continued Tissue expander pain!!

Hey 40somthingMom,

Not that I deserved BC any less (or more) than the next gal, but if I have to go through this, I damn well plan to make the most of it.  I was not naturally endowed, so this wildly alluring cleavage has been a gas.  Once I forget all the discomfort, I'm going to be very happy with the new me.  Silver lining, Baby.

That being said, I don't have a daughter.

You have to live with the new girls.  Be happy.

Carol(AZ)

Hi all,

 I'm new, but I'm having second thoughts about implants.  I only have one more expansion left to do before surgery,but I have read only negative things about implants.  I WAS thinking about Saline implants, but now I am not sure it implants are right for me.  I do not have enough "fat" for the TRAM.  Has anyone else felt like this before? 

 Any advice or encourement would be very helpful. 

Thanks

trish

sbmolee & Carol-- THANKS VERY MUCH FOR THE REPLY, I just needed to hear that and I am over bothering my husband with my emotional roller-coaster ride- I wish you both the best with your journies

 trish-  I have heard good things about implants & that saline is as safe as silicone, I'm going with silicone they are suppose to be softer - I did not have enough "fat" either, I was very interested in the DIEP but again no fat-- good luck with your decision, just another, in this (seems to be)never ending disease we call BC

I'm now about 5 months out from my exchange. I have silicone implants, 425cc, and am a large B/small C cup. When I saw my PS last week, he asked me if I was happy with the size, and was shocked to hear me say I wish they were smaller. (Most women seem to want bigger.) My problem with the size is the heaviness of them. I have a constant pulling sensation at the sides of my breasts, and it is worse on the side that suffered a nerve injury post-op. (I'm still on Neurontin for that, but it's way better.)

I've postponed getting nipples done, thinking I don't want another surgery. And I don't want to be stuck with ugly nipples (hi-beams on, or else shrinking away.) I most likely will get the 3D tatoos, but I don't want to do that till I'm 100% sure I'm keeping the boobs. I'm 95% sure I will, but there's that niggling part that's just not thrilled and too uncomfortable right now...

On the other hand, they look good in clothes. And that's really why I did reconstruction. I just don't care for the weight of them, how they restrict some of my chest exercising, and how freaking cold they feel.

If I had it to do all over, I would have traveled for DIEP or SGAP. The other muscle-based surgeries weren't acceptable to me.

It's such a hard decision to make. We fly on emotion and blind faith, despite all the research we do and opinions we get. My basic advice is, if you're not 100% sure you want reconstruction, just wait. You can get it later if you change your mind.

Anne

Anne, can I ask how much your expanders were filled? Is the size of the expanders a good indication of the size you are after exchange? I know that the PS will adjust the pocket some at the exchange surgery, and the implants tend to sit lower than the expanders, plus they're softer, and I'm wondering if the implants look or feel smaller than the expanders do. I'm filled to 400cc, and I'm getting 400cc implants, so it's going to be an "even" exchange, but if the implants feel as heavy and big as the expanders do, I think I'd rather go smaller too. I heard about how cold they are too. A friend described it as having a couple ice packs on her chest when she's outside in winter. Too bad you can't take them out and microwave them like those hot/cold packs!

Thanks!

Sheila

I was told today, that due to rads, I will need to be fully expanded before rads. They think this will need to be done within 6-8 weeks because delaying rads is too dangerous. So ladies.. if this ends up being MY case.. how much pain is this little B+ cup going to be in?

Laura

Sheila,

I was filled to 500cc before going with the 425s for the exchange. It's so hard to know--even with the implant website that gives you all the dimensions. So hard to visualize what it really translates to, or what it feels like behind the muscle.

I know so many women who have no problem with their foobs--don't even know they're there. I wonder if there's a correlation between what we feel and how much we engage the pec muscles? Or is it a function of our nervous systems, or chest dimensions...

Oh, well. It is what it is, right now.

Anne

Hi All,

My expander pain is OVER! I had my exchange yesterday. I was filled to 600CC on the right side (ca side) and 550 on the left. I hurt bad all through my fills. I have not seen my boobs yet but I was told I would be a little smaller than the expanders. They want a little wiggle room so they don't fit so high and tight on the chest.

I had initial fill of 50cc each. The second fill in 10 days was another 50cc each. Then I moved up to 100cc with each fill. At the end, I had to wait longer because the pain was getting unbearable. At 550cc on the left I had to stop.....it hurt to bad. I had my expanders put in on 6/10/08 and I think I had 5 or 6 fills. It still matched the right side because more tissue was taken from the right side. I hated the way my expanders bulged under my arm...was hard to shave. And they were so damn hard! When I hugged my dh, he always commented. That is now gone...I can just feel a little through the gauze and tape but it feels so soft.

Anne, I totally understand about the size. I don't want to be too big either. I got my nipples done at the same time. I just now have to wait for the healing to get my tattoo's. I do aerobics and always had to hold my old boobs during some the jumping part (I work at home). After the mast, I loved exercising and running. I also thought about no recon but I hated the prosthesis and all the acoutrements with them (special bras, cami's bathing suits, etc.). 

After my fills, I took Lortab 7.5 mg and did all through the expansion process. Toward the end, the pain got so bad that he moved me up to Tylox for the first 4 days after the expansion. The meds let me keep my active life going. I had a bunch of gardening to do (transplanting, digging, new beds, etc) which I could not due to chemo fatigue.

Hang in there ladies, it is so worth it....just to get out of the pain. I just have some pain where the incision is. I feel great!

Debbie 

Hello Estepp,

I had both expanders and all of my fills after the radiation.  I finished radiation in April, 08, then had the other breast removed in June 08, first fill was Sept. 5 08, second was last week, and exchange yesterday.  The radiated side is copromised so it did not stretch like my good side, but it stretched enough that I have little breast mounds.  My PS said, I would not be able to be very big, and I'm totally okay with that. The radiated side is definitelymore painful.  I hope that answered your questions.

Take care - Lilyj

Lilyj,

Do you think that if all your fills would have been done before rads, your radiated side would not have been compromised?

TY

Laura

Good to see you again, Margaret! I'm sorry things haven't gone well for you with the implant. I do understand. No point in keeping it if you're not happy. I'll give it a little more time to see how it goes for me.

I hope work is going well for you.

Don't be a stranger!

Anne

Margaret, I feel so bad for you that you're not happy with your implant. That has to be hard, after everything you have to go through to get that far. I was going to ask some of the post-exchange women if they're still having muscle spasms. Now that the pain from stretching is pretty much gone for me (I'm fully expanded to 400cc), the muscle spasms are the worst thing. Massage helps a lot, but I can't exactly do that if I get a muscle spasm at work! I can see where that could be a deal-breaker for me too.

Good luck with getting your appt for the removal -- I hope your PS is good about it.

Sheila

Hi Ladies,

Anne,  I was wondering how your implants restrict some of your chest exercising? I find that my chest does get tight with lifting and driving for a long distance. I can always feel my implants. I have the gummie bears which are tear drop shaped (in Canada) My exchange was done on June 6/08, so not that long ago. I am afraid to really get back to my light weights yet. I will give it a bit more time before I try. My muscles anywhere on my body can get really tight with exercising and I do need to do stretching regularly.

Margaret,  Sorry to hear that you are not happy with your implant, after all that you went through during the expansion. I hope that things work out for you.

Debbie,  That is too funny that you wanted your expander for the centerpiece for a dart board!!!!! They could be used for many interesting things. I wonder how the Dr. can get them out of the little incision, they seem soo hard to flatten out and get them out. Glad you have RELIEF.

Kes

Sue

Glad you found the site too!  It is such a great place for support and information.  An incredible group of people!   You are definately not alone in this - so many here have been through so many trials and remain strong.  They are a real inspiration.

My fills were really nothing, except for the last which was 100cc and I wish I had said I wanted to keep it at 50.  The 100 was a bit much for me - very tight and I had muscle pain.  But the first two at 50cc were not bad at all.  To me the drains were the biggest drag!   Good luck with your continued recovery - sounds like you are doing well!

Amy

Debbie,

Thanks for sharing, I am so happy that you had your exchange surgery and that all went well.  I wish you a very speedy recovery.

Only 67 more days until my exchange surgery (not that I am counting).  I do have to say I was in agony all the time and could not see it getting better but this last week I think I finally streched outward and the expanders are not digging in under my arms and not squeezing my lungs.  Now it only hurts when I cough or sneeze.  I am still uncomfortable and suspect that I will be until my exchange surgery but it definately has gotten better. 

I am looking to get some size and feel no pain no gain but my PS feels that I have expanded enough.  Do I listen to him or do I keep pushing it?  Any advice?  I have about 400CC's in now and want 400 CC silicone implants.  Does that work?  I am tired and confused, I just don't want any regrets.

 Thanks ladies.

I