continued Tissue expander pain!!

Hi everyone!  This is my first post on this site, but I want you to know that all of your entries have done wonders for my mental state!!  I had a bilateral mastectomy on December 5th, with tissue expanders (300 cc) put in during that surgery.  I woke up feeling like I couldn't breathe due to so much pressure on my chest.  I was totally unprepared for what I woke up to!!  No one told me tissue expanders were even uncomfortable let alone painful, so I thought there was something definitely wrong!  My whole mood changed once I found this site and realized that what I was experiencing was normal.  Thank you everyone!!  My situation is a little different than most of yours.  I had severe fibrocystic breasts.  I was always in pain and constantly doing mammograms, ultrasounds, and biopsies.  My doctor had been trying to get me to consider a mastectomy for years, but when you don't have cancer, that is a HUGE and very hard decision.  After surgery my PS said he found golf ball sized cysts on both breasts and I was only an A cup!  During one of my ultrasounds, the technician said she counted 27 cysts just  on one breast. Is there anyone out there who has a similar situation?   

smmr

My situation is similar in that I did not have cancer either. I am positive for the breast cancer gene. I chose to have a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction. I did not know what I was in for either with the expanders. My BM was on 12/10. I have been in pain and uncomfortable the entire time but you are right....this thread has given me strength and comfort and a more than occasional LOL. Hang in there....the light at the end of the tunnel is NOT a train. It is survival of whatever brought us to this thread. 

Laura

Sorry you've been sick. Missed your sweet avatar. Hope all goes well. We have a recon ta ta reunion to attend....LOL

Kathie 

Hi Everyone,

It has been awhile since I last posted on this site.

Sweets, I am sorry you are going through so much pain.  My PS really took his time in filling my expanders.  It was 6 weeks from surgery for my first fill and then 2 months later for my last fill.  They were not painful, but my chest felt really tight for a few days.  I beleive that healing first made the fill process much easier.  I have also heard that being small framed has lot to do with how the expanders feel.

Traceyz,  glad your exchange is scheduled.  You will be so happy with the new girls in.  They are really soft and comfortable.  My exhcange was 1/5/09 and I am still healing, but they are great.

I wish everyone a pain free evening and a better tomorrow.  Remember to eat, drink and sleep to recover.  You are all in my prayers and thoughts, sending you (((((HUGS))))) your way.

Cheryl 

YvonneB,

I am surprised that your ps said to suck it up.  How did your ps feel after the incision broke open.  You have just taken many steps backward.  I am sorry you had to go through that experience.  He sounds like he has a very bad bedside manor.  I am very surprised by his actions.

I wish you continued healing.  Have a peaceful evening and a better tomorrow.  You are in my thoughts and prayers.  Sending you many (((((HUGS))))) your way.

Cheryl

My PS is a little unique for sure. His comment after the incision broke open was just that it was a complication.  The only thing that keeps me going to him is that he has the best reputation of all the PS's in my area.  I work in a teaching hospital and so I know a bit about his work through the local grapevine. 

It is very encouraging to read posts from people that are further along in the process and to see that all the things I have been feeling will pass one day soon! 

Laura - I am sorry you have been sick. We have all missed you. And I wish I could provide information on rads and implants, but I am sure someone will.

Yvonne - Suck it up indeed. My goodness. Best wishes for a quick healing.

Smmr - There are a number of us here that have PBM's for a variety of reasons. I too had very firbrocystic breasts. Though maybe not to the degree you had. We need to do what feels right to us.

Take care ladies! - Jean

Hey Laura

Hope you did alright with your last fill. Like I say...thank god for pharmaceuticals....anyway just thinking of you. Hope you're well and resting.

Kathie 

Hello,

Back from last fill. They had to OVERfill me due to rads. I am too big and OMGosh.. the pain is Crazy bad...EEKKKKKKK

I am on 50 Mg. Demerol... 10mg of Valium... 3 Motrin..and I am getting about 25% relief.. again.. ekkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk.. I Will be adding a Large glass of wine to that soon...

Thank our dear Lord it was my last. I had 100cc a week with no trouble.. but these last two 50cc have been rough.... I FEEL for all the ladies that hurt like this all they way through. I m sooooooooooooooooo sorry for you...

Now.. I am this SHORT 5ft tall 40 something with small D's...EEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK.. Stupid rads! I was happy with my C's...

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Ladies......... hang in there... yell if you need... but hang in there!

LOL.. Jean, I know what you mean....

I will be soaking, thanks for that advice.. it worked great last time...

Hang in there Laura!  Thank goodness it is the last one!  I had no luck the pain killers either.  They just didn't seem to cut it enough for the pain to be bearable.  With any luck at all in a couple of days it will be bearable??

Hi Sue, I had a hard time explaining the numbness/crazy pain to my family and friends.  I am 8 weeks post-mastectomy and still don't have any feeling.  The wierd part is that when my incision broke open I didn't have immediate pain, but about 1/2 hour later my whole breast ached like a toothache.  Very hard to describe to anyone that hasn't "been there".

Sue,

Hi there. As for feeling in your breast for a few months after surgery I was numb. I started to get some feeling on the top and bottom of my breast about 2 mos out. I still dont have much feeling in my breast area, i can just really feel pressure. But I guess some feeling is better than nothing.

Tracey

I wonder if a skin sparing BM allows for more feeling.  I don't have any feeling  at all and it's been since Oct 13th.  I only have ONE more week until my exchange!!!!

I had skin sparing and have no sensation.  I think that's why they tend to get in the way.  No feeling until I've bumped all the way into the car door, person next to me, etc.  I'm only expanded to 300cc so no telling what I'll be bumping into when I reach the 500cc-700cc my PS is planning on.

Laura-I'm sorry you're having so much pain.  I'm also sorry about the rads.  Just keep pushing forward.

Sherry

After my double mastectomy, my PS said he put 500cc in one breast and 600 cc in the other.  No one else seems to have had anything like this.  I had a bleed and was operated on twice in the same day.  When I woke up the left breast and expander seemed to be puckered up and tight under my arm while the right one was 'dog-earred' and the expander had slipped out of the pocket and was sitting in front of the muscle.  It was the right breast that ruptured 4 weeks after surgery.  I had not had a fill since the original one at surgery.

Do you think it was because of the overfill?  I also still feel like the expanders are still there although they were taken out.  I can't try again for some time to come but I want to make sure it doesn't fail again.  By the way, I don't understand how you can be numb and still feel pain either.

Laura,

I have never been numb, either.  Only place that is numb is at the port - otherwise I feel everything inside and out.  Lots of pain involved early on, but since fills ended in November at 600 cc (which looks ridiculous on me) the pain has lessened considerably.  the weird thing is I have sensation on the skin all the way around but it's obviously not "me" underneath.  So weird.  

Smmr -- I had BPM due to LCIS, fibrocystic disease and a number of other factors.  After the surgery, a small ductal cancer was found so I had to have a lymph dissection (all clear).  You do what you have to do to avoid this awful disease.  I have no regrets, but it was a hard decision initially.

Yvonne, I have no words.  I cannot imagine having my incision break open - it would be hard not to be very angry at the PS!  Hope all is well now.

Sam, are you undergoing lipo at your exchange?  you have piqued my interest!  I would love to have lipo on my hips and thighs if the PS could do some fat grafting with it.  Hmmm.