continued Tissue expander pain!!

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  • psalmist
    psalmist Member Posts: 214
    edited March 2009

    Ladies,

    I alternated 2 Tylenol with 2 Ibuprofen every two hours for pain.  My PS and surgeon were very concerned about giving me one more fill on the Vicodin, so the nurse told me to alternate those two OTC meds, and they did the trick.  Had my exchange yesterday - SOOOOOOO much softer!  And the surgery is nothing compared to the mastectomy and TE placement.  My PS did a pocket revision so I have a little pain but it is minimal in comparison.  Taking Tylenol today.  Those of you in the expansion phase - the wait is worth it.  Hang in there!!!!

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  • CAZ
    CAZ Member Posts: 678
    edited March 2009

    Hey psalmist,

    Welcome to foobville.  I'm glad your surgery went well and you're home.  Even though you don't hurt much, try and take it easy for a few days.

    Carol(AZ)

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  • traceyz
    traceyz Member Posts: 745
    edited March 2009

    Kathie,

    Thanks again for coming to my rescue this past weekend i was about to lose my mind!!!!!! I am feeling much better. i went to see my onc yesterday about my back pain and she said she is confident that the expanders are the culprit!

    Ladies please let me know where we should all get together and have our first reunion. I think it should be either before or after Laura's exchange....maybe in Sep or Oct. Please give me your feedback. As a flight attendant I get GREAT deals on hotels!!

    Tracey

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  • sam1991
    sam1991 Member Posts: 331
    edited March 2009

    Tracey...you came to the rescue of the women at that conference....glad I could be of help to you. I still think Vegas for the reunion. It's beautiful temperature wise there in Sept or Oct and remember my BF is Barry Manilow's guitar player. I'm sure he could get us some tickets....as long as there's not a Fanilow convention going on...LOL. I'm there a lot visiting so I know lots of fun things that aren't so "campy"...and alot that are...hee hee

    My back is aching again with my last fill so I've been cuddling with my heating pad like it's my dh...he may be a tad jealous, but it's only temporary....March 18th here I come!!!!! 

    Funny thing....was nervous about going to dentist today after work. I was never so happy than when she reclined the chair to do my cleaning. I asked if I could come there on my lunch for a break..LOL

    xxoo Kathie 

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  • Mykidsmom
    Mykidsmom Member Posts: 1,637
    edited March 2009

    Tracey - I say after Laura's fill, let's have her be bouncey too!! :)

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  • psalmist
    psalmist Member Posts: 214
    edited March 2009

    Carol,

    Thanks!  I am enjoying my new Foobville membership.  : )

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  • Stacibeth
    Stacibeth Member Posts: 2
    edited March 2009

    My mom is 3 weeks post op from a 2x mast w/recon and expanders. She is in so much pain still she cries to me on the phone. She wants the expanders removed. Both of her breasts are extremely swollen and very bright red (from under breast to middle of breast). She has been back to the BS and PS . They say that it is not normal, yet not infected either. Basically, just wait it out. Has anyone else experienced this? I don't know how to help her. If she knew of other women that had this strange reaction, she may be comforted.

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  • fairy49
    fairy49 Member Posts: 1,245
    edited March 2009

    stacibeth, is your mum wearing a support bra? reason I am asking is, it could be an edema in the breasts, that's what I had, I stopped wearing any support thinking I had an infection and didn't want to irritate the foobs, and the weight was pulling on the expander and skin making it red and swollen, when I lay down it went away once the pressure was off, just a thought.

    Lorraine ox

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  • Mykidsmom
    Mykidsmom Member Posts: 1,637
    edited March 2009

    Stacibeth - I am so sorry your mom is going through all this. I haven't had any experience with what you describe, but check out other threads in the Breast Reconstruction Forum. I know there have been posts from women that have had long term reactions. Perhaps they can help. I will be thinking of you both! Take care. - Jean

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  • traceyz
    traceyz Member Posts: 745
    edited March 2009

    Vegas is sounding bettter and better!! The Barry Manilow hook up would be AWESOME!!!!! I have gotten good feedback on the other threads about Vegas, so it looks like that may be where we end up, it would be sooooo much fun!! I vote after Laura's exchange cus it would give us more reason to celebrate!! And Kathie sorry your back aches, story of my life!!

    Luv ya ladies!!

    Tracey

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  • Estepp
    Estepp Member Posts: 6,416
    edited March 2009

    posted on Exchange City about Vegas.. Love you ladies.. off to work!

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  • Stacibeth
    Stacibeth Member Posts: 2
    edited March 2009

    Thanks Lorraine and Jen. I told mom about wearing a support bra. She did wear it one other time, but couldn't stand the feeling. She is going to try it again. Thanks for the advice. We are just taking this day by day!

    Blessings,

    Staci

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  • fairy49
    fairy49 Member Posts: 1,245
    edited March 2009

    Staci! poor thing, bras suck when you are in pain! I didn't wear an actual bra, I bought a bra looking thingy from calvin klein it just held me firm but didn't have all the wires and bells and whistles of a bra and it was pretty comfy I have attaching a link so you can see!! it just held me up and kept me in place, it really helped!

    http://www.freshpair.com/Calvin-Klein-365-Seamless-Shaper-Bra-D1301.html

     big hugs to you and mum!

    Lorraine ox

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  • psalmist
    psalmist Member Posts: 214
    edited March 2009

    Stacibeth,

    I hope your mom gets the pain resolved soon.  I agree it could be fluid.  I had a lot of fluid under one expander and had pain with mine for 5 weeks post op - didn't have fills before then.  On my first fill, fluid came shooting out through the needle hole!  It had accumulated underneath, so the PS pushed on the expander until it all came out.  I had instant relief.

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  • smmr
    smmr Member Posts: 103
    edited March 2009

    Lorraine - I checked out your link to the Calvin Klein "bra".  That looks so comfortable.  I may have to get one of those!

    Staci - Your mom is lucky to have you for a daughter to help her out and do a little research for her.  Good luck to you and I hope she finds some relief soon!

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  • dani42
    dani42 Member Posts: 423
    edited March 2009

    fairy49

    My mother bought me a similar style from JC Penney called Barely There.  I find that after awhile of wearing anything, I feel the need to rip whatever I have on off.  Should be interesting when I return to work!  Anyway, the Barely There seems the most comfortable "bra" that I have tried so far.   

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  • Carole12W
    Carole12W Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2009

    I am status post bilateral mastectomies in November and had TE placed at the time of surgery.  I just finished up 25 RT treatments to the right side.  I actually experienced pain only for a few days post-op; I didn't take any pain meds either.  I went back to work (as a nurse) exactly one week after my surgery with both drains still in place.  Yikes!  What was I thinking?  Anyway, my biggest problem is now the shrinking skin around the tissue expander on the radiated side.  It has caused some folding of the edges of the expander and I am hoping the skin does not shrink anymore since I don't want to lose the expander.  I had no fills yet at all because I want to have a small breast, however I will most likely need fills in the future since the right side shrunk so much.  I am told by my PS that he wants to wait ONE YEAR before any fills because he doesn't think my skin can take it.  That's a long time to live with these hard TEs!  So, I was wondering if anyone else out there has had shrinkage of their TE after RT and how long did the shrinkage continue for after the completion of treatments.  Thanks...I find these boards so helpful.  At least I am not alone.....

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  • Mykidsmom
    Mykidsmom Member Posts: 1,637
    edited March 2009

    Carol - I wish I could help, but I bet someone will speak up. I am thinking of you. Hugs. - Jean

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  • psalmist
    psalmist Member Posts: 214
    edited March 2009

    Carol -

    One year, Wow!  I'm with you, sister.  That is a LONG time to live with the TE before it starts TE-ing.  I will be praying for your skin to heal and begin repairing so you can get this ship out to sea.  Like Jean, I don't have an answer for you but someone else will. Wishing you well.

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  • sam1991
    sam1991 Member Posts: 331
    edited March 2009

    Oh Carole....I'm so sorry you have to go through this. I could not even imagine. You;ll find much support among the women of the threads here. Good luck to you.

    Kathie 

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  • choward183
    choward183 Member Posts: 62
    edited March 2009

    Good evening Ladies...

    I had a bi-lateral with TE Feb. 6 2009.  I go for my first "fill" Wednesday of approximately 60 cc.  Everything was going good until Saturday, my back started hurting and I decided to use my heating pad.  I thought it was on low, but it may have been on high.  I fell asleep with the heating pad on!  My right side is numb, so I didn't realize that I had several blisters until I got out of the shower this morning as I was drying off.  My fiancee and I went shopping and one of the blisters burst!  I went to the pharmacy and he advised me to put neosprin on some gauze and cover it with steri-strips loosely.  I haven't called the doctor, I will watch and wait.  If my condition worsen I will call one of my doctors to get some medical advice!

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  • smmr
    smmr Member Posts: 103
    edited March 2009

    Choward - Yikes!! You don't need to be worrying about your back side as well as your front side!!  Some ladies on this thread have heating pads that automatically turn themselves off.  I don't have one, but it sounds like a great idea!  Hope you heal quickly and good luck with your fill!

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  • lexislove
    lexislove Member Posts: 2,645
    edited March 2009

    Hi ladies glad to have found this thread...

    I was wondering if some of you can give your opinion.

    I have 270cc in my TE at the time. I want to be a B or small C cup.

    I have had a horrible time with TE expanding pain! For 4 days I'm in agony,I take all the meds but still pain.

    Question is how many CC's more do you think I'll need to get? I'm hoping only maybe 100 more or so.

    Thanks in advance..Smile

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  • choward183
    choward183 Member Posts: 62
    edited March 2009
    Sue..Thanks.  Of course now my back isn't hurting, the blisters are under my arm on the fold. Uck!  Hopefully, they will heal by Wednesday or be on the way to healing!  I do not want to delay my "fills". The pharmacist told me that it the blisters should not interfere with my "fills" because the blisters are topical.  I am going to look for a heating pad with automatic shut-off, clearly I am a perfect candidate for oneSmile!
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  • CAZ
    CAZ Member Posts: 678
    edited March 2009

    lexislove,

    I found that 15cc less per fill (dropping from 60 to 45cc) made a huge difference in my pain level.  I went from full strength prescription narcotic/NSAID with diazepam to just ibuprofen.  I'm all for getting all the cc.s you want, but take your time doing it.

    Carol(AZ)

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  • Mykidsmom
    Mykidsmom Member Posts: 1,637
    edited March 2009

    choward - Oh my goodness. That is not what you need right now. I hope they get well soon.

    Lexislove - That is the million dollar quesion. There is a whole thread on sizing information, you will find it in Breast Reconstruction called "Implants Smaller than Expanders."

    Best wishes. - Jean

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  • choward183
    choward183 Member Posts: 62
    edited March 2009

    Mykidsmom...Thanks for the best wishes.

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  • lexislove
    lexislove Member Posts: 2,645
    edited March 2009

    Thank you Caz for the tip...I did 100cc last time so I think I'll just do 50cc this time.

    Mykidsmom...I will check out that thread Smile

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  • YvonneB
    YvonneB Member Posts: 302
    edited March 2009

    choward - OUCH!!  That is just not fair at all!  Wishes for a quick and easy healing!!

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  • traceyz
    traceyz Member Posts: 745
    edited March 2009

    Hi Carole,

    I do know that Laura on the Exchange City thread is having rads and I think her PS is saying 7-12 mos before the exchange can take place. She was fully expanded prior to rads. When it was thought that I needed rads I remember the PS saying I would be fully expanded before rads because rads can make the skin shrink. I ended up not needing rads but I have heard up to 12 mos for the exchange. I hope you get some answers.

    Take care,

    Tracey

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