TE TROUBLE
Comments
-
Moonflower, why would the alloderm cause that kind of pain? And no, my TE has only been in for a month.
0 -
2friedeggs....I tried on a fitted cotton dress in a department store dressing room while I had my te's. When I went to take the dress of back over my head, I got it stuck on the tissue expanders. There was no give in the dress or my expanders. Had a pretty serious moment of panic, thinking I was going to have to go get help. I was finally able to wriggle out slowly.
Moon, if you keep draining,try the maxi pads without the stick on strip...the old fashioned kind. Ps recommended them and they work great0 -
Well, I'm not sure if this is TE trouble, but I'm back in the mix.
I had my exchange on 7/23 and all seemed to go well, until my 8/2 follow up appt. I had serious infection of the left implant. They admitted me to the hospital on IV antibiotics to try to save the implant. It cleared and I was discharged on 8/10. I was back i nthe ER 6 hours later with leaking of the right breast. Turned out it was a seroma. I was re-admitted to allow the seroma to drain in sterile surroundings. When they were to discharge me on 8/12, the PS took a close look to decide wether to put in a stitch and he saw that the implant was exposed! On 8/14 they had to remove my right implant.
So, in 3 months I get to revisit reconstruction. It is too soon to tell if we can go straight to implant replacement, if I will need another TE for a short time, or go with something else (which I really do not want to do).
0 -
2fried....Hi! The huge fullnes up high is gone which is good. They are softer which is a good thing. Armpit boobies seem to be gone.
0 -
SheChirple - I'm so sorry you have had those issues w/the implants. I certainly hope when your body gets the chance to heal and you are able to try it again that all will be smooth sailing for you.
Cindy - Glad to hear about the upper fullness being gone. Now that I'm at max fill, it looks freakishly big to me. It's ok in clothing, but the circumference is waaaaay too large. Hope you continue to heal well and uneventfully.
0 -
Shechirple, so sorry. Heal fast.
0 -
SpecialK thats funny that you are still putting your hand up to protect yourself from expanders you no longer have! That is hilarious about the patient on the subway-I can definitely see how that could happen! LOL
BCAvenger That simulator sounds really cool.they should make all new California residents sit thru it! As far as the hurricanes go we have lived in FL about 30 years and have had alot of smaller ones and false alarms. They are really a pain though because you have to "prepare", bring in anything that could blow, then put all the stuff back. Last one we thought our big stainless grill was secure against our house in our screen patio, but when our enclosure and our neighbors enclosure got blown away, we found it still upright in my neighbors, neighbors yard. Guess being on wheels it just took a long roll in the wind! Glad it avoided their pool though!
Fluffqueen01 OMG I can definitely understand that feeling of being trapped in clothes!that happened to me at home trying on a sports bra that I had that went over the head. I was alone and really had a tough time manuevering the dang thing off the expanders. In hindsight it was funny but at the time I felt so helpless and afraid I would have to wait for my husband to come home from work and unravel me.LOL I can only imagine the panic you went thru in the dressing room! Glad you got untangled-it would be a tough one to explain when asking for help.
Shechirple dang, how dissapointing. So sorry for the complications and that you have to wait to try again
0 -
shechirple - this happened to a friend who shares my PS - just wanted you to know that she was ultimately successful with her second implant. Hang in there!
0 -
shechirple, so sorry about your complications. I, too had problems with implants initially, but I eventually got beyond them.
Stay safe, fellow Florida girls!
0 -
dll - we should have a post-Issac party when it is gone!
0 -
Here's hoping all is going well, floridians! Stay safe and dry.
0 -
SpecialK, I'm in
0 -
Why don't we Floridians just all go somewhere and have a great hurricane party? lol nah I take that back I'm not much fun right now-these expanders have made me hate being in groups lol
0 -
2fried - everyone in this group will have, or will have had, TEs - that is the best group for you to be in!!!
0 -
specialK That's true and as the saying goes "Misery loves company!" And the great thing about being in this group is that those of us with te's wouldn't have to explain ourselves if we run into people or objects with them either! It's a go- I'm ready. How is the bay area looking so far with the RNC . I saw several protesting groups had made it into town on the news. My DH and I had to run down there last weekend; glad it wasn't this weekend.0
-
Hi ladies,
Needing some help from the TE experts.
I had my last fill just over two weeks ago and I am still in pain. Having muscle spasms and trouble sleeping. PS said take muscle relaxer and Vicodin. I hate taking all of these drugs! The pain has gotten better but I still wake up several times each night in pain. Anyone have some sage advise to help me get through til my exchange in November?
Thanks so much,
Gemmy0 -
WELL..... we had the Grand Unveiling this morning.
Fortunately, I knew what to expect, so wasn't too disappointed.
After being wrapped like a mummy in a very tight Ace bandage for 72 hours, the implants were shaped more like TEs, and had gotten a bit, er, dented at the bottom.
But I took a shower......ahhhhhhhhhh.....washed my hair......ahhhhhhhh.....and then after I dried off, I put a Xeriform strip across each incision.
I can't really tell if the PS extended them at all, but there was some recent bleeding on one of them and a lot of dried blood on the other. He said he had used skin glue on both, and to go ahead and get both wet, but y'all know how OCD I am about germs!!! So on went the Xeriform, and then we taped mini-pads inside my sports bra (sticky side against the fabric) so nothing would rub the incisions.
Within about an hour, the bottom half of the implants started to fill out. I still have a tiny crease on the bottom of the right one, but I also have quite a bit of swelling from the additional release of the pectoral muscles in the IMF.
I can also tell I'm pretty swollen in my upper chest (I think he did a lot of work up there,too), but once I get to the ol' Drop and Fluff, they should be lookin' pretty good. I definitely don't have stripper boobs!
We didn't want to take a chance on uncontollable pain this time, so have been hitting the Norco, Cipro, and Benadyl on a regular basis. Cut back on the Norco today - I'm just sore, no constant pain whatsoever.
I have been eating my protein (100 grams a day, girls!) and napping like a big old housecat. I figure I have a prescription for two weeks of couch potato, and I'm taking advantage of it!!!
Sorry to be lazy, but I might copy and paste this post in a few other threads.
Hope everyone is doing well and having a good weekend!
0 -
Blessings - Thanks so much for the info for those of us who are soon to follow in your footsteps.
0 -
Blessings: did you say "drum roll... then ta-da!!" as you unrolled the bandage
Such good news all around! I love that the pain was moderate and now improved...terrific for we girls who are yet to go. Mini pad in the jog bra? Great idea...this medical gauze I have to wear this weekend is rough...read on..Minor set back in my forward progress; back in the OR Monday morning under local anesthesia, went in for my 4th fill yesterday [never happened] and PS removed my remaining incision scabs, on too long, didn't look right. Lefty has a tiny hole in incision and Righty has small openings and white tissue exposed, kind of sort of gross. More details in the before/during/after tread for the July girls. I've been doing so good in my recovery so this set back is a bummer. Please send warm thoughts and prayers my way Monday morning.
0 -
Jill, keeping fingers crossed that they got it before infection. Here's to good luck.
0 -
FL girls: Y'all should def. get together!
Gemmy: I was not filled to capacity, but many others here have described being in pain like you are. I believe the muscle relaxers are your first line of defense, and your TE should relax given time. You def. should *not* be in pain like this for months. Hopefully someone else will come along to address this better than I.
Jill47: You aren't alone! Others have had similar problems with implants. (See below.) Please keep us posted once you get home from surgery on Monday. Will send you lots of healing thoughts!
SheChirple: I'm so sorry to hear that you had to have your implant removed as well! My goodness, I like to think I am past the worst of all this, but I guess we're never really out of the woods until we really ARE out of the woods. {{{hugs}}}
Blessings2011: Good on the protein, and yay on the big reveal! Patience is our friend.
Moonflwr: I agree with Susiell, Alloderm should not cause pain.
0 -
I think my PS must really shove it in hard when he puts in the alloderm. I don't think its the TE, because my pain sits right on the rib, and after about a week and a half, it for a away. That's why I think its the alloderm. It is almost gone now, and it will be two weeks on Monday. I had a cracked rib once, and this feels just like that. Kind of have to hold it when moving around on big bumpy roads. I am blaming it on the allerderm, so there! LOL!
0 -
Gemmy: My TE's were filled to 840 and I sat at that for almost 5 months. It does get better wit htime, but there was always a feeling of tightness, like that too tight bra you can't get off at the end of the day.
It seemed that 800CC permanent implants were going to be too large, as with the 840 TE I felt freakishly large. But the implants (well the one remaining) is really a nice C cup, just what I wanted. Not yet shaped perfectly but there is a drop and fluff period. I think I would be happy with them, if they were both in place.
I'm really hoping I can move straight to another implant, but if a TE is in my future, again, then so be it. While I had them, if someone asked "would you do it again?" I owuld hesitate. As I sit here now with one final implant and one empty right breast, I can say with all honesty YES I would do it again. You can get through it.
0 -
Thank you Moonflower and Rennasus; I'll let everyone know how I'm doing when I get home, I'm comforted by your support.
0 -
i want to cry. I don't know if my PS will ever give me a TE after all the complications. I have one saggy old 63 year old breast and one nothing....The nothing side still won't close and it's 3 months next week from the original surgery. I know there are forms and special bras and all but still, and this might sound really dumb, I miss my breast.... Good luck to all of you having complications. It sucks and good luck to you coming to the end, finally being done. Maybe the PS will still do the implant, he said we'll "talk about it" after everything is healed but it seems hard to believe he would after the hematoma and the open wound and the slow healing. I guess, we will see...
0 -
bevg - I had trouble from the get-go, for 3 1/2 months, then had my left TE removed and it was out for 7 months, so 10 1/2 months before the TE was in and problem free, then 5 months of fills because I had to go very slowly, and another month until exchange. So from BMX to exchange was 16 months. Don't give up hope of successful recon yet, I know how hard the waiting is. Look at the dx dates for Ren and DLL and others - us long-term ladies are here for you!
0 -
Thank you specialK... I see how long it took you and the other ladies too. I know there are some of us who have trouble... I feel kind of guilty and whiney. I should be so grateful that I didn't need chemo or rads - yes to Femara though which is another thing that's starting to be a problem but that I'll leave for the Femara thread lol.... I should be happy and I am grateful that I'm now considered NED but I had a TE, it caused no problems, I didn't even feel it in there and my PS is so good. He was going to do the implant and lift the other one and he promised I'd "look good in my clothes...Now I have to look at this gross open wound.... Every time I lift my arm it looks like a mouth without teeth lolol... Gotta laugh.... I will look to you and Renn and DLL and the other slow motion ladies and try to get some patience. I only hope the PS isn't afraid to deal with me after all this
0 -
bevg: these PS, well most of them, are determined. Mine told me right up front this is a 2 year process. It sounds simple, but there will be bumps along the way, revisions, nips and tucks. He promised if I would be patient with him, he would see me through to the end. He has been true to his word. All the other PS (about 6 of them) that have been by his/my side through this have also been very genuinely involved and caring.
I, too, am NED and sometimes feel I have no right to whine when others are going through much worse. But, it's life. There is always someone worse off and someone else better off. We are dealing each with our own journey and should express ourselves and our feelings. The wonderful thing about this group is that no matter what stage or situation you are in, no-one holds it against you or feels you have no right to experience your journey.
0 -
bev - don't feel guilty or whiny - you are legitimately discouraged, and all of this is scary. Just know that until they tell you they can't fix it, go on the assumption that they can. Just take it a day at a time.
0 -
The two year comment is right on the money for me. Bad mammo in November 2010. On September 21, I will have my final fat grafting, and then I am done until something needs to be replaced. The only thing left will be areola tattoo revision and I think I am going to go to someone that can do some shading and a little shaping so it doesn't look like a perfect circle. My PS was very honest in saying that is not his specialty. I let him do the first round and while good, I think an expert who does this for a living would be better, so I can do that any time.
Seems like everything was done in three month sections, chemo, 12 weeks, TE removal, 3 months after mastectomy, wait three months, put them back in, wait three months change to implants, wait three months first fat grafting. Takes forever, but I am happy with the results, so not complaining.
Bev, I hope you get some resolution. I would be very frustrated also.0
