Implant infection with fever & chills...

weety
weety Member Posts: 1,163
edited August 2016 in Breast Reconstruction

I'm wondering who out here has gotten an implant infection that had symptoms of fever, chills, etc.? It escalated very quickly from a few chills to full blown fever and shivers, etc.

Does it automatically mean implant removal? I'm in the hospital now on iv antibiotics and just trying to come to terms with what will happen next.

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  • Artista928
    Artista928 Member Posts: 2,753
    edited May 2016

    I had infection one my non tumour side tissue expander and was on IV abx for a few days in the hospital. I too feared I would lose them and being I had to start chemo asap after then rads I was told if I lose it that good chance no reconstruction to perm implants. I was sent home with abx to administer myself through a picc line for 10 days. It cleared up. Good you are in the hospital on IV abx. Try not to worry and just focus on resting. There is no clear answer but if things are looking better each time they check on you then good sign. Good luck. :)

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  • I_Spy
    I_Spy Member Posts: 507
    edited May 2016

    Weety this must be very scary for you. I had a slight early infection in my TE, and they moved up my Exchange surgery. I did not get an infection in my implant (thank God). I am so glad you are in the hospital. Just think this way: you are in the exact place you need to be to get help. They know what they're doing. Concentrate on your immune system fighting off the infection; that is what immune systems do. It is a scientific fact that immune systems re-charge while we sleep. It is very hard to sleep in a hospital, but try to do it as much as you can (and don't worry about eventualities right now -- just deal with this moment). Can someone from home or a friend bring you a memory foam eye mask from Brookstone or Sharper Image (ook I know it is the middle of the night) or any eye mask, as well as earplugs? I am a very light sleeper, so whenever I'm in the hospital I bring those plus I put my headphones over the earplugs and put spa music or the sound of rain (there is an app for iphone and such called "Sleep Pillow" and you can create your own white noise like a fan or wind or rain etc). Sleep and recharge your immune system; ask for pain relief or sleep aid if you need it -- don't be shy, that is what hospitals are for: good drugs!

    Then let's see how you're doing in the morning! You can't do anything else about this tonight, so let your body use the antibiotics to help the immune system fight the infection. I don't mean to sound all hippie like (I'm actually quite practical and western medicine) but as you fall asleep (with your eye mask, ear plugs, and headphones) imagine your immune system fighting and winning.

    Report back how you are doing! You can beat this!

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  • I_Spy
    I_Spy Member Posts: 507
    edited May 2016

    ps if you get nauseated from pain pills and you need pain medication, have them give you Zofran before the pain pill. I get VERY nauseated from any narcotic at all, and the Zofran is an anti-nausea medication that will handle it (and doesn't make you sleepy or dizzy or anything). If it is IV pain medicine, ask them to push it very slowly; that way, if you start to feel dizzy you can ask them to stop. They can always come back later and push the rest of the medicine. Ok hope all of my rambling helps a little....

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  • I_Spy
    I_Spy Member Posts: 507
    edited May 2016

    Weety I'm wondering how you're doing....?

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  • marketingmama
    marketingmama Member Posts: 161
    edited May 2016

    I too had an infection within a 10 days of my exchange. I was hospitalized but my PS felt he needed to remove the implant. This seems to vary from surgeon to surgeon (treatment). My PS' view was that once an infection had taken hold, the implant had to come out. Perhaps he is more conservative in his approach. Did you have redness and swelling? For me that was the telltale sign.Wishing you the best.

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  • weety
    weety Member Posts: 1,163
    edited August 2016

    Hi all, I forgot to update this thread. The antibiotics got rid of the infection, but they removed the implant. :( My doctor said the same as yours, marketing mama. If the infection takes hold beyond the surface, the implant has to come out. Otherwise a relapse is common--the bacteria can "hide" on the implant since it is artificial. I'm healing well and looking at the next steps. Dr. wants to consider using the lat muscle (I think it's called TRAM) now instead of just trying the expansion again. My skin, although it's been 7 years, is still not completely healthy due to the radiation I had. It heals very slowly. I have to do my research, but I'm not too excited about having to use the back muscle. (I don't have belly fat for DIEP)


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  • I_Spy
    I_Spy Member Posts: 507
    edited August 2016

    Hi Weety thank you for updating. I hope you are able to find a viable and successful option for reconstruction. There are a bunch of threads on here with Lat flap (that is the back muscle) procedure info. A TRAM flap is the tummy so probably not what you're doctor was referring to? "Lat" stands for Latissimus Dorsi, the muscle in your back. Here is a good link to Johns Hopkins Breast Center, where they talk about the various reconstruction methods:

    http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/breast_center/treat...

    Good luck with everything!

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  • Toastiecat
    Toastiecat Member Posts: 132
    edited August 2016

    Weety, I saw your post on another thread. You had had this implant for over a year, right? What do you think caused you to get an infection now?

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