TE TROUBLE
Comments
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I am kind of the same place Fluff is. I am kind of done with surgeries. I think the fg did a great job of making them more natural looking and in clothes I think they rock. I even put on a swim suit for the hot tub and liked them. Such an improvement over the tes.
I however am different then DLL and SK. I love underwires and my PS said it was OK. SK I wonder if your still a little sore from the surgery and that is why it is hurting?
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Fluff, I don't know that size always has as much to do with upper pole fullness and perhaps does the pocket work done by the surgeon. Mine are smaller than yours, 400cc HP, and I have lots of upper pole fullness. Even without a bra at all it looks like I have a serious push-up style bra on. I am very rounded at top and totally have the stripper look going on. So maybe that is how the pocket is shaped. Or maybe body habitus?
SpecialK, a properly fitted underwire should not hurt. Chek and double check the fitting and also remember that not every bra is for every woman. I have some I cannot even tell I have on and others hurt the moment I tried them all.
Every PS is certainly differnent. Mine says ALWAYS an underwire post exchange.
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So when it's time for nips, is it another surgery? I thought it was a local in-office procedure. AAAHHHH!
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tampa - Hi! This bra was comfortable for the first few hours, but I think it may have been too soon because where it was hurting me was where I have had pain immediately post-op. Also it is a new bra and not broken in yet. It is funny to me that PS are so different - mine would be happy if I never wore an underwire, and he does a boatload of breast recon and breast aug. He feels that they stay softer without an underwire. I went through my lingerie drawer and tried on all my old bras to see if any fit, and I was pretty surprised that some of them did, so I may try one of them since they are softer from previous wear. I am going to have to go shopping for some new ones, but I will probably wait until after FG though.
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I got the impression nips for me could be done under a local with lots of goofy meds if I opted not to have another round of fat grafting.
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Hello all! Just checking in. Happy to report I'm finally scheduled to have my TE replaced! My PS originally said I had to wait 3 months, but it ended up being almost 5 months. I've learned to be patient, but that is not natural for me. May 15 is my day! Hooray!
I do have a question. How long do you normally have to wait to work out again? I'm primarily a runner and I just hate not getting out there every day. After my MX, I had so much trouble with infection that never even got to think about running. Now that I've been in this holding pattern I hate the idea of being laid up again. I sure hope things go better this time around.0 -
My ps doesnt care what kind of bra I wear. Right now, I havent been wearing anything as he doesnt want any compression on the new nips for a month.
I knew I was having the fat grafting so never had the conversation about in office. I did ask him if I could have twilight instead of general, and he said he would prefer not, so I just went with it.
Curly, I could walk as much as I wanted immediately after implants and I think I had to wait a couple of weeks. It s no big deal as surgery goes. He lipod a little under my armpit area to get rid of what I called armpit boobs, and that was more painful than the implant stuff0 -
Yay, Curlyfry! Glad you have your exchange scheduled.
Good to see you, Tampa---how are things going with you?
Chickadee, I think you are correct that nips can be done under a local if that is all they are doing.
When I had 2 silicone implants, my PS said No bra right now. Now he has me in an underwire 24/7 is to make sure the bottom/side of the pocket on the saline side seals. I am also finding that the bra is helping to smooth out the dent in the lat muscle on my rads side.
Has anyone had lasering to their radiated skin? My PS mentioned that he was looking into it. I still have some really pink areas & I finished rads last May.
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I was gonna take an aspirin for pain cause I dont like the side effects of other pain pills. I gotta find a pill I can take to replace the Arimi which almost killed me with shortness of breath. New problem is my TE feel spongy now. Anybody have this? Is it ok? I go to PS on Fri so will find out. Everything about these TE freaks me out.
They were feeling like rocks under the skin but now have gotten spongy and feel like there is a little quilted pad under my skin,what is going on with these plastic footballs?!
Am I gonna feel like this after I get my implants? Guess after cancer you never feel normal again? And I am really mad about being discriminated against!!!Every time I apply for something,have you ever been diagnosed with HIV or cancer? As if cancer were anything like that?! What about heart patients and kidney patients and dementia,they dont ask about those things??? Its not fair. I am thinking of sending Bill Clinton a letter and asking if he knows a senator who might introduce a bill to stop this discrimination!! Its so not fair! We didnt choose to get cancer!!!
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Hello All,
I'm having a problem with an infection with a TE that was inserted on March 16th. Here is my tale of woe. I had a BMX on 4-8-11 and TE"s inserted, and went through the fills. I had the exchange on 6-27-11, and all was well, until the left implant became infected. We tried antibiotics, but it was removed 8-9-11. A second implant was insered on 9-5-11. But it also had to be removed on 12-5-11, and I developed MRSA that time. The PS put me on antibiotics, and then I had 3 clear readings. We waited until march 16th and did a lat flap with an expander. The drain site for the flap closed, but 3 days later it started leaking, and a culture showed MRSA. I am now on IV Vankomycin for at least 3 weeks. A pinhole opened on my incision on Friday the 13th (0f course!) and it leaked quite a bit, but it slowed down Saturday. The drain site for the flap opened again today (Sunday). Has anyone had luck with IV antibiotics saving an implant or TE? I know it can go either way, but I'd like to hear about other experiences. I see the PS on Tuesday, and I'm in contact with the infectious disease doc. It just feels like I've had 2 extra mastectomies with the failed implants. I'm hoping the antibiotic will stop the draining, but I don't know.
Thank you!
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I got pseudomonas. I tried antibiotics, oral and iv. It helped, but the minute I finished them it came back. I finally gave up and had it removed. Had another round of iv antibiotics while they were out because I started to run a fever for no reason and they were all freaked that it could be the pseudomonas and not just a viral thing. When he put them back in again, I tested positive for mrsa, but no symptoms, so it was thought that maybe it had been on my skin or something, but he put me on antibiotics as a precaution. I did not develop any other infections from there on. I had to see an infectious disease doc also. It is exhausting. I feel for you.
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Hi JLMG,
So happy you found the site....you will get great info and support. Also, in your original post where I found you (the other forum), a woman just mentioned how she successfully saved her TE.
Take care,
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DM13: Good luck with your TE surgery tomorrow! We'll all be here rooting for you!
1Curlyfry & Sundermom: I added your surgeries to our list above.
Caro4: When I was having trouble healing and my PS wasn't sure why, he wanted my TE out to see if there was an underlying (and undetected) infection going on. He had to see that I healed up perfectly (which I did) before he would put the TE back in. He always says to me our bodies are very wise, they will tell us when something is wrong. How do things look for you today? Are you draining less? Any redness? I know some women are able to save their TE's despite infection... but in the face of infection many PS's (mine included) will say you have to take out the TE and clear the infection completely before re-introducing a new TE. Let us know how things are going!
CindyinAz: Many women complain about their TE's shifting but I don't think it is a good thing! Glad you got another PS and it sounds like you're on the right path now.
MTnester & MRochon: Do not feel disloyal about 2nd/3rd opinions! You deserve to be armed with info, and that is the only way to do it! Keep us posted on your upcoming appointments.
Tatina: How are you doing?
Chick: Interesting that you have alloderm over your implants. I am wondering why they don't just use alloderm (instead of the fat grafting). Anyone know?
Marcy, nice to see you!
Fluff & DLL66: Projection is my biggest worry. Right now with the TEs I have width but no projection; and if I stay the same size as these TE's I will be small. I guess I was hoping since I started to heal that we could stick with the original plan but I should know by now that the best-laid plans ... well, you know the rest!
Tampa: 400ccs sounds like the most I will be able to have. How tall are you?
SpecialK: Hope you are feeling better after "the night of the underwire"!
Momof3inFLA: I told my PS I didn't want nips b/c I didn't want another surgery. He is very pro nip and told me not to worry, he is not worried about me healing from that surgery. But I am a little gun shy (no, a LOT gun shy) and will cross that bridge much later. I have a little thing called exchange surgery to worry about first!
Layla: let us know what your PS says. Aside from swelling (or possible leakage?) I'm not sure why your TEs would suddenly feel different...
jlmg: Welcome! We hear you on the feeling that you have had multiple mastectomies with all this TE Trouble. How is the pinhole today? Any bigger? Any less fluid? Keep us posted with what your PS says tomorrow.
Fluff: I don't think I realized you tested + for MRSA. Once you have that, you have that, right? How does that work?
General Question: Have any ladies who had healing issues or thin skin gone on to have tattooing?
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ren - wow! That was an all-encompassing post, very impressive! The night of the underwire is all good, but I am not anxious to wear that bra again! I need to go be fitted when I have a few minutes. I have to tell you I ended up at your blog through a circuitous route - the details of which I actually don't remember. I was looking something up on google, then I clicked on something and your blog was linked to it, and there I was - I said hey, I know her!
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Renn....when I tested positive for mrsa, it was pretty small. I did a dose of iv antibiotics. After my three months with the second set of te's, i got the implants. He recultured everything and it was all negative. You have mrsa stuff on your skin pretty commonly, it just needs an open place to get in.
The mrsa part never did anything. The pseudomonas are what caused the big problems and they still cant believe I wasnt sick. I had a low grade fever for just a few hours, didnt feel bad, but ad the red spot. They said I should have been spiking a pretty high fever, and felt really bad.
I think it all flared up because I was oon chemo during that time and just couldnt fight it off. The weird thing was, my counts were always normal throughout chemo and the infection. Never dropped out of the normal range or went high.0 -
Renn,
I am 5'1", 120 pounds and 29.5 inch ribcage measurement. I think the 400cc size is perfect for me. I have some revisions in my future for multiple reasons, but if you want to see what 400ccs looks like on me, go to the picture forum. I post under a different name there, but the thread is titled 'Exchanged to 400cc HP'. Last update was in March, I think,
Also, check out Sweetbean. She too has 400cc and we are the same size. Her are Allergan and mine are Mentor. Hers has a slightly smaller base width.
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SpecialK,
My PS does a boatload of recons also. I think he said 85% of his practice is recons. And unlike your surgeon, he says to ALWAYS wear underwire. When I first went into an underwire and he saw what I was wearing, he commented "That is a good bra!". It was the Chantelle C-Chic 3582, which is 3-part and non-padded underwire. It is the bra that Nordstrom's does for their fittings. In other words, your fit in that bra is your true size. But they will also tell you it is a sensitve size fit and no room for error on the small size. If you have pain in the sternum, go up a band size and down a cup size. I had to do this and I now have that style in four colors and they are now my most comfortable ones along with Fantasie Florence.
Try lots and if you buy at Nordstroms, they will accept returns even after worn and washed.
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JLMG - sorry you have joined us. You will find much support here.
There has been a lot of activity and I marvel at Ren's way of being able to check in with everyone. Can I just say "ditto"?
Tomorrow me TE is being replaced. So nervous! I had a lot of pain when they were first installed, please tell me I will have very little pain this time around...
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DLL66,
Good to see you, too. There has been lots going on with me. More biopsies (benign as of today!), more and new doctor appointments, new troubles in medical world. As to aestheetics, I had my last follow up with my PS who gave a list of things he would do for revisions, but didn't really sound all that keen on doing any. So for certain I need revisions, and will need to figure out what to do and when. I have other more important and pressing problems first.
So while I would like to look better and would like that to be really soon, it does not sppear that will happen for me. Another summer of hiding my body. After a year and a half, why is that not over already? I just want to feel good in my skin again and I thought that would be behind me after I came out of chemo last June and proceeded to finish recon. I want to be comfortable with what I physically feel and be comfortable with what I see in the mirror. I need medical people to care as much about that for me as I do. I hope I am not seen as just an older woman and 'good enough for her'. Since my last surgery, and maybe because of it, I have felt like what matters to me is dismissed as not important. And it actually has been completely dismissed. Oh, well..
I am way past due for an update on the other site, I just have not had it in me to do that yet and am sort of beat down right now so am leaving it alone. The photos I took four weeks after the last ones that I had posted look just the same, so there is no real update anyway.
And I think: here I am just wanting to feel good about my body again, but I made it health-wise through implants, removal of implants, TE problem and new TEs and then exchange. I am healthy now, at least as far as reconstruction goes. The dispair I feel when seeing myself naked is nothing more than vanity, so I guess selfish. I would have never thought I was so shallow.
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Freaking out here tonight! I had my exchange surgery from TEs to silicone last Thursday. Tonight, leftie is red, a bit warm and firm to the touch, not soft at all like the right one. I will go in tomorrow to see another doc if office as mine is in surgery tomorrow. I've been so forunate with all of these procedures and healing up nicely. I am really scared tonight.
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beachymom,
Call your PS tonight. Do not wait until the morning to call and go in. Let your PS know right now what is going on. 12 hours could make a difference.
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Fluff: I know MRSA is common, just didn't know how it "presented," if you will. Thanks for recapping!
Tampa: I'm 5'5" with 31 inch ribcage and I have 30 pounds on you. So implants in the 375 range will look too small on me. I was about to say I guess i should just get over it and be happy that I'm on the healing path, but I just read what you wrote to DLL and I thought I was reading my own story! After all this crap, I would like to get a little closer to normal. I too feel like here I am, 15 months out from BMX and I'll have another summer of hiding. I feel your pain and empathize with everything you've said!
Beachymom, keep us posted on the lefty situation. Were you able to reach your doc tonight?
DM13: Good luck tomorrow with TE replacement! Your pain or discomfort will really depend on whether or not your PS removes any scar tissue. That's what will be sore. If he doesn't remove scar tissue or redo the pocket, should be relative piece o' cake!
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Tampa, I am thrilled for you that your biopsies were benign! And I don't think you are shallow. After everything you have been through, you have the right to feel good as well as look good. I hope you get there. Is it possible to consider consulting with another PS?
Good luck, DM13!
Renn, I am with you on the projection issue. Hoping that my saline side will approximate the projection of the silicone side. Just found out today that the fill port removal will be done in the surgery center & not in the office, but probably not for at least another month or so as I still have another fill or two left.
I have not yet had any post-treatment baseline scans done because I did chemo/BMX/rads/recon. My MO finally pinned me down & is sending me for a bone scan & a CT scan. Not really looking forward to that.
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DM13 - I hope your exchange was an easy switch.
Today I went to the Infectious Disease doc and he is switching me to Zyvox, twice a day. I had a culture done last week, and the little boogers are different, or surfaced, or whatever. The drainage from the incision is decreasing and the drain site now has a nice scab. I'll see what the PS says later today. I am glad I get my gauzes and ABD pads from Edgepark. I've hit my deductible, so 3 packs of gauzes (200/pack) only costs me about $3.00!
beachmommy, I'll pray your implant is not infected. They are so time consuming and energy draining.
Take care,
jlmg
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So glad to be home so early. Everything went well. He filled me with 150cc's, but the pain is starting to set in, so I will be taking something for that soon.
think I am still a bit loopy! LOL.
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Glad to hear that everything went well, DM!
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Hi Ladies,
I did call the office last night and spoke with a dr. He called my dr. and she said to be at the office at 10:00 a.m. and someone would check me. My ps was in surgery all day today so I couldn't see her. They took a look and told me yes it was a little red but nothing that I should be alarmed about. There is more swelling on the left than the right, so it does appear bigger. Couldn't have received better news! I will go back tomorrow for my regularly scheduled post op appointment for the big nipple reveal! Can't wait to see what's under these cauliflower like things stiched on my skin...
Thank you so much for your responses and concern, truly a help in these times! Why do we always fear the worst...my mind just raced away with it.
Love to you all!0 -
Yeah DM!
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DM - yay!
beachy - yay!
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DM: Congrats on sailing through! Let us know how you are feeling in the morning.
Beachy: Sounds encouraging. keep us posted on your progress and the big reveal.
jlmg: Wow I wish I had a gauze pad deal like that! I can't tell you how much $$$ I spend on those darn things. I literally bought dozens of boxes of 25's. Crazy. Thank God that part is over for the time being!
DLL66: I have *never* had a CT scan done. Is that weird? Anyone else not have these types of tests? My MO is *so* not worried about me. Luckily I'm getting new insurance in August and that means a new MO.
PS to SpecialK: That is funny about your landing on my blog unexpectedly! Cool! ;-)
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