continued Tissue expander pain!!

warrior...I wear na underwire bra during the day and my tube top at night. My PS has me wear the underwire to try and create a natural ridge under my right side. Not too much discomfort with or without it so ai dutifully do what I am told..lol. 

I think my last fill may have been today. I can only go 40 more cc's till I burst so why bother. I will have a 700 cc implant moderate profile. Woo  hoo...means I could have my exchange middle of March!!

xxoo Kathie 

Girls, I am filled to 600 cc, which looks HUGE on me (you can see my photos on the picture site under "filled, awaiting expansion").  I was an A/B prior to surgery and have been wearing a 38C soft sports-type bra since being expanded.  My PS overfills by 50%, so I'll have about 465 cc implants.  The shelf-bra camisole tops work well, too.  But since I am lopsided and have to dress up for work, the bra helps even things out. 

I had no idea my skin could expand to this degree - it's fascinating, really.  But on the 3rd expansion, some old white stretch marks popped out from my baby-nursing days and I have been putting stretch-mark cream on them faithfully since.  They have faded to almost nothing, as have my incision lines.  I believe in stretch mark cream!!! 

Countdown to March 3rd...

Caz, thank you for the affirmation that the prosthesis exchange is not that bad.  I really can't wait until the fills are over with and I can get the TE out of my armpit!   I am fortunate in that I am only dealing with one side and not both like a lot of the ladies here.  I am glad to know that Advil caused a BP rise in someone here, I am going to check mine, since that is my primary pain medication and I do have high BP.  I can't wait to get back to feeling like exercising, the rain here doesn't help much.  Keeping you all in good thoughts on this journey.  Jan

psalmist...

I was also an A/B prior to surgery.  How often did you get expanded, every week or so?  I've only had 1 fill and I feel my skin is pretty tight (only at 120cc now).  I'm supposed to get filled again next week!

warrior,

Most women get fills every 1-2 weeks.  The skin does stretch some.  Mine even got a little shiny toward the end (480cc), but it looks normal now.  The worst part is the stretching of the pects.  Take your time on expansion or they can be painful.  Some ladies here have said their PS asks them to indicated when they start to feel pressure during a fill and they stop there.  Mine just used  the entire 60cc syringeful no matter what.  I finally had to back down to 45cc, and it was much more comfortable.  You can advocate for yourself during this phase.  Good luck.

Carol(AZ)

Carol,

Thank you for the advice. I finally can function and I just can't think about going through all that pain again. Also, you know my PS doesn't think the pain is so bad that narcotics are needed. So, I know that I wouldn't be able to continue without having pain medication and that is why I stopped the fills. (among other reasons...see profile) Cancer free and having just mild muscle spasms and discomforts is all I can deal with now.

Hey Warrior - did your PS give you any guidelines for what he/she normally does? 

Amy

Hi Everyone, Just letting you know I had my exchange on Wed. Feb 4th!  I have to say because of the extra work my PS had to do, Lipo suction on my underarm and belly to fill in a huge gap above my expanders I am sooo tender and I have to wear this awful BINDER that keeps me together. I have to wear it for 7 days. I take it off to shower, My arm and neck are all itchy and broke out in a rash from the binder rubbing against my skin. So I can't really enjoy my new boobs yet!  Also I was very disapointed when my PS came in while I was in recovery to tell me he COULD NOT make my nipples!  I have to see him this week to ask why. He just said he wanted everything to settle a little so the finished outcome will be even.  I trust him and just need to be a little more patient.  I just wanted it all done so I wouldn't have to go under again.  I just had a hysterectomy in Dec.  They are MUCH SOFTER but when I move in a certain way they make a sloshing noise!  I hope that goes away as things settle.  Does anyone else have that happen?  CATHEE,  I am so happy your exchange is just around the corner.  I know how you are feeling, Thank you all for your thoughts,  I will still check this thread out, I feel like We have all been through so much I don't want to say Goodbye,  Gentle Hugs to all , Jeanie

Cathee- first of all, thanks for the website.  it was fun looking at the lady with the totally tattooed flower bra!  My daughter got a pink ribbon tattooed under her arm next to her breast after my mom had breast cancer and then got my name put on the ribbon after I ended up with BC.  I think your idea of tatted nips is great!

Warrior, I didn't have my first fill until 5 weeks post-op b/c of a lymph dissection that put things off awhile.  My PS didn't start fills until 3 weeks post op as a matter of routine.  I couldn't have had one that early, honestly.  I felt too much pain.  The five week mark was perfect for me.  My first fill was 100 (which was a bit much, but not too bad).  My second fill was nearly 3 weeks later at 75 cc.  He left it up to me when to stop each time.  Then I had a fill every two weeks after that - as much as I could handle.  That amount ended up being 55 cc each time.  Near the end I thought I might explode but was saved by a vacation I took that gave me an extra week.  Things loosened up enough that I could take the last few fills.  

 
Jackie - don't worry about being in a hurry to get filled.  Take it slow and easy - every two weeks was enough for me, and my PS only does 30cc syringes at a time.  I ended up handling almost two syringes each fill.  But he left it completely up to me.

 Jeanie!  congrats on your exchange.  The sloshing noise has been mentioned in other threads, but I don't remember which one.   Apparently it happens to some people.  we're all happy for you!! And if it's any consolation, my PS won't consider doing nips until 3 months post-exchange b/c things settle too much.  

Oh, I'm thinking about getting a t-shirt made that has "Under Construction" written across the chest!!

Hello Ladies,

I just wanted to say thank you for all your help. I've been reading all the post for the last few weeks but never posted before.

I came across this forum when I googled "expander pain" after having my first fill. My ps never warned me that I would have any pain therefore I was totally unprepared. Thanks to this thread I learned so much and I now can manage the pain. I had my last fill on Friday and will have my exchange on Feb. 25. I can't wait to have soft breasts again!

Have any of the women here had or are considering liposuction of the abdomen at the time of exchange? I'm considering it because I would like my stomach to match my new perky boobs. What do you think?

Thanks again,

Joani

I had my first fill last week, I thought I was having a heart attack!!!!! The percocet made me throw up, nothing seemed to help, I just sat in a recliner staring into space, my husband was so worried but I just could not think, talk, sleep. Advil helped some, not enough. After reading all your psot, I will ask for some flexaril, I just don't know if I can do this again on Friday! I only had 60ml put in and when I see some of you have have a total of 500 to 700ml put in, I just can not bear the thought of having this much put in. I am crying just thinking about this.

I am 4 weeks out from surgery, I have pain meds but all they do is make me sick. I did feel better after 2 days but knowing I have to do this again Friday is all I can think about. I do live in Ohio, it was really cold last week when I had the last fill done, and you are right, shivering makes it worse. I worry because I am to go back to work on 2/23 and having a fill done on 2/24 . I told my boss not to schedule me on 2/25. I am so tired of thinking only of my chest and how it hurts.

Sweets - I totally concur on the going slow and staying warm suggestions. You are only 4 weeks post surgery, that's not really very long. I haven't had a fill in several weeks and feel fine. I plan to have one more fill next week. Also, my total is nowhere near what the other ladies are having. Right now I am 320 cc and I may go as high as 370 cc, but probably not any more. Best wishes for less pain! - Jean

Sweets, don't worry.  Everyone is different.  I get 150cc's each time and will be up to 700 by Wed.  It is all crazy.  Just do the small amounts and you will get there eventually.  Like Cathee said, there is no hurry!  Good luck!

GG