continued Tissue expander pain!!

Hi Carolyn, Peg, 4greatkids and all,

Thank you so much for your responses. I am so glad to found this place.

I do have a PT and she come two time a week. She came today and told her about the pain. She asked me what I've been doing before this happened. I told her that the other day, 5/26/09 I did a lot... cooking, laundry, driving to my two sons activities after school and exercising too. It was like a normal day for me and forgot that my body was not acclaimed to this after surgery. My PT told me that we have to continue the exercises even when it's hurting. So that's what we did.

I called my PS and told them the same thing about my pain. The PS prescribed Valium for muscle spasm and not to use my 2 lbs weight until the 6th week of surgery.

I bought the Palmer's cocoa butter cream and will try this at night plus also I will try the hot washcloth too.

Once again, thank you. Celine

Hey Ladies,

 This is my second time around with my expander. I was fully expanded in December and I somehow got a staph infection under my expander and it had to be removed on the day that was suppode to be my exchange. Boy, was I ever discouraged.

I had the TE replaced on 4/16 and my PS used Alloderm. I was doing much better with the expansions until last Friday. That one was very painful until today. I'm sure I am very paranoid about every pain after my experience last time.

I see a PT on Monday. The first time around I also had some therapy and they do something called myofacia release (sp) It's a tecnique they use to help stretch the skin around the expander. It was one of those "good" kind of hurts that you knew it was helping. Some of you that are having PT may want to ask about it.

I am hoping that she can help with the skin so maybe I can get a bit more fluid in my expander. I see my PS on Wednesday. I'm a little bummed because he said he wasn't going to fill me as much as last time so my implants will be smaller. I don't want to be huge, but I wasn't very big before and after going through this twice, I want it to be worth it!

Good luck all!

Candi

4greatkisds, I took a shower and did my exercises plus the Palmer's cocoa cream after and took my muscle spasm pill... I slept soooo good. Yes, I think I over did it and I should take it easy. I have two more weeks before I go back to work with no restrictions. This is another hurdle and I will just take this one day at a time when I go back to work. Wow, finally your going to your exchange in four weeks. That's awesome!!! I wish you the best .

Candi, I am sorry to hear about you infection I do not know anything about myofasia release but I can ask my PT today. Thanks for this advice and I hope you feel better.

Sonia, I am going to have my first fill next week. I will ask my PS about burning sensation is normal or not after a fill.

Have a great day to all....  Celine

Thank you Celine and 4greatkids for responding.  My burning is not constant so I was not sure if this was normal.  I was thinking that I was feeling the corner of my TE.  I'm only filled 200 cc's.  I guess as long as my incision is not red I'm OK...??? I will definitely try a warm shower after work.

Are you ladies having muscle spasms during the fill process?  My right side locks up as soon as he injects the needle.  Weird feeling!  Is there anything OTC that I could take to eliminate this?  I don't have any muscle spasms after the fill but I bet that will change with time.

Hey all!  Had 4th fill today - am @ 175cc & 185ccs - and feel ENORMOUS!  PS said probably 2-3 more to reach my expander volume of 250cc., but the end is in sight!  I, too, usually have the burning for a couple of days, but not yet.  This time, just lots of rib pressure and tightness.  Had the usualy muscle spasm when he accessed the port on my left side, but - good news! - felt the lidocaine needle stick a little bit on my right side!  That means I may get some sensation back there.......

Hang in there, girls - we'll get through this!  We're off for family vacation to North Carolina in the morning.  Can't wait!  

Valerie

That's excellent Valerie !!! Hope you have a great vacation.

Candi, I talked to my PS and she said that it is a different type of massage that an experience PS can do. It was her last dat and she didn't show it to me... bummer. I found a site that had exercises tjat can help prevent / manage lymphedema and also there are other exercises I saw posted already for tight pecoral muscles. I saved it in MS word format so I can print and post this on my wall to remind me to do this excercises. MY PS said that I need to continue doing this before having my first fill so that the muscles are strecthed. Let me know if anyone of you guys would like to have a copy of this exercises. Have a great day. Celine

swest - I am doing better, thanks for checking on us. I had my 4th fill today again with no burning so that 2nd fill I had was a freak thing. I am up to 750cc's. I am not a small women but not overly large either - my ribcage measures 40 inches and with my 750 cc's I am just a B. I am tight today but it's not painful. I do have moments each day where I feel like I am pregnant again and the baby is pushing on my ribs - it's the TE's pressing on my ribs! I can't even paint my toe nails because of the pressure on my ribs.  It's a good excuse to have a pedicure.

It sounds like you are doing well.Glad to hear it.

Denise

I'm a little surprised they still made you wait 2 weeks but I'm hopful everything will be just fine and you will have perky soft boobs : - )

Celine - Good luck on your first fill!  I found that just like waiting for biopsy, bilateratl mx and Chemo the anticipation of the fill was much worse than the actual fill itself.  Let us know how you are feeling after. 

I am doing very well.  Of course I go for another fill today.  Back to being tight.  Oh what we go through to be beautiful!

Celine - I hope everything went well with your first fill. Regarding type of implants, I have decided to use silicone since I want my foobs to feel as close to natural as possible.

swest - glad you're still doing well and I hope you're doing good after your fill today.

cookymkr - you're in my thoughts and prayers. I wish you the very best with your exchange - hope these next two weeks fly by for you.

Denise

Hi dear ladies,

My first fill went great! My PS gave both breast some lidocane ( local anesthesia). I was a little nervous at first. I had 100 cc in both foobs. He asked me to let him know when I can start feeling the tightness on my breast. He went over 100 cc when I started feeling the tightness and he said he can go down to 100cc. When I left his place, I can feel the tightness and some burning sensation. I have to take a vicodin after four hour because I was not sure if tylenol works. I wake up this morning back no feeling of tightness. I am going back next week for my 2nd fill.

cookymkr, good luck this week.

Smiles, Celine

Hello Ladies I had a chemo,  then the double masectomy on Oct.23rd 2008.  rads for 33 times. Anyways my cancer had now spread to my brain 10 months later. This all started a week after my first baby was born 10 months ago. NOW I am recovering. I had the GAMMA knife rads to the 4 spots it has gone to my brain. CRAZY I know. But my faith is sooo strong and God is showing my WHOLE family and everyone around me the amazing power and grace He gives

My point is I am able to go for my reconstruction at the end of the month. My PS is going to put in expanders, and take some muscle from under my arm pit to help with the radiated tissue.  After ALLLL the crap I have endured I want this to work,,,knowing the potential it may not.  I am now (after looing allll that baby weight (over 200 ). Back to my 134 and in great shape. I am ready.   ANY one been able to keep there new boobs (implants) after rads?  Its been the 6 months and they may have to put in the alloderm   BUt told them don't tell me that part LOL. I'm like YUCK   Anyways , I am soooo excited and want this before going back to find out the outcome of my gamma knife (having to wait the 6 weeks to make sure all is gone:(   Love you ALL. Pray for me, and I'll pray for you

Lisa, I wish you well. Yes, I will pray for you. You're a courageous woman. Take care. Celine

Lisa - You are definitely in my prayers!

Jen - call your PS.  My expanders just grab me now and then.  I am wondering if they are filling you too fast.  You can ask them to slow down.  My doctor only fills 50 cc's at a time.  I hope you get some relief!

I tried to hurry my expansions along...at one of my fills, my PS wanted to put in 100 cc's...I got him to put in 150 cc's. What a mistake that was, I was in so much pain, I wasn't sure how I was going to make the hour and half drive home, [i had made the trip alone]. I wasn't able to go back to work that day because I was in such intense pain. I hurt for an entire week and didn't get another fill for 2 weeks. Lesson learned: Slow and steady is the way to go!