continued Tissue expander pain!!

just a quick question-

mom says the exercises (only did them 2 days so far) seem to be making the tightness in her chest/back and burning in her chest worse. she feels like her chest is on fire. did this happen to anyone else?

thanks again 

Hey Michele:

Tell her PS that she is absolutely right. This website is for women who are experiencing pain with their expanders. And that you have 50 women who will tell her that expanders can cause excruciating and enduring pain. So she can stop making your mom feel like she is crazy, cause she is not.

 
I believe Michele said that her mom has not had any cc's yet. Which may actually be part of the problem. Remember how the expanders dug into the soft tissues around the edges- where sensation is normal? And after the first fill or two this pain was made much, much better? It may be that she needs some fill to pull the edges up and out of the surrounding tissue.

Also, at the very beginning there is the alarming discomfort of the neuralgia that comes from the cut nerves shouting that they have been injured. This is the bad sunburn or skin scalded with hot water sensation, along with sharp searing or shooting pains. I think everyone finds that this kind of pain does calm down substantially if not go away all together. I still feel the sunburn sensation a bit when I massage moisturizer onto my breasts. And I do get the odd throbbing ache now that comes and goes - toned down from the sharpness of the searing pain at the beginning.

Unfortunately, exercise does nothing to help with this nerve damage pain. If this is what your mom is experiencing. This is exactly what the pain meds do a good job of quelling.

 
My PS told me to only do exercises if it felt okay. If it hurt to stop immediately. If you over do exercises with muscle spasms they can get worse so don't push them. Just do what feels 'right'. The one that worked best for me was simply opening up my chest. I found that the worse the pain got the more I wanted to hunch up my shoulders and slouch, kind of protecting my chest area. The exercise is doing just the opposite. Sit up straight and push your shoulders back. When you get loose enough you can roll your shoulders back opening up your chest even more. This is like a nice shoulder and chest massage.

 

Michele, don't give up. Your mom will find some relief if she keep trying things.

 
Good luck,

Jani 

Boy, I'm gone for 6 days and I have 3 pages to catch up on.  Fortunately most of it was math!

Kerry - Love the FOOBULOUS!

CBJ - Don't be in a rush for the fills.  Just go until you are comfortable.  My first two fills at 60cc were fine.  My third fill at 60cc just about killed me for 36-48 hours.  Went for 1/2 fill (30cc) on my fourth fill and that was fine.  Went back on my fifth fill for a full 60cc and I definately shouldn't have done that.  Again NOT a good 48 hours.  Should have stuck with the 1/2 fills.  Last two fills have been 1/2 (30cc) and are fine.  I think I will only have one more 1/2 fill next week and be done.  Btw I get filled once a week.  I was an A cup before bc and trying to get to a C.  I think I'll have about 420cc when all said and done.  Not quite sure what I had put in right after surgery but guessing around 60cc.  My suggestion would be if you hit a pain threshold on your fills start cutting it back and don't go back to full fills whatever that may be for you.  You know that you can always ask you ps to take some out if it gets too painful.  And just like Ruby I too had muscle spasms before my first fill.  I was nerveous about getting them after fills but never got them.

Hanna - You must be wonder woman.  850cc!!  Ouch!

Laura - You and I seem to have the same experience regarding fills and pain.  I don't want to go any lower than 400cc either.  Are you trying to be around a C cup?  I'm 5'7" and like to stay around 145 but am probably 150 now.  I haven't been to the gym since the surgery in January and am going to start after spring break to get the little weight off again.

Ruby & Jani - Thx for the bra measurement web sites.

EHK - I'll have to check out the shea butter.

Jean - What are you going to do about your implant switch-a-roo?  Are you keeping the silicone or going back for the saline?  It stinks just thinking about another surgery.  I can't believe that happened.

Sandy

Suave,

I've never had a problem at all with the shea butter and my clothes, so I guess this one is good for that!

EHK

Hi Ladies,

Sandy,

I am about the same size as you 5'7" and around 140-145 lbs, but with all this sitting around I have gained weight also. Seems to be a natural thing.

Michelle,

I used to get VERY tight after doing the shoulder roll exercises. So I just don't do that one anymore. Is your Mom on Gabapentin? This med is used to treat nerve pain. It might help her out.

Sharon,

Glad to hear that you are still around. How is the weather there? Probably the same as us,CRAPPY!!!!! Will spring ever come????

Take Care,

K

Hi Ladies,

CBJ,

I don't remember you mentioning a wound.  Did one of your incisions not heal properly?  If so, one of mine has been open since the middle of Feb. and they are continuing with my fills.  I have to pack it every morning.  It's starting to fill in but is nowhere near being closed.

Michele and Mom,

My PS said that 2 out of the 10 patients he has right now are experiencing pain.  He said he doesn't know what determines who has pain and who doesn't.  I didn't have pain until I reached 180cc's of saline.  Does mom have any saline in her expanders at all?  What have they given her for pain?

Sandy,

It's weird how much we're alike.  I'm 5'8" and weigh 135.  I'm planning to have 400cc implants and hope that makes me a full B.

Sharon,

Welcome back.  I was originally going to fill to 400 and go for a 360 implant, but I think you just talked me into a 400 implant, so I may have to fill to 440.  I'm not in a hurry, I don't get my implants until November.  But I would like to be able to come off of some of this medication and be able to sleep in my own bed again.

Laura

Hey ladies, greeting from Michigan....

Well the weather update...snow, snow...and more snow, will it ever end? We are under yet another "winter advisory effect" for the next 48 hours - The question is "how the heck is the Easter Bunny suppose to visit the houses if it snows? Try answering that question to all my students, they may have autism, but they are smart - somedays more than the teacher!!!!! (Hah!)

Okay, on to the next subject....bigger boobs! To anyone who is going to be approaching their exchange surgery (Sandy, Laura..etc) Do not let your PS put anything smaller than 400cc's in you. You ladies will be "boob bitching" right along with me, if you do. If I was to do it all over again, I would have said to my wonderful PS, "I really do value your opinion, but it's my boobs, and I have never had any, put in the 400's. But instead, I let the male PS decide for me, because he's the best of the best around here. He's like the "boob Guru" no one questions him, he just does his thing and everyone loves him. Heck, I love him too, he's got a wonderful bedside manner, in and out of the hospital, gives me drugs if I'm in pain (not like the GP who thinks I'm gonna get addicted to pain meds so she would rather make me suffer thru fills, mind you this was the same lady who didn't think I had BC, and that I should not expect to have a 25 year old body at 40) Needless to say, they are no longer getting my insurance payments!! (Back to the main subject) Anyways, just make sure you tell them what you want and expect (I mean think about it, we had to put up with all this bc crap, the best thing we should be getting is a better boob job paid for by the insurance companies!!!!) Crude but true, I haven't worked all these years to have insurance coverage not to finally get something out of this process, and neither should you ladies.

My DH on the other hand has his own opinion, (yes, I do let him have one regardless to what he says) This morning, after my shower I was saying (okay, I was boob bitching again) "Why didn't he just give me bigger ones?" My wonderful dh in his own physician voice stated "he gave you the ones he felt best for your frame," then added "I love the work he did, why do you even want nipple surgery" Husbands, they just don't get it....It's like Hanna says "it's like the cherry on top of the sundae" I told him, "I have to have a finished product" So now the next question to all you ladies: What kind of nipples do I want??? I have been on the photo site, and I really don't have a clue. What I do know is that I just don't want tatoo's, I do want my nipples back. Maybe I'll start one of the photo threads and you, my faithful women of "the group" can look at my boobs and help me decide, then you can also tell me if I'm full of it, with the boob size thing...or is it really just me.

Anyways....you all have a wonderful and hopefully warm Easter if I don't get back on site until then.

Love you all, Sharon

Sharon, One of those BIG yoga/pilates balls is also great and you can lay on your chest on it too....AWESOME.  When I did PT, they had me lay on my back with a Nerf football between my shoulderblades with arms out to the sides.  Some great suggestions Sharon! 

hello ladies-

i have yet another mysterious statement to run by the group.

mom went to PT last night again. at the end of the session, the therapist said "we are waiting for the cord to pop. you will feel it in your arm when it happens. then we'll know things are loosening up".

what the h*ll was she talking about? anyone?

Laura/suave- mom did get filled during surgery. not sure how much was put in but we did have some removed a little while ago. not certain how much is in there but we're going to find out on april 1. she's due for her first fill. i think we should only go for 30 cc's and see how it goes given the difficulty she's been having.

CBJ- she doesn't have the sharp pains under her arm now. she had a significant amount of pain in her ribs which has also subsided. the tightness, back pain, and burning are the current issues. therapy is making her muscles sore which i guess is expected. it's also making her pecs significantly tighter during exercise. as the time passes the tightness returns to "boa constrictor" tightness.

thanks for the exercise tips sharon and jani. we're trying them. i know we're going to hit something eventually that'll put this in the right direction.

to all celebrating Easter, enjoy!

michele

Michele, There is something called Mondor's cord that some women get after breast surgery.  I'm not sure if that is what she was talking about....didn't have it so I don't know much about it but you could Google it...... or maybe scar tissue....that can be an audible pop....Happy Easter to you and your mom.

P.S. My PT had me put a tennis ball between my shoulder blade and the wall and move it around looking for sore spots and then just hold it there.  I also did it laying on their table and could do it on a chair with a firm back.  For pec release, they had me lay on baseball....wasn't big enough so it ended up being a softball right above my expander.  It was uncomfortable at first but it did help.  I hope she finds something that works for her.  OOOOOOOOHHHHHH....they also let me use the Backnobber (google it)....I LOVED it sooooooooooooooo much that I bought one and everyone in my family uses it.  It is GREAT!

michele,

I had a 'cord' that is like a tight band that ran down my arm from my boob.

The doctor called it 'axillary webbing'... not sure if that's what your mom's PT was referring to... it limits your range of motion and causes a tight pulling sensation and you can even see it in certain positions... it just looks like a rubber band under the skin.

All the stuff I've read about it since then says 'it will resolve on its own' but you can do stretching and massage on the tight places to help it.

I couldn't straighten my left arm for weeks but it did slowly resolve. I still have a tiny bit of a 'cord' or webbing along my left pec muscle and I am having massage done at physical therapy (along with stretching) to help that.

Not everyone gets a 'cord' or webbing... I did have it explained to me how it happens but I can't intelligently repeat it, so perhaps if you Google 'axillary webbing' you will be able to find out more about it.

Good luck to you and your mom.

Hi Ladies,

Jean,

I feel soooo bad for you. You have been through sooo much. Sounds like your PS is trying to do the backstroke now. Don't give up hope.

Take Care,

K

Hey I googled "breast cancer and axillary webbing" and it is caused by the sentinel/auxillary node surgery.  It used to be called "axillary cording".  All the articles said that it usually is resolved 2-3 months after surgery.  Here are a couple of the links.  The last one also has pictures of the "auxillary webbing"

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030901/tips/13.html

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3946/is_200401/ai_n9370189

http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/NR/rdonlyres/788EEB40-83F2-495C-90C2-19CC10184FB8/7761/DorisHandouts.pdf

Sandy

Hi Ladies,

Talk about the GENIUS GROUP!!!!! Like I tell the girls at work "I'm not just another pretty face, you know?" LOL!!!!!

Have a good Easter everyone,

kes.

Hi Everyone, My name is Lisa and I am soooo glad that I found you.  I had a bi-lat mast. in Oct., 2007.  I had expanders put under the muscle at the end of Feb.  I was less than an A cup before.  Looking forward to having a full B or small C.  My husband has nicknamed me Dee in hopes that I go larger.  Ha.  The first fill was two weeks post-op and hurt a lot.  He put in 100cc and I was shaking like a leaf.  This Thursday, I am going to take .5 Ativan, thanks to your suggestions.  I also had a stabing pain under the right breast that was like a knife.  If it happens again, I will try Lidoderm patches as per someone's suggestion.  Someone mentioned painful intercourse.  I, too, am in menopause (at 37!).  I had my ovaries out because my tumor was hormone positive.  I have had good luck with plain or heating K-Y and/or Astroglide, which gets style points for the descriptive name.  Thanks for the encouragement and for the hope that the final swap for permanent implants provides relief.  It is nice not to be alone.