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TE TROUBLE

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Comments

  • lisamarie68
    lisamarie68 Member Posts: 971
    edited July 2012

    GM , I am okay a bit sore swollen and very bruised and I think i mentioned that my left side is still bigger than right side , (the cancer side) I got silicone round implants 400 cc in each .. PS just said no laying on my sides right now , and he said it will all become symetrical its just due to swelling , I sure hope so , I feel soft and squishy .. thats a plus no more hard TE's . he gave me Narco this time for pain , still makes me nausea.. and im on keflex .. and they just called me in diflucan cause i hate yeast infection from antibitoics . I did laundry today and im kinda tired . they also said i need to be wearing a sports bra now , no underwire . i dont have any bras yet guess that will be my adventure for tomorrow .. go out and buy sports bra ..lol .. I wish u luck next week getting ur squishys tooo ... :) it is a relief though :)

  • roadwarrior28
    roadwarrior28 Member Posts: 161
    edited July 2012

    Lisamarie - I recommend Bestform front snap bras they sell them at Walmart, target, etc. lve been living in them for months. Just line dry otherwise the straps shrink

  • lisamarie68
    lisamarie68 Member Posts: 971
    edited July 2012

    thanks road warrior ... ill look for them tomorrow :)

  • Layla2525
    Layla2525 Member Posts: 465
    edited July 2012

    Moonflwer,yes you are so right,unless the person has been thru all this s....t they cant possibly understand. They are so stupid about it. Tell them i had a bmx and then they are shocked that the nipple was taken off,apparently people think its an itty bitty surgery where the surg takes out the microscopic cancer with needle the size of a shot needle. Good grief in my dreams! They have the internet dont they see that stuff? Honestly, think people get more ignorant every generation.

  • dunesleeper
    dunesleeper Member Posts: 1,305
    edited July 2012

    I have a date for my exchange surgery. That will be September 4th.

    I am pretty sure my TE turned again. When I got my last fill the PS noticed that it had turned. When I woke up this morning it felt really strange with pressure where there usually isn't pressure. My guess is it turned again. I let the PS office know but told them I was just letting them know in case it was something to be concerned about. He said he is not worried if I am not worried, just to look for redness. I don't have that, but it is uncomfortable. I guess I should be wearing a compression bra all the time, but just doesn't seem healthy to me; so here I am laying in bed without a bra and feeling uncomfortable. Oh well. I can always put it on in the middle of the night if need be.

    I'll be taking classes when I have the exchange surgery done. In fact I have a class that morning. Mom joked that she could roll me over to the college (which is right next to the hospital). I could wake up from anaethesia in class. haha. I do hope it goes well because I intend to only miss that one class. That's a Tuesday. Classes are Tuesday Thursday and Saturday; and it cost too much money to miss it. I need this class to be able to get a job, so I will be pulling out the big girl panties and pushing through come hell or high water.

  • Rennasus
    Rennasus Member Posts: 642
    edited July 2012

    Hope everyone is feeling good today!

    Dunesleeper, I added you to the list. Your exchange is one day before mine. ;-)

  • redninrah
    redninrah Member Posts: 366
    edited July 2012

    i have a question for you ladies, how are u supposed to massage your implant, just squeezing it, or moving it side to side???????

  • specialk
    specialk Member Posts: 9,261
    edited July 2012

    red - my instructions were push at the clock hands - noon downward, 3 to the side, 6 upwards toward the shoulder (most important one), and 9 in the opposite direction of 3.  Hold each push for a count of 20 seconds, and push as hard as you can tolerate.  Do this several times a day to prevent capsular contracture and keep your implants soft.  My PS said to do this at red lights and when stopped in traffic, lol!

  • MondaysChild
    MondaysChild Member Posts: 161
    edited July 2012

    Red,

    Check with your PS regarding massage because the appear to have different opinions.  I was given no instructions to massage post-exchange.  I have asymmetry that the PS tried to address with massage specific to that problem, but it did not work so that is over.  No massage for general purposes or anything like for me.

  • dunesleeper
    dunesleeper Member Posts: 1,305
    edited July 2012

    Rennasus, kewl! It's nice to have an exchange buddy. Thanks for putting me on the list.

  • roadwarrior28
    roadwarrior28 Member Posts: 161
    edited July 2012

    I had my TE removed about a week ago and the drain was out 4 days ago. I left my areola during BMX and the incision is right across it. Today I noticed that the areola is crusty if that makes sense and there was a tiny dot of discharge on the dressing. Anyone else experience this?

  • Rennasus
    Rennasus Member Posts: 642
    edited July 2012

    Roadwarrior: I have experienced discharge many times along my incision line. I no longer have any part of my nipples, so I can't speak to that, but some discharge is a normal part of the healing process. Are there any dark areas along your incision? This can be a sign of necrosis and something to watch out for. If the discharge increases or doesn't go away, I'd put in a call to your PS tomorrow to be safe. 

  • roadwarrior28
    roadwarrior28 Member Posts: 161
    edited July 2012

    Rennasus - with the areola there it's hard to tell if there are any dark spots but I think it looks fine. It's such a tiny amount of discharge that I feel it's ok for now but who knows

  • Rennasus
    Rennasus Member Posts: 642
    edited July 2012

    Ladies, just wanted to acknowledge the fact that this thread is one year old today! So much pain, frustration, fear, disappointment and healing on these 135 pages! May it continue. Wishing you all hugs and gratitude for being here. Could not have done it without you.

  • MTnester
    MTnester Member Posts: 147
    edited July 2012

    A huge thank you to You, Renn - for keeping us together! I thought of you this morning as a matter of fact. It's been six weeks today since my exchange surgery and I still have two small pinholes on my left incision that haven't completely healed. It's starting to freak me out.

  • roadwarrior28
    roadwarrior28 Member Posts: 161
    edited July 2012

    So I had some discharge from the incision on the left (removed TE) and it sort of crusted over the areola. In the shower yesterday, the skin of the areola just started peeling off. Not painful, just felt like dead skin shedding and it's still dark underneath. I swear, these weird developments will never end....waiting for a call back from my PS

  • MondaysChild
    MondaysChild Member Posts: 161
    edited July 2012

    Wow, one year.  And I have read every post since that day.  I just was always too shy about it to have my own dates of TE replacement on 8/11/11 and exchange to permanent implants on 11/10/11 added to the list.  But I do remember the path of each new person who sadly joined the list.

    I think we need a new thead:  Implant Trouble.   For those of us who just go from trouble with TEs to trouble with implants. I wish it had ended at exchange instead of worse problems beginning. Ugh.

    Thanks for starting this, Renn.  It has been a source of comfort in the sharing.

  • Tatina123
    Tatina123 Member Posts: 312
    edited July 2012

    Thanks for this forum, Renn. I don't know what I would have done without it.



    Hugs,

    T

  • Rennasus
    Rennasus Member Posts: 642
    edited July 2012

    We must collectively thank BCO ... because honestly, where would we be without this great site and its resources? I can't imagine being on this journey without having the support of the many, many people on this site.

    CHEERS TO BCO!!!! 

  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 1,801
    edited July 2012

    Even though I didn't have to have my TEs removed, I have read all the posts, and I have learned SO much from all the brave women here - so thank YOU!!!!

  • chickadee521
    chickadee521 Member Posts: 423
    edited July 2012

    Thanks renn and bco!



    I am sitting in recovery. This time we went with more of a twlight anestesia and oh my what a world of difference! Will check in more later!

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited July 2012

    Chicadee, happy that it went better than expected. Always good when that happens!

  • Rennasus
    Rennasus Member Posts: 642
    edited July 2012

    CHICKADEE! Looking forward to hearing all about it!

    BLESSINGS2011: Thanks! 

  • chickadee521
    chickadee521 Member Posts: 423
    edited July 2012

    Hi all I am home.  Was home by 12, surgery was at 8.  HIGHLY recommend that those of you getting nipples push for the twilight.  I have no recollection of the surgery.  I was a little groggy at first but I could honestly go grocery shopping now.  I am in very little pain.  I am allowed to show tomorrow and I am supposed to take the gauze off and put triple antibiotic on 3 times a day.  He has some king of "cone" on them that is supposed to stay there till they heal (3 weeks?)  I was not sick to my stomach at all. 

    So nervous to tak off the bandages! 

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited July 2012

    Yay, Chris, happy your nips are great, glad you are feeling good.

  • Rennasus
    Rennasus Member Posts: 642
    edited July 2012

    Yay Chick!

    BINC: let us know how the TE removal went.

  • Binc
    Binc Member Posts: 71
    edited July 2012

    It was a busy day in the OR here at my hospital. My 1pm surgery was more like 4:30, and my infection won me an overnight stay. I don't feel too badly though. As promised, my surgeon left the incision open. It is packed and the dressings will need to be changed frequently. There is no drain. The theory is that it's best to leave it open, let it breathe and heal on its own. With every dressing/packing change, any bacteria that's still inside will be pulled out so it doesn't stay inside the pocket and fester. Interesting, but very gross! I haven't seen it yet as they will change the dressing in the morning.



    To add to the previous discussion on this thread about showers, my PS wants me to shower tomorrow and let the water run over the incision. It's the opposite of everything I was instructed to do when I had my mastectomy, but I'll go with it! He's done this many times before, it's just weird how different medical advice is depending on who is giving it. I'll continue on vancomycin for at least another week. Curious to see if the culture shows that my infection is vancomycin resistant after all of this. But according to my husband (if he got this part right) my body was attacking the TE so the infection would never have cleared. I'll have to get more clarification on that tomorrow when I see my ps. That's all for now. I must sleep - sooooo tired!

  • Layla2525
    Layla2525 Member Posts: 465
    edited July 2012

    blessings, ditto on that,even tho our TE did not get infected,we learned so much and gained much needed support and a place to whine together when the fills hurt.

    Hope everyone is better and gets along with the implants. Good luck ladies.

  • chickadee521
    chickadee521 Member Posts: 423
    edited July 2012

    Binc Hope it continues to get better

  • GreenMonkey
    GreenMonkey Member Posts: 291
    edited July 2012

    Glad everything went well Chick!!!  My surgery is tomorrow. TE's out squishie's IN :) my dr. may or maynot do the nips.

    Because of my previous complications I'm a bit nervous. My right TE fell back down where it was when my first DR positioned it (incorrectly). I really like my new DR, I know she is very focused on my surgery going well. I know that she truly cares and I know she is skilled. But... can she fix me. Time will tell. 

    Rennasus, thank you for starting this thread. It was comforting to know I was not alone with my TE failure.

    Binc, how are you today? That wait before surgery is so stressful. I too am bewildered at the difference in the medical advice. Wishing you a speady recovery! 

    Do we know why so many of us get TE infections? Is it just that our body's reject them or is it unsanitary conditions in the hospital? I did not have a major infection but my incision site did become infected. This is gross but I squeezed all this puss out of it, applied peroxide and then started taking my left over antibiotics. This happened on a Friday and my DR was away. When I went in to see her the following week I was fine. (hope that wasn't too much information)

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