continued Tissue expander pain!!

It has been quite enlightening to read your posts.  Thank you so much for sharing.

I had bil.mast.12/06 and chemo from Feb.07 to July,24.  I had 120 cc fills x 2 times and then developed mild lymphedema(had lymph node dissection with mast.).  Anyway, ps stopped filling until after chemo.  So, the day has come.  Tomorrow I am getting large amt.(he didn't say how large) instillation of saline.  He told me to come in early to get some valium for muscle relaxation before the fill.  I am getting nervous reading about all this pain.  I didn't have much pain with previous fills.  I have obligated myself to work Thurs and Fri.  Maybe that's an oops. LOL.  I am a RN and will be working post-op care.  Oh well, I have a high pain tolerance and hope it all works out. 

Thanks for the info.  I also was hoping to have recon done in Nov., but now have doubts as some of you have been told to wait several weeks after fills.  I will ask my ps tomorrow.  I will let you all know how it goes.  Sammie Kay

Hi ladies,

o.k.....I am convinced now that something is wrong with me. Somebody started another thread and some in there are getting 100 at a time!! What is wrong with me? My chest feels like there is a 400 lb man sitting on it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just got another 50 cc's in each side today at 3:30 and I am very, very uncomfortable. It's not to the point of crying but, it's hard to breath and I can't believe the pressure on my chest.

I didn't have any filled after my bi-mast. I've done 50 cc's each time. I am up to 550 as of today. He says I need another 200 (extra) to get to a full B.

I am very concerned because mine are ....spread out...they are almost under my arm pits. And, I freaking hurt. I don't think I can handle another 200 cc's. Seriously. I've had two pain pills since I got home and just poured a glass of wine hoping it would kick the pain pills into 5th gear. Man.....I can't believe you girls who did so much at a time. Isn't it weird how different we all are??

I mean, I'm no baby.....the double mast was nothing (not really) but I was driving myself around in a week. This expander stuff is really hurting me. I put the lidoderm patches on too and this time they aren't doing crap.

I really don't think I can handle another 200.

Plus, my hysterectomy is scheduled for 10/3. God....I can't wait for this freaking year to be over.

Have a good nite ladies. I am definitely taking an ativan tonight!

Traci

Well Ladies, I have been reading all your posts and preparing myself for surgery.  Your experiences have really helped me understand what I will be dealing with.  I had a single mast April 06 and have now just decided to have reconstruction.  Met with the ps and set a date for Oct 22 to start the expansion process.  Yesterday my oncs nurse called and said they didn't want me to start it yet as I have a CT scan in November to see if any of the spots on my liver (which they saw in July) have changed.

I am really bummed out as I was really ready to get this started.  I will continue to follow your paths and hope all of you get the new breasts you deserve.

Traci, I am so sorry about the pain you are experiencing, but I really know how you feel!!  but the last 2 fills I took xanax 0.5mg just prior to my appt. and it really helped- believe me I would almost have a panic attack just dreading going to my fill because I was so scared of the pain and discomfort.  The PS gave me the muscle relaxer flexaril-but I can't take that med it makes me feel horrible- IMO the xanax works much better, I find it relaxes me and my chest muscle , making the fill so much easier.  I also have been alternating tylenol ES and advil every 4 hrs- and have not had to take anymore xanax since my fill. I got 75cc fill yesterday and so far I am doing good.   Hope this helps..  Susan

I kept telling myself that it would be worth it in the end. Being on the other side now, I can tell you that it definitely is!

I was so miserable with my expanders. My doctor wanted to expand slowly, so that I wouldn't have too much pain. He said that he found that most women can tolerate 60cc's at a time. I ended up begging him for double fills (120cc's) twice, in order to speed things up, and I was absolutely miserable, especially the second time. He would give me no more than 50cc's at a time after that, and I didn't feel much with those final fills.

At the very end I started taking Advil about one hour before my fills. That helped. I was afraid to take Advil before most of the fills because I was afraid that it might cause bleeding. At the very end, I chanced it because I was too afraid of the pain. You should ask your doctors, though, before you do it. I also took 0.25 mg. of Xanax, and that relaxed my muscles.

I feel so bad for all of you who are having so much pain with the expansions. Please know that the exchange surgery is easy, the relief is immediate (at least it was in my case), and it will be totally worth it in the end! Keep those thoughts in mind all the time. It will help you get through it.

I heard that some women can only tolerate 20cc's at a time. It's a drag to have the expanders in for a long time, but I would think that it's better to have tiny fills, take longer to expand, and not have the severe pain.

Good luck to all of you. Just remember......it really will be worth it in the end!

I just noticed that I'd already posted some of the same info in this thread. My memory has been the pits lately!

Traci,

Just saw your post been sick, hows yours & everyone else pain? Since I've become allergic to about everything, heres what works for me best for both reconstruction pain (few years ago) and mets pain now. I take 2 or 4mg of dilaudid and morphine liquid for break through pain. For reconstruction pain dilaudid and ativan worked the best because ativan helps relax and dilaudid goes directly to pain without the "high antsy" feeling.

pss Sorry girls......

Sociologist....I am right there with you with them being under the armpits. I asked my ps about that and he said that some women liked it that way and I said "well, I don't!!"

Hey Traci,

Before the surgery I was a "D". (I had a breast reduction 12 years ago to get down to that size. Little did I know I could've waited and nature would take care of that!). After the mast the PS did a lift on the right and now a full "C". He's going to do another revision though because it's off center (kinda like the expander) and every time I put my right arm down I hit my boob! I'm with you in that I don't want boobs under my arms; they'd make my clothes fit funnier than they do now. I went for another fill Friday (120cc) and am at 640. PS wants me at 800 to make sure he has enough to cover the implant and build me a nipple (at this point they can keep the damned nipple).  I'm having the swap December 18th. As far as the pain goes, I'm definitely not superwoman...if I wasn't allergic to codeine, darvon, vicodan, percodan and oxycontin, I'd be eating those babies like M&M's!!!! Every breath I take is painful but a girl's gotta breathe! Hope you're getting some relief. Take care.

Margaret

I finally get the memory gel silicone implant put in Monday.  The fills did not hurt me at all, he did 50cc at a time. The expanders were uncomfortable though cause they were so hard.  Hope everyone is doing well and pain free now.

Traci,

I wanted to tell you ...the hysterectomy is the best thing ever!!!!! No more waisting money on all of the things we need for it. In one of my really angry pre-hyst moments I figured out I'd probably spent $15,000 on sanitary products (waaaaay too much time on my hands!). Hope your armpit boob is feeling better.

Margaret

Hey Ladies,

Well, my pain has subsided. However, I am suppose to go in tomorrow and get more. I don't want to. My last fill was Thurs last week and I just started feeling better yesterday.

I had my pre-op for my hysterectomy today. She was doing an EKG and she said "something must be wrong, do you feel o.k.?" and I said "I'm having a hot flash!" I guess my hot flash made the machine freak out. lol.....After it went away, my EKG was normal. I thought that was pretty funny.

Anyway, I guess tomorrow I'll decide on the fill.....I really can't imagine 4 more. But damn it......the one thing that kept a smile on my face (well, sorta) after my dx was that I was going to have decent size boobs!!! Now, if I keep being such a baby....I'm gonna end up smaller than before.

You know, I forgot to ask and forgive me if it's a stupid question but.....does everyone have their expanders under their muscles??

I hope you guys are all doing o.k.

: ) Traci

ps Margaret, I just hope I don't start growing hair on my face (more than I already have) and the hot flashes don't get worse. Also, two of my sisters who both have had hysterectomies thanks to this horrid disease cancer....complain about their sex lives after. They say sex hurts.

Traci, Your comments make me smile--and I mean that in a good way.  It makes me feel better about my upcoming bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction.  I have DCIS (grade 3) and I never ever want to have it return or become invasive...