continued Tissue expander pain!!

Kerry I went to the link about the book!  Thank you so much.  I wonder if I could buy it in the bookstore here.  The pictures were very tastefully done with an artistic sense like I was thinking of.  I think we should all have pictures done like this of ourselves.  I truly do.  I was able to see the photographic pieces of 4 women and read some of their stories. 

Before my surgery, I went out and bought a digital camera and took pictures of myself.  This was the night before.  I wanted to do this to remember how I was before surgery. I tried to be sort of artistic but I was just learning how to use the camera so I got more than enough of my feet!   

Now as things are moving along, I feel so much more positive -gratefully due in large part to you all girls I've met here.  I believe without the support and day to day stories, the struggles and the upbeat moments of this group, I would not be in as good a place emotionally.  In fact, this whole experience has brought me relationships I never would have known before.  The kindness of most physicians, nurses, technicians and so very much the real time life experience sharing that we are doing here. 

I think without doing the expanding part, I wouldn't have had as much time to reflect and this reflection has been a good thing for me - even through times of tears.  I feel very protective of us expanding girls for some reason.  Like the mother bear!   I really care about you all very much and worry too - because you are all real to me.      

Oh, now I'm beginning to sound like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz when she wakes up at the end back in her own bed at home! 

On that note, I wish you all a lovely sleep tonight!

Hanna

Hi Ladies,

Hanna,

What a great book and I forgot all about it. I read it back in Jan. before my mastectomy and it sure put my mind at ease. But then there are the TISSUE EXPANDERS!!!!!!! And how true, I could not have done it without the support that I have felt here for sure. Only people going through it can really understand what we are feeling physically and mentally.My PS took pictures of me au natural before my mastectomy.Hopefully they do not end up on her website.Wouldn't that be funny,I'm looking around on the net at reconstruction pictures and think that those BOOBS look familiar and low and behold they are mine.HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!

Laura,

Yes, I understand how you feel. I am only at 335cc and wondering if I am big enough for a B cup or a small C. I will talk to the PS on Thursday and see what she says. I know that I cannot go too 600-700cc Everyone is so different in body structure and the PS are all so different also.Just have to trust the one that you have.

Take Care,

Kerry

Oh, I was going to suggest for the women who are wondering about sizing. Do you all have your pathology reports? I got a copy of mine and it states on it exactly how much breast tissue was removed from each side. Mine said that 586 cc was removed from one side and 630 cc was removed from the other side (yes, I was slightly lopsided!). I remember my PS saying that to be exactly the same as premast we would have to put in approximately the same amount. Well, my permanent implants are 600 cc each. I do have the same projection too. So other than the fact that these don't sag the way my premast breasts did they are the same. My old bras fit well, but there just is not so much wieght pulling down in them as the muscle holds them in place. My point is that everyone is different. If you put my premast breasts on a different frame they would look large, on me they don't. So if you go by your own pathology report you should have a pretty good idea of how much fill, and how large your permanent implants should be based on how much was removed from you at the time of the mast to stay the same, or go smaller, or larger. My PS said that about 150-200cc per cup size.

Not sure if this helps. But it figures that if you put in what was removed it should be about the same.

Jani

Boy, I have been gone for a while.  Took some time to catch up on you all. 

Jean - I'm glad your exchange is over and things are going well.

Teri - It great to hear you are happy with the new foobs.

Kerry, Laura - I too had my bi-lat in January (16th).  Still getting filled.  Kerry, I can't believe you were filled up so soon and so fast.  I've had 4 fills at 60 cc and 1 at 30 cc and my last two at 60 cc were pretty painful for 24-48 hours.  Popping pain pills every 4-6 hours.  I don't know what I was filled with following surgery but will find out my total cc tomorrow at my next fill.  I was a small A before bc and trying to go for a C now.  After reading all of this there doesn't seem to be an exact science as to how many cc you need to be.  I'm definitely bigger than what I was but don't want to get smaller after the exchange.  Definitely could go for the softness right about now.  As far as my pathology report I couldn't find the breast tissue in cc.  Just measurements in cm.  Laura, in regards to your survey I was a small A and have had a lot of pain and muscle spasms following the bi-lat.  Pain in regards to the fills seems to be all related to how fast and much you fill up.  The first two 60cc were a breeze and the third 60cc was very painful (24-48 hrs).  Then went to 30cc fill because was going on vacation to Mexico and didn't want to sit on a plane and be on vacation in so much pain.  That 30cc was easy.  My last 60cc last week was also painful for 48 hrs.

Margaret, Hanna, Jani, Sharon, Sheila, RubyT, Jade, June, Denise, Sue, Anne, NancyD, Kimbly as well as Teri, Jean, Laura and Kerry (sure hope I didn't miss anyone)- Glad to have you all.  Boy this little circle keeps getting bigger.  Difficult to keep everyone straight, but I'll try not to be gone for so long and will try to post more often.  I really enjoy reading everyone's posts and find it very comforting and knowledgeable.  I know that I am one of the new ones but this is truly a great group of women here.

Oh, by the way, forgot who posted it but I get those boob freezes too!  Weird feeling.

Sandy

Jani ,

What confuses me is that  with the skin sparing surgery, In my case I  thought that they also had to not only remove the inside but I had extra skin removed . I think because the cancer was close to some areas near the skin . So thats why my boobs are much smaller than my old ones were.

Hi Ladies,

I was wondering if anyone can feel their muscle contracting over the tissue expander, like when opening a pill bottle. A while back I remember reading this, but I cannot remember if it was on this site or not.Does anyone with implants feel this also. Feels weird.

Sandy,

Now I can't believe how soon and fast I was filled up also. No wonder why I was in soo much pain. I didn't have any time to recover between fills.I'll see what she says on Thursday about size.

Take Care,

Kerry.

Hi all - I'm one of the newbies on this site and got the schedule today - unilateral mast with immediate reconstruction (expander) on Wed., March 19. Woo hoo - what a spring break I have planned! I know I'll be back after surgery with lots of questions - glad I have this place to come. Any recommendations for post-surgery????

thanks, Sue

Hi Anne (my daughter's name):

My best friend at work (we teach h.s. English) was diagnosed in July. I got my dx in Jan. After school today, I learned our nurse has been called in for a biopsy. I know of at least two other survivors at our school. What's the deal with teachers and bc????????? It's a good thing they give us insurance!

Sue

Hi Sue! I know, there ARE a lot of teachers in my district who have been dealing with breast cancer. Thankfully, I can think of only one person who actually didn't make it. Most of us caught it early, thank GOD! My particular district has incredibly great health insurance. My brief hospitalization and treatment cost over $25,000 but I didn't have to pay a penny!



As for my name Anne, it is a family name, handed down from generations ago, but I am okay with that!



Anne

Thanks K! I do know that my guy said the new implants (silicone that resembles "jello" --you cut it and it doesn't leak?--) will not project as far out. I am okay with that. He showed me Mentor high profiles, but he prefaced that with the comment, "now these won't be like the expanders, because they are softer and your muscles will do a number on them." I really am not into great breasts, I just want to look somewhat normal. I DON'T want to be big again--DD!!!!!!



Anne

Hi Ladies,

Jani,

I didn't expect the pec muscle to contract over the tissue expander or implant. I wonder if this is permanent, probably is, it just gives me a creepy feeling. Saw the PS today and I am going with the anatomical shaped silicone gel implants.Told her hopefully a B or small C.She thought that she would order a 275cc implant,seems awfully small to me.I am expanded to 335cc and this is about a D on me.Now I will worry about this until I have the exchange done, as everyone seems to have way bigger expansions done and way bigger implants put in and are coming out with cup sizes  smaller than predicted. Good thing I don't want to be large, as I would not have made it through the expansion process.Jani, check out www.breastreconstruction.org I found it on another thread here and it was very helpful.

Wondering how Jean is doing post exchange and if she has had her dressings removed.Hope she will let us know soon.

Take Care,

Kerry

hello to all of the amazing women on this site. my name is michele and my mom is struggling through reconstruction. she isn't computer savvy so thats why i'm here representing her. we are in a desperate situation that seems to be getting worse each day. she had a bi-lateral mastectomy w/expanders on february 18th. she has been experiencing severe pain in her ribs and in her back. she has always felt pressure but today she feels like she has a boa constrictor wrapped around her chest. she is now unable to eat and feels that something just isn't right. she hasn't had much sleep and she is completely worn mentally and physically. she has always been a very stong, determined woman that is now reduced to tears and despair. she has said today that she doesn't think she can go on like this much longer. its been 4 weeks and things are clearly getting worse. she has tried muscle relaxers (valium, soma) painkillers (ultram, dilaudid) anti-inflamatory drugs (celebrex) and there is no relief. she can't bear the thought of not having breasts (i think that would destroy her) but she can't bear this pain much longer.

the docs have said they have never seen anyone have this much trouble. we are going to a new PS tomorrow for another opinion.

i spoke with a woman tonite who had a bilateral mastectomy and then had gummy bear implants with no expanders immediately following her mastectomy. she had great results and no discomfort from the implants. does anyone have any insight into the gummy bears?

i would appreciate any advice that you have to offer. she's in bad shape and i am completely helpless.

thanks to you all.

michele

Suemed, about post surgery, on the surgery thread there are several conversations about what to expect after surgery and hints to help. I will find the threads and bump them to the top for you to look at.

Kes, I also can flex my boobs. I don't try to do it on purpose but it is a great conversation starter. I don't find it uncomfortable but interesting.

Sheila

Hi Ladies,

Now we can also flex our foobs along with the foob freeze in winter and probably the "HOT" foob in summer.Tell me ladies, can life get any more interesting for us? And only you guys would understand this!!!

Sue,

After surgery just take it easy if you can and take pain meds. I had bilateral mastectomies done and the one thing I wish I had done was to strengthen my abdominal muscles before surgery to help me get in and out of bed. I only spent one night in hospital. I was out of commission for the first 3 weeks due to the expansion process.DH took one month off work to help around the house and he was a great help. I was unable to do very simple things, like push down the handle on the toaster or open a jar of jam, stuff that you take for granted.Hope that helps.

Michelle,

Sorry to hear that your mother is having such a terrible time.The expansion is a very difficult process. What did the new PS have to say. How many cc's does she have in each side? My PS only took 25cc off of each side and I had instant relief. Maybe they are going too fast, too soon. She needs time to recover between fills, so maybe longer between fills would help and small amounts at fill time.Some women can only tolerate 30cc at a time.Let us know how she is doing.What she is feeling is sooo uncomfortable.Tell her to hang in there.Hope that helps.

Kerry

Hi Ladies,

Someone please clue me in and tell me, are the gummie bears the cohesive silicone gel implant where the inside is like a jelly bean if you cut it open.And then there are the other silicone ones that are not cohesive. Is this right?

Kerry