Pain after Tissue Expander fills
I had a ULM on April 6 2018. My incision was slow to heal. One drain was able to be removed 3 weeks after and the other was finally taken out a week later. I had 120 cc's of saline put in at the time of surgery. My first expander fill was done May 5 and 90 cc's were put in. There was little to no discomfort. Each week I had 90cc's put in and experienced pain after the fourth fill.
Had my fifth fill day before last and the pain and muscle spasms have been terrible. This is day two after and I'm still having so much pain that I'm not able to go to work as I'm taking pain med and muscle relaxers to cope. My PA said that I will need 2-3 more fills before we are done. I can't imagine what the pain is going to be like after those fills. I had P/T yesterday and my therapist tried to relieve some of the discomfort with deep tissue massage. I've read that the discomfort should lessen 2-3 days after. Has anyone else experienced such pain after a few fills and when did you finally feel some relief. I can't wait to be done with the TE and have the exchange surgery to replace with a silicone implant
Comments
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Do you need radiation? If not, I would do smaller fills - 90ccs is a pretty big fill and if you are not on a schedule to overfill in preparation for rads there is no reason to have such large fills if they are causing you pain. I did weekly 25cc fills and never had an issue with pain severe enough to need any meds. Some surgeons do fills more rapidly because they are not charging for the office visits to do them, those costs are linked to the surgery, so they move through that process faster by doing large fills. Others fill rapidly to get you to exchange surgery faster - which is great - unless it is causing pain. You are in charge of how quickly this is done - you should not be this uncomfortable. I would recommend having a chat about smaller fills, possibly removing some saline now to alleviate pain, and/or allowing more time between fills. Good luck!
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Hi Gramto4. My TEs have been slow to fill due to pain,skin very very thin. I had them put in Nov1.. I still have them. I can tell it's been torture at times.. other days are fine. A few weeks ago it was too much. I had pain on my sides,under,I could not breathe. I was taking Xanax because it was really giving me anxiety.No sleeping,pain all the time.
First he removed some CCs. This was so so helpful. I waited a good 6 weeks. It was such better. In that time I bought BIO ok I massaged,played on the to push apart scar tissue. Then refilled. Not nearly as tight and painful. I do sympathize!
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GAMomma - Thank you for your response. It's now been 4 days since my last fill and even though the pain in my chest and back has subsided, I'm still having muscle spasms and some are very painful. I called my PS office 2 days ago and rescheduled my next fill. I want to wait 2 weeks before we fill again. You stated that you used BIO to massage and push apart scar tissue. Can you tell me what BIO is? I'm considering calling my PS office again tomorrow on Monday to ask if I should have some cc's removed to get some relief so I'm able to go to work and not have to deal with the spasms all day
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Bio Oil is in the face creams. You can use the Vitamin E oil to. Just a few times a day is good. The scar tissue in your surgical site gets tough. Massaging it makes it more pliable. The spasms are a lot to deal with. There were times it felt like a knife from.my invisible nipple to my ribs. I will say be honest with your PS. He is filling to give you normalcy as quickly as possible. He or she may not realize exactly how you are feeling. Everyone heals at their own rate. Slow things down. Expander can stay for a bit. No harm. Not the most comfortable things certainly. Getting a few CCs removed can probably give big relief. Give your body a break. I know it is overwhelming to see the end. You will get there. Nobody wins a red ribbon for the quickest expands. I think your body is telling you to stop,it needs a break. What he removed he can put back. I hope this helps 💞💞
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I had pain also after first fill then pain so bad with fever Fiancee now husband took me to E R my expander hardend and had high fever my body rejected it had to be removed I wear prothesis in my bras and been doing great Praise God its been 24yrs this yr Survivor. Ms Phil idc stage2 0\3nodes 3mo chemo before n after Lmast got married was planning our wedding when found lump then 7wks rads then 5yrs on Tamoxifen
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I thought the fills towards the end were much worse. My last fill was 60cc and I felt like I couldn't take a deep breath for two days. It did get better, hoping yours does too. I agree that 90 cc is a lot for one fill.
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btw,anyone reading my posts,my kindle has the oddest auto correct. Sorry it's hard to figure out at time.lol
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Thanks everyone and GMMomma I appreciate your advice on slowing down and letting my body heal. I’ve been trying to get the fill process over to quickly and I’m paying the price now. Today has been much better with only a few muscle spasm here and there every hour. OCDAmy - I know the feeling of not being able to take a breath without pain and I actually thought I might have been having a heart attack with all the pressure. T msphil - Congratulations on being a 24 yr survivor!!
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Hello ladies! I had a bilateral mastectomy on May 7th and have had three fills, each being 100ccs. The amount of the fills hasn’t been bothersome at all so far. The left breast is mostly numb and during the first fill, I could only feel pressure when the needle was inserted. When he inserted the needle in the right breast, he hit a nerve and I ended up having pain that took my breath away all evening and although it wasn’t as bad the next day, I couldn’t move my arm much. I was so scared to have the next fill, that I took a Percocet before the fill and that helped mask the pain a lot. I did the same with the third fill, and didn’t feel the needle as bad, and had no pain afterwards. The Percocet made me horribly dizzy and nauseous though, and I don’t want to take them anymore. I haven’t taken them since I came home from the hospital, (except for the fills) because I hate taking medication. However, my next fill is in two days and I am already getting worked up about it. I still have some Valium leftover from surgery, and I wondered about taking those before the fill instead. I literally get so scared that I shiver while waiting for him to come in. I have always had a fear of needles, so adding the nerve pain with the first fill only makes my anxiety worse. I have to take something to calm me, but want to avoid the hard stuff. I don’t know much about Valium, except that it is a muscle relaxer?? Do you think it would relax me enough to get through the fills? Any advice would be appreciate. God bless you all in your journey and thanks in advance!
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It may be too late for you but others should try aeroform.You fill yourself many times a day. Impossible to overfill but you won't be in terrible pain from large fills. I think because you do it slowly and fill daily the results are faster. I would try these if I ever need implant on other side.
https://centrefars.com/aeroform-air-expander-breas...
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BLESSEDINTHISMESS- I’m wondering how far apart you had your fills of 100cc’s?. I was getting 90cc’s every week for each fill up to the fourth fill. I was able to handle those with just mild discomfort. The pain began after the fifth fill which was done 4 days after the fourth and the PA could only get 60cc’s to go in. I had terrible pain for 3 days and I’m still having muscle spasms and pain off and on and it’s now been 5 days. Be cautious of 100cc’s on your next visit as it may be too much and cause unnecessary discomfort and pain like mine. I’m now at 540 cc’s and my PA says I need 2 more fills and I’m honestly considering to stop the fills and just go with the size I am now. Hope you don’t have the same experience that I did. Voice your concerns with your doctor. Best wishes
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Gramof4-- that sounds like a wide decision. I would wait a good 4 to 6 weeks. They the skin stretch,let things drop,as they will. Try to work on any scar tissue. You will.most likely have more on the cancer side,if it was only 1 side. Massage,massage,massage.
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Blessthis.. that is a lot of CCs . Can the doctor maybe use numbing spray or a pinch of lidocaine? Not sure if either of those will help after the fill. I'm wondering if what you are feeling is not a nerve but traditional and typical fill pain,especially if you are stretching too fast?
Things that have helped me.. wearing a soft bra to bed,very supportive during the day. Using a heating pad as frequently as possible. Warm showers followed by vitamin e gel or BIO oil, both are available in any drug store in the face cream section. Let your skin vet loose before another fill. That tightness should not last long. If it is,you may be too fast.
As far as med recommendation,you need to use what works best for you. Hugs!
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Thise are huge fills Blessed and Gram. I’m going to ask my PS about the size of fill week.
Blessed that sounds terrible hitting the nerve. How is this possible, whenever they fill they insert in the same exact spot? Valium will definitely take the edge off. But if you have never taken it, it will probably zonk you. I needed multiple MRIs before my BMX and I’m very claustrophobic. My Dr. prescibed Xanax and Valium. Got me through that like a charm. I’m super medication sensitive and Valium does not bother me in the least. Best of luck Blessed
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I’m defintely going to get BIO and try the massage. Hoping it works to help stretch. Thanks for the tip
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gram - you can also use Palmer's Cocoa Butter, I like the one in the tub - not the lotion - if you have trouble locating Bio Oil.
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Hello ladies! I had the dreaded fill today, and it wasn't bad! I contribute it to the Valium I took before the visit, but the fill itself was a bit more uncomfortable than the last. I think reading all the posts about the last fills being the hardest fed my anxiety. I took 5mg of Valium before I left home, and another 5 before I went into the office. Worked like a charm. Also, I didn't feel the needle in either breast, so that helped with my needle phobia as well. I asked him how many more ccs I had to go. He said that my expander holds 500 and I am up to about 375. He told me that he wants me to start looking in the mirror more and watch to see if I get to a size that I'm comfortable with. He said he would go as long as I could handle it or decided that I'm where I want to be. He also said (before the fill) that I was about a B, close to a C. He wants me to continue to wear sports bras for support, and since it seems I'm buying a new one every week, I bought a DD yesterday so I could wear it awhile and not be smashing them between fills. Not sure what kind of pain I am filling just above my rib cage, but I hope it goes away. I have had it before, but it had stopped until today.
Gramto4: My fills were weekly and until today, I had 100ccs for each fill. I had a lot of skin, so I feel like that made the fills more tolerable. Today he brought in 100, but stopped at 75 when I told him it was getting pretty tight. I feel like I could have handled the whole 100, but after reading your post, I thought it best to not take the chance on being miserable the next few days. My next fill will be a week from today. I can't imagine going every 4 days! Last week I had the whole week off, and I certainly enjoyed the break. I hope you are finally getting some relief.
GAMomma: I actually asked about the lidocaine and the nurse said she didn't think they even had it, which I find very odd. I haven't had any problems with the stretching really, and since I'm not sure I really know what a muscle spasm feels like, I could have been experiencing the normal pains of the fills. I just know that when the needle hit, that's when the pain started and it went up my arm as well. Today was much better though, so I don't think I'll dread future fills near as much. I have been using coconut oil on my foobs,and as much as I like the idea of it, I can't tell if it really does anything or not. My skin has changed horribly since surgery and no matter how much I slather on, it feels like snake skin. I feel like it is most likely because my foobs never get to breath unless I am in the shower, because he has me wearing a sports or surgical bra 24/7. I used Palmers on my preggo belly and I really liked it. Maybe I'll try that instead of the coconut oil. Hope you are doing well and having a blessed day. Thank you both for responding! It helps so much to be able to talk with someone who is or has gone through these things, and I have been so much more prepared for all of this because of these communities. Blessings to all, and hang in there!
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CBK: Not sure how things have changed since the first fill and what I felt was him hitting a nerve, except that maybe as the fill moved the muscle or skin, it missed the nerve the next time? I don't even know if it's possible, but I can tell you that the first time was horrible and it began as soon as he stuck the needle in and before the fill began. I'm glad you told me about the Valium helping. I have 5mg tablets and I am super sensitive to meds as well. I remembered taking one not long after I was released from the hospital and that it didn't really affect me horribly or even make me rest enough to sleep good. This morning I took 5mg before I left home and another 5 when I got to his office. You're right, it worked like a charm! I'll be glad when all of this is over because this is the most I've taken prescription drugs in my life, and although I'm down to taking something once a week before fill, I'm ready to toss it all and be done with it. I am thankful for the Valium and think I may take one before bed. I have my first road trip since surgery tomorrow, and I want to be able to rest and be comfy for a day trip to Cincinnati. Thanks for responding! Have a blessed day!
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BLESSEDINTHISMESS- Glad to hear that your fill went well and you were wise not to take anymore than 75 to avoid what I experienced. I find that physical therapy has helped so much and I’m now feeling much better. I have the next fill one week from today and I will be asking the PA to only put in 30 cc’s and see how it feels before she puts in more. If I feel any pressure or tightness then I will say stop and wait another week. Have you started any PT yet
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I had 60cc's for each of my fills except one. They did 100 cc's for one. It was tolerable but a bit uncomfortable compared to the rest. I took pain pills prior to each fill. And then after they wore off I took muscle relaxers as needed to help me through.
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Blessed.. I'm thrilled to hear things went well. The fills sometimes have a mind of their own. After one of my fills,I have 500 ccs max.. currently I have a little more then 500. He added extra so he had extra space for a few fixes.I need more build up in my left. I only had cancer in my right but the scar tissue is bad on my right side. He wants to add more stability to the left. It does not project like the right. Anyway I currently have DD's plus. Way too big for my frame. I am little. I'm 4'11,about a size 6,wear a size 3 ring and have baby feet size children's size 3.5. I look like a porn star,lol. I will not have that size in the end,probably a C,which is good.
Anyway.. I'm glad you are doing better.
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Gramto4: I am REALLY glad I didn't take anymore than 75ccs. Yesterday was my first road trip since surgery, and wow! I was walking through IKEA thinking my foobs were going to fall off and roll down the isle! It's the first time I've ever had pressure pain from a fill. I'm praying that the pressure only continues to ease. I FEEL like I'm already a DD, and I doubt I'm even a good C yet. I was so excited to be breezing through all of the fills thus far, but now it's a whole new ballgame. I won't try to be superwoman anymore. I'll take it slow and easy. I can't imagine having 540ccs! I don't think I could make it that far. I'm about 5'2 and a little thick at 135lbs, so I would like to be a decent cup size to offset my big butt and post c section gut. I never wanted a boob job, but now that I am having to go through this, I will try to get back to my normal size if possible. I'm 48, so I'm all done having babies (although my last surprise came at 44 😳) and I've been with my husband for 30 years, so it's only a matter of me being comfortable with me. I haven't started PT and he hasn't even mentioned it. I am ready to get started, but he is not rushing anything because he is an overly cautious perfectionist. Next week is my last week with him. He is moving to Florida, and although I am devastated, he assures me that his associate has the same vision and will take good care of me. I'm not as anxious for my fill next week, but I've already begun counting the days. If the pressure pain isn't anymore than this week, I can handle it without pain meds and nurse it with ibuprofen. (I hope) Looking forward to seeing how your next fill goes. Have a blessed day!
GAMomma: I'm cracking up over your "porn star" comment! I'm curious to see if I will have to stretch that much to be a good C. I think my expanders max out at 500 as well, but I'm not sure I can handle that much. Even worse, I may explode and splatter this ugly mess everywhere! Seriously though, maybe I have longer to go than I thought. Somehow I was optimistically thinking I could be done with the fills and even have my exchange around my birthday in September. I think he said he would wait 6 weeks after the last fill to do the exchange. Whatever the case, you have inspired me. If your teeny body can handle it, I can make my chubby one do it too! The worst part for me is taking meds to get through it. I hate taking pain meds and I was ready to be all done with them. I'll just have to put on my big girl panties and do what I have to do. No one said this journey would be easy, but rather than complain, I need to be thankful. I have it so much easier than most of the ladies going through this. I don't take that for granted for one moment, and I thank God everyday for the blessings I've had through it all. Now I'm all up in my feelings again. Lol. I'm taking it easy today and I may go out to find the Bio oil everyone keeps talking about. I need to lube these puppies up, and I don't think the coconut oil is doing the trick. I hope you have a blessed day as well!
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Yay Blessed!! Glad the Valium took the edge off.
I had my BMX a year ago and I just had my last fill yesterday. You can go as slow as you need to as well! But I’m happy it’s going well for you!!
These tissue expanders are like rocks. I have silicone implant on right side now. It’s so much more comfortable for those that don’t believe it could be so!!
My plastic surgeon told me a story of a patient that had the expanders in for 10 years. I was like you have to be kidding me? Nope.
Good luck ladies.
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CBK: Bless your heart! You’ve been doing this for awhile! After my last fill, I definitely won’t be in a hurry. I will be going back to work in August, and although I don’t want to spend my whole summer break visiting the PS for fills, I would like to enjoy some of it with my kiddos without being miserable all the time. As far as the lady who had expanders for 10 years, NO WAY!
I have been trying to get back to some kind of normal, and driving sure helps a lot. I can’t work my toddler’s car seat very well, but I’ve learned how to do some other things without hurting myself or compromising my cinderblocks. I figured out that if I wear high wedged shoes, I can reach the kitchen sink better and wash dishes without pain. They also allow me to reach the microwave, which is just above my head. Wooden spoons are great to push the buttons on the stove, and I’ve pretended to be Little Mermaid since surgery, by using a fork as a back, head, and arm scratcher.
I think things will be so much better when I can get out and do more with my 4 year old. My 17 year old just got his driving permit, so he enjoyed chauffeuring me around all day today, but it’s usually just my little guy and me. I’ve sure missed that. I don’t know how you ladies with more than one toddler do it. He has done very well, and has been very careful around mommy’s “booboos”, but I long to be able to hold and cuddle with him like I used to. That has been the hardest part. Also not being able to hold my 10 month old granddaughter.
On another random note, I did get the Bio oil today, and I love the stuff! I have been massaging it on my foobs with hopes it will make next week’s fill a little less painful, or at least help the skin to stretch better. If it helps the scars like it says it will, BONUS! Sorry for the lengthy jabber. This feed is about expanders, but I’ve included my whole life here. 🙄
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Blessed.. I understand the pain meds. I cannot take nsaids due to an active ulcer. I also had gastric bypass in 2003,so that complicates meds also. I think it was day 6 of my post mastectomy and I did not have pain meds. I'm so sensitive with meds. They gave me diladid for pain for 3 days. 3 days,that's it. It was rough. Many people can step down to tornado,a non narcotic, or Motrin,again both Nsaids,so none. This made recovery very very slow. Cherish that pain med.lol
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Bio Oil is the bomb. I use it on my face too. I work with my 23 yr old daughter who looks young. They always think we are sister's 😁
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No way GAMomma! Everyone says my 21 year old daughter is my twin. I don’t see it so much, but she is already jealous that I’ll have perkier boobs than hers when this is all over. Shoot! I’m gonna start using it on my face too! I never get tired of hearing that I don’t look 48. If Bio oil will help keep those compliments coming, I’m in!
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here are pics. 6 months or less
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pics!
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Blessed- you are entitled to whatever you want to share. It’s all put a big smile on my face.
I think you have an incredible attitude so it’s going to carry you through any and all bumps on the breast reconstruction road!
I went out and bought my bio oil today. Ha!
We are all indeed blessed to be here and sharing.
GAMom- Beautiful family and beautiful life!
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