Help I have a leaky expander!

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gracem1
gracem1 Member Posts: 28
edited June 2020 in Breast Reconstruction

Hello everyone....I'm feeling really demoralised at the moment. Before I went for my mastectomy I was informed that I couldn't have a direct to implant surgery and I would have to have expanders. I explained that I had a summer job out of the country and the "fellow" "intern" explained that I could "plan" my surgery after that. Fast forward to 5 1/2 weeks after my BMX with expander surgery and they think I have a leak . At this same appointment, the intern tells me that I have to come in every week for a fill till my surgery (which is supposed to be at least 3 months from now). I asked ...what about my summer contract??.. to which he very arrogantly said "we don't "plan" around your schedule". Since the diagnosis I have been off work for 6 months, I'm self employed and at my wits end and getting Down. I'm about to go research this leak business but it doesn't look like I can go do my job :( Any experiences with this a leaky tissue expander??...some sites say it can get infected etc. Anyone have their exchange surgery sooner because of it with good results? The intern said that is not possible for the best possible outcome.... so far this is far from the best. Thanks ladies for being there x

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  • AnnieTater
    AnnieTater Member Posts: 66
    edited April 2018

    Hi Grace,

    Along with plenty of other TE troubles, I have a leaky one. I get it filled about every 2 weeks. Is your summer contract in one single location or will you need to travel? Perhaps you can find a place that will fill you every week or so. And what is with all this "intern" nastiness? Are you in the US? Do you have a designated PS? Tell that snipey intern that you need to talk to the doctor.

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  • gracem1
    gracem1 Member Posts: 28
    edited April 2018

    Hi Annie!


    Thanks for your response and so sorry that you had a recurrence and issues with your TE as well! To me it feels like the leaky one isn't expanding at all. Is yours still doing its job with a fill every two weeks?? When do you go for your exchange surgery? I can't imagine waiting and filling for three months and how "safe" is this solution that is leaking in our bodies? Did your plastic surgeon give you any info? I read that the expander needs to come out if it's leaky but A) in canada there isn't enough operating room time as it is and B) like hell I want two surgeries instead of just the exchange.

    I have an idea that it was the nasty intern that did it in the first place. I was fine till my third fill when he put double in! I am trying to get more info before I go see the surgeon tomorrow. It is supposed to be him tomorrow .. I requested it but sometimes the secretary says that it is with him and i get an intern anyway. I said I do not want to see the snipey guy anymore! We go through so much .. we don't need someone's shitty attitude as well x



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  • TrmTab
    TrmTab Member Posts: 832
    edited April 2018

    I had a leaky expander. It developed after I was fully expanded. I had weekly refills until I had my exchange. They put saline in the expander, so the water entering my system was never a cause for concern.

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited April 2018

    I’m just wondering if you could be taught to fill it yourself. It didn’t seem that complicated.

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  • gracem1
    gracem1 Member Posts: 28
    edited April 2018

    Hey trmtab..how long did you have to do weekly fills before your exchange ???


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  • Peacetoallcuzweneedit
    Peacetoallcuzweneedit Member Posts: 233
    edited April 2018

    Hi gracem1 - I had a leaky expander as well. It deflated....I had a double MX 6/1 and then had to had have my left side expander replaced 8/23 - I had my final implant exchange in November. I flew to Greece a week after the surgery, and I was ok. I am not sure if you can get your fill to size and then do your summer job. Once I was filled to my final size - my PS had me wait another 4 wks until surgery sp that my pocket would be ready for the implant.

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  • gracem1
    gracem1 Member Posts: 28
    edited May 2018

    Hi

    Peacetoallcuzweneedit

    The doctor bumped my surgery to this Friday! 2 months after the expanders were put in...he siad the skin is stretched enough. Thanks for your response. Makes me feel better that you flew one week after!

    AnnieTater ...

    I ditched the intern..told the secretary I wanted to see the surgeon Only!
    Ladies I was informed that the anatomical implants have been linked to lymphoma. I know the PS ordered textured and smooth becuase I requested that the secretary send me what he orders. Although the smooth are round and hence more fake looking, I'm concerned and alarmed by the textured implant reports. I know t it's still rare to get the BIA ALCL but I have an autoimmune condition and they think it's linked to the immune system. ..so I'm concerned. I want a natural look but the textured implants don't seem worth the potential side effects.
    What did you get and are you happy with the results ??
    Thanks :)
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  • VegGal
    VegGal Member Posts: 507
    edited May 2018

    FWIW, I had textured anatomicals and they looked really fake. They had an unnatural "hump" appearance up at the top and lots of ripples everywhere else. I switched to high profile smooth rounds last year and ahhhhhhh...these look so much more natural, especially with a bit of fat grafting.

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  • gracem1
    gracem1 Member Posts: 28
    edited May 2018

    Omg VegGal! Thanks for that info! My only apprehension is that I don't have a lot of tissue in the upper pole of the chest wall which "they" (some) say may need the anatomicals to fill in. Other than that I really prefer the smooth! I may just risk it ! I have around 5 minutes with the surgeon before they wheel me in. I will specifically ask about the lack of tissue fat issue. He said i could always come back to get fat .. not sure why he wouldnt just address it now! I have some rippling and a huge divet upper pole leaky expander side. I DEF DO NOT want to go back for another surgery after. This is my 13th surgery!

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  • AliceKo
    AliceKo Member Posts: 151
    edited May 2018

    Gracem1, Good luck. Hope it's your last surgery

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  • UWMOM
    UWMOM Member Posts: 6
    edited October 2020

    Hello Ladies!

    I'm so glad I found this post. I had a bilateral mastectomy 1/10/19, with tissue expanders being placed 4/2/19. I followed doctors orders perfectly after surgery. I started with 40 cc post op, my first fill was @ 5 weeks post op which was 100 cc. At my appt for my third fill my PS stated he thought my left TE was leaking (I'd already suspected something wasn't right due to the visual difference from the other side). I'm now scheduled for a TE exchange in 4 weeks. About 3 weeks prior to all of this I had excruciating pain on that side for about 24 hours. I called and they said I likely popped an internal stitch. Would that have caused this? Has anyone else experienced this? Does this sound right? I asked about a scan and was told there was no need.

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  • MountainMomma57
    MountainMomma57 Member Posts: 6
    edited June 2020

    Me too! I had my last fill a week ago and this Saturday my left TE sudenly became soft and I can feel the fluid outside theTE. It must be a slow leak as I estimate I have lost maybe 100cc since then. PS is not so worried about it (via phone) and I happened to have a sugical consult already scheduled for Tuesday to discuss the exchange. She did mention just having a regular fill often till surgery. I live 2 hours away from the office and can't imagine that. I want the exchange now! Does anyone know why the leaks occur? .

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