Topic: Got my 1st expander fill yesterday - Ouch!

Hi Kittycat, Im sorry your fills were painful.  Oddly enough the actual filling doesn't bother me at all, cant feel a thing. The next day my muscles feel horrible.  I only get 50cc per fill and had been going every week but this week I asked to wait since my muscles are still very tight.  Remind your PS that it was painful maybe they can do something differently or fill less. I will be at my halfway point at next fill  (200cc will fill to 400)!

Oh my PS said that I will probably regain some feeling before its over with so I'll be in the same boat eventually. 

keep your chin up 

The fill part didn't hurt, it was the needle!!!  Ouch on both sides.  I originally got 150 cc's, now have 225 in each side.  I will probably go to 500-600 cc's.  I had implants above the muscle prior to surgery, so I have more skin to fill out!  I don't want to be a D this time around, maybe a C.  My PS said "good, because I wasn't sure if we'd go to a D on you."  I'm actually ahppy to be back to being sort of flat chested again.  It's like I get to build them and decide when to stop.  :)  Drive thru boobs - love that comment!!!  :)

Yeah, my PS told me that I probably had some nerves in that area that healed well.  There's always a positive spin, right?  I still have some swelling on the left side, where he didn't take any body fluid.  I might call my PS today and ask what I can do to minimize that.

Hi Girls, this is my first post since finding out I have BC.  going for my fist expansion next thursday and have been a bit nervous.  totally don't know what to expect, although reading the thread had helped me.  should i take tylenol beforehand?

Kitty, sorry you had pain with your fill.  I had my first fill last week and I felt a little pinch on the right side, but where the port is on the left I'm numb so I didn't feel a thing.  I didn't have any pain with the fills and he put in about 80 cc's on each side.  I was filled to 300 cc's on the left and 360 cc's on the right when my TE's were placed.  He wants to get me to about 600 cc's so it shouldn't be too long. 

I did take .5mg of ativan before I went for my first fill, but that's it.  Here's hoping the rest will be painless and easy!

My surgery was Aug 12. The PS said he got 350cc into the expanders during surgery. I had my first fill on of 50cc Tuesday. Not really painful at all, but it felt like I was wearing a sports bra when I had no bra on at all. I believe I will end up with two more fills and be done. I also hope there will be more projection with the permanent implants than I see with the expanders at this point.

Thursday was my first day back to work, and THAT was horrible. For two days now, I have had such an issue with sensitive skin. Just having the material of my shirt rubbing the skin around my chest causes me to shiver. It feels like having to break in new shoes that rub one spot too much. I hope this is just because of the extra movement from going back to work, and will subside.

Kitty,

My ps uses a local anesthesia every time I had my fill. Also, I took a muscle relaxer and vicodin 30 minutes before the fill. I see him every 2 weeks. My first fill was 100cc and I had that three times. The capacity of my expander is 550 cc. So as I get closer to 550cc, I decided to let him give me 60cc.

Even with the muscle relaxer, vicodin and local anesthesia, you will notice the pressure of the saline and thats when you tell him that that's good enough. I am at 550 cc now and still going to have one more last fill next month. The pressure is there and will last for a day or two. That's what I have experience. When I started this journey, I didn't know what to expect and how long this process takes. I want you to be patient and we will be there for you. Don't be shy to ask any questions. There's a thread that is very useful, http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/691962?page=90#idx_2691

Good luck and take care. Just take a day at a time. Take care, Celine

Muscle Relaxants 30 minutes B4 fill. Tylenol prior as well. Local anesthesia is an option. All great suggestions ladies!

Sassa; can you 'expand' :) upon the stretching, strength training and massage info, please.  Any links/recommendations  to resources? I am seeing a RMT who specializes in Reconstruction Massage and Lymph drainage in two days.  My PS said my pec muscles were so tight at time of surgery there was 'zero room to add any saline in surgery'.  I also woke up in recovery  with MAJOR back spasms(pain!)  between shoulder blades that continued for a week.  I had been doing yoga, stretching and strength training in prep for this surgery for 8 months(B/L Mx Nov./08). I need to know how to go about gently getting back to that level and beyond.

p.s. i miss my chiropractor too!   Don't know how long that will be contra indicated.... anyone have any personal experience.

My goal is to embrace this new body as an oppotunity to be flexible, strong, feminine, soft, and posturally balance and healthy! :)  Too much to ask?

Geneskirt,

Before I was diagnosed with BC, I had huge breasts with the attendant neck, back and shoulder problems.  I reached the point that I wanted breast reductions and so went off a few months early (10/06) for my yearly mammogram so a plastic surgeon would know what was in my breast.  Lucky I did, a small very aggressive ER/PR-, HER2+, IDC tumor was found.  Since I obviously wasn't into tissue conservation, I opted for a modified radical mastectomy of the right breast (11/06).  Of course that left me very asymmetrical and led to even more neck and shoulder pain. During that time I did the standard exercises as described in the ACS booklet for after breast surgery.  When a follow up mammogram was done on my left breast (May 06) was done because of cysts found in the Oct scan, the report came back as BIRADs 5 because of suspicious calcifications that had developed. 

My once calmed me down as she was pretty sure it wasn't cancer as I had finished chemo and was on herceptin but suggested I seize my opportunity and have a simple mastectomy to even myself out.  I did (everything turned out to be benign in the breast) and thus I overacheived on my goal of breast reductions.

 However, losing the second breast just threw my body mechanics in turmoil and my poor muscles just didn't know what to do.  My neck and left shoulder pretty much seized up.

This time I was sent for physical therapy (should be mandatory after mastectomy).  After two months of working with a PT (exercises, massage, heat and electrical stimulation) I had regained 70% mobility in my neck, flexibility in my shoulders (I was extremely round shouldered from carrying all that breast weight), and my chest muscles were definitely less tight.

I have kept up the stretching exercises given to me for my neck and shoulders (and it is interesting how much stretching the neck muscles and shoulders actually were impacted by the tight chest muscles).  I also started exercising on a daily basis, (aerobics and firming and toning - Leslie Sansone tape, Walk at Home). I live in Forida and can use my pool most of the year si I aslo bought aquabells and started resistant exercises in my pool. I visited a massage therapist every three weeks and she worked also on my muscles as well as scar massage.  Between her massages and my exercises, a felt a number of adhesion's in the chest and shoulders give way.  

It took me over two years to do reconstruction as I was blissfully happy flatchested about 97% of the time.  The frustration came in for those time when I wanted to wear something special (I.E. formal wear) or something V necked.  The prostheses and mastectomy bras just didn't cut it.

Before my expander surgery, my chest muscles and skin were in good shape as far as flexibility; the PS had me doing all sorts of flexing and contractions in his office at the pre-surg visit.

After my expander surgery, I also had problems with my neck, shoulders and back from the weight being back to my chest (I had 300ccs in each side at the time of insertion as I have a very wide ribcage).  Of course, I was restricted from any exercise that first week.  After the stitches were removed at one week, I was allowed to ride my bike and walk. 

Four weeks later (5 post-op), at my second fill, my neck and shoulders were still killing me.  The PS said I could do my stretching exercises  (not for the chest, however), my pool exercises,  and released to go back to my massage therapist.  He suggested that she work on the muscles in the armpit, neck and shoulders (Nothing on the chest).  I hightailed into her office  and the massage did wonders on relieving the tightness of the neck, shoulder, and underarm areas (I didn't realize how tight the armpit area was).

At my last visit, 1 1/2 weeks ago, my PS released from all exercise restrictions except doing push ups (I was doing 10 a day before expander surgery)  and "anything that hurts when you try it." 

I have found that the muscle pain from the change in my body mechanics due to the weight up front (about 4 lbs for me at this point) has decreased as my body adjusted, I resumed my exercising and experience  the magic hands of my massage therapist (once every three weeks).

I was never able to lie on my stomach comfortably after I had my breast aug. I'm sure it will be the same with breast recon (maybe worse). 

My skin is super sensitive, too.  My left side is still really sore.  :(

I slept last night kinda on my side.  I got this pillow my hubby bought me (one of those bean bag kind) and I slept with it on my side.  I lasted a little while.  When I had my breast aug, I got an idea from the implant forum to put a wash cloth between my breasts.  And I supported them on my side with a small hand towel.  It worked.  I might try this when I'm a little more filled up.

So, today my foobs are all bruised, like seriously black & blue.  Is this normal after almost 3 weeks post op?

geneskirt - no, I'm right handed.  The left side doesn't hurt as much.  I'm wearing a sports bra that compresses me and the swelling went down, just like my PS said. 

Thanks for the reply.  Yeah, I think it's crazy that the bruising is coming out now!  I'll up my water intake.  Hopefully it will subside. 

I hadn't heard of Arnica.  What is that?  Do you think it would be helpful when I have my exchange surgery? 

My first 4 expansions were fine - 50 CCs each, but the last one I could only handle 40cc - felt like my skin was going to burst! My PS wants me to wait 2 weeks until the next expansion instead of trying to go weekly. Will it continue to get harder? Mine feels like I have a rock in my chest.

I had my second fill yesterday and have some tenderness on the right side under my arm pit where the edge of the TE sits. This is my radiated side and at six weeks post op, the drain is still in. Last night I noticed some blood coming down the tube. What's with that? I'm not as tender today but still see some signs of blood. I'm wondering if I should pester my doctor or watch and see what happens.

Bobbi