continued Tissue expander pain!!

Hanna



Thanks for reminding me to take only 1/4. I will not take a whole Oxycodone again. I have only taken 2, in my entire life, and that was after my surgery. I got so sick I forgot about the pain. I'd rather have pain than the nausea. What ever I take, the Valium or Oxy, I think I will take a Compazine before I hit the pillows. As sore as my chest is I cannot imagine having to spend the night leaning over the toilet.

For the new folks, take a look at the previous posts, I think you will find that there is not one solution to all and that there is not even one solution that will continually work for one person.

For me early on the pain was due to the expanders pressing into the soft tissues. The first couple fills took care of this. But then it was the muscle spasms from the stretching pectoralis and serratus muscles, and sharp pains from the pulling where the pectoralis muscles attach at the bottom. Then came the bulging out on the sides, which made sleeping difficult. Nearing the final expansions there was the intercostals muscle spasms from the pressure against the ribs (I do think this was the worst because the pain meds did not work and it was even hard to breath). So at each point I would search and find what worked at that moment -stretching, massage, sauna, hot water bottle, gentle resistance training, walking, stretching, pain and relaxation meds, laying on my tummy exercise, modified support bra, whining to my husband, -I think that is it, oh, please do not attempt to shovel heavy snow from the sidewalk, or slip on the ice –I did both and cost some major pain for about 1 wk each time. At each point I thought, “Ah, now I got this thing under control” when the next fill would bring something else and what worked before no longer worked. Its such a long process and I did get very frustrated at points and just laid in bed – which for me is exactly the wrong thing to do as I then just dwell on my discomfort and get even more down. For me a couple weeks after the final fills (around the first part of January –save for one more mid Jan) things did loosen and relax and now it is very comfortable. No pain and I can sleep on my sides. Only thing at this point I am fed up with them because they are hard, unnaturally wide, and have side bulges. I am tired of wearing baggy high neck cloths and am so looking forward to my exchange on the 11th.

I guess the point I am making is this: TAKE IT ONE FILL AT A TIME! Expect things to constantly change getting difficult then easier then difficult again. Just get through any way you can and remember that the discomfort does end eventually – for some its when the fills are done, for others it is when the exchange is complete, then for a few others it seems its sometime after the exchange.

For those of us closer to the exchange point and are worried about the outcome:
I spoke with my PS a couple days ago about the wide space between the expanders. He said that because I have the skin/nipple saving mastectomy we have to take into consideration the current position of the nipples. He said we can go with a wider base implant and close the sides in a little, this will move them together about 1 cm each. So for me there will be a bit of a space, but he assures me that it won’t be out of the range of normal. This suggests though for those of you without the nipple position problem theoretically the spacing should end up perfect, because the nipples can be placed in exactly the right location after the permanent implants have settled into position. Also, I have this very sharp concave dip around the top and inside edge of the expander. He said that this is solely a function of the expander and that the permanent implants will have a much more gradual and natural slope. I am really hoping that this is true, otherwise it will be high necked shirts forever!

Good luck everyone and have a happy weekend.
Jani

LInda - you're only going to 250cc, are you sure? That sounds like such a small amount. I am up to about 400 and will be having one more fill before the exchange. I told my PS I did not want to be as big as I was, a D. You should have seen his face when I said a B would be just fine.



For some reason they what to over expand you before they do the exchange. I just don't understand this thinking. They over stretch our skin then cut it off, leaving our "breast" skin much thiner than I'd want it to be.

I don't liek to mix one drug with another so I only try one pain pill at a time. I have everything thing from Oxy to Tylenol w/ Cod form my surgery as nothing worked. (all gave me nausea) This time I am starting with the less powerful and only before I go to bed. If it doesn't work, I'll try the more powerful tomorrow. (note how late it is...I am still up and getting a stomach ache from the meds I took an hour ago.

Denise, I am so glad to hear that you are doing better. I was a D pre mast, I will be happy with B or C, I just worry that they will look normal like.

Jean, as a rule my PS does not over expand. He does not feel that it makes a difference in the final outcome. All PS's have different experiences and different ways of doing things. You just got to trust that your PS is doing the best thing for your own situation.

I am so lucky that I can take any pain killers- no stomach problems. The last 3 months would have been so much harder for me without them. I guess just keep trying ones from different classes, hopefully you will find one that takes away the pain without adding some other discomfort.

I got a message from Teri. She asked me to let you all know that she is doing okay. She is really busy with the new job training and will post when she gets a chance.

Take care,

Jani 

Nancy

Did you experience the pain in the morning? if so did you sleep, or attempt to, on your side? I had a lot of pain one morning after trying to sleep on my side. I had intended to just lay that way for a little while, hoping to relieve the pain my back but I feel asleep. In the morning, the pain was radiating under my arm and around to my back.

Hey Nancy I did have pain that began in the front, between the ribs and migrated around the back. I too thought something was going on, but then it slowly went away. I concluded that with one muscle in spasm for days at a time the other muscles are called on to do more work and that eventually puts them into spasm too. I get intercostal muscle spasms if I don't take care of my asthma right away. If these muscles even have to work slightly harder to breath for long enough (a few hours) eventually they spasm and it does feel just like this pain from the expanders. Though I started these latest expander related spasms by shoveling a whole lot of heavy snow from the walks, I think I just over used them. I hurt all over my chest for several days, but these intercostal muscle spasms lasted about 2 weeks, or maybe 10 days. I thought they would never leave.

The lying on your tummy exercise has been very useful for me. I only did it after the main pain of the expansion was past - about 3 days after and then I did it very carefully, making sure the pressure is even on the whole front. I started at about 1 min and worked up to 3 min between expansions. (I followed my PS’s advice – if it feels okay do it if it becomes uncomfortable stop). Then after the expansions were over and things loosened up I found that 15 min was comfy. Now I can sleep on my tummy without too much problem. I find that with any position though -side, back, tummy I can sleep for a couple hours then it does not matter how I am laying my expanders become uncomfortable and I have to move to a new position. I was surprised to find that even laying on my back became a problem since things have loosened and relaxed. I think because of the weight of them pulling side ways. I also try not to lie on my back too much because I worry that the expanders will pull apart even further - they are already so wide! Needless to say I only get about 2 (4 hr on a good night) stretches of sleep at a time.

Counting the days till Feb 11th!!!

Take care,

Jani

Teri:

That is only 1 week away! I am so excited for you. You will have to tell us all about it as soon as you feel up to it. I think I am more nervous about this surgery than I was about the mastectomy. I had thought that would be hard emotionally, but it turned out to be very easy. I remember feeling just so relieved and free from the worry that bc was going to be a part of my life. Now its a whole different ball-game (as my dad would say). Do you have someone to help with the kids for the first week? My sister called yesterday and said that she will come afterall. I am so happy. I was not looking forward to a week alone in a hotel in a strange city having had surgery.

Have a good week. Get lots of rest - yah, right! with kids and a new job and all!  Well, call on all your resources. This tough patch is almost over for you, heres to smooth sailing on the other side!

Jani

Hey ladies,

Greeting from cold, cold, Michigan...

Well I received a call from my ps today from downstate, my exchange is now scheduled for the 8th of February. Tomorrow I go in for my final fill at my local ps, I'm not looking forward to that appointment, he has to put 75cc in each one to get the overfill that the ps downstate wants. Pain here we come!!! Then right from my appointment I have to drive with DH 2 hours to the airport to go to Atlanta for 4 days. At least I get to relax for 4 days in a hotel room and just read, while DH has to go play with dead body parts...Gross but true....glad it's him and not me. (remember he's a dr. they need so many hours of training each year to stay board certified).

Anyways...that's my good news of the day, exhange day is almost here!!!!

I'm taking my laptop to Atlanta, so I'll talk to you all soon.

Sharon

Teri

I had all the same emotions very nervous but excited. I say the third day I was able to  finally get out of bed without too much pain. At that point it was only my rib cage that was achy. I also have to wear this sports type of bra with an ace bandage on top of that . So its 

much more pressure on my chest. I have to wear that for 2 more weeks. Its a pain but its what you have to do. Today i lifted something heavy (stupid me), and now I am so sore .I felt like I split the stitches open. It was just yesterday that the ps told me to slow it down and behave because I was doing too much too soon. DUH!!!! Anyway Teri I did wind up with a small b its okay . My bc was very close to the skin so after removing a good majority of the skin  thats what I was able to stretch  to. My right still seems to be bigger than the left even after the procedure for the hematoma. They had to suction out some of the fluid. He did say yesterday that its still swollen but looked good. 3 days might work for you.. I am just fortunate enough to take the week off. I go back on Monday and I am scared I have been off for 5 months now. I hope I can make it though the day. I get very tired quickly. Today was the first day that I forced myself not to nap.They look so much better than those hammerheads. They are getting rounder and fuller as they heal. I just don't care for the part under my underarm looks very wrinkly. He said we have to wait and see how it heals, and sometimes you have to have another minor surgery to kinda smooth things out. I don't think I would even go that route I don't want anymore surgery's anymore.

Jani , Teri cant wait for your exchanges you will be so happy I promise you !!!!

Denise

Denise: Glad to hear you are feeling better. What do you mean the wrinkly part under your arm? It that wrinkly skin, or is there something else.

I have to stay in a hotel because I do not live in San Diego. I live permanently now in Canada (hey Teri I used to live in NM – Alb), but am currently spending the year abroad in Norway. I knew I needed this surgery, but kept putting it off because I did not know a PS that I could truly trust. But then the latest lumps and biopsies scared me even more so I finally got serious. I drew up a list of qualifications that I wanted in a PS (lots and lots of experience in mast, recon, normal augments, up on the newest research and techniques and information, and treats me with respect and answers all of my questions thoughtfully and carefully (not arrogant and superior). I searched on line in Canada, US, Norway, Sweden, and France. I got a short list and then interviewed several on the phone and through email. I finally settled on one in San Diego. My PS started his career in a bc clinic doing masts and reconstruction, and has worked for years in normal breast augmentation/reductions/revisions (by his pictures does beautiful work). So he has lots of experience in all the right areas for me and has learned from all the possible things that can go wrong and is not afraid to discuss anything with me. Treats me with respect and I am part of the team – fully informed and included in the decision making process. Kindness and empathy were not on my list of necessarily qualities, but turns out he has both of these as well, for instance during my mast while the anesthesiologist and support staff were bustling around getting ready, he was the one to tuck in a warm blanket around my legs and held my hand and rubbed my shoulder and distracted me with talk about my kids. I am sure this picture changed the moment I was out, but still that was very kind of him and it really calmed my fears. He even gave me his home number and cell and said he would be very upset to learn that I had failed to call when I needed something. So the one time I did was afternoon of Thanksgiving day, and yes, he took the call right away!

Wow, it’s Teri, Sharon then me (Jean, when is yours?). Along with Margaret and Denise’s experiences we should be able to provide lots of information for the rest of you coming up on this particular aspect. I don’t know about you but I love reading about other people’s experiences that have preceded us.  Every time I think about it I literally get sweaty palms and butterflies in my tummy. To not have to deal with the weight of these expanders, to sleep all night through, to wear normal clothes. I have folks coming for a site visit today, which means meetings, tours, luncheon, and dinner (and lots of stress). I normally dress in a nice suit and feel up for the occasion, but I have had to dig out something high necked and baggy, nothing fits right anymore!

My PS told me about the tummy exercise when I complained to him that I could not sleep on my side. He recommended this exercise to loosen up the entire chest area and make it more comfortable to sleep. I also read it on a very good website that I found that recommended it for after you get your permanent implants to prevent capsular contracture. You simply lay flat on you tummy applying equal pressure to you whole chest area. Even 5 min helps. And you can tell the difference after only a couple days. I asked if the weight could harm the healing and my PS said (this was after about 6 wks following surgery) no, that it was perfectly safe. Have to say that I have only done this on the bed and with a small pillow bunched up under my neck – just feels better for me. I have never felt pain from this exercise; in fact, I feel much more discomfort from lying on my side for too long.

Hey, Hanna. Haven't heard from you for awhile. Hope all is well.

Hey ladies, well I finally made it to Atlanta with DH. Before we left MI we had a major Ice storm for 2 days and all the schools were closed. It took twice as long to get to the airport!!! I had my final fill!!!!! I am soooo sore!! The plane ride did not help, and these babies are rock hard! I don't thinks once more cc could go in if they needed to add more. Right now I'm at 425 the max. My skin is so tight, I took 2 pain meds again. Did anyone have back and rib problems because it feels like the implants are just too hard? Also for the ladies who had the exchange, were did your ps make the incessions for the new implants? Margaret, will you get lot's of beads at Mardi Gras with the new ta'ta's???

Everyone stay warm, the count down now begins 8 more days.....

Sharon

Hey Sharon,

I hate Mardi Gras!!! I like being warm (it's been unusually cold and rainy here for the past few weeks) and not getting drinks/vomit/ and any number of other people's bodily fluids on my shoes so I tend to stay home, warm and dry, with a toilet I don't have to share with 100,000 other people! All of the local stations carry everything all day (as well as the travel channel). You can also go to this website to see the cameras posted on Bourbon Street (www.nola.com). I think they have a link on their page. We used to go to every one when the kids were small. I went once after Katrina to show my support but staying home this year. One of my brother's rides in Endemyon this Saturday (gorgeous floats and costumes). He usually rents a place downtown for catered food and toilets but I'll be happily nstalling new laminate floors in my house while everyone's doing their thing.

I could get lots of beads with the new boobs though; they look like they belong on a 15 year old, not somene 51! As far as the exchange, the ps went right through the mast incision. It looks really good. I keep meaning to take pics...maybe this weekend.

Laissez les bons temps rouler! (Let the good times roll!)

Margaret

Hey Teri,

You're almost done! The only thing that remotely helped with the rock-hard boob was taking flexeril for me. I took 5 mg during the day to be able to function and 10 mg at night to try and get some sleep. Took ibuprofen as well to take the edge off. You just wait...the relief is immediate and the implant is soft (and it continues to get softer as it settles). Hope all's going well with the promotion. I go today to get all the paperwork to start getting tenure. I've looked over what I have thus far and boy is it a brutal process! I'm raising my coffee cup in a toast to you for all the crap you've had to endure during this process! Take a deep breath before sending that letter! Have a good day.

Margaret

Do PS's always place the implant through the site of the old mast? I have been using Mederma for about a month trying to get ride of that scar, as I thought the implant would be inserted from the bottom rather than mid way.



Well we're almost there, personally. I have a little over 4 weeks to go.

My ps said he will use the same original scar to put the implants in so not to worry about scar care at this point.  He said once the exchange is over, he will talk to me about keeping lotion on the scar to minimize it.  He also said they think regular lotion works as well as the expensive creams specifically for scars.  He said it is more in the massage than what is in the creams.  Its the friction and rubbing that does it. 

I can't believe how close I am getting to the day!  Still not sure if DH will be home and not sure what I will do if he isn't.  My family is not dependable at all.  So......we'll see.  I'm determined to have this done with or without the man who bailed on me.'

Work is crazy and I do not have much free time right now due to the upcoming valentines day rush.  Hope everyone is well!