continued Tissue expander pain!!

Hi Jamieh - I had lots of middle back pain too but I am sure it was because I was in "protective mode" too.  I was lucky to have a husband that would massage away the tension but other than that I did'nt find much relief with OTC muscle relaxers.

Jean - I feel so awful that you are dealing with all this cancer crap and job worries too.  That is just so unfair!!!!! The mental stress along with the physical stuff you are going through must be very tough.  How do you always to manage to sound so up??? You and Laura are should be motivational speakers or something in another life because you sure are good at it!! 

I had a really sleepless couple of nights too!  Is it the full moon???? All I know is that I could sure sleep when my alarm goes off in the morning! 

Dani42 - my PS wouldn't prescribe anything for the pain either.  I alternated Tyelnol and Ibuprofen and I lived with my heating pad!  That and those bean-filled bags that you microwave.  Anything warm felt better.  I agree with the warm bath and wine...add a little cheap OTC drugs and that is as good as it gets!

Carol - Youch!! That sounds SO painful!

Yvonne - Maybe it is the phase of the moon. We had better all sleep tonight! Thanks for the kind words. Some days I want to through darts at a board w/ my ex-partner's picture. But then I think that all this happened for a reason. As my mother always says, "things have a way of working out for the best." It's just harder to see that sometimes than others.

Enjoy that wine and bath ladies!

Hi Missymac - my left expander was painful from day one and the right never bothered me other than for a few days after each fill.  The left side also was tighter and stayed smaller than the right. It just didn't expand the same.  I asked my PS about the differences every visit and he would say no one is symetrical.  But I think the expander was pushing against something - it really really hurt! 

I'm 7 weeks post exchange surgery now and both sides are the same size.  The left side started "healing" as soon as the tissue expander was removed and is still a little tender but really doesn't hurt anymore.  In recovery I was hoping my PS would tell me he saw something amazing on the left side but he said it looked normal. I guess I'll never know....but there is light at the end of the tunnel!  Hugs, Lisa

Thanks for the encouragement.  Sounds like our situations are similar.  I will be so glad to get these expanders out.  I am so glad to see that almost everyone is happy with the "exchange" results. 

I might back off on the volume on that side for one more time since it has been bigger anyway.

That hot bath and glass of wine sounds like the answer for tonight.

I had a bilateral mastectomy and I'm now having fills AFTER radiation, which means that the side that got radiated is more inflexible, harder, etc. as a result of the rads.  I hadn't realized you could actually fill after radiation, but my PS said it would work and I've had two so far.   He says the fills are working against the tendency of the area to contract after the rads.  Yesterday's was over 50 cc and is quite painful today.   I've found that after about 3 days it is pretty much back to "normal," whatever that is.    I'm going to have the exchange in early June, and I can't wait.   I have one more fill, I think.  

golfingb

I understand the pain you're talking about.  I've had the fills and I was afraid of anymore pain.  But they really weren't painful, at least for me.  My PS deadened the area before inserting the needle for the fill.  I didn't even fill the deadening needle.  It's amazing how you don't have feeling there anymore.  While he was filling me I just felt a tightness in my skin but it wasn't painful.  I had pain latter as my body adjusted to the bigger me.  My expanders feel like they are in my armpits also but I'm being told I just have to deal with it until the permanent ones are put in.  When the pain gets unbearable I just gently put my hand in my arm pit and slowly pull the expander off the nerve/tendon it's hitting on.

I can tell you the pain gets "better."  I think you just get use to it.  I really can't wait until the permanents are put in.  Not sure when that will be as I have an infection going but I'm hoping the infection backs off and my fills can continue so I can get to the "new boobs" day!!

Hang in there and keep asking questions - these gals are great!!!!!

Caz,

I had 250 cc's put in both sides at the time of surgery. I talked to the doctors nurse today and asked her about how long my PS waits after fills before the exchange. She told me he normally waits 4 weeks to 3 mo. depending on the patient. She also made a comment that concerned me. She said that he may also go in and just take the ports out because they can also act as permant implants. I told her that he had told me that since I would be part of a study that I would have the silicone gummy bears. Although, I have never been given papers to fill out.  I am really afraid that he plans on just taking the ports out. I will NOT allow it to be done that way because that was NOT the original plan. Hopefully his nurse was just telling me options.  I guess I'll find out Thursday!! 

Jahnac,

Thanks for the reply!!! It is so wonderful to have found this web-site. I don't know how I would have gotten through this difficult time without you ladies. It has been a blessing for me. Although, I think I have become addicted because I do spend HOURS searching this site!!! Hope your infection heals soon. Good luck to you.

Mykidsmom,

I agree, I am very excited about watching them grow. I know I will be even more so after the initial anticipation of the first one is behind me!!! I will let you know when I will be scheduled for exchange after Thursday's visit, hopefully.

Thanks again to all of you wonderful sisters!!!!

Kathy W

Kathie,

I love it a cheerleader doing a handstand...hehehe Now Im gonna be sad if you are not going to Vegas!

I started a Vegas thread.. its in the reconstruction area and it's called 1st Ta Ta Sisterhood reunion in Vegas. It is where the sign up will always be posted and its a place where we can get updates and brainstrom! YAYY

See ya in Vegas Ladies!

Tracey

Kathie,

Are you going to your "happy place"?  I am so excited for you and your soon-to-be soft, perky cheerleader boobs!  We happily set you free from this expander pain thread, into the "love my soft foobs" world!  I look forward to hearing from you! 

Many hugs, and prayers are going with you on Wednesday!

Dianne 

Missymac - I had one breast that did not expand the same as the other. Ultimately my PS overfilled that one w/ 30 cc more than the other. I think that happens sometimes. She didn't seem too concerned. You can track others waiting for their exchanges on Exchange City if you would like. It helps make the waiting go a little easier. Take care. - Jean

Dianne

Your message was so sweet to read this morning. I had tears in my eyes driving to work. You're so kind.

You may not be totally rid of me....I have to keep checking this thread to make sure you gals are doing well.

I'll let you know how things go tomorrow.

xxoo Kathie 

I started my tissue expansion after my bilateral mastectomies on 9/11/07, how ironic the same day the twin towers fell, so did my twin towers, I'll never forget that day.  The actual filling of the implants was not painful, but after 2-3 hours after they were filled the pain began, I could not lie down to sleep.  The pull that I had on my skin and in my back was very painful, but those pain meds did help.  The actual exchange surgery was pretty uneventful and I would say simple compared to those fills.  My thoughts are with you all as you go through this difficult time.  I wish I would have found this website when I was going through all those fills, there is so much informattion on here.

bump for extreme muscle pain girls.

Thank Sue,

I'm very pleased with how I feel. I said to dh didn't even care if they were a B right now....he assured me they were at least my prior size which he said was a C+. They're smooshed into a surgical binder but I love my showers because I get to feel myself up. Good thing I'm in this binder 24/7 or else I may get arrested for indecent feeling up...LOL

April 15th will come soon enough but will seem like a million days away while you're waiting!

Yvonne..thanks for asking. I do feel wonderful. Very happy. My friend was not able to "go bigger" and actually ended up smaller because of the skin they had to take. She is just happy to be cancer free. She jokes and says her nips were too big anyway! She's always the one in the group that sees a positive outcome for everything. Never heard a bad, catty thing out of her. We try to taint her...to no avail...LOL. Guess we need one person to get us out of a crazy situation...ha ha