continued Tissue expander pain!!

Debbie,

I'm sorry that you're having trouble with this part of your treatment. I was fortunate that I had little pain, but I also was very proactive about talking to my PS and asking for smaller fills in case of pain. He was very accommodating, and since I couldn't hurry anyway(he wouldn't do the exchange until at least 4 weeks post chemo) I filled monthly from December 5 until May 14th. I never used anything more than tylenol for the fills but I did use darvoset for two days after my exchange surgery. It did not make me sick at all, and it made me happy-hyper rather than sleepy so maybe you want to try that for your discomfort. Hang in there, the end is in sight. I am now facing the next part of my journey - tamoxifen - but am thrilled with the results of the expanders' work, and optimistically expect that the 5 months of chemo did their job too.

Debbie, I can't take narcotics because they make me dizzy and I end up sleeping and feeling like crap. I used extra strength tylenol and it worked for me.   You may have to take the valium (for spasms) but it may not make you as tired if you aren't taking narcoctics.    My guess is that you will have to play around with the meds to find what works for you.  If you can't function, call your PS.  Its only been about 2 weeks, it sounds like you may be trying to do too much. Take a break....the housework will be there after you heal.  Best wishes

Hi, I had the expanders and it was not a lot of fun.  I learned to lay on my side with pillows.  I too took Hydrocordone for the pain.  Sometimes it felt like I couldn't get a full breath.  I had mine filled rather quickly as I wanted to get it over with.  Am I glad now that I hung in there???  You bet, it was worth it.  I didn't have nipples put on but was glad of getting the reconstruction.  Best of luck to you, Kylie:)

My exchange surgery is in about 4 1/2 hours!  I will post later to tell you all how it went.  Sorry for the constant updates but I am so excited!

-Janelle

Debbie, I have also had problems with pain meds, I get allergic itch and rash with anything with codeine, which much are - and I have tried Percocet (Endocet) and valleret (not sure on name) the both made me itch have rash on neck/face.  They gave me darvocet 2nd day in hospital.  As soon as it hit my tummy I got nausea, they would follow that with  nausea meds, I would set still for about 10 min and it would pass, I have been taking the generic brand darvoset now for 20 days at home, after 5 days I no longer need the nausia med with it, I can take it anytime and it does not make me sick or sleepy. I could not live without them now.  Hosp started me on 100/640 tabs  -I took  2 tablets every 4 hours. About my 4 th day at home I started stretching it out to 1 tab about every 4 hours and stay aprox. same give a take a little.  I just now realized that I went 6 hours this morning without feeling much pain or discomfort.  I do not want to get addicted to these but I have to have some quality of life too.  These expanders seem to hurt differently every day. I had my bi-mast with expanders 6/3.  I may need rads, I am getting 2nd 3rd opinions.  I cannot wait until this is all over and I can have implants in (hopefully)   Just wanted to see if my experience on the meds might help. I hope you find something that works for you. 

Good luck,   Holly

Hi Ladies,

Mikki,   The exchange surgery for me was a piece of cake, and my PS told me that it would be. Very straight forward. Feels soft as soon as you wake up. I took 2 weeks off of work but I could have returned after 1 week. I wanted to not rush things and I had that BIG piece of foam across my chest so it stuck out for 1.5 weeks and I looked deformed in all tops. All in all it was way easier than the bilat mast with expanders.  Let us know how it goes. You will feel instant relief. I told my PS that the expanders felt like I had picked up big granite rocks at the side of the road and strapped them to my chest and then pulled the muscle over top of them as tight as could be. She started to laugh and told me that she would have future patients come and talk to me about expanders. She is young and has a sense of humour. She is a GEM!!

Janelle,  Good Luck on the exchange surgery. Let us know how you do. Hope that it all goes well.

Teresa,  Thankx for the info on the sunscreen. I will try the one that you are using. Yes, my favorite type of bathing suit is the same as you. Just love that kind. I will have to be very careful with the expanded skin. I will ask the PS how long to keep them very protected.  Sounds great that after the exchange surgery you are headed to the beach for a week. Best place to recouperate. Let us know how the exchange surgery goes. The 10 lbs that I need to loose has all been added to the "baby bulge". My foobs will look bigger if I can drop the 10 lbs.LOL,LOL.

Take Care,

Kerry

Hi All,

I actually had a good day today with minimum pain. Of course, feeling so good, I worked in the yard, cleaned the garage, and vacuumed the house. It is 3 am and I am hurting. I have found that wearing a sport's bra with a back closure feels better. My prosthesis are actually comforting as well. I had quit wearing them when the weather got hot.

I have a girlfriend who had her foobs put in 10 years ago. She got throat cancer and lost a bunch of weight and she began to look like Dolly Parton. Her husband thought her boobs were growing. She is doing well and the cancer is nowhere to be seen. I'll just be glad when my stomach is smaller than my chest. My goal is to lose 12 lbs. I am ready to get back to my routine. Chemo whipped my butt and I was out of comission for 5 months. Just getting back in when I had my surgery.

Debbie 

Does everyone get the foam after the exhange surgery? Will it be too odd to be seen with that? Will a few layers of sweats cover it?

Thanks, Mikki

I am back!  Let me just tell you that yes...there is IMMEDIATE relief from the expanders!  I pretty much do not feel anything in my chest anymore.  The silicone implants are so soft.  I am sore from surgery and still a little sick (anesthesia makes me sick) but it is such a nice change!! 

It was supposed to be outpatient surgery but I had a minor complication and had to stay overnight.  I remember tellling my PS prior to surgery that my right side seemed to have changed a little.  As this was my 3-time lumpectomy side, we didn't think too much about it.  He had filled me on both sides to 550 cc's but when he got in on the right side, there was only about 300 cc's.  So there was a leak.  He still placed the 550 cc implant though.  He also did some more cutting/fine tuning to get rid of some messy work resulting from the lumpectomies.  Since there was more cutting than he had anticipated, he decided to keep me overnight.

My left side looks good and round.  My right side is stretched and a little tight.  It does not look round.  I don't know if I look big enough and it definitely does not look the same on both sides.  But it is early.  The implants are the same size and when everything relaxes, maybe they will be more the same.  Does anyone have any words of encouragement on this? 

No more turtle shells!  I can take a deep breath and not feel concrete!  Woo-hooo!

-Janelle

Carol,

Just remember everyone is different.  I had little discomfort w/my expanders.  The only pain was after one fill out of 5, otherwise just soreness.  All my other fills were uneventful, but I was prepared.  I took a valium before each fill and two the night of each fill before bedtime (PS okayed it, valium bc a muscle relaxer).  Sometimes I am uncomfortable lying down, but it isn't a real problem at all.  I've noticed not all PS's recommend wearing a sports bra or support bra thru the process.  Mine did, and I swear by them, even to sleep in. 

If you are proactive it helps.  Also, some can tolerate fills every week, some can't.  And I think it depends on your size/frame etc. in terms of how much you are filled each week.  I was filled @300 cc's each side at time of surgery, and gradually was increased each fill.  The most I was filled at one time was 100 cc's, and I was fine, but I took my meds, etc., too. 

Just wanted to let you know that there are positive experiences out there, too!  Gook luck!

Teresa   

I am having a hard(literally) time because of the expanders, my PS just put 100 ccs in monday. I am up to 350 I think and need to have 400

 I am so uncomfortable. He seems to be moving so fast, I do not like the look or the hardness, and tightness. Does that go away,??? sleeping is hard, I cannot get full breaths either, I guess I will take some more vicodin, but hate to use drugs..I do arm exercise 3 tiems a day( I  had 8 nodes removed) so my armpit hurts too.

What exactly is the foam I'm hearing others talk about?  I'm hoping to be back at work w/in a week of my exchange, and do not want to draw any attention to myself.  I see clients face to face, and would rather look as normal as possible!  Plus, I do not want them to know I've had surgery, etc. 

Teresa

Hi Ladies,

Mikki,  Your story is soo like mine. I was up to 335cc of expansion. I did go to 360cc but after 1.5 weeks I had to have 25cc taken out of each side. My expanders were 275cc anatomical cohesive gel silicone implants with the textured outside. I really like the feel of them. My PS said that this is the implant that she uses the most on her reconstruction ladies. The shape of it made sense to me because we do not have breast tissue left and I wanted to fill in the upper part of the missing breast. I drive all day for work, and no problems. I take 1 tylenol ES at bedtime. I had the foam. I would wear a sleeveless tank top and then a blouse over top and leave the top buttons undone. Only if you really looked at me could you tell.

Bsnevada,  Ask the PS to put in less or go every 2 weeks and still do smaller fills. Slow and steady wins the face.  Ha, Ha, And also the race. (typo).  Otherwise you will be in too much pain. Hope you feel better soon.

Janelle,  So glad to hear that your exchange went well. Amazing isn't it, how SOFT they are. I was amazed. Hope you continue to do well. You need to give the implants time to settle and fluff. They will drop and fluff out. Some ladies have said changes have happened up to a year after exchange surgery.

BBB,  You are not NUTS!!  You are young and with your mother having BC I think that you have made a very wise decision. It is very difficult though and very personal. I think that we all wish that we could keep our breasts but when we can't then we make the best decision for ourselves and what we can handle and live with.  I hope that your surgery goes well for you.

EXERCISE!!!-  I would have done a whole lot more of abdominal exercises before my bilat mast with expanders just so I could get in and out of bed easier!!! It was murder to use my arms to push myself up in bed or off of the bed. And maybe I could have lost that extra 10 lbs. Startin TOMORROW!!!!!

Take Care All,

Kerry

Hi Beig,

  You are not Nuts!   And its perfetly normal to want to do what you can before BC strikes.  And its normal to second guess your thinking also.

There are some other threads that may help you more then this 'Pain' Thread...this one is more scary to start with...Because there are alot of women that go through this process without alot of pain.

Here are some links also to 2 other websites:

Young Survival coalition

Bulletin Board

And FORCE-facign our Risk of Cancer Empowered-Where you will find other women who have done what you are considering

FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered -- Hereditary, Genetic Breast or Ovarian Cancer and BRCA Issues

This is a great site to read, Ask questions & Meet many ladies who have been where you are.

Wishing you Well,

Pam

I think every PT does things differently, but mine started with really gentl arm and shoulder motions, to see where I had restrictions. And she did massage around the expander to loosen it up, and around the chest muscles. Also she measured as baseline to monitor for any lymphedema that may develop.

Within a few weeks I was doing supervised exercise with light hand weights and therabands to get strength and motion back.

My PT owns a cancer rehab clinic. All of us there are survivors of some sort of cancer. It's a nurturing environment.

Anne