continued Tissue expander pain!!

Fairy...sorry to hear the red is back Has the PS mentioned if antibiotics are given IV during surgery and/or post-op? I will keep my fingers crossed that you can make it to March 3rd without anymore complications. I'm look forward to hearing about your exchange experience...I'm right behind you on the 11th.

Hugs...Kris 

Congrats Sue on the exchange!

Hi Ladies,  Just found this forum tonight. Diagnosed DCIS 11/24/08.  Had left mastectomy with expander 1/26 and sentinal node biopsy. nodes clear thank goodness.  It is really helpful to read all your posts.  I like my PS but do not think he or anyone in his office really prepared me for what this experience would be like, even though I'm really only experiencing discomfort not really pain. I was shocked at how good I felt the first week after surgery.  Only took oxycodone for 3 days, then switched to advil.  However, the 2nd week after they took the drain out I was much more uncomfortable and felt like I was going to pop.  I am extremely thin, and my left mound? definitely seemed to be getting larger.  I was convinced it was swelling, but when I went to see the PS he said the expander may have pushed past the muscle a little. There is also some confusion as to how many cc were filled at surgery.  His record said 80, but he said it must be 180 due to the size of my mound. That was really reassuring.  He never discussed the amount of fill with me prior to surgery.

 Told me to continue to take it easy and he will see me in 2 wks for my first fill.  So... I have a few questions.  Yes, I have a lot of numbness around my breast and toward my back, but do frequently have tingling sensations, sound normal?  Also, does anyone have a cold sensation when you drink cold beverages? Regarding wearing a bra, I have benn wearing the bra from the hospital with velcro in the front, but it is really scratchy.  Dr. wants me to wear a sports bra, but I cannot find one that closes in the front.  Cannot get my arm up and through a regular sports bra. I have learned much from you ladies already.  I will be sure to premedicate before my first fill.  I have gotten so many RX's for oxycodone and valium I could be supplying the neighborhood LOL I will be sure to ask how much he is planning on filling at the visit.  As I said, I am very thin up top and right breast is only A almost B.  It is a laugh to see my perky left "breast" compared to my 50 year old saggy right breast.  Thank God I have a husband who is so supportive.  This has been really long, but it is so wonderful to talk to women who KNOW what I am talking about. Thanks ladies!

trish1958,

I too have to wear a sports bra.  I bought a couple that zip up the front that were a couple sizes too big (in the cup area) so it wouldn't feel to tight and it gives me room to "grow" as the fills progress.  I don't know if there is a Sears or JCPenney in your area, but that's where I found mine.  But, believe me they were slim pickins!  Good luck to you.

Carol, I am going to another PS when and if I go for reconstruction, part II.  My breast surgeon suggested this PS I am going to use in the future but he didn't accept any insurance.  I will be switching insurance companies to an individual plan (COBRA ran out) that is a PPO so I will get something back from the costs of reconstruction.  Had I gone to him while I had a HMO, I would have to pay for the whole thing myself and could not afford it.

Sue, I did not realize you could have the exchange and the nipples done at the same time.  That's good news.

I have plenty of time to get in shape and get my diabetes sugars so tight they squeak!

Thanks all who responded.  This site is awesome.  If it were not for this site I would have thought I was the only one in the world that had complications.  I hate that anyone else has had any problems with bc and mastectomy but it is a relief to know I am not the lone wolf.

Trish,

Welcome aboard!!  I also get a cold sensation when drinking cold liquids.  I really thought that was all in my head!!  Glad to hear I'm not going crazy!  I think most PS's have a pact not to tell their patients anything about what they are going to experience after surgery.  I'm hearing more and more of you comment on that.  I had real "prickly" sensations for the first month after surgery.  I kept saying it felt like someone was taking a hairbrush and beating my skin from the inside out!!  Does that make any sense?  Hope all goes well with your fills.  Don't be afraid to tell your PS if he is filling too fast.  On my third fill, I requested he put in less and it was like night and day difference!!

Cathee,  You bring up an interesting point.  Where is the line between too much movement and not enough?  I realize every case is different, but the PS doesn't give a lot of guidance here either except that I am not cleared to do any exercises yet.. I am right handed, so when I do move, the left is my "helper" to do laundry, set the table, wash my hair, nothing too strenuous.  The news that my expander may have slipped from behind my muscle makes me  more cautious.  Hats off to you ladies who have both done at the same time!  That would really be frustrating for me.

Sue,  I did check walmart before surgery, unfortunately, mine had no front closure sports bras.  I am looking online.  Thanks for the tips to buy larger.  Wouldn't have occurred to me.

Thanks for the reassurance regarding the cold sensation and the pins and needles.  It is not the sensations I mind as much as the anxiety that they are not normal. I am in NJ and I am normally cold from October until April One of my biggest concerns presurgery was finding enough clothing that closed in front so I can layer and be warm!  My DH had bought me a heated mattrress pad last Christmas and it is my favorite thing in the world.  Like a full size heating pad for your body! 

  One more question, anyone have the sensation of needing to take extra  breaths occasionally?  This is a hard symptom to explain.Kind of a like a yawn. I am not short of breath, and it is not when I am active.  I am usually laying or sitting.  It's just weird.  Could just be from the tight sensation across my chest.  I have been thinking of my Mom who was claustrophobic.  This feeling in my chest would have driven her crazy.

Happy Valentines' Day to all. Love and PEACE,

Trish

Sorry Trish - losing my marbles and forgot to reply to your last question - re the breaths you need to take:

Because of the discomfort you have with everything that is going on in your chest, together with the support bra that you wear, we tend not to fully expand our lungs in the way we used to.  What then happens is that the lung spaces down at the bottom collapse down - called "atelectasis".  Typically it gets worse when sitting or lying.  Yawning or taking a deep breath opens these spaces back up again and protects against infection for instance.  Making a point of taking regular deep breaths can prevent this as well as blowing out air through tightly pursed lips.  Not your imagination at all!

Cathy

So nice to get reassurance that symptoms are normal and even have a name!  I have never been very good about breathing correctly, but will try and focus on it more.  Can only help with the anxiety also right? 

Cathy,  When I was flipping out last week about the increased discomfort and increase in size, my Dr. was in FL at a conference.  Monday I saw his nurse and resident who, on exam, decided it was not fluid, but maybe the expander slipping.  Resident said the Dr. would maybe use Alloderm to provide additional tissue coverage.  He said this very briefly, I didn't get much info about it, but know it would require more surgery.  Saw my dr. yesterday and he said "I think you are ok"He is chief of surgery at a major hospital and I trust and respect him, but I did say to my husband, isn't there some more definitive way to know what is going on under there other than just his physical exam?  Meanwhile, I am much more comfortable than I was last week.  Therefore, I am willing to accept his opinion for now. Taking an occasional Valium to relax the muscle and am probably just less tense, which was NOT helping.  .  I never had the extreme pain that you are having.  Feels more like a too tight underwire.  Actually where they would feel for the possiblity of the expander slipped seemed more squishy to me, but that's because it is away from my ribs up toward the top of my breast. Sorry I can't be of more help.

I have another walmart near me and will check again for the bras. It is sometimes the little things that make a big difference. Thanks.

trish

Jean,

Thanks for adding me.  Looks like I am up next!!!

Hi everyone, I had another fill Friday, PS said she would do 50cc but told her to go ahead and do 60, weird thing is on the right she could have done more, this side did not hurt at all!! The left side, another story! I asked my husband for a gun, he told me he hid them all. Again felt like I was having a heart attack. I asked again for muscle relaxers, she offered valium. This did help, along with advil. All the pain med from BM make me heave, I used all suggestion, heat on my back, warm shower, and this helped. Today I feel good again. Not looking forward to the 24th.

Yvonne, I had a nightmare right after surgery my incision opened up, I hope you heal fast. I can't imagine this.

For everyone getting exchanges soon, good luck and I know you all will do well and be expander free, it gives me hope for the near future!!

Hello ladies....so glad I found this site and discovered there were others who were experiencing pain with their expanders.....although I wish you were all pain free. I had Bm on 12/30/08 and still hurt like the dickens....my ps put 600 fill in each on day of surgery.....I was a DDD cup if that had anything to do with it. No further fills , and am scheduled for exchange 3/4/09......am looking forward to having it done after hearing from you ladies that exchange is easier than BM.....thanks to all of you brave women for being there. I finally feel like I have a support group....Elaine

Jean....it really means alot to hear from others going thru similiar stuff...my family has been very supportive but they are getting tired of my whining about the expander pains..Elaine

I too had the sensation you are talking about when drinking cold drinks but not as much as I did at first. The whole cold thing causes more pain. All of you living in warm climates are sooooo lucky. It causes more a lot discomfort when I go out in the cold. I had a nipple sparing mastectomy and my right nipple is getting sensation back and last night it woke me up in pain, It has come and gone through the day. It defiantly feels like nerve pain and it looks fine. I hope this is only temporary. I have had different tingling and burning pains that are different every day. I think it will get better when these softballs are gone. See the PS on Tuesday the day after my b-day. I hope she gives me a present and sets a surgery date!