Pain meds they gave me (Norco) don't seem to help much. Doesn't make me sleep either. Think I've built a tolerance. I even took a norco with the low dose ambien they gave me to take as needed and still didn't sleep well. Crazy. I've never ever had trouble sleeping and don't do well without rest. Finally slept last night and without meds. I feel like the pain is slowly getting better....just very slowly....

Blessings2011

Rampage13 - I can't imagine being filled to 500ccs during BMX!!! That just seems like way too much cutting of muscles and nerves, and stretching of tissues all at once.... and just sounds painful!!!

I had my BMX and TEs in December 2011. I cried every day and every night for a month. SOOOO much pain... but then I finally realized I was trying not to be a big weenie, so I wasn't taking my pain meds like I should.

As soon as I started taking them (Norco and Valium) around the clock, exactly as prescribed, I started getting longer periods of sleep in my recliner. With more sleep, I had less pain. I also upped my protein to 100g a day.

Within a month I was able to cut back on the drugs and start my fills, (Only got 180ccs at BMX.) Got filled to 650ccs in about ten weeks, and after that, no pain at all. In fact, I went back to sleeping in bed (with lots of pillows) before I was done being filled.

I had those suckers in for 9 months before exchange. Two things that really helped as well: nice long hot showers before bedtime, and a good back massage from DH. Very relaxing!

romyles

Rampage13 do you have muscle relaxers to take---flexeril or Valium? Pain meds did nothing for me but for a while I lived on flexeril around the clock. I also had physical therapy and myofascial release. I had huge breasts for years and my back was in total chaos...the muscles in a constant contraction. Sounds like you were also withthe 500cc fill so I would recommend getting a massage, taking muscle relaxers and possibly PT if still no response. I'm about 3 weeks out from my last fill and have not had to take anything for the past 2 weeks. I am counting the days til exchange!!

Rampage13

Sorry its taken so long to respond...

I am doing a lot better. He decided not to fill me any more after surgery. I was large chested before, which is why he was able to fill a lot. I had to get my fills done, because I can't start radiation until after I'm fully expanded. Since he told me yesterday, he is not going to expand any more, I'm relieved and can move on to radiation. Still sleeping in the recliner, but I'm not really hurting that much....just too uncomfortable on my side and hurts my back to lay flat all night in bed. I'm okay with that...at least i'm sleeping now. Hopefully I will be able to sleep on my side soon, as it has improved a lot, and I can go back to the bed. If not, I've accepted that sleeping in a recliner for 9 months is not the worst thing...as long as I am sleeping! Oh, and I don't have any muscle relaxers....I'm sure those would have helped, but they did not give me any. Even when I thought I was having a spasm. Thank you ladies so much for sharing your experiences with me. Helps to know you are not alone. Hope all are doing well!!!!

cjc1961

Rampage - My BIL MX was Oct 3rd with TEs and I am STILL sleeping in my recliner. I have tried countless times to sleep in bed, but can't take lying that flat. I am a side sleeper and I cannot get comfy on either side because the TEs are too hard. I would ask for some Skelaxin. It has been a lifesaver even more so than the pain meds. It just takes the edge off the tightness and discomfort. My exchange is Jan 16 and I think I will be in the recliner until after that. BTW, I had 420 cc at surgery, 60 one week postop, 100 two weeks postop, 100 three weeks postop and 120 my last fill to put me at 800 cc for a full C cup. That last 120 cc fill was just HORRID for 3 days. Best of luck to you and glad you are feeling better.

sarahjane7374

Flexeril (a muscle relaxer) helped me at night, which is when the spasms seemed to hit. Also ibuprofen seemed to take the edge off during the day. I was usually sore for a couple days after my fills, but not to the point of being unable to sleep. The exception was the last fill - that one was bad and it took about a week for the pain to subside.

cjc1961

sarahjane - Same here! My last fill was just awful!!! PS said it was because the muscle was being pushed to the limit and was resistant to anymore stretching. Boy did it hurt for a good week!!!!

sarahjane7374

cjc - yeah, my PS said the same thing. Said the last one's always the worst! Of course he didn't share that info until after it was done

Martessa2553

Rampage13, I feel for you and anyone else that has gone through pain due to expanders. I had simple mastectomy of my right breast on 9/23/13 and an expander was put in place and filled...can't remember by how much. Due to a rash I developed after surgery, the P.S. waited two months before the first feeling after surgery. My first feeling was two weeks ago and just yesterday I landed in ER for extreme pain. The actual pain started this past Tuesday; I was screaming my heart out and bending forward from the pain - could not breath, and could not walk from the horrible pain. Then yesterday I drove myself to ER because I want it to make sure that nothing else was going on. No one told me I was going to be going through such horrific pain , but I made it. I am exhausted. I have not taken any muscle relaxers or pain killers - I don't want to get use to any pain killers. I did sleep a lot...this helped me.

Hang in there, I still have two more feelings to go, so I am hoping and praying that the pain will not be as strong next time.

mnmbeck

Martessa....TAKE THE MUSCLE RELAXERS and the pain meds, too!!! That is what they are for! You won't get addicted. I was really worried about that, too. I took them pretty much around the clock for almost 4 weeks. I don't think this is common at all, as some people don't even get those meds sent home with them! I definitely needed them! I was also glad to stop taking them when I could and it's been nice to have a clearer head. I am 6 weeks post BMX with TE placement. My left side has never been filled since surgery (I have 360cc from the OR). My right has been filled twice.....30cc and then 25 cc. I had horrific pain both times, and I only had those small amounts on one side!!! All my fears about taking medication went right out the window!! LOL! I haven't taken anything at all for 2 weeks because I have not needed it. I also haven't had a fill for almost 2 weeks :-) . I am scheduled to have BOTH sides filled on Monday, and I think I am going to try 50 on each side. I hope that I don't have the horrors that I experienced before, but I WILL be taking muscle relaxers (and narcotics after if I need them).

Also.....after 4 weeks, I started physical therapy. She works on stretching and myofascial release and it has been a miracle. I had more pain relief from PT and her prescribed exercises in one week than I did in the previous 4 weeks when I was taking any drug they would give me. Maybe that would work for you, too. If possible, try to find somebody who specializes in breast cancer recovery.

Martessa2553

mnmbeck, thank you for your input.  Had my 2nd fill on 12/12/13 no pain so far.  I just hate when I try to sleep on my right side ... feel this horrible ROCK. 

sunandsnow

thank you for your post. I have had 30cc on each side and then on Monday we did 40cc. Im not sure what they did at surgery but im going to ask when i go in on Monday. I was a small C before and that was pushing it so iim not big chested and pretty petite. I wouldnt say the pain is unbareable, i just dont want to do anything which is so unlike m? just want to lay in bed because im miserable. Im on valllum and tramadol which im all paranoid im going to become addicted to. I also have some low dose percocet and i take a half on days when ive really overdone it. Thank unfor posting this. Going to stick with my meds and quit worrying about ending up at Betty Ford later.

happyteacher

I am a side sleeper, and have not been able to sleep on my side since my expanders went in. I too had persistant pain, but you are only five weeks out. I went back to work at 4 weeks (elementary teacher) and finished the last 3 weeks of school for the year... all three weeks were super painful overall and looking back on it I should have stayed out longer. I never did fully recover per se. I had my exchange done last week so from April until then I simply had to accept that I needed to severely restrict reaching (think writing on a board in a classroom) or lifting anythng. Right up until the end if I did even light house work or even minimal reaching I would swell up and have issues with pain. Part of this was due to an anomoly in my rib cage and part due to issues with a port- neither of which I think is that common. Hence, you may find after a few weeks you feel much better. The iron bra feeling will not go away. I obviously could not take narcotics and teach, so I got by with ibuprofen. Some days it was not nearly enough, some days I had to just stay home to rest the arms, and most of the time it was strong enough this past fall. I had fills up through October so that was part of being perpetually sore also, although I found the muscle stretching part to not be bad at all. It was the smooshing of the bone, nerve compression, and swelling by my left port that bothered me.