continued Tissue expander pain!!

Jani · February 2008

Hi sandy,
My bilbat and expander placement was on Nov 2nd 07. I started my fills 3 weeks after surgery. I finished my expansion on January 16th. My exchange surgery is on February 12th,. So for me it has been about 14 weeks. Different PSs do things differently. Like some do overfill and some don’t, some wait a month or 2 after the final fill and some don’t.

The one thing that you will read on this site that is pretty consistent for most of us is to push for small fills with a week or more between fills. I did 50 cc fills at first 5 days apart and then 7 to 10 days apart. When I had the expanders placed the PS put in 220 cc. I have expanded to 520 cc which is a bit of an over expansion for me, but I had the nipple/areola/skin saving mastectomy so I have the complication of making sure the permanent fill is sitting right in proportion and location to my nipple which at this point has mended onto the fascia overlying the muscle. As you can imagine each case is individual though. The real key to how long the whole expansion process takes is how much fill you can comfortably take each time. Some women go with 100 cc – which would have killed me! Even 50 cc caused chronic muscle spasms and discomfort. I would recommend that during the fill tell the PS to stop when you start to feel the tightness – don’t try to be heroic. And if you are still feeling very tight and spasmy when your next fill is due skip it and go to the next. I know you will be anxious to get this over with, but the chronic pain can get intense and so hard to deal with. Take it slow and take it one fill at a time.

As far as sleep, I have been able to sleep just slightly tilted on my side with a pillow behind my back during the fills, and then more fully on my sides since the final fills. The tummy exercise helped me with this. To increase sleep time the only thing I found useful is to keep changing the pressure points. So flat on your back, then a pillow under your legs, then move the pillow slightly under one side of your torso, then the other, then raise the head of the bed or use pillows to sit right up, then semi recline. I just found cycling through all these positions throughout the night to work. In fact is I still do them even though I am finished with the expansions, because over time the muscle tissue relaxes and these full expanders have become very uncomfortable from just the weight of them. Just read the past posts and find out what has worked to alleviate the discomfort for others and keep trying different things to see what works for you.

Good luck. It’s a long process that really taxes your patience and reserves, but with perseverance we do make it through to the exchange.

Sociologist · February 2008

Hi Sandy,

Sorry you have joined the club but welcome! I had a single mast 07/12/07. It took a good 6 weeks before I could sleep on my side and then about another month before I could get on my stomach (my preferred way of sleeping). I really didn't get much sleep until then. I slept maybe about 3-4 hours a night and took naps as well. This continued throughout the recon process. I had my exchange 12/18/07. I finally slept very well for 2 nights last week (6-7 hrs). This was the first time I actually slept through the night since my dx.

As far as the length of time for the recon...everyone's different because of how well you can tolerate the fills. Some of the ladies here go every week with smaller fills, others (like myself) opted for larger fills every 2 weeks, it just depends on you and how your ps likes to do things. I started with the fills in August (180cc's for the first one and 120cc's every 2 weeks until the beginning of October). I was at 760cc's and waited about 2 months before I had the exchange to let everything settle down.

The fills can be at best, difficult (they were for me anyway). It's important to listen to your body becuase it will surely tell you when you need to slow down! Not everyone has pain with the expansion process (lucky dogs!) and hopefully you will be in that number! This site has been a godsend for me; I couldm't have made it through all this without the women here.

Teri and Sharon: Hope you're both feeling well and the boob(s) look great! POst again when you feel up to it. Teri, how's the plumbing going?

Jani: You're up to bat! Hope all goes well Wednesday. Everyone here in New Orleans seems to have " the funk" that's going around. Stay away from everyone if you can before and after surgery! Sending you good thoughts of a speedy surgery and recovery!

Yall have a good day.

Margaret

jade56068 · February 2008

Hi Sandy

I can only tell you my story. I was dx early sept (6mths ago), had my bilat mast the end of the month, had to stay boobless for a month (becauce of loss of blood) and had my recon on nov.10th. I got about 90cc during my recon and then waited about 2 weeks before my first fill. I got 75cc every week after and I am getting my last one this Weds. I was lucky and had very little pain. There was a time that I couldnt sleep and I took vicaidin. My ps said that I need to wait 6 weeks after my last fill before I get my exchange surg.

Trust you body.....go as slow as you want to go. Get as much filled at a time that lets you sleep and be painfree. Everyone is different.

I hope that helped alittle

j

Sharon67 · February 2008

Well ladies I'm back and I feel like I've been ran over by a very big truck!!!! The surgery went well on Friday, I went in at 12:30 and was in recovery at 4:30. I was fine at the hospital with the med's - not sick at all, then wham, back home and have been throwing up ever since. First I was on the vicodem, but that didn't sit well and was still in alot of pain so the ps called in percoset, and that was working fine for a while but then I was praying to the tolet all day yesterday and today. I finally had to take off the bra from hell because my chest hurt more in it than out. The ps replaced the turtle shells with 350 rounds and I hope the look is just temporary because their not very big. I mean all that expansion pain....they better look better than this!!!! Also I have a question to the expander graduates: when your ps put in your implants, did they build a shelf or ledge under your new breasts? My ps told me he was doing this, but I didn't understand until I just looked at them. It's kind of like a fold under my implant to make them look natural and he tells me that it is a more natural look and they will never sag beyond that point. This is where the pain is......he told me I would be sore there, but my goodness, it feels like I have two broken ribs!!!! Thats why I took off the comando bra, the bottom was hitting the nip and tuck area. Help....any suggestions from the veterans????

Sharon

In regards to the incession area of the implants, the ps used the old area from the first surgery. This area is taped up, but the fold area under the breast is not.

lvtwoqlt · February 2008

Sharon, sorry you are having problems with the meds.

My PS used AlloDerm to create a sling during my initial surgery to help cover the bottom of the expander and the implant after the exchange surgery. I still once in a while have a pain on the lower rib on the right side but it goes away. The only place that I had bandaged after my exchange was the area where he put in the implants. The implant look will change over the next 6 months as the muscles continue to shift, what you look like now, will not be what the finished product will look like.

I actually have had people say that my boobs look real after I tell them that these are fake, my real ones tried to kill me. I had my exchange surgery last Nov 2.

Sheila

Anonymous · February 2008

Sharon

What do you mean by a "fold" under the breast? I tell you I discover something new each day and none of it seems to be good. Here I am, last fill next week, exchange surgery March 5th, and I am still in discovery mode.

All I know is I want these darn things out ASAP. I am in so much pain and it gets worse every day. I am so sick and tired of being sick and tired. I have been smearing Mediderm on three to for times a day to decrease these darn scars, and now I find out the PS will, most likely, cut the darn scars off and insert the implants in through that same area. (I thought they would be inserted from under the breast like normal implants). One step forward, two steps back.

I just discovered my BS lied to me about the number of nodes he removed. I have been having a lot of trouble with my left arm and elbow. A new Dr informed me, my elbow was damaged during the surgery. So I obtained copies of the surgericlal report and discoverd - to my horror - he removed 15 nodes on the BC side and 4 on the CANCER FREE side, a big difference from what he told me.

I feel like this BC thing will never be over and I will never have a life again.

jaz5106 · February 2008

Sheila, Jani and Margaret - Thanks for your info. I got 3.5 - 4 hrs straight thanks to a little help from Lunesta and changing the pressure points with a pillow. Better than 2 hours at a time. I'm heading off for a little nap right now.

Sharon - So sorry to hear that you are so sick. I really hope that doesn't last too much longer for you.

Jani - Good luck on Wednesday!

I know that I am new to the club, but GOD I just want to feel "normal"!

Sandy

Sharon67 · February 2008

Well ladies I learn something new everyday about BC. The wonderful lines under my new boobs are called an inframmary fold. Some ps do them, some do not. Lucky me, my folds feel like two cracked ribs because I was so small to start off with. Now that I'll someday be that big B cup, I guess I need a fold. Oh well, who knew that line had a name. I found out this information on a new web sit for us ladies with endless questions. Check out www.implantinfo.com it has tons of questions and photos for girls like us....

Sharon

Sociologist · February 2008

Hey Sharon,

So glad you posted and so very sorry about you driving the porcelan bus! My ps didn't do the fold because he said that letting the expander "rest" did the work for him. My implant still looks a bit rounder than the natural boob but you can't tell without my clothes on (and hubby doesn't really care about that!). It has dropped a bit more and is pretty much even with the reduction/lifted side. That side hurt worst than the exchange because he did some lipo for symmetry. That stuff is for the birds! It took a month for the bruises to go away. Hpefully you won't need any more pain meds and can get some reprieve from the vomiting; hanging your head in the toilet isn't fun no matter what but trying to do it when your chest hurts is hell! Thanks for the website info; going there next.

Margaret

Jani · February 2008

Hi Sharon:

Oh, I am so sorry. I was hoping that this exchange was going to be easier for you. Good luck over the next few days. I am sure that the nausea and pain will pass. I am really confused by the ''crease' that you are referring to. It really is disconcerting finding out these new things after all the reading I have done on this topic to prepare myself only to discover that there are things that I have never heard of.

I am due to be at the clinic at 7:15 tomorrow morning (my exchange is Tuesday not Wednesday - not sure if I misinformed you). I had my presurgery meeting with the PS today and was feeling pretty good about everything until I read the above. Now I am feeling a little shaken. My surgeon and I decided on the medium profile implant. He is going to have 2 different sizes ready to see which fit the best. I did learn 2 new things today. The first is that the scar capsule will be opened on top and to some degree toward the midline. Here I had thought that this expansion process was to form this nice pocket lined with scar tissue for the permanent implant. So that sounds painful! Also, I discovered that the PS could use fat cells borrowed from my tummy or back to pad the area over the top of the implant to make a more gradual slope. I gave him permission to do this if he feels he can't make the top of the implant smooth into my upper chest area with out it.

So here goes!

I will be posting as soon as I feel up to it.

Good luck over the next few days Sharon. Teri - how are you doing?

Sharon67 · February 2008

Hey Ladies,

Well today is another day, but at least I'm not praying to the toliet bowl. Yesterday I felt like I was ran over by a really big 4 wheel drive truck. Today it's just a 2 wheel!! I spoke with the ps this morning, he reminded me that I did not have "just a boob job" I had reconstruction!!!! I guess we ladies tend to forget that little information. We switched my appointment after he spoke with my DH (like I following instructions) since he's a dr. as well, they both talked about me like I wasn't standing there! When my husband got off the phone, he told me to go put the bra from hell back on and leave it on, and then to sit down and do nothing until he got home from work. They re-adjusted my meds and now at night I have to take two tynenol PM's to help me sleep with the stupid bra on. The ps also told my husband that the reason I was probably so bloated was from the surgery meds when they put me out. I didn't know they make you retain water. But like I said before, today's another day in the chair, I swear I never watch the Price is Right except after surgeries....

Talk to you all tonight.

Sharon

Anonymous · February 2008

Hi Sharon.

I hope your pain has eased up some and hope you have a comfortable night. I know what you mean about "Price is Right", try The View. Personally I can't sleep at night and really tired of watching an episode of 'Fresh Prince" for the fifth or sixth time. (Lucy is ok, even if I do know her lines as well as she did).

You're scary me, I am to have my ezxhange March 5th, but my dh just informed me our Medical Insurance is making a drastic change on March 1st. I am going to "try" and convince my PS to change the date to Friday, Feb 28th. Only issue, I have one more fill next Thursday. I guess I 'll have to change that to this week. I am not upset about moving the surgery as I want these things out ASAP.

Teribear · February 2008

sharon, i am glad you wrote...sorry you are so sick! i have never heard of that fold! you are not happy with your size? my ps put in 425 cc silicone. I don't know what i think of them. my chest is black and blue and still sore. probably from carrying in all the damn firewood. but i am working my behind off and haven't rested much. i can't wait to see what they look like when things settle down. how will they chagne i wonder?

I do hope you feel better. i am working 12 hrs shifts and just got off so i am going to sleep while i can. will check on you tomorrow1 feel better! teri

Traci-----TripNeg · February 2008

(((Margaret)))

I must confess, I didn't read everybody's posts. It's been awhile since I was on this thread.

I had my exchange at the end of Nov '07. I can't tell you how disappointed I am.

My advise is to ask your dr to draw you a pic of what he believed the side profile of your breasts will be when he puts in what he wants to put in.

I was having a lot of pain. (did I start this thread???) oops no... anyway, I gave up. The last fill was so painful I gave up. And now, I have two... sorta soft hamburger buns.

They look nothing like real breasts. My scars are indented (sp?) so wearing a tight shirt is out of the question.

My advice, if you think you need to give up before you (or your doc) originally planned..) suck it up.

I'm so mad at my doc for not telling me I would look like this. All he said was "you're going to be smaller than what you wanted."

Whatever. I HATE my reconstruction. Push your PS. Don't be embarrassed and demand perfection. (suck up the pain is my best advice. If I knew than what I'd look like now....I would have popped those pain pills like candy, regardless of how "loopy" they made me feel)

Hugs, Traci

Jani · February 2008

Hi everyone. Well it’s all over, thank goodness.

I did not sleep hardly at all last night. I worried about every little detail. Finally got up at 5:00 am, showered, dressed and went for a nice long walk. Got to the clinic at 7:00 and on the table at 8:00 am. Had a good talk with the PS before going in. We agreed that he was not locked into using the exact implants that we decided on the day before and that he would use his expertise to choose the best during surgery. Well, that was a good thing because he did change his mind. After putting in the ones we had picked he decided that it just did not look right. So he actually went with 600 cc in what I think are low profile implants. I will find out all the details tomorrow when I go for my first post op visit.

It took awhile in recovery to get the pain under control. They tried 2 different pain meds and neither worked, and then tried the Oxycodone. That worked! Until then it was very painful. I kept holding my breath because it hurt so much to breath. The machine kept telling me to breath! I did get nauseas with mixing the different types. But once they gave me a med to control this it has been calm. Once the pain was under control it all became very manageable. I got back to the hotel at 3:00. Keeping up on my pain meds, drinking water, snacking, and napping. My sister is a good nurse!

I do not have one of those bras on that you are describing, but they did put on a sports bra that closes in the front. PS said I could take it off if I liked. I just took it off and took a look in the mirror. I have to say I am absolutely ecstatic. They are not too big. I tell you I almost panicked when I heard 600cc. But the reason he used this was to close some of the space between the breasts – the expanders were so widely spaced. Then he harvested fat from my tummy (the roll of fat over the c section scar is gone!!! bonus!) and filled the inside edge with fat cells. Hopefully they will survive. So right now they are nicely spaced. Oh, and I actually have a crease under each breast. Not sure why but its there. I have a little bruising on the outside of my left breast. I think that is were he had to do the extra work and it hurts more there. Oh and they are SOFT SOFT SOFT. I almost cried when I touched them. The expanders were rock hard and the difference is astonishing. I have to keep touching them –very gently to believe its true.

I am expecting a very, very sore and uncomfortable tomorrow. I do not feel the area where the lipo for the cell harvest was done, but I expect this will make itself known tomorrow.

Will write more then.

Take care everyone and have a good night.

I think I have edited this 3 times now. It is really hard to write while looped on opiates!

jade56068 · February 2008

Hi Traci-

I am so sorry things didnt work out. I thank you too, for your advice. I am going in today for my "last fill". I will talk to my ps about shape and fixing the gap between my breast. I will suck it up and get another fill if she thinks my out come will be a B. I wish the best for you....and thank you for your thread.

Jani-

Did you have to stay in the hospital for your exchange surg????? I was planning on going home the same day:<}. I will ask my ps about that today. I will also talk to her about all the different sizes and shapes. I do want my "new norm" to be as close to perfect as I can fight for it to be:<}.

Jodi

jade56068 · February 2008

Hi Traci-

I am so sorry things didnt work out. I thank you too, for your advice. I am going in today for my "last fill". I will talk to my ps about shape and fixing the gap between my breast. I will suck it up and get another fill if she thinks my out come will be a B. I wish the best for you....and thank you for your thread.

Jani-

Did you have to stay in the hospital for your exchange surg????? I was planning on going home the same day:<}. I will ask my ps about that today. I will also talk to her about all the different sizes and shapes. I do want my "new norm" to be as close to perfect as I can fight for it to be:<}.

Jodi

Sociologist · February 2008

Hi All,

Jani: So glad to hear everything went well! The side where my ps did the lipo (no more back fat!) was sore as hell for about 2 weeks. It does get better.

Sharon: Thank goodness the vomiting's over! Not a big fan anymore of TPIRsince Bob left; I'm addicted to HGTV and HSN!

Need to write 6 exams. I'll post again tomorrow.

Margaret

Jani · February 2008

Traci, I am so sorry to hear that your experience was so awful. Your advice is so good. Don’t give up. Find another PS. Scars can be fixed, implants can be changed easily. Take a break, get your energy up and try again. You do not want to go through the rest of your life feeling angry and not loving your body. You have the right to a good outcome, so go out and demand it!
If your PS left you in a state of dissatisfaction then he/she is just a bad PS, with poor skills. Choose a different PS carefully. Maybe some readers could describe how they decided on their PS’s. I wrote about how I did it in a previous post. Please don’t give up. You are living with pain and deserve to be free of it. You can fix this, but only if you keep trying.

Teri, PLEASE, PLEASE stop carrying firewood and working so hard so soon after your exchange. I am worried that you will become physically and emotionally run down.
You have come so far, take care of yourself now, you are almost over this tough recon. Let other people help and leave the housework. It will be there in a month and the family will survive. Lay on the sofa with the kids and eat popcorn and frozen dinners and watch movies for goodness sake. Be nice to yourself you need to recuperate.

My PS who has always encouraged me to do whatever I want told me today that I need 4-6 weeks of rest. No lifting and no strenuous work. He said take the time to get a good heal that will last my life long. I have deep stitches that only start to heal after the first week and will take about 4 wks after that to be complete. For once I am going listen and take good care.

I am sore today, but feeling emotionally up and happy. I keep up on my pain meds. Had a wonderful shower this morning. Thank goodness for hotel showers with endless hot water, I just let the warm water wash away all the marker, anesthetic and crud of surgery. Saw my PS today. He tells me all the details of the surgery. How he worked on this spot over and over and then how he lifted the left breast just a tad and how many stitches he put in here and there. I love it. He is so enthusiastic and such a caring person.

Margaret: The spot where he did the fat harvest is not sore. The opening is about 5 mm wide and is seeping a bit. I asked him why I do not feel it. He said that the brain tends to zero in on only one pain at a time. Right now I feel the breast area when the pain meds wear low. So maybe after that is over I will feel the lipo area, but I am hoping not.

When I first looked in the mirror yesterday I just stood there with my mouth open. They did not look like I thought they would. I think that what I expected to see was my original boobs back. Well, they look different. I just stood there and said, “I don’t know what I think of these”. I kept saying over and over, “this is not what I expected”. My sister was with me and said, “what are you talking about, they look great. I want those boobs.” I looked at them for another few minutes and then just felt that this is me, this is the new me, I think I like them! I do keep looking at them in the mirror today, sometimes I am thrilled and then the next time I look I am not so sure because they are new to me. I have decided that first there was my original boobs, then the expando boobs (ugh!), and now these new ones. I am feeling a bit confused. I guess I am getting to know them. But I have never been through this before so who knows how I will feel tomorrow or next week. The most amazing thing for me right now is touching them, they are so soft. Oh, and they jiggle a little when I walk.

Anonymous · February 2008

Traci

You said we should just suck it up and continue with the fills. I have one more next week and my exchange on March 5th. However as I just found out, YESTERDAY, our insurance is changing on March 1st, so I am trying to get my PS to change the date. This may mean I will have to skip my last fill. However I saw my PCP today and my BP was 198/118. I am in terrible pain. I took codene twice last night, and asked if that could have pushed up my BP. She said no, it's the pain. We decided I need to have these removed NOW.

I had 200 originally and 4 fills of 60 each. I belived my third fill was a little more. Anywhay I should now be 440 plus what ever the extra way in fill #3. I wanted to be a large B or C. I was a D prior and do not want to be that big again. I also have a pacemaker, that the expanders maybe hitting and could damage the wires. I am thinking an implant of 400 ought to be a C? I just cannot grin and take any more of this pain. I might have a stroke.

I am in so much pain right now I think I'll try soaking in a hot tub. (There goes the BP, even higher, probably.

Teribear · February 2008

sharon, glad you aren't vomitting anymore...that has to hurt your chest something awful. How are you feeling now?

Jani, thank you for your concern. I don't get much of that. I knwo i am doing too much and am starting to feel very worn down but i don't have much help. I did call my boys over and they cleaned the house and kept my girls occupied while i worked, they just left. I am also having my sons ex over tomorrow to help, boys are coming back and dad is coming over to clean out my wood burning stove on saturday so I have asked for help finally. It isn't easy for me because I have done it all myself for so long. after saturday i will be able to rest as vday will be OVER. luckily i just sit at my desk and type.

does anyone have special plans for vday?

I too, am looking in the mirror at my new girls....having to get used to another set...not sure if I like them. My leaker side IS smaller still....and they are NOT as big as I expected. Looks like i will be lucky to be that C cup I wanted. All that pain I sucked up! I wanted to give up months ago... Cry

I hear most of you saying you had stitches? I am GLUED together! NO stitches at all!

I see my PS on Monday at 5. I haven't spoken to him since before surgery so I don't even know what kind of complication I had.

Talk to you all soon!

Sharon67 · February 2008

Hey ladies,

Greeting from once again a snowy Michigan. Yesterday was an okay day, I took alot of baths just to have an excuse to take this bra from hell off! I promised my dh and the ps that I would wear it all the time, except for the baths!!!! I took 3 yesterday, I have the cleanest boobies in town! Today I was feeling good when I woke up so decided to forgo the sweat pants and husband shirt and actually take a real shower and dress like a normal person. Then I decided that I would see if I could handle a trip to Wally World to get a few things......bad move.....don't you hate when you think your feeling "fine" until you get into the store and you get that "white light" feeling, you know, the one where you feel you might just pass out or throw up at the same time. Well that was me, there I was in the frozen food section, trying not to overdue the dinner menu for the evening, for the family, and I turn white...how embarrising. Especially when you live in a very small town, everyone knows who you are. So the stock boy helps place my cart in customer service, I get back to my car and slowly drive home. I'm not even home 5 minutes, when I get a call from my dh and he has heard all about my little trip, from the local stock boy, who called his office to make sure he calls me to make sure I got home safely! Needless to say, I got an ear full from the dh, asking "what part of relaxing, don't I understand" sooooooo.....now I'm back in "the chair"....promising not to leave the house. I think this is husband/ps "house arrest":) The lesson learned for the day: When you think you're feeling better, wait one more day.

Terri- I'm in the same boat as you with the boob image, I'm not quite sure I love the new one, they sure look small to me, maybe I had my hopes too high, never having boobs to start with, but everyone says to wait a few months for things to settle in. My ps installed (don't you love that word!) 350 cc and before the surgery I was expanded to 400 cc. I remember what my expanders looked like at 350 and they were bigger than these things. So time will tell.

Jean- Good luck my lady friend, I know what it's like to have the expander pain, towards the end I was in pain 24/7 and I can honestly say I'm glad their just out! I'll just have to accept I'll never be a wet t-shirt contest winner! But hey, lets look on the bright side, we survived BC!

Jani-Yours actually jiggle!!!! I so want your boobs too! Mine don't even move when I bend over. They are soft, I am glad of that, but like I was saying before, they just are not that big. Maybe a B, Maybe, but that's life.

Margaret-thank you for all your kind words when I was praying in the bathroom!!!!! Although today I was kinda praying in wal-mart's bathroom, but that's just god telling me I should have listened to my dh/ps and just stayed put for a while longer.

Well ladies....I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day with the special people in your lives, and Traci my special wish for you is I hope you get some sleep!!!!!

Sharon

lvtwoqlt · February 2008

sharon, you do need to rest, My mom watched over me like a hawk until my hubby came home for the weekend (he is a trucker and home weekends). I actually like my new matching set of boobs. prior to my bilat I wore a 38C-cup bra with a rubber boob in one side to make the A-cup side match the C-cup side. Now I am happy with a close to matching set of 38B's. I told my ps at the beginning that I just wanted them to be closer to matching than the orginal pair.

Mine jiggle somewhat. right after my exchange they did not move but now I am almost 2 months after exchange they are acting more normal.

Sheila

Sharon67 · February 2008

Hey Sheila,

Thanks for the input, I know, I know, just sit in my chair and be a good girl!!!! You know how it is though, us mom's are so used to doing everything for so long, than wham, we have BC and our whole life changes and we have to learn how to take care of ourselves. But I do appreciate the input on the jiggle zone....Mine have never been big enough to giggle, so I welcome the thought!!!!

Your previous chest sizes are the same as a friend of mine. I was shocked the day I told her about my BC, and then to make me feel better she pulls me into a back room and showed me, what she calls.."the rubber ta'ta'" I was shocked. She developed like that, one is a A cup, the other a D. She never had surgery to fix it because of insurance problems, now it's sad to say, but she almost wishes for a poor mammo so her insurance will cover the implants. Isn't it strange how people view different situations? I can remember one person telling me the day she found out I had BC, she said "well, at least you get a free boob job" I think that was suppose to make me feel better, but at that time, I think I wanted to smack her!!! Well it's all water under the bridge now. Hope you're dh drive's safe in all this bad weather. I hope he doesn't do trips north to MI, we're getting another 5-8" tonight. The kids love the snow days, I wish for peace and quite along with a clean house while they are at school:)

Happy V-Day

Sharon

Jani · February 2008

Ok, thats it. I have to ask the stupid question. What the heck is a 'dh'? I have been trying to figure it out for months now and just don't have a clue!

Anonymous · February 2008

DH = Darling husband (or damn husband) depending

denise1956 · February 2008

Sharon

So sorry to hear about all the anguish! Tongue out Everyday that passes i promise you that it will get better. My meds made me so constipated. UGH!!!! The bra from hell made me nuts I had to wear it for 3 weeks plus had a ace bandage on top of that to hold the boobs down. The pain in the ribs was just awful. That did finally go away after 2 weeks for me.I had saline implants so maybe thats why I am different from the rest of you all as far as the bra was concerned. Its been 4 weeks since the exchange things are good they are taking shape now. I just have one boob that is a little bigger than the other . I am a little upset about that. You can only really tell when I am undressed. So that should be my worst problem.....

Well Happy Healing to all...

Denise

denise1956 · February 2008

Teri,

Weird my leaker side is the one that is bigger. I am wearing a bra today that is a 34 C . I actually look like I am smaller than that. I just have some issues that need to be tweaked in about 6 to 8 weeks my ps said when he puts on the nipples he has to do some lipo on the top part of my underarm. I am really bummed out about this. There is a bit of extra skin and if and when i put on a bathing suit it will look awful. The other side under my arm has some wrinkling . I don't want anymore anesthesia. I thought after the exchange this would be it. Frown

You really do have to slow down. My PS told me I cant even walk on the treadmill for 4 to 6 weeks because of the up and down movement..

Okay better get back to work before I get fired..

Denise

P.S. I too look at myself in the mirror and maybe because they don't have nipples its just really strange ,to me like an outer body experience I am not sure if I like them...But its me now and I have no choice. I am here today and that is all that matters!!!

denise1956 · February 2008

Sharon

OMG!!!! I decided to go to the mall one day. Got there no problem went in and all of a sudden it hit me....The same exact feelings..I cried the whole way home because i didn't think I would make it . Never told my husband oh boy there would have been hell to pay.

Denise

Hanna60978 · February 2008

Laughing Hi girls ~ Wow on all the progress you all have made! Brave you all are, each one. I've been helping one of my kids study all the explorers for school, and I just have to think how much like explorers we are too.

Exploring the first time for each of us these uncharted waters of breast cancer and reconstruction. Each step we take is new for us.

You know, do you know any men who could handle this? I'm not man bashing here, but I must give all here a Gold Star! And most of us are still expected to keep up or get back in the saddle asap for the ones we have always taken care of. I know my family just kind of walks in circles when I'm not giving directions.

We are like Christopher Columbuses...(or Columbi?)...octopus, octopi...anyway.....all the words of each experience you have written will inspire and help the women who read them from the wings of annonymity. I myself am not yet done, and reading your individual responses to the process of exchange from expanders to implants has been invaluable. Thank you all Smile !!

I'm still in expansion, so I couldn't be part of the February exchange to implant club ~ but I'm so happy you all have come so far.

Teri- I don't know why you're cooking on a wood burning stove unless it's your heat source too. Carrying wood is probably not a good idea. You simply must sit down! As far as the glue goes - you said something about a complication, are you thinking the glue has something to do with a complication? Surgical glue may just be your ps's final topical close choice. There are probably stitches in the underneath layer of the...dermis...(?), then the top might be closed with the surgical glue. Maybe he does this because he feels it leads to a smoother, rounder curved incision line. I happen to have small "dog ears" at the incision ends which I mentioned to my ps that I want gone during exchange time. I might bring up this glue idea.

Margaret, you are sounding content, happy and dare I say pain-free? Oh, that makes me SO happy for you!!

Denise, you've done great and I expect your boobs won't settle into their final shape for a while longer. One maybe bigger because it's a little more swollen than the other. Is it by chance also the same one that was bigger due to the seroma or hematoma or whateveroma you had? If so, that could be simple fluid that will get absorbed but naturally you can ask your ps about it. My suggestion is don't be afraid to call his office and leave a message about it with the nurses station. That way you're giving the question to the nurse who can call you back. I'm less intimidated leaving a message on the nurses line sometimes. My guess is you will be very happy when all the residual swelling has simmered down ~ by summertime you must invest in an expensive bikini and sunbathe (with sunblock of course) to your heart's desire! Cool

Sharon, I could easily become a dolphin and live in the bathtub. If the bathtub is where you are feeling the best, then just keep the bubbles bubbling away! Candles, phone, laptop, cool drinks, and good magazines nearby. Be a princess and let your doctor dh wait on you!

Jean, you need this over soon and once it is over, you will be more able to focus on sweet thoughts. Just think, your chest will have soft plushies instead of hard expando helmets! You have had the extra burden of the pacemaker and it's wires to be concerned about and legitimately so. Plus your poor elbow. Well..very soon you will be all fixed up and by summer ~ the Venetian gondoliers will be beckoning to you to come aboard and glide through the canals with them! I am hoping you will have someone special sitting next to you as you glide under the Kissing Bridge of Love!

Jani, you must please tell us who your plastic surgeon is because I have been so encouraged by your own happiness. You were also an explorer in your search for a plastic surgeon who could fulfill your dreams ~ and by your posts...you seem to have found a treasure! I myself have no idea what profile or size implant to ask for, but you and your special ps had more than one style on hand during your surgery! I have never, ever heard of such an accomodating plastic surgeon and hope you will share his or her name with us. I am on the east coast but when it comes to times such as these, a bit of travel is more than worth it! I'm so glad to read you are happy with your new, so soft and jiggley boobilies!!

All in all, it sounds like you all are making good friends with your new boobs! Good job!

Brava ladies!!! Laughing < New Boobs!!!

~ hanna

continued Tissue expander pain!!

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