continued Tissue expander pain!!

Jean, please don't be scared of recon. I have not had that much pain with my surgery and recon. I only took the prescription pain medicine when I knew that the PS was taking out the drains or sutures, as well as when I was too active right after surgery and did not rest properly. When he did a 100cc fill on me 3 weeks after surgery he asked if I needed any more pain meds. He normally did my fills slower (60cc at a time) but thought he would try more. I did have some discomfort after the 100 and asked to go back to 60. I left the hospital June 4 with a prescription for 30 oxycodone and I still have 6 or 7 pills left. I took one the other night because I worked too much on a yard sale and my back was sore.

Sheila

Jean - all of us have had differerent experiences with both the surgery and the expansion.  I took my share of pain meds the two following weeks after my bi-lateral, but I know people who just took tylenol.  I had my first fill of my expanders this past Monday (100cc) and had really no pain at all.  My chest was a little sore during the night sleeping, but not anything bad at all.  And after three weeks of a very flat chest, I will take a little discomfort to see some small mounds starting to appear!  It sounds so silly, but I can't wait to feel good in my clothes again.  And then the question remains....  how long will I feel that I have to wear a shirt while making love with my husband!  It is me, not him.  Does anyone else feel this way or am I just crazy?

Jean,

   A recliner is a must!  I've been out of it few over a week but after this 2nd fill I might use it again. 

   I haven't heard this question posted.  After my 2nd fill, my prosthetic is too big to wear so I'm back to being uneven.  My next fill is next week so I'm not going to get a new every week.  I've been wearing "busy" shirts so it's not too noticeable but I feel it is.  Any suggestions?

Hey Ladies!

Tina, it took me awhile to figure out OTOH but I did!!!

Guess what!??? I found the cure! I went to my GP today. She is so cool. She is my age and I really like her alot. I went to her with my lump and teared up when she felt it. Anyway.........

She was running late today. I waited 45 minutes. When she walked into the room I just started crying. I was so uncomfortable with the expanders. We talked and she prescribed Lidoderm patches!

I went and got them immediately. I cut them so I could place them wear the pain was ..... everywhere but my scars..... and it was about 15 minutes when I started feeling relieved. Two hours later....and I just feel a little tight. I am stretching without wincing and can't wait to call her tomorrow to tell her what a wonderful doctor she is!!!

Lidoderm patches ladies!!!!!!!!

Woo Hoo!!

dpbrown, what the heck is a VS Ipexx line?

katesf, can you scroll up and see my question about cleavage? Does anyone else have cleavage?

I hope everyone is doing o.k.

Hugs, Traci

Jean, Tina is right. Not everyone has that kind of pain with expanders and not everyone gets sick with chemo. I just had an expander fill yesterday and am taking it easy with some Ibuprofen today. It is worth being uncomfortable to me to get as "normal looking" as possible after all this.

Count on having an uncomfortable day or two after each fill and you should be just fine! My doc always says that he doesn't give martyr points so ask for pain meds if you need them. And I do!

For what it's worth....

~Dorie

Traci,

The VS Ipex is the Victoria's Secret bra that my surgeon told me to get.  I was really frustrated trying on bras because none of them really fit me.  The Ipex fits perfectly!  Looks really good and I do have cleavage.  Problem is, my mastectomy scars and drain tube scars are still sensitive so I go braless 99% of the time for comfort. 

I'm learning there's no such thing as a stupid question (I've asked them all!). My PS put 100cc's in the expander to come home with. Due to the swelling though it was barely noticable. I'm at 520cc's now and look lopsided (don't care though, much better that than cancer). The expander is much higher than my other breast  because it hasn't settled down yet. Looking at it naked is funny because the expander side kinda starts at my collarbone and stops just where it'll eventually settle.

I did decide to do a reduced work schedule and than goodness the college is supportive. I'm only having to go to school 2 days a week and teach from home the rest of the week. This will be much easier on me for sure. Katie, thanks for the tip on the EAP (by the way, I live in a suburb of New Orleans LA). I did go back to work way too soon...4 weeks after surgery and boy was it difficult! My students and the college have been great about all of this.  I was just concerned that they'd tell me no and hire someone else to do the job I love.

Moogie, I've never heard of gabapentin...where do I find it? I'll try anything to help alleviate all of these symptoms.

Urbie, I wore a shirt the first few times. I didn't even want to see my frankenstein-like scars and I wasn't comfortable with hubby seeing them either. He actually asked me to remove my shirt if I was comfortable and I figured what the hell...we've been married 32 years and he's seen everything else and been through everything with me so why not. I'm still a bit self conscious with being naked but it is getting better. I especially like to look at myself on the day after I have the fill. It's weird when they do it because you can actually see the size increase before your eyes (kinda like blowing up a balloon!).

You ladies are great. Yall have a good night.

Margaret

Melanie, I'm so glad I'm not the only one with a "boob" near my neck! It's really funny though especially when I wear a scoop necked tee shirt because you can see I've got quite a boob going on there! I'm so glad to hear the exchange brings an end to this stuff. I'm going for mine December 17th and I can't wait.  Did you have any issues after the swap? How does it feel in your chest or do you even notice it? I feel the softball in my chest now every time I move. I don't know how you did it with both sides being sore...my hat's off to you on that one. I feel like a ninny most of the time whining about my piddling stuff whe I see so many others going through much worse things than I. I guess it's all relative though...each one of us has had a unique experience that's brought us together for support and for that, I'm so thankful. Take care.

Margaret 

Jean, the only stupid question is the one not asked. My PS uses AlloDerm to create a pocket to cover the bottom and outside of the expander and by using that he can put some saline in at the time of surgery. He initally told me he would try to get 100cc in but after surgery he said he got 200cc in. I think that he underestimates prior to surgery so you won't be dissapointed if he cannot get the original amount in he said.

My expanders were uneven at first, but as the fills progressed, they evened out. My PS also said that they would be even after the exchange. I also was uncomfortable with my husband seeing my scars but he said I have to live with you on weekends (he is trucker), I will see it sooner or later. I let him see it after the first week.

I agree that it is unusual to see it the day of expansion, like a balloon blowing up. My husband also said he liked coming home on weekends after a fill to see how big I had gotten.

I go back the 27 to the PS and talk about exchange.

Sheila

Taking a pain pill occasionally will not get you dependent. Last fall I had a lumpectomy for precancer and was given a presc for 20 vicotin, I still have 10 of those left. I had a prescription for 30 oxycodone when I left the hospital June 3. I still have 3 or 4 left. I took them when I needed them, usually when I had overdone and was hurting. My PS even asked if I needed a refill in July when he did a larger fill on me than before and I told him that I still had about 6 left. You will only get dependent on them if you let them become dependent. If you need them, use them.

Sheila

Shiela



Isn't AlloDerm experimental and not coverd by insurance? If so, was it terribly expensive?



I have developed a lot of pain on my left side, breast, under my arm, (Possibly the nodes) and I cannot rest my left arm against my body without experiencing pain. I really fear my pre-op chemo was a failure.



I switch onc after TX 2, and my new onc said surgery should have been perform frist, then followed with chemo, TAC not TC. Having chemo first was just wasting valuable time. I think it was a failure and the tumors continue to grow. By the way, my first onc, never informed me that my PET/CT (done prior to starting chemo), showed more growths!



Thanks for your help, I am so very frightened.

I could not deal with the pain I was having so I had my expanders removed when the ps went back in to do some scab clean up.  I felt 100 % better after so have decided not to do any recon.  My onc said that the surgeons need to "fix" my chest as they left me at a "first stage recon" The surgeon didn't like that so he sent me to another onc for a second opion & she agreed withe the first onc.  I see my surgeon on the 21st to see if the are going to "fix" me.  The onc said I would have too many problems down the road since I am also diabetic.  I haven't slept in a bed for more than 2 hours since my bi-lat in May.  My recliner is my new best friend.

I had them in for 2 - 3 weeks.  My incision was not healing together so they when back in to a redo.  I decided then I was in too much pain to do the recon & had them remove the expanders.  I decided that since I was flat when I came into this world, I can go out flat

Ive had two fills already but even before the first one I was really wondering if it's worth it.   I have rib pain along with a terribly painful spot near where the drainage tube was.  Today my pt looked at it and thought it looked funky.  My ps "poo pooed" it last week.

I am starting to really stress about the thought of going through another operation - what I've read, the exchange sounds encouraging but i also will get a reduction on the other side.  what can I expect from that?

Lidocaine patches ladies......I'm telling you, they work.

 I was ready to give up.....now, I'm all better. Oh yea...hydrocodone too. : }

Traci