continued Tissue expander pain!!

Well Jean I felt my supervisor really doesn't understand what it has been like. I don't feel there has been alot of support. So when you went to the other PS how did that work. I would be afraid the new PS would say go back to the one that started this. And then the first one would be upset when they found out I went to another one. I really don't want to upset this guy, I really depend on him to make me look normal again...if you know what I mean...lol. Ruby I know that I really would like to be a just a C I am thinking a smaller C. I was a very small B so it would be nice to become bigger. The nurse said you are going threw alot of pain walk away with a BIG gift....ha. I agree. I am 120 lbs. and 5ft. 6. I am small framed and just don't know what to tell the PS i really want. I am still wondering about this Silicone and Saline thing. He is trying to push Silicone at me and I realize they have done improvements on this, but I wonder how ofter Insurance lets you get this checked to see if there is any holes. MRI's is what I have heard is the only way of finding out if that is what has happened. So can someone give me advice on what they have found out on that. I just have so many questions, so ready like Jean to just get back to work and not think anymore on this. Crazy it seems like its a daily thing thinking about this. I guess its these ugle expanders on my chest that bother me. They only have 125 cc's right now. The PS told me that I would have to tell him when I was ready. I felt like the ribs where breaking when the 50cc's got put in I was on pain killers for a week from that. Jean I have to go back to work on Mon. that will be exactly 4 weeks from when I  had my surgery. My doctor says i can be at work, and work feels I should be there. Have no choice to the manner. My PS told me to take a Valium in the evening after I get home from work, I thought well I have a way to drive home from work I am just wondering how Monday will go. Kinda scared I will be in alot of pain hope not. Oh listen to me complain.....someone tell me to shut up...lol. Happy 4th to you all. Tami

Well I''m back.  I had my exchange surgery Monday, June 30th.     While I felt instant relief post surgery, (definately softer foobs) but  I felt like I was really small.   Also, the PS told my husband that he had to go smaller and that I could certainly go larger in a year or two if I wasn't happy.  My PS left for vacation and I have to tell you that I was scared to death to take off the bandages.   I was really trying to be strong and excited with my husband, but I didn't want to be disappointed. 

As it turned out, I'm about a A+.....I cant understand what happened.  I was expanded to 480 cc's, I was definately a big B small C.  I never intended to go larger than my real boobs (which were a , but this is really shocking to me.  I have an appt with my PS Tuesday, so I'm hopeful that I'll understand what happened.  I did have a small hole on the right expanded foob that never closed....I don't know if it caused more of a problem than expected.  My PS told me right along during the expansion that my skin was really thin....Have any of you heard of this effecting your exchange.  I'm trying not to be disappointed but I am. 

I know I'll get used to my new size in time.  It's nice to be able to unload with you ladies.   Please share any insights you may have.  Thanks (as always) Faith

Tami,

I am 5'-6" (maybe 7") and 145 lbs.  I was expanded to 550 cc and had 550 silicone implants put in at my exchange.  It's only been two weeks but I can tell I am probably a solid C maybe a small D. 

Here's something you can try...I carried one of my old bras to my PS' office.  It was a formed bra with no push-ups.  I placed his silicone implant samples in the cups and got an idea of how big each one would be.  Obviously it is not an accurate method but I felt better when I saw how the 500 and 550 implant looked in the cup.

Good luck!

-Janelle

Another question I though of , so what kind of implant is natural looking I have seen there are round, tear drop, and then they can put them low, mid, or high. Well why so many dicisions? I don't want to be unhappy with my dicision when it all is done and said. I am a terrible person to make dicisions. Help! My PS would like me to have the silicone and my husband though it did feel more natural when they showed them to us. I don't know.

Sunshine, I believe the lo, mid, high you are referring to is probably the projection not the placement......LOL.  I kind of pictured implants as shoulder pads, normal placement and knee pads....not the look you are going for!  Most PSs try to position them in a 'youthful' position.  As for the shape, round kind of take on a contoured shaped due to gravity but they are movable and it also doesn't matter if they turn, they always fall the same way.  From what I understand/have read, the contoured/anatomical shaped implants are firmer and not as movable as the round (some say the contoured/anatomical can't be moved at all).  Ask your PS to feel the implants again.  I was STUNNED by the difference between saline and silicone. BTW, your PS should do the measuring on YOU and there shouldn't be SO many decisions for YOU to make other than saline or silicone and possibly anatomical/contoured or round. Your measurements will dictate what will fit on your chest.  You may also have to discuss the profile with your PS to make sure you get the projection that you want.   HOWEVER, MOST PSs will point you in a direction based on what they use or what they feel will be best for you.  As for weight, I did look it up once (can't recall the exact specs now) but the weight difference is negligible.  Mine are definitely NOT heavy and they are MUCH bigger than the original equipment.  Best wishes

Faithmo, If you are an A+ so close to surgery, you should be able to hit a B when your implants have dropped into the pockets and your muscle relaxes even more.  It is REALLY too soon to tell.  They can literally change up to a year, with most changes taking place in the first 4-6 months.  Hang in there and I hope they turn out to be just what you wanted!  Best wishes

Faithmo, I hope your PS has encouraging news.....keeping my fingers and toes crossed for you!  Best wishes

Hi Beig:

My name is Rue. I am a 43 year happily, married mom of three: Allie, 13, Annabelle, 11 and Andrew Paul 4.  I had a double mestectomy on June 3rd, just a little over a month ago. I had invasive lobular carcinoma in SITU, just in my left breast, but opted to have the double mastectomy.  I have no family history of any cancer much less breast cancer.  I know you are scared, but you are doing the right thing.  You are not nuts! You are being proactive and taking control of health and life.  I commend you for your decision and have read and know women just like you who have a history of breast cancer in their families and decide to take the "bull by the horns" and have no regrets. If I were in your situations I would do exactly the same thing.  I currently have expanders in and they are not pleasant, but they are a neccessity.  I believe I have done so well, because I have been diligent before and after my surgery with my exercises.  I began pilates 4 weeks prior to my surgery and I started light stretches one week after the double mastectomy.  You must go at your own pace and check with your plastic surgeon, but the light stretches really help me feel normal and not so stiff.  My  plastic surgeon was pretty aggressive and put really large expanders in me right off the bat ( which was more painful) so I do not have very much more expansion to do..just 75ccs more per breast.  Discuss with your PS what she will put in at the time of the DM (how many CCs).  I encourage you to take pain meds for the first one to two weeks depending on your tolerance and longer if necessary.  It is not a pleasant experience, but it is not as painful as I had expected.  I also encourage you to ask your plastic surgeon about Artica Montana, a non prescription pill you take before and after the double mastectomy.  My bruising and swelling was considerably less than my friend who had a DM and did not take it. I also took a lot of vitamin C before and after.  All of this should be discussed with your General Surgeon and Plastic Surgeon.  I researched my situation at nausea and I was in the pharmaceuticals for over 20 years so it was important for me to understand as much as I could.  My plastic surgeon and general surgeon also insisted that I go to physical therapy beginning three weeks after my DM ..most insurances cover this and it is critical to the healing process.  I will keep you in my prayers and be thinking of you on July 17th.  Good Luck and I hope this has helped you in some small way.

Rue

Hi All, Hope you all had a great weekend.

Faithmo, I am so sorry you are unhappy. I do hope this can be resolved with time. How frustruating to go through all the expander pain and not be satisfied.

Mikki, congrats on your sugery. You gals give me hope.

I was a small C and I have 500cc expanders and he is planning on filling them all the way. He told me the implants will be smaller so they won't be so tight on my chest. He told me when I say this is the size I want, he will do one more fill for that extra "wiggle room". My good friend has his boobs and they look fantastic. So....I am hoping for the same. 

I went to a convention this weekend and got to do a little swimming (breast stroke I wore my bathingsuit with no prosthesis and felt funny but said what the hell.  I had a great time but found myself still having to take naps and missing out on some of the speakers. Luckily, I was able to get them on tape. I am glad to be home and got a whopper of a bell pepper and a bunch of tomatoes out the garden. We got RAIN!

I see my onc for a checkup on Tuesday and my PS for another fill on Friday.  Take care.

Debbie 

Hi Tami, I hope you are feeling better today, and each day is easier!  In response to your question about switching PS, My surgery and reconstruction was started at a hospital out of State, so had to fly out from rural Northern NY and now I have a wonderful PS, who will finish the reconstruction for me, although I have to travel 2 hours away, [ the closest one to my hometown] He is so compassionate and caring, I was in soooo much pain from my first 2 fills I recieved at time of surgery, that he relieved me by taking out 120cc's from each side! I now have 425 in each and am still having alot of pain, but not as bad as before. I am trying to get through this pain so I can end this process faster. Pain meds don't really work, I actually feel better after a few BEERS!  LOL!  I am suppose to go back to work, but I don't think that is going to happen anytime soon. Does the burning and crushing feeling of the ribs ever go away?  It has been 1 week since PS took out 120cc's? I am so thankful for this site, At least I know I am not alone, I pray for everyone and hope each day is alittle better   , Jeanie 

Jeanie,

My expanders made my ribs feel like they were "burning or being crushed" like you described. However, after a fill, this lasted only about two days and then subsided.  I was filled usually with 60 cc each time.  Once I was filled with 100 cc (whew!) and the pain still lasted only about two days.  Each day was a little better for me although I still had trouble lifting my arms over my head with them in, especially on the right side.  Comically, though not at the time, I was in a dressing room at Wal-mart and tried on a knit tank top and got stuck.  I honestly thought I was going to have to wear the stupid thing out and buy it.   I finally got out of it...hope no one tries to buy it as I probably stretched it six ways from Sunday.

 I actually became used to the expanders although they remained a pain in the royal butt.  Fortunately I am a teacher and have done all this in the summer while school is out.  I could not imagine having to go back to work with what I had to endure.  I hope your pain subsides.

-Janelle 

Hi ladies;

Debbie/Ruby and Erin......Saw the PS today and he confirmed that my exchange foobs are far smaller than what we had discussed.  Since I had a problem with the skin being so thin, he was really concerned about jeopardizing the exchange by using a larger inplant.  So....I need to get happy about the size A .  He said that the hole that I had on the right side throughout the entire expansion process, was actually an area that didn't have any blood supply....I totally get what he explained today, but to be honest, I had been nursing that opening for 5 months.....throughout that time, he continued to talk about a B or C implant.  Never did he mention a potential for lack of blood supply.  Had he explained in advance, I would have been better prepared.  Some times I think these PS's don't communicate very well....I don't view the experience of a mastectomy the same as someone who pursues plastic surgery for augmentation.  He did however say that I needed to give this 3 - 6 months to totally heal and if I'm still bothered by the size, he could potentially change it out.  Yikes...I can't even think about another surgery. 

One more thing, I asked about the look/size changing over time and the nurse and PS told me that it is, what it is.....not to expect any change relative to size.

The up-side, they are really soft and definately not in the way (like the expanders). 

Take care.......Faith

Does anyone have the flexing and popping of their expanders? On my right expander near the middle of my chest, it flexes and pops when I lift my arm or bear down. I work part time in a frame shop and so I am always stretching, lifting, hammering, etc. It does not hurt but feels so wierd.

The first fill, my PS came in so fast and was out so fast, I did not get to ask questions. I was so scared about the fill. I go Friday for my second fill and will have a list of questions that I will get my husband to ask while he is filling.

Debbie

Faithmo, All I can tell you is that my foob looks NOTHING like it did even 2 months after surgery.  I would say that MOST of my changes took place in the first 6 months but I still noticed subtle changes up to 9 months.  I think most of the women who have had their exchange would agree.  IF you have textured, anatomical/contoured implants, then that may make a difference.  Maybe they don't drop and 'fluff' like the round smooth implants....that's a possibility.  I can't remember what you said you have.  IF they are round and smooth, I hate to contradict your PS/nurse but you will see changes.  If you look at women's pictures who have just had their exchange, their foobs are high and sometimes not shaped very well (kind of squarish), in a few months, they drop and become rounder with a MUCH better shape and position.  I hope this happens for you!!!!  Best wishes

BTW, My PS had to go with the smallest implant that she took in because my pecs were unexpectedly tight.  She actually had difficulty getting that one in but it made me a small D when all was said and done and I'm kind of relieved that she couldn't get either of the bigger implants in.  Hang in there, I'm still hopeful for you!!!! 

Sneakypie, I used to volunteer at our local shelter, but things are so wild there (23 dogs in an open area all jumping on me) I had to quit. I still help out with all their fundraisers but no more kennel work for me. I quit after a Great Pyranese (sp) jumped up and scratched my mast site. Plus, I am afraid of  developing lymphadema since I have been bitten and scratched a few times. Nothing serious. thanks for the flexing info.

I just got another fill. I asked for 80 and he gave me 100cc. Said it was just a little bit more and should not bother me. After I stood up, there was extreme pain and burning but it went away. I walked out the PS's office holding my boobs. Probably freaked everyone in the waiting room out. Held my boobs all the way to the car and 1/2 way home.

Now I only have 3 more to go. Still kinda sore so I haven't taken off my bra and prostheses to see what they look like. Hope they are starting to look like boobs.

They gave me a booklet about silicone implants and had me scared to death. I did not realize that I will have to have MRI's to check for leakage!

Enjoy the day ladies. I think I am going to take a nap since I had to be up at 5am to get to the PS by 8am. We have a 1.5 hr drive.

Debbie