continued Tissue expander pain!!

Jill, I feel terrible for you. I hate my TE too, am anxiously waiting for my exchange.

Are you saying that the breast implants are causing you pain as well. Are your implants new? Can't you tell your PS this and perhaps he can change something.

Please take care.

I was just thinking the same thing about all the large amounts of fills. I had bilat. mastectomy December 4th, 2009 and was initially filled with 50 cc of saline in each expander at time of surgery. My left side is not healing as well as expected yet so as of today I not only haven't had any fills but yesterday my PS deflated my left side to 10cc to let it recover and heal with some antibiodics and less stress on incision.  I believe he told me when all this started that each fill would only be about 50 ccs per week and I'm trying to get to at least 800 cc.  I was a Double D at time of mastectomy.

I have a question about the expanders..what do you do as far as a prosthesis goes until you have the implant in place?  Thanks, I'm still very new to this.  I'm scheduled for a total mastecomy next thursday and was originally going to go the tram route but opted instead for one less surgery.  This expander thing, if I can get through the initial pain might not be too bad.  I just wonder how I'm to stuff my bra in the meantime (If I can even tolerate having anything touching the area?)

Thanks all!

Thanks Nedeza...now I'm reading about immediate implants and I'm wondering why I can't go with that? Is that the same as the expanders?  I have large breasts and symmetry will definitely be a problem.  The PS went from a R sided partial (I had already made my mind up about not wanting a partial because too much would have to be taken and the tumor is 2.6 cm. Plus I'm petrified of reoccurance.)  to the double mastectomy option with implants in a heartbeat.  I If insurance will pay for the prophylactic side I may opt for that...problem is, time is running out!  I'll have to meet with the surgeon on Monday and again with the PS on Tuesday. 

This site is a great help!  Thanks for your warm thoughts and prayers.

Kristinka, thank you for your words. I had a fill Nov 25 and we tried twice again but could not fill. This is 3rd attempt for a second fill.If it happens, I hope I handle it better than the first fill.  I guess I am in a holding pattern also. - pretty neat explanation of words- I like that.  I am doing my best with exercises but the lifting does bother me. Walking the dog keeps me active too. However, mentally I still have my days of chaos.

As I have said before, the best thing in this whole mess is that I requested a Driver's handicapped sticker and my Town obliged. In this cold weather and when I am completely exhausted it sure helps when going back and forth to car to a store.

 As to cup size, my dr. was not definitive with me. I am or was a D. I know for sure I would like to be a C. I have alot of faith in my PS so we will see. I am not familiar with amount of cc's as I read the posts.

Have a great day. My thought are with everyone on this post.   Everyone up North, stay warm.

Kat - There are some companies that make comfortable camisoles and bras with pockets for pads for MX patients.  You could ask your PS or nurse for a referral - maybe there is a store close by and you could check them out.  I find wearing my regular bras to be pretty uncomfortable, though I can do it for a few hours at a stretch.  If I really wanted a nice profile when I was flat, I'd wear an old bra hooked really loose with some padding.  Angel is right, though.  Comfort will prpobably be much more important to you than looking curvy, at least for the 1st couple of months.  good luck to you,

Kristen

 To all: Being that it is freeeeezing in NJ and I was bundled up in layers and still freezing, my TE feels like it is throbbing while outside. Am I imagining it or is it me? It feels very funny all by itself even protected thoroughly with windbreakers, and three layers of other clothes.

Is this a silly question? 

Thank you.

 HUGS to all. I hope someone reads this crazy statement and answers this silly question.

Angel10

I was reading this site for help with fill discmfort, and I noticed in a previous posting you said something about wearing a supportive bra.  I was just given permission to wear a bra at 5 weeks post unilateral mast.  Would a supportive bra be helpful after a fill?  I have been wearing camis so far and didn't even think of it.  My pain seems to be more rib pain than anything else.

Any suggestions will be gratelly appreciated.

Jane

Jane,

I still wear the supportive vest at night, (nearly 5 months post exchange) and sport bras most days..I am just more comfortable that way.  When I try regular "fashion" bras, I find my foobs get sore.  My PS does not want me to wear underwires, so I don't know how that is going to work...if I do wear a fashion bra, it is an underwire!  The foobs still feel so heavy!  I hope that this will change and I can wear fashion bras w/o discomfort....but many women still wear sports bras to bed...a year or so later!  And they do get and KEEP the cold longer than boobs!

Faythnme...I had the TE placement in April, exchange in August.  I took my pain meds as needed....and sleeping pills at night.  Hydromorphone was my drug of choice...percocet made me sick!  Valium is good for relief just before and after the fills.  I slept on a recliner for months...and am just now beginning to sleep on my side again...hallelujah!

I am not a big drug taker, and stopped using all of it a week after the exchange with no problems...but I have come to think of it this way....if these drugs weren't made for us at this time of our lives...then for when??

I never did PT....too sore to even think about exercising....did not diet either, but managed to lose 15 lbs due to antibiotic induced hepatitis I went through in the summer...I have no idea what this diet is you mentioned...but I am not a big fan of altering your nutritional intake at this time unless you are really eating unhealthily.  Your body burns a lot of calories during the healing process....I understand protein is good to up during these times, but I never did too much in that regard.  I eat a lot of protein normally.

I was unemployed when I was dx'ed so can't help you there....just went back to work last week, nearly 2 months after my final revision....don't think I could have made it back before now....but I had complications which hopefully you won't anymore.

So I am not much of a help to your specific questions but wanted to respond...

God Bless and Good luck this time!!!

Sis had surgery in mid september, drains for 5 count em 5 weeks then fills - 60-120 cc each time - fills HURT! She premedicated with Darvocet. She has like 700cc in and doc said it will be a small B - hard to tell as the expander fills under the arm, high, low etc and the implant will be more front and center so to speak. he wants to reduce her other side and lift but she at this time says no way! The radiation really had her incision and drain sites hurt and she is almost done 23 of 28 today and is back on pain meds with blisters that opened in axilla - needs wet to dry dressings for that. She hates the expanders and says she wish she knew she would have skipped them but we;ll see how she feels when all is said and done. Good luck to all!

Ronna,

Sounds like your PS is being very cautious and this is a good thing....must be a bit exasperating, but it sounds like they want to insure a good outcome....hold fast to that thought! The foobs will come!

God Bless!

Hi, I am the lady who's been screaming MASTECTOMY OR LUMPECTOMY, PLEASE HELP!

I was struggling over what decision to make since I was diagnosed on November 2^nd, and on December 31 I had bilateral mastectomy.

I am really happy with my decision and it would not have been possible without the impute I got from many ladies on this and other threads.  

My pathology report is back and they found three different cancers, two on the right and one on the left. Both breasts had Usual Ductal Hyperplasia Multi focal. Luckily, the nodules were all very small (2mm, 4mm, 1.5mm), no lymph nodes involvement, and very clear margins. So, the report is nothing to be happy about, but it is a very happy day for me because I went against the medical recommendation, found courage and a lot of encouragement on this site and went with my instincts.  I can clearly see that I eliminated much pain and many sad days of my future.

I was out of the hospital the next day, and have been going on long hikes since the second day. Drains were removed 8 days later.  I got 300cc on each TE's during surgery, and they're not nearly as bad as I was expecting them to be. I actually have a nice cleavage with them!  Next week I will have my first fill and my PS said that I should be done with only two fills which will make me a size C cup.  I was a small B before, so a C is a nice gift and I don't need to go bigger!

As for pain, I took Vicodin for 3 days but they made me nauseous and I started on 200mg of ibuprofen every 4-6 hours for 7 days, and now I am completely out of meds.  It is still a bit uncomfortable to sleep but it is getting better each day.

Now I should proudly wear a tee-shirt that says -"Dam right they are fake! The real ones tried to kill me!"

(I didn't come up with it! I am borrowing it from someone in one of the threads on this site, and I think it is very funny!)

Thank you and best wishes to everyone!

i have tried a sports bra.  I am so anxious to get home at the end of the day to take it off though.  The frustrating thing is I expect to feel like I used to when I took my bra off, but no such luck.  Whatever is bothering me is still there.  I find this whole thing so crazy because my aches and pains just keep changing.  I keep saying to myself its just part of the process and it will be just fine in the end. I am trying to enjoy the week until my last fill and not anticipate the 3-4 days of discomfort.

Thank you for being so helpful.

Jane

Its like a secret that no one tells us.  When immediate recon. is suggested we agree, but really have no idea how painful it is.  I have my last scheduled on 1/29 and I am probably just a full B cup by choice.  I had a reduction on the good side at the time of Mast.

I cannot believe that there are some women who say the fills did not bother them.  I wonder if body build, weight, height and all that stuff make a difference.  If a person is short, maybe the TE presses on ribs due to lack of space.  Who knows, I will be very happy at the end of March to get rid of this TE.  Actually, I will be happy just to know I am finished with fills when that time comes.  The nights are so much worse than the days.  I slept slightly on my side last night and was overjoyed.  I am still sleeping in almost a sitting position.  I am so afraid to move that my hands have pins and needles from not moving all night. It certainly helps to know that we are not alone on this journey.  If this is what it takes to beat "C", we can do it.

Jane

Hi Gals, I can now sleep on my sides a little more comfortable now, but I prefer to keep the affected arm up still.  When I am typing my t/e gets in the way, it sticks out on side. Just anticipating again final fill on 2/4 if scab disappears. However, the expander is a little easier on me than in the beginning and yes we are all in this journey together. I have said it before, I wish I knew how much annoyance there was involved with the T/E. especially if you are short and I am short.

Have a pleasant evening.