continued Tissue expander pain!!

Missymac,I had my exchange done on Feb. 4th.  My 600cc expander was exchanged for 550cc silicone implant. I am 5' tall and weigh 124, so that made me a 36c. I went to victorias secret and was measured!  Everyone seems to be different though, depending on your frame size. At time of exchange I had a lipo done from my belly and under arm.  The area above my implants had a deep depression that needed to be filled in.  I have to say, I was more sore from the lipo than I was when I had my hysterectomy in Dec.! But, the results are great . I had to wear a  binder for a week, that was a royal pain!  To get to the picture forum you have to PM Timtam, she will tell you how to get in once she OK's you. To go to EXCHANGE CITY , Go to Breast reconstruction forum and scroll down until you find it.  It should be on the first page .  It is as popular as this thread!  Good Luck, Gentle HUGS  and Prayers to all having their exchange.  Jeanie

Hi! My advice at the end of the fills is to go slow! I had fills of 100cc every 2 weeks until I got to my current 550cc and stopped. My final fill of 100cc nearly killed me! I hurt so bad for days and muscle relaxers and pain pills didn't help. When I went to the next appt with the PS I said no more! He said that 100cc for a final fill was alot so he agreed I was done. The kicker for me was that 2 months later when I was starting radiation I had to have 100cc removed from both sides to get the right angles for radiation to both sides. After radiation ended the PS wanted to reexpand with the 100cc. I had him do 50cc one week and 50cc the next week and didn't have any problems. Now I'll see him every 2 months til he feels the skin is ready for the exchange surgery. It's hard being patient but I don't want any problems. By the way- he said 550cc would end up being a full C cup. I had been a D cup before but this is fine with me!

Judy.. The Rads window is 8-10 weeks max.... not 6. If you feel you have to take 6 or 7 weeks to get filled, you are safe. I went through this. I checked it all out here, and MD Anderson and Virgina Tech.

I was filled to a C cup in 5 weeks. I did not do to bad. I did 50cc and a Tues. and 50cc on that Friday... 100cc a week. It was not until the last two fills Ihad pain... I took Demerol for  those 5 weeks. My PS had NO issue with this. after the fills... I did not need the meds.

I have 6 more rads to go.. GOOD LUCK TO YOU!

Laura:  The doc wants no more than 6 weeks till the rads start...I don't know why..Do you know if I get less than the full fill before rads, will I be able to get the final fills after rads or will the skin be too thin, or thick or whatever?  by the way, I had heard that 8-12 was accaptable and said so, but they wanted no part of it.  It could be becasuse I have a history of growing things rather rapidly and they don't wnat to wait so long..

Hi Judy.. well... you gotta follow your doctors right?

I have a dear friend on this site (DianaT) and she did 1/2 fills before rads.. 1/2 after... ( something close to this).. and she said it was doable, but more painful for her. She did have a rough time with fills after rads.

Just do as many as possible before... Since you have to wait 6 months after rads for exchange.. you could do TINY fills after.. like 20cc a week.. or 40cc...

Well Judy.. you and I will just have to hang together in Exchange City and we will be the last of the original group of "City" girls who get their exchange...:).. I "hope" mine will be in Oct. of this year.. I am going to PUSH for this...:)

Ditto!

You are so sweet Lorraine! I took a vicodan and a flexiril last night and  did sleep through the night. I just hate doing that on an ongoing basis. I have an appt. with my PS April 14 to see if I need more fills before an exchange sometime in May. But honestly I don't think I could take anymore. Which means I may not get to the desired size I was hoping for.  He says he underfills though so I should know more then.

Thanks for checking on me.  I have such loving wonderful people in my life, but they just can't know how uncomfortable expanders can be! It means a lot to me that you're thinking of me and know what I'm going through.

Teresa, please don't let yourself get too stressed about not feeling well.  You are only one week out from major surgery!  I am just a few days ahead of you (11 days post op BM with TE) and I believe it was the one week mark where I actually felt worse than I did on day 2 or 3.  Do you still have your drains in?  Was your expander partially filled during surgery?  Both of these are reasons you may be having a lot of pain issues, and there is really nothing unusual about needing percocet during this time. I suggest you discuss how your feeling with your PS, but also know that your recovery is quite typical.  I personally was doing too much at one week, and had a setback because of it (started to build up seroma/fluid after drains were pulled from being overly active).  PS told my DH to tie me to the chair....he did, and it worked...fluid went away and I started feeling at least somewhat better.  Keep your chin up...and your butt in the chair!  This too shall pass!

Thanks Lorraine - You're right - I need to hang in there and take the meds since that's what they're for!

Teresa - Please don't be so hard on yourself.  I definately was not doing fine at one week! I expected to take pain pills for a few days to one week and then get on with my life.  But that's not how it worked out.  I was still taking medication up to 4 weeks especially at night. That was just the way it worked for me. I know some women do seem to have an easier time but everyone is different. My breast surgeon at 2 weeks said "Be good to yourself - your body has just climbed Mt. Everest." So   don't expect too much.

Peg 

I had a right mastectomy on March 18th with the immediate insertion of a tissue expander

with 180ccs.  I had so much discomfort and tightness, which worsened through the day

until I felt like a vice was on my chest.  When I went to have the 2nd drain removed and

saline put in the tissue expander I was terrified, but it actually went very well.  I could feel

the saline, but it didn't seem to make the pressure worse.  My concern is that I feel the

bulk of the pressure on the outer side of the breast area near my armpit and it scares me

that the tissue expander isn't where it's supposed to be.  Also I still have bruising on the

skin after 3 weeks since surgery.  I'll go back on Thursday to get more fluid in.  I'm going from

an A to a B and when the surgery is done to do the transfer I will have an implant placed under

the left breast to match the size.  Reading the posts I get the imipression that most women

have had bilateral mastectomies, and I'm wondering if that was due to the cancer, or for

a better result with reconstruction.  I remember the words my father used to tell us  ladies,

hold them to your heart "this too shall pass". Shelly

I took Demerol every 4-6 hrs for 5 or 6 weeks. You won't get hooked. When the fills were done.. I stopped the pills the week after. No problem. Remember.. this is hard.. take the pills. My PS said... I did not have an addictive personality. .. so he was not worried on bit about me and dependency. If you do not have issues with this either.. take your pills and slide through this time in your life.

God Bless! Laura

I had expanders place on Jan. 6 and my last fill 6 weeks ago. There are nights when I still need pain meds...especially if I've had an active day. Today I'm really sore because I have worn a regular bra for two days instead of the usual sports bra or cami . There are just certain tops that you can't wear with a sports bra. It will probably be a vicotan night. 20 days and counting.

Karen

Jeansbeans, I will be having my exchange sometime late July early August.  My ps is also going to take some tummy fat to fill in the dents I have in my chest.  I'm 5'3" and weigh 120 lbs. so I don't have allot of tummy fat but I do have that pouch and I'm 57.  My concern is when he takes the fat out....what happens to the skin left there???  Oh, what an awful visual I have right now!!

Thanks Jeansbeans!  Yes, I did visualize skin left over!  I feel much better now after hearing you!

Gentle Hugs backatcha!