Radiation with tissue expander

Thank you Judy. I need to hear as many stories as I can get! I am nervous but so happy to be meeting people like you.

Josirus: Yes, I am at the Montreal General. You MUST be the "other" woman! How funny would that be?! Is your doctor, Dr. Karl Shwarz? And you too are being radiated with only DCIS? May I ask why you needed radiation?

I have so many questions...PM me anytime.

So cool that you two may actually run into each other, you could end up the best of friends.



My expanders were inflated exactly the same as Judy, we started and ended rads on the same day. She made out like a bandit while I was crispy fried! It just goes to show that everyone is different. I did heal great and had my first fill since rads yesterday. Laura was right, the rads side hurts more even though it was filled less than my usual fill before rads. It felt fine at the time but hurt more as the evening and night went on. I will have to space the fills further apart as well 2 or 3 weeks in between not every week.



Oh and I was told if I missed a rad/appt they would add it on to the end!

So check this out ladies. Kerkle and I find out, through a couple of PMs, that we both have the same breast surgeon AND plastic surgeon, that we are being treated at the same Rx center, that I was indeed the *other* woman she was told was the only other one going through the same experience of Rx with TEs, and that every aspect of our Dx is eerily similar. Not only that, but we live less than a 5 minute drive apart. Is there a statistician out there who can calculate the odds of that? And we meet on this thread. And today, we are meeting in person. Very cool.

So far so good for me, after 5/30 done. The skin continues to subtly pinken every day, but strangely, it is my right TE/breast (the one NOT being radiated) that has become more sore. It was always the more uncomfortable one (probably because I am right handed), and I think my arms way above my head for Tx is not helping. Especially my sims, which took almost an hour. More to come...

Would you believe we live 5 minutes from each other and walk by each other's houses all the time. We are hopefully meeting today ! Anyone out there believe in Karma??

I only waited one month to see my PS.  I see him on Aug 5th and finished rads on July 6.

JUDY

Jess, wait for what till Oct?  More fills or the exchange?  Perhaps if he had waited to see you for another two or three weeks- you would have healed up and he might have had a different reaction?  JUDY

OOOHHH Jess... just saw the picture... CUTE sister!

Given that I have the same PS as kerkle, he told me all the same things. I see him on Aug.13, which will be after 14/30 treatments. Then I see him again after radiation is complete. He also recommended 6 months post- end of Rx, and never mentioned an "early" exchange.

6/30 complete for me so far- 20% done already! Woohoo! Hard to believe how time can fly. So far, so good.

It seems as though everyone gets the TE prior to rads, but my surgeon almost insisted on waiting until after both chemo and rads were over.  I have 6 RT left and I just had to take a short break.  My surgeon now says she is not sure the PS will be able to do TE on the treated side, but says to see PS 3 months following rads.  Anyone else go thru this? Outcome?

Janecropper: In my case, surgery was supposed to be enough to treat my cancer (no chemo for DCIS, and radiation not required for a mastectomy). That is the reason TEs were put in me, in the same surgery as the mastectomy. If my PS had known there would be close margins, he told me he would not have reconstructed me. He would have asked me to complete my entire treatment, then wait 12 months, then undergo reconstruction. In my case, the need for radiation was unanticipated, and I am stuck having it with TEs in place, with an increased risk of complication.

i am doing well.  I have to wait until October for the ps to look and say whether or not I am able to undergo an exchange.  i worked out an extensive amount yesterday and my foob is very swollen.  My skin looks good and feels soft.  I think that's a good sign.

Estepp---You are so right about the worrying. I am going to talk to a therapist tomorrow because I am really struggling with the worry issue.  

Yeah, working out-My arm gets heavy and it downright hurts.  I do the lebed massage almost everyday and it feels better.  Right now it feels cold and I have cording going on......It's always something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jess.. I am sorry about your worry... it is hard huh? I hope this doctor can teach you some ways of feeling safe again. I think that is what we all lack at some point in our walk with Cancer.... Safety..

Here we were... young... strong... living life and  BAM.. our body turns on us... out of  know where for a  lot of us... so.. we loose that safe everyday feeling. Now we know we are not invincible.

It is scary. I am glad you are smart and strong enough to seek a little help. I hate me fears on LE. For me.. it is pure vanity ( which I cannot believe I said that outloud..lol)..

I can be honest.. I gave my cancer fear and fear for my life to God. But with my vanity.. I have a hard time explaining that to Him... ~wink~

Jess.. let us know what the therapist tells you.. it might be something you can share with others here that struggle. Good for you sister! Taking control of your life!

I had my last visit with the radiologist. He commented that the skin was wrapped very tightly around the te ( no ,duh! ) and suggested I lather it with vitamin E.  I have been just slathering on the stuff since then.  I haven't noticed any difference except that the foob is smaller than it was.  Swelling going down?  Contraction? 

The therapist and I had a good talk.  I was very surprised I started weeping almost immediately, but it felt good to talk about everything.  She told me I was going through a typical state....and offerred drugs if I was unable to function in a productive way. She said I may be experiencing a certain level of post traumatic stress disorder- not only because of the shock my body went through, but the cost of the stress on me emotionally.  We will continue our talks. and I will let you know what she has suggested.  In addition to the drugs we talked about how I needed to pamper myself a bit.  SO!  I went out and dyed my hair and got a new pair of glasses.  That felt good. 

That's it in a nutshell.  I am sleeping fairly well- except for tonight when the hotflash woke me up and my mind is racing.  At least this time I didn't wake up thinking the cancer was back.  ANd I am typing this all to you.  THAT really helps.  Coming here to this board is my group therapy .  Plus, I really like my glasses and I didn't realize my eyes were in need of a bit more focus. 

Hey, Estepp- how was the surgery?  You had it didn't you?