TE TROUBLE
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fluffqueen, OMG I so know what you mean. I am always bumping these suckers on something. I was a nice B to start with but after 3 kids with breastfeeding in 5 years I was a deflatted A and in the TE's I'm now a small C.
Yes I totally feel like a porn star. As a matter of fact my PS and I have an agreement that if I wake up after exchange ready to sign with Vivid Entertainment (porn), I have permission to hunt him down and shot him, Lol. I've already had to pay a fond farewell to some of my really cute t shirts I use to wear, too porn star looking.
By the way, thanks to all the ladies that talked about their red rashes that were not infections, it made me feel much better. Go back to PS to check on my Lt TE tom. Should have cultures back, pray for no growth.
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survivor - good luck tomorrow!
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Good luck survivor! Hope all goes well. Now that I am smaller, but very perky, I find myself wearing the lowest cut tops I can comfortably get away with and showing off what is there. I lost 30 much needed to lose pounds before and during diagnosis (I highly recommend the panic disorder diet-lol), so on top of that I am now in a size 8 pants, so I have proably purchased a few shirts that are not age appropriate, but too bad!
I let my 22 year-old daughter put the stamp of approval on them so they can't be too bad. LOL
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Thanks for all the good laughs today ladies. It's rainy and gloomy outside so they were sure welcome! I was maybe a B pre-kids, got stretched to a DD with breastfeeding and like survivor went to a deflated A post breastfeeding. Thank God for Victoria Secret pump up bras! I am going for the small C look. I forget who said it, but I think I deserve it. But man these tissue expanders are so rock hard that I do feel like a porn star in some of my shirts! I sure hope the implants are softer! Swim suits are even harder to figure out!
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Getting ready to leave for PS, thanks for all the good wishes ladies. Will let you know.
Chickadee, I spent alot of time at the lake this summer, when not sick as a dog, and I found swimsuits hard too. With these rocks on my chest I found that I had a hard time getting the tops to cover the TE's. Normally your boobs will move into the pockets of the bikini but not so much with these suckers. The bikini had to come to it rather than the other way around. But I must say, my tata's haven't looked that good in a bathing suit in years. My BF kept telling all our friends when we were out, "look at those things, don't they look great." A little sexist,but it made me feel good, course he always does that for me.
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Survivor11.... A few weeks ago I developed a rash underneath my left TE (the only one left as I had the right one removed due to an infection). I was in a state of pure panic that the rash would lead to an infection in the good TE. I went to a dermatologist and she diagnosed me with shingles (I don't know if that's what it really was though). I was put on antiviral meds and cream. Followed up with my PS to make sure she was in agreement of the diagnosis. She also put me on antibiotics to be on the safe side. However while at the PS, I noticed that the left TE seemed swollen, and it hasn't been getting filled because we're waiting for righty to be replaced. I had to get fluid drained off and the culture came back clean, no infection. So these rashes can happen with no infection at all.
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Survivor-I totally get the swim suit thing. We are going to Jamaica late Oct and I don't think I can squeeze in the exchange before then thanks to this set back. So I bought some halter top bikini's, those seemed to work best with making the fabric come to the foob instead of the foob going to the fabric. I also had to get larges! I have never had enough chest to get a large. I was kind of exciting
We normally spend a lot of time at a lake in So IL overr the summer, but my MO didn't want me in lake water during chemo so we didn't go down as much this year.0 -
hahaha! I am chucking as I stand in my swim suit admiring myself. We are heading to Hilton Head in three weeks and my chest looks pretty amazing in my suit. the new girls are at attention!
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fluff-how is tamoxifen working out for you? I am on day 4 and wondering when the dreaded side effects hit. I can see you now admiring yourself. I did it a few weeks ago when my new suits came, except at that point I was still lopsided so it was very amusing (and depressing as well). Few more fills and I will need to try them on again.
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Chickadee - I started on Tami on 7/17/11 - I get hot flashes - severe hot flashes - was getting about 20 a day but that seems now to be waning somewhat... I have begun in the past week to get some achiness in my legs that I chalk up to Tami... there is another thread called
Bottle 'o Tamoxifen that may provide more info too... in short, I've been told that the SEs tend to lessen after about six weeks.
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Thanks Momof3, I just got back from PS and no growth on culture taken Mon-yeah. However I had again fluid built up for no reason. 20cc clear yellow fluid removed. PS says he sees no signs of infection so no reason to take TE out but doesn't understand why I'm suddenly making fluid. Didn't think about it til after I left, but wondering if TE is leaking. I go back Fri afternoon, so hopefully no more fluid. Still not out of the woods, but not really in them either-driving me crazy.
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survivor-If you were leaking you would notice it changing size...at least I did.
V-saw that thread and got really freaked out by some of the side effects and decided to stay clear of it. my SIL is about 1 year ahead of me and warned me about the hot flashes. That and bone aches are her only complaints.
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I am cracking up at these posts. I am always bumping into things too, including my 6 year old's head LOL!
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I have to tell a story that my PS told me. He said he had a patient who was fulled filled, just waiting for exchange, and she went to NYC and was riding on the subway, which was crowded. There was a guy in front of her waiting to get off at the next stop, so his back was to her front. Apparently she was standing pretty close to him, so just before he got off the subway he turned to her and said "do I know you?" She had rested her foobs on his back and had no idea. Pretty funny!
I am taking Femara (because I am old...) and I have noticed no additional hot flashes but some increased stiffness and aching, mostly in my feet and ankles. I feel it when I first get up in the morning and then after I walk around it goes away. I just started driving a sports car, previously the garaged weekend car but we traded in my regular car, so... Anyway, it is lower to the ground and not as smooth a ride, so my hips are hurting a little. I started blasting the AC and putting on the seat heaters - seems to be working.
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chickadee, what did they do with your leaking TE's, replace? I'm so close to exchange I don't know what he would do. Already feeling a small pocket of fluid again and was drained this am. Don't really notice a decrease in size, other than what the PS removed. Wondering if when he removed fluid it allows some to leak out and then once it gets to a certain amount the pressure seals the leak. I don't know, I just don't feel like I have an infection, but the lower part of the TE is still red. Not as red as before mut a different color than the right. I'm trying really hard not to freak out, but I am really terrified of this thing having to be removed then wai 3 months for replacement then another 4 months for fills. Mentally I don't think I'm ready for that.
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survivor-I could see that mine was smaller, that was my only clue. The kicker was it was after my last fill. I had to wait for chemo to be over 3 weeks and then he swapped expanders. I am now in the process of being refilled and could have exchange surgery in mid-Oct except it is too clost to a trip we are planning. I think I would call the PS and tell him you already feel fluid gathering again....
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Chickadee - I've been on Tamoxifen for about 5 months now. The only side effect I had was mild hot flashes at night. After about a month they tapered off and I have no side effects at all. Have not gained one pound (which is what I was worried about). 0
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I hear you, Survivor. I keep watching for fluid buildup, or if the TE is shrinking, etc... At this point I don't know what to expect at the PS appts. It's not fun anymore, that's for sure. I go Friday too, so we'll have to compare stories. It seems that it took about 3 weeks for my body to start reabsorbing the fluid. When I had it drained off, they left the drain in for 4 days. Once it came out I still noticed fluid, but it slowly went down. The PS seemed to think that since we weren't filling the left TE, my body was filling in the empty space with body fluid, which is a natural response. Now we're filling it, so we'll see what happens. I'm sooo over the surprises! LOL Crossing fingers for both of us!
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Will be thinking and praying for you to Momof3. I'm with you, NO MORE SURPRISES. I'm over this crap already. I really think your PS was right, I think the body produces fluid to fill in the area atleast thats what I'm hoping. I know one thing, I will not allow TE to be taken out without any signs of infection, increased temp, increased WBC, culture growth, something. I'm too close to give up now.
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My PS said exactly that — that when there is a space, the body naturally fills it with fluid. I had my right TE out on July 6, and I still have a little fluid buildup. It's a really small amount. PS said to remove it risks infection so to leave it, and my body will eventually reabsorb, but in the meatime, it works to our benefit b/c the fluid "holds" the space.
Tamoxifen SEs diminish over a couple of months. Only one I still have (I started in late March) are ht flashes. Afraid that one is here to stay.
PS SpecialK: yeah on getting filled on both sides!!!
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When I had an infection back in Feb. they sent me to the radiologist to have the seroma drained. He said that lots of women build fluid but it is not necessarily an infection. If you aren't experiencing any temperature elevations or other signs it is probably just extra fluid your body is producing. He said there are just some women that have to have it drained numerous times but it isn't anything to worry about.
Hope this eases your mind a bit.
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Thank you, thank you ladies, you have eased my mind alot. Good I love this forum, don't know what I would have done without it.
On Tamoxifen as well. Had some serious knee pain early on and terrible insomnia, but that has all gone now. Still have about a hot flash a day, but nouthing too terrible. If you do have SE's, give it time and if worse comes to worse you can change meds.
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Thanks for all the tamoxifen responses on the TE trouble forum!! Do you all remember when they started? Right away? I already have left over hot flashes from chemo, but they aren't bad. Glad the rest of you could put survivor's mind at ease. When do you go next to the PS? I go friday to get another fill. I keep worrying it was somthing I did to make the TE leak and it is going to happen again. Anyone ever flown with TEs??
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Chickadee - I was wondering about flying with TEs also. What happens when you go through security? My mother passed away 4 days after by BMX and we drove when we could finally have the funeral because I just didn't want to deal with airport security. Knew I couldn't take a pat down if my TEs alarmed (which I'm sure they would). On another thread, someone mentioned that we should have been given a plastic card (the size of a credit card) from the manufacturer of the TE to use to go through security?? I didn't get one and my PS didn't mention it to me when I asked about travelling.
I have an appointment tomorrow with my PS. Guess I'll find out if I have sprung a leak!
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I have had fills on both sides now, but not filled at the same time. At my appt on Tues I told the PS that the left looked bigger so he just filled the right. Now the right looks bigger - it is like a race! Because I had lost the TE on the left and then had it replaced 6 months later they look different from each other - kind of differently shaped. It was interesting to note the changes in the right one which had never been filled since the original surgery last November. It actually looks more breast-like, which was very encouraging, though definitely not porn-star. I have to admit that PS is making me nervous with asking me to think about how big, like we may be stopping soon. He actually said that. I don't think they are big enough yet!
chick - somebody asked the question about flying with TE's - maybe somewhere on a surgery or recon thread. Try going to the search function and typing the words "TE" and "flying" and see what happens. The question may have been more geared toward setting off the detectors though!
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I see the PS again Friday, so we will see then what's up.
I didn't get a travel card either but thats also I heard you'd need for security clearance or a note from your PS stating that you have a medical device implanted in you.
SpecialK, all of this feels like a race, but I'm glad you've gotten both filled again. Noticed your from Tampa. I lived there for about 3 years, 7 years ago. Still have friends there and visit frequently, maybe look you up if I ever get vacation time again.
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Chickadee...I flew in August. It was a 4 hour flight to Las Vegas and I was fine. No problems at security. Looks like Friday will be a big update for all of us after our PS visits. I feel like the left TE is shrinking a little bit, but it may be all of that fluid finally going away. Not sure. It's still firm, but I can feel the expander give when I push on it, and it's not really tight and as hard as it used to be. I did have a lot of fluid around it, so hopefully it's just that it's finally been absorbed and that my skin is doing its thing stretching. She said worst case is that if something is wrong with the left TE, she will just replace it while the right one goes back in at the end of November. Have a great day ladies!
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Guys-I was given a card. And then another card when I had the one replaced. I saw the thread a while ago about setting off the detectors.
Momof3-I sure hope you aren't leaking!
So my day went from laughing with all you guys to bad to just plain weird. It rained all day here and my 9yr old insisted in walking through the puddles after school. Came home and threw shoes in the dryer because we had piano and the dryer just stopped working. 18 month old dryer and can't get it to turn on. Went to piano and when we got home a neighbor stopped by, immediately like he was stalking me. Had me go out on the porch instead of come in the house (it was about 45 degrees). He wanted to talk to me about changing the PH of my body to prevent cancer from returning. He saw me at church and realized I had cancer. His heart was in the right place I am sure, but it was all just a little weird for me.
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Chickadee, I know what you mean about weird. I live in a small community that I grew up in and all the older folks around here have known me since I was a child, so they feel a very vested interest in me, which is very touching. However, with that comes every old wives tale, disease cure you can think of. They also ask very personal questions, like when did you start to be sexually active, did you find the lump or did your BF, how many times a day do you poop. Mostly this just cracks me up and I try to be very pleasant and remember these people are just doing it out of love, all be it weird love.
The ones I find really weird is when I'm in a public place like Kroger or Wal-Mart in my scarf (I hate the wig) and perfect strangers will just come up to me, give me that sad puppy dog look and as in a hushed tone "Cancer?". First I always want to say "No, just a secret agent undercover, and that green glow I have is to throw off the aliens." Anyway, they proceed to tell me this long and drawn out story about some family member/friend who had really awful cancer and usually at the end of the story the person dies. Sometimes this ticks me off if I'm in a hurry or have my kids with me, but mostly I just listen and try to think "okay, God put me in your path today because you obviously needed to talk about your experience."
I'm telling you BC has definantly proven it has a weird sense of humor (not only am I going to give you a life threatening disease, I'm going to make you the poster child for unsolisited advice).
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All - the TE's are considered medical devices, and so are ports if you had one for chemo. There are little plastic cards for all of those. It has the device serial number, model number # of cc's, dimensions, etc. If you don't have them your PS should have the copies in your chart. I don't think most ladies have had any trouble going through airport security though. With the chemo ports either.
chick - is your dryer under warranty? Bummer, if not. When we bought this house it was 5 years old, that was 5 years ago. It had all Jenn-Air appliances. Nice, right? We have had trouble with the diswahser, oven display and had to replace the fridge that had custom cabinetry around it (meaning we had to get the exact same size replacement, on a Saturday!) after trying to fix it 3 separate times. I hate fixing appliances - it is like buying toilet paper and dish soap - unsatisfying! I hope whatever is wrong with your dryer it is easy (and cheap!) to fix! Sorry about your weird neighbor with the Ph - maybe his is off!
survivor - if you come to Tampa PM me! Fun!
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