Anyone had a Strange-Acting "Infection" after Tissue Expanders
Redness, no fever, and this has happened twice now! Has anyone had this happen? I had bilaterals in May 2009 with te's placed immediately. I was red after surgery and asked about it but with so much done I figured it had to do with the surgery. I kept some of that redness with it eventually going down under the breast. When it was time for the first fill I was told I had infection and would have to do antibiotics. There was no way to get a sample as this was damage the te's. I stayed on Levaquin for 21 days, was put into the hospital for iv drugs but eventually lost both te's on Father's Day last year. I was told I could try again in 6 months to one year, so in Jan. I began again (as this is also the new year on insurance). This time it was much more comfortable with no redness at time of surgery. A couple of weeks later some rash-like redness occurred but my ps said it was from the alloderm. Another week and I have the beet red look on one breast--here we go again with infection and now I am on clindamiacin (didn't want to do the Levaquin as it did nothing for me last time). Please ladies, if you have any useful ideas on what to do, please tell me. If I lose the te's this time, I won't be able to do this again this way and I don't want to do the tummy tuck or other things because of infection risk and yet more scars. I trust my plastic surgeon, he's the head of surgery and plastic surgery at Duke. Going to ask him today if he's talked to other ps's from other areas to see if they have seen anything like this. Oh, and it's usually lighter in the morning, redder in the evening and there's some fluid there as it's tighter than the other side. Sorry I'm so long.
Comments
-
Hi Tabby - and sorry you're going through this.
Your story sounds exactly like mine: my impants never behaved from the get-go, and finally I had them explanted three weeks after the exchange surgery.
I never had a fever the whole time, either. And I had the same issues re the morning/night thing, esp if I flew. The redness and swelling took months to go away, even after the implants were removed and long after I was done with all those courses of abx.
I then spent 10 weeks under an infectious diseases physician trying every antibiotic on earth, but to no avail (I even had a PICC line for 6 weeks). They'd start out fine and within a few days things would be back to where they were. The swabs never grew anything, and the general consensus was that maybe it wasn't an infection after all but a massive inflammatory response (something to do with cytokines, I forget now).
I was very sick and off work for the whole time from December to April. Not nice.
I hate to say it, but I think you need to brace yourself for things not having a great outcome. Implant infections (if that is what it is) are notoriously hard to beat. Not impossibe, but from what I understand things go badly more times than not.
Re using your own fat and tissue: you know, your infection risk may not be any higher (I don't know for sure, but you should investigate) because you're not putting a foreign object into your body.
I haven't been able to wear contact lenses since then (my eyes now basically reject them) and have had all sorts of minor but weird allergic reactions, as well as bad patches with asthma. I wonder if what I had was an allergic thing of some kind. Probably will never know.
How horrible for you to go through this twice.
0 -
Hi Tabby--I had a similiar experience....4 weeks after my mast. my left TE developed a red warmish spot about the size of a silver dollar. We started with leviquin...with no success. The redness stayed...never got bigger or warmer and no fever. Then we inserted a pick line for 3 weeks...they threw the arsenal of antibiotics at me. After 6 weeks...decided to have it removed. I waited 3 months and had it re-inserted. No problems at all through my expansions. Had my exchange surgery 6 months later and am now 2-1/2 years with no problems. Drs never could figure out what caused it...a boob mystery. I can only imagine how disappointed and frustrated you are. Erin
0 -
My story sounds similar. I had an that infection (warmth and redness of the right breast) soon after my double mastectomy and expander placement. I took a couple of rounds of oral antibiotics and it appeared to get better, only to get worse a little bit later. We tried a couple of weeks of IV ABx but it didn't solve the problem. My PS said the TE had to go. I then waited 7 months to try again.
The TE was replaced. All was fine for a week and then it started again: warmth, redness, and a low grade temperature. This time we took no chances. I was sent immediately to an infectious diseases Dr. and put on IV antibiotics (Cubicin) for 6 weeks. I was given Cipro to cover for a gram negative infection and an antifungal for a fungal infection. (They weren't able to culture anything to determine the exact type of infection so we covered for everything.) While some people may have considered all of this overkill, neither my PS nor I wanted to take chances. The heavy duty antibiotics worked, the infection was cleared.
Before you give up on the TEs; make sure that they are giving you the stongest antibiotics that cover for multiple infection types (like you, I did not have a positive culture; so it was hard to know exactly what to treat for). Many of the oral ABs do not "touch" the methicillin resistant staph infection.
I wish you the best in this fight!
0 -
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/02/06/my-left-breast-put-fancy-tsa-scanner-to-the-test/
BC blogger w lat flap & implant blogs about screening experience at airport.
Marcia
0 -
Hey guys, so sorry to have been so long to thank you for your responses. I have been in the hospital all week. My PS tried to get me in with infectious disease but they put me off for about two weeks, so my PS checked me into the hospital to "make" them take a look. My PS still thinks this is a low grade infection but the infectious disease doctors say no. They are wondering if it's an allergic reaction of some sort. First they swabbed me in a few areas to check for strep A as apparently a doctor colleague at Mayo Clinic (wish I knew his name) suggested this as he studies infections in breasts. The swabs didn't really get them excited so I am home after a week in the hospital and on the PIC line with vancomiacin for about 6 more days then they want to step it down to 300 mg of clindamyacin. Who knows what will happen with that. The redness is better and a little of the inflammation is better. Still don't know what this is but at least there are a few more brains are working on it.
Samiam: I printed your response off so I could show it to these doctors, so thank you so much for including the meds you used. Just curious...you said you were successful in getting rid of the infection or whatever it was. Where are you in the process now? Have you been able to expand and get the implants? Hope everything is going well for you.
So grateful to have you all and that you are willing to share your experiences! Be well.
0 -
Hi Tabby,
Thanks for inquiring. After 6 weeks of the heavy duty antibiotics with my second expander (probably overkill) the infection was gone. I had a successful expansion and the exchange was January 25. I also had nipples done at the same time. All is going well. (It still take my temp a couple of times a day and every time I think I see pink skin!)
When all of this first happened I was devastated and thought this process would take forever. I'm so happy to have reached this point and am glad I made the decision to keep plowing through. The results are worth the wait.
0 -
Tabby: I was first on Keflex, which did not do anything. Then they put me on septra. That really helped to improve the infection. Then, when the implant came out, the infection seemed to clear up immediately.
0 -
Samiam: So glad you were able to beat the infection and move forward with your reconstruction--you must have felt like Superworman!! Thank you for all your help by sharing your story with me.
joiedevivre: Thanks for sharing. How are you doing these days?
0 -
I am really glad to see this post and thank you all for sharing. I also have a "mystery" infection. Or not an infection; not really sure. I had my bi-lateral mx with expanders on 12/14/09 (neoadjuvant chemo finished 11/12/09). The cancer was on the right side and I had 14 lymph nodes removed. I did not heal as well or quickly on that side and sort of bumped along through the expansion process. Just before I started radiation, I spent a few days in intense pain on the right side, low fever and actually ended up in the ER. I have been on antibiotics since and will finish radiation next Wednesday. I have see my PS at least once a week to have the right side aspirated and also have had 50ccs removed from the expander. At my weekly check-in today, we discussed options and he wants to give my skin 2 or 3 weeks of healing and go ahead with the exchange. Not ideal, but he acknowleges that something "isn't right" even though the fluid that he aspirates (with a BIG needle) is clear and doesn't indicate infection, my expander bump continues to be blazing red and hot on the bottom half. I am worried about another surgery and he tells me that the danger is that my radiated skin won't heal properly or hold up with surgery so soon. I trust him and I think he's a good doctor, but should I get a 2nd opinion? Again, I am nervous about the surgery and I know that the timeline is not ideal seeing how he wanted to wait at least 6 months after radiation to do the exchange...but I am also excited about the prospect of the best case scenario of getting my implants, clearing up the infection and being DONE with this mess. I appreciate the expanders, but I do not like them. Has anyone had a similar situation or heard of one where the exchange was done so soon after radiation?
0 -
sunflowers
I am having a very similar problem to that one that you explain. One week after my TE was put in my breast filled with fluid and was very hot and a bit inflamed. I didn't ever have a fever or feel unwell with it but it was very tender & very uncomfortable. I've had IV AB's and am now on oral and I'm still having seroma problems. I have had 3 ultrasound guided aspirations, 2 sets of drains and a wash out, now my PS wants to try another wash out and a bigger drain. I am so tempted to ask my PS to put my final implant in and hope that things resolve like yours did. My problem sounds identical to yours. I am now 4 weeks post op and i'm worried that if he puts the tissue expander back in after the wash out - history will keep repeating itself. Advice anyone??? Help
0 -
YES
I have had the very same problems with the tissue expander as well. Each time I had a TE placed within two weeks I had the same reaction. HOT, RED, WEEPING INCISION! Thought to be a infection by PS put on antibiotics-to no avail. Cultures came back negative. TE removed. This went on for 3 TE, 3 removals and almost a year of my life. The very last culture did come back with (get this) stenotrophomonas maltophilia infection. Gram-negative therefore I was on all the wrong antibiotics. BUT even after placed on Bactrin I still had to have the TE removed.
I really think I was reacting to the material the TE is made from, because I had breast implants for years with no problems. I have given up. Geez all I wanted was a breast to match the other side. So ladies be aware it may not be as easy as the PS makes it sound.
I do have my life and caught the cancer early, THANK-YOU JEHOVAH. Today I am going for my MRI of the left breast, something looked funny in the mamm. Say a prayer, as I pray for all of us today.
ggs
0 -
I share your story. I had bilateral on 12-2910. Was suppose to be nipple sparing. On Jan. 15th my surgeon said I had an infection which my husband and I knew. In both incisions. She opened me up and flushed the areas out and did an incision and drain. I lost both nipples which was so devastating to me. Thinking I could keep them is part of the reason I had the mastectomy instead of a lumectomy. I was on IV antibiotics over the weekend in the hospital and home on Cipro. Well a week later still more redness under the breast and going over to the other one. Back in the hospital another open and incision and drain and flushing the area. They cultured serratia. A bacteria almost exclusively hospital acquired. Someone screwed up. I had a picc line and was on Gentamyacin and Zosyn for 6.5 weeks then Cipro for 4 weeks. I believe that opening me back up and flushing each time is what helped save the TE's. I have my exhange surgery set for Oct. 1. I am scared to death I will have complications again. Oh yeah I also had an incision on the left open up and it took a couple of months to heal. I had to advocate for myself on the second incision and drain because the infectious disease doc was going to send me home on Cipro. I challenged him saying why do that it didn't work last time. So that is why the IV antibiotics for that long. He told me , "You have a valid point" I guess so. Good luck ladies.
0 -
Thank-You for writing back . (Please refer to ggs Aug 6.)
What I find so ironic is how each Dr. handles what seems to be the same diagnosis so different. I had asked if I should be on an IV antibiotic, and each time told NO. How bad did the infection have to be! You definitely have to speak up or things can really go amok.
How many woman had reconstruction without a great deal of problems? I wonder???
ggs
0 -
Hey I have similar concern. I had Prophylactic Bilateral Mastectomy with TE on July 13. Since last week I am getting low grade fever 98-99F. I am not very sick just little chills. No redness at all though. My PS put me on keflex for 7 more day. Really worried have a toddlar son have to get back to my feet SOON. Anybody had similar situation.
0 -
Dear dee-mn
Sorry to hear you're not feeling well. I hope the Keflex works as it normally always will with most infections. However my infection was of a different strain. I needed Bactrim, which is a sulfur type antibiotic. Low grade fever is just your body fighting back. My DR said to call if my fever went to 101, but it never did...
Try to stay positive, eat healthy, and rest when you can!
0 -
Thanks ggs102. My PS said the same thing. I think it was just psychological funny thing was after taking to him I started feeling better. I think I am just too worried.
0 -
Hi ladies,
I am so glad to find this thread. My BMX surgery with TE was Aug 4. Left drain removed one week later with very little output. I noticed a build of of fluid on my left side about 5 days ago with a pink area. Saw my PS the next day for a regular appt. He looked at it and said "Lets not worry about it quite yet". There's now a smaller red spot in the same breast. I don't think I have a temp but was very tired yesterday. Wondering if I should call him this weekend or wait until Monday (two days from now) to see him. My BS actually put me on Keflex right after my surgery and I am just finishing that round of antibiotics. Worried that this is happening even though I am already taking an antibiotic. Would appreciate your thoughts or feedback.
Smurfie
0 -
add me to the club!
Redness, no fever, no pain, no heat, no discharge.
My CBC is normal. PS put me on high dise abx "just in case" but nothing changed. So, I went off of the Abx after 14 days and still no change. So, we filled again (last fill) and plan to do the exchange in a few weeks. PS is thinking that there's a seroma in there (behind the TE) that is irritated but not infected. It *is* only one side and only gets worse when I exercise or use that arm a lot.
I had a thread "red te" where I asked about this too.
0 -
I was getting fills of 100cc's at a time, weekly. It was the last fill, which would have put me at 800cc's, that did me in. Too much too fast. My incision split on the inside, filled with infection, and by the time I got back in one day later, all my PS had to do was touch the scar and it burst open and drained. Yuck.. So she cleaned it all out, took out 100cc's, gave me a script for Bactrim and sewed me up with Frankenstein stitches. It took MONTHS for it to completely close. My feeling is I'm allergic to the pig tissue they use (AlloDerm). My exchange surgery is set for Sept 9. I'm ready...
0 -
Hi Bamber88: I just read your post. Oh my goodness...that's just awful what happened to you. After all the fills that you've been through. I had a nasty infection right after my BMX so I can relate how awful an infection can be, but how upsetting to get one so far into your fills. I wish you all the best. I'm at 800 cc's w/ my expanders (well, at least w/ one foob...I have a leak with the other one). Always somethin', huh? Best of luck to you.
0 -
bambers88:
I wish you a healthy and speedy recovery... Hope all has gone as planned for Sept 9.
0 -
oh wow, I finally find a bunch of people going through what I have and I may have the answer. I had a bilateral mastectomy with expanders on Aug 12. The surgery went well and scars looked good but noticed my left breast was getting bigger than the right and i felt a lot of pain while moving/walking like something rubbing against my nerve. On Sept 8 I went in for what was supposed to be my first fill.My surgeon said I had fluid build up and I went in right away for a ultrasound guided aspiration and about 25 cc were removed and send for testing. I was put on Leviquin for 10 days in the mean time as a prevention. I went away on a small vacation for a few days the day after. The pain went away but the left stayed bigger and noticably in a bathing suit. So a week after I called saying it was going down and still red so I was brought in on Sept 17 for a cat scan where they woud pinpoint the fuid build up, drain it and most likely insert a drain again. Well the cat scan showed no build up whatsoever so I was sent home. Today I went in again and left still big, no pain, still red. Not bad in the mornings but gets redder as the day goes on. Well my PS said this is something they are just learning about and called red breast. He even wants to take pictures and submit me for a study. He told me to take 600 mg of Advil twice a day for a week to treat inflamation and if no pain, no fever. no fluid we can move on with the fills which I haven't had yet. Otherwise we may have to remove it but I am hoping it doesnt come to that.
0 -
Hi Tabby,
I am having trouble with one breast with similar symptoms, no fever, redness. I have taken Avalox and at first it worked and it cleared up but after taking more chemo the redness is back and worse now. The doctor gave me a new prescription today called Clindamyacin and I noticed that you were going to take this drug, did it help you? The side effects sound AWFUL!! I am afraid to take it as I just had another chemo treatment today and will be sick enough this weekend. I would appreciate knowing if this drug worked for you.
Thanks so much!
0 -
greetings carole66:
It sounds like you are having the best of care. I have been suffering for 18 mo. have had 5 different surgeries,(6 op.) I still have no expander. I do not know who your PS is but hold on to him/her. I know you can not tell the name but how did you find such a caring doc?
0 -
bambers88... Alloderm is actually human tissue, not pig. I don't think it's possible to be allergic to it, but I could be wrong.
0 -
I had a bmx on 7/21 and had to have the left TE removed in Sept due to a bacterial infection. Mine was beet red and oozing very badly. I just changed PS's as I felt like a part on an assembly line with my prior PS. He never took the time to answer all of my questions. I do not even know the source of the infection, was it his dirty hands? I hate to say that but I am bitter.
I will find out in two weeks what is next for me but it is so hard waiting so long. I just hope that once I get the TE back, it will be uphill from there.
0 -
DorothyK:
Sorry to hear about the infection, and your PS. When we sign release forms before surgery they say that there is a risk of infection. We never imagine our breast turning red and oozing. PS had prescribed wrong antibiotic so my problem went on for months. Also don't try to rush this. I have learned, although the hard way, that our bodies need to get over infections and fully heal before putting in another TE. Try and do what will be best for you. Take care. Best wishes for a healthy recovery.
0 -
I must saay, I am so proud of each and every strong woman out there who has gone through what each story detailed. I am 5 years out, having caught my cancer early in a mammogram. I had Stage One invasive ductal carcinoma, a lumpectomy, Sentinal Node removal and radiation. No recurrence and a clean mamm in March. Two weeks ago the scar line of the lumpectomy turned bright pink. The cancer center got me in within 24 hours. I was assured it was an infection, NOT a recurrence and put on K-Flex. Then the weekend came (never get sick on a weekend) and a blood blister formed and burst and by Monday was draining. Tuesday the surgeon opened the wound and also assured me it wasn't recurrent cancer but an infection. They switched my antibiotic to Bactrim. I saw each doctor (surgeon and oncologist) in a week and the infection had NOT gotten better. I thought it was good that it was starting to close around the edges, but by tonight I think that is just sealing in the fluid. The area is getting puffy. He put me on Vancomiacin intravenous for five days. I've completed two rounds but it's getting dark red and starting to hurt. My husband has to take the day off from his photography business (sole proprietor) and we are struggling now as it is. (That's a whole OTHER sob story!) I see the doctor on day 4, but will see how it goes on day 3. I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in September, which doesn't help my healing progress. I also have advance Parkinson's disease, so pull out those violins for me, ladies, I hear them playing already. I'm just wondering what comes next. I have brain stimulators with wires running into my brain that could carry little infection germs right into my brain if this thing goes systemic. My neurologist already said they had a case where that happened to an 80 year old man and he had to have his wires removed -- permanently. I take zinc, Vit. E, a multi-vitamin and a 19 fruit puree that is supposed to be the highest anti-oxident drink on the market (and it tastes GOOD!) If that were to happen, losing my wires, you could add the whole orchestra to those little violins you've got going. My life at age 57 is the Poseiden Adventure! As soon as you THINK everything is clear sailing, and then along comes a rogue wave. . . I'm just praying the Vanco kicks in - SOON!
0 -
I will try to make this short, but to those of you have TE infections, I had a BMX w/ immed. recon. TE's in May and developed an infection at the end of June. (cellulitis) Anyway, after taking Keflex, Bactrim and Clindamycin (had an allegic reaction to this one).....the infection still remained. I had the left TE removed in August and the infection still returned after surgery, so the doctor put me on Zyvox. It is 3200.00 without insurance, but Pfizer has a financial aid assistance program. My insurance ended up paying for this drug. I think this is a miracle drug. It finally after everything cleared the infection. I looked on the Pfizer website and it said it clears approx 99% of MRSA infections. It is similar to the Vancomycin, but at least you can take it at home and I can tell it works. Anyway, before anyone decides on removal of TE's for a first or second time, you should consider this medication. Good luck to all of you. I know it is really hard waiting and worrying, but hopefully for all of our sakes it will get better. Take Care and Good Night. Allison
0 -
Hey bogeysmom: Sorry to hear things aren't going well. Clindamyacin sort of held the infection? at bay for a while but only a pic line with vancomicin got rid of it. I have now had my implants in for about three weeks and no redness or anything--yeah! I'd ask to see someone from infectious disease. We did that the second time around with te's and I had to go into the hospital to get the pic line and vanc. but it worked (that and a lot of prayer!!). Best wishes to you.
Dorothy: Glad you changed PSs. From what I've been told if there is anything at all on or around a te and you get infected it's next to impossible to get rid of it because the te is a foreign body. I know the bitter feeling and the frustration and I pray you can get well and get your te back soon and you'll soon be done, but get ready to wait a bit. Usually when you get an infection you have to wait like 3-6 months before replacing the te and then you are at higher risk for infection again. You can do this. I am now finally three weeks out with the silicon implants and praying to keep the nice white skin. Hope you are all better soon.
CeeMarie: The violins are playing and the prayers are going up! Bless your heart for all you are enduring right now. I'm assuming you have implants but maybe not? That vanc is really strong but I'd request a visit to infectious disease. Have they cultured anything?
0
