TE TROUBLE
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Can I whine a bit? Had my BMX with TEs placed on September 5. Three days ago, I had my 3rd or was it 4th fill, bringing me to 340cc. I am small, 5'4" 115 pounds and these things on my chest feel like they've stretched my skin as far as it can go. My left side is painful, but no redness, unusual warmth or fever. It is rock hard, the skin looks shiny and my back and arm are sore from it. The soreness began almost immediately after the fill. Naturally my ps is out of the office till Monday. Is this considered normal? I came home from work because I'm so uncomfortable. I see him on Tuesday, and I'd like to ask him to remove some of the saline. I am having a one woman pity party right now, and almost wish I had just gone flat! Thanks for listening.
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thanks!
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Jtunmer- my TE's felt like bowling balls, but as the weeks passed they have started softening up. Mine did the same thing with the shiny stretchy skin. It I'd its too uncomfortable you can ask to have some taken out. How much are you getting in at each fill? We all have our pity parties we are entitled to it after what we've been through.
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Hi all. I am new on this thread and haven't really read much so forgive me for just jumping in.
I had a skin sparing BMX with TEs put in on October 1st. I haven't been really comfortable yet but I have days that are better than others. Still on pain meds - either 10 mg of hydrocodone or Percocet. Also have flexaril (muscle relaxer).
I have seen PS a few times, the most recently this Wednesday when he took out some stitches, declared everything looked fine, and told me to come back Tuesday. The last few days my left (non cancer) side has gotten progressively worse. It feels when I move as of something is rolling around in there (don't know how else to describe) and there is a stabbing pain in the area, made worse when I bend over. That side also feels much harder and bunched up ?? feeling than the right side. I have only had one fill, at the time of surgery.
Anyway I guess I just want to compare notes with others. I have pretty much been in bed all day today because I am only comfortable when I am lying still.0 -
I had those same feelings in my TEs. The saline may be sloshing around, since there's a lot of room for filling. At least that's what I told myself! I still have pain when I bend over; probably due to the weight of them stretching the skin. I also had a lot of nerve pain, which sounds like what you're experiencing. My PS said this was all normal. I kept taking Tylenol for the pain, and it did help till my last fill. I know it's rough now, but it will get better.
Oh, and TEs are strange looking things. Any weird ridges or bumps are normal and smooth out as you get filled. Hope you start feeling better soon!0 -
Andrea - probably normal. It takes awhile for the skin to adjust to the stretching. If it is not feeling better by Tuesday, by all means, ask for a little to be taken out. Take your time, this is no sprint race.
kltb: I often felt like my TE's were "bunched up" or twisted. My PS would tell me to massage them gently and I could literally feel them moving within the pocket and flattening back out. I could feel the edges of the TEs until about the third fill.
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Hi,
This is my first time posting, although I have been following many discussions on this site for months. On Sept. 25, I had a pbmx with tissue expanders. I had an initial fill of 125 cc's. I was a small a cup before surgery. I had my first fill on October 11 of 50cc's. I was in a lot of pain for 2 days and then felt fine. On October 17, I had a fill of 75cc's. I have been in a lot of pain. Do you think that I was just expanded too quickly? I am starting to feel better but have cancelled my fill for this week and next week. The pt asked if I could feel any pressure during the fill and I could not. I asked to have a little more because my drive to the pt is almost 10 hours round trip. Also, does anyone massage their expanders?? Is there any sort of lotion or cream that can be used to help with the stretching and dry skin? Thank you so much
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Jus - I've been using cocoa butter lotion after every shower and it works great.
On a side note - I'm finishing chemo this week and going to see my PS to schedule the TE replacement surgery. Can't wait!! My right TE still looks great so the left will have to catch up
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Do the expanders hurt from the time they are filled until the exchange? Because of work and a trip thhat has been planned for months I will not be able to have the exchange until the end of march. My expanderscare 450 cc and will probably be fully expanded for 3 months.
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Jus- When I get mine filled they are achey for a couple hours after each one. But I normally take Tylenol or something before I go in just to be proactive. I am currently at 550 ccs and half the time I don't notice them unless, I'm sleeping and I roll over or getting out of a chair and I find myself top heavy now.
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Going to see the PS on 11/5 to schedule TE replacement surgery - never thought I'd be this excited for surgery!!
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Yay, roadwarrior! I can totally relate to being excited for surgery.
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I was asked to do a patient profile for where I work and was treated......thought I would share. I made it through a mastectomy, staph infection, chemo, broken ankle, shingles, TRAM surgery and radiation. Love and hope keep me going and I am now able to work with women at risk of having breast cancer....It's a tough road but it can be done.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4eu5yu1JbY&feature=youtube_gdata_player0 -
Tomorrow is my big day. My surgery is at 1015. I exchange my hard 'rocks' for nice silicone implants. I'm excited and scared at the same time. I'll be staying overnight. My PS said I may have those wonderful grenades again, it just depends. I'll be having another surgery next year sometime to make my new girls symmetrical.
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Lynmichel- Good luck tomorrow, I'm so jealous wish it were me. I had to laugh at the grenades! I've just always called them my pain in the ass. I could deal with anything after my surgeries but those stupid things. I know they are there for a reason, but I really hate them.
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Lynmichel-good luck tomorrow! You will do well and feel so much more comfortable. I always hated the drains but I didn't need them for my left exchange so I will keep my fingers crossed for you. Xxxxxxxxx. Thinking of you and hoping tomorrow starts a new beginning
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Best wishes, LynMichel!
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Thank you everyone for the best wishes. I just needed to connect with ladies that understood. My daughter & husband have been really great, but they haven't experienced what I have. You're right Bonseye it's a new beginning.
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I want to let you ladies know that, after having one implant removed and planning to start over, I was approved for a prosthesis on the side they removed. I was fitted for prosthesis and 3 bras, which I will use until I get another surgery to replace the missing implant.
INSURANCE COVERED THE PROSTHESIS AND THE BRAS!
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That's awesome sheChirple! My insurance paid for prosthesis and bras as well. I believe they said I can get new ones every year
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Shechirple- that is great news! Did you have a cancer advocate that you were working with? The reason I ask is because I did not have one, and everything I have gotten covered and approved for I've had to fight for it. My insurance company originally denied my reconstruction process then denied genetic counseling and denied the BRCA testing. I had to read the INSURANCE COMPANY the women and breast health act of 1998, to inform me they could jot deny me for any reason for breast reconstruction or testing. They told me because I was UNDER 40 that they would not cover it. I just about died right then and there. I emailed the Sr. VP of my corporations HR to get clarification of my insurance policy. And sure enough I Was reading it correctly and the insurance company was not paying claims according to the policy. I was told by the Sr VP that they would be reprocessing everything they had denied and paying it all except my copays. Then that I would be receiving a phone call from the supervisor with an apology for them being stupid. I am horrible when it comes to knowing how my insurance works and what it should be covering. My husband hates when I start arguing with facilities because they have stupid people there.
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Hi ladies,
Just got back from day 1 of the Tampa/St. Pete 3 Day Walk. So amazing. Opening ceremonies was a real tear jerker. Can't wait to go back tomorrow!
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Chirsrenee....I have Kaiser HMO. They have been wonderful since the beginning, with no problems whatsoever. I am assigned a breast care team that consists of a Breast Care Co-ordinator (probably the equivalent of the advocate you are talking about), Breast Surgeon, Plastic Surgeon, Oncologist, Radiologist, and a nursing team. They have several teams and once assigned the team is your primary. I can contact any one of them for my care and they hook me up! I also had added to my care an infectious disease specialist when I got infection.
You keep fighting for your rights. I am helping a neighbor fight her insurance because it was also telling her they would only do a mastectomy, radiation and chemotherapy. They would not do bilateral, they would not cover any reconstruction, etc... We set up a meeting and met with the surgeon and put together a little 'team' of her own through her breast surgeon's office. She now carries a copy of the law with her and hands it to anyone she has to. So far, we have her bilateral mastectomy covered and we are working on the bilateral reconstruction. So far so good.
Keep fighting.
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Chrisrenee....I hope your infection is better but SpecialK is correct. With my first culture, nothing grew in the shorter time, so we continued antibiotics. It got better, but the minute I went back off, it came back. So he did another culture and made them grow it a week. It wasnt until the end that the pseudomonas showed up. The infection became evident about two weeks after surgery, mid-March. We tried all kinds of antibiotics, etc., kept doing fills to fill in any empty space, etc. Finally, the first week of May, I went into surgery to either get the implants if the infection wasnt too bad, or to come out with them removed. He said he stood in surgery for five minutes trying to decide, because it looked much better than he expected. He finally decided to err on the side of safety, and out they came.
I hope your heal up well without that step.0 -
shechirple- that is wonderful that you are helping your friend fight for what is a Federal Law for women. I don't know if most women know it's even out there. But it's great that she's carrying it around with her.
Fluff- I am doing much better. My PS decided it was not an infection because it wasn't spreading anywhere else. He said it's that my breast is reacting to the stretching of the skin. But he went ahead and put me on a another round of antibiotics just incase it decides to become red and painful again.
hope you all are having a good day and have a great weekend.
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Hi girls just wondering if anyone has felt these TE's feel so heavy. I swear it's hard to take a breath some times. I went to my primary I was afraid of post surgical fluid but they thought an inhaler was fine. One side is ok the other side is slightly off due to something the surgeon said about internal scars/stitches. He said he could fix. I have to start chemo next week so I am stuck with these for 3 months. Am I crazy has anyone else felt like this?
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Dakota- mine felt like that for about 4 weeks. Then one day it wasnt so bad. Now that I've had mine for about 7 weeks they have softened up and hardly notice them anymore. Did your Dr do a sonogram or anything to check for fluid?
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Chrisrenee-
No but as luck would have it my job is cardiac ultrasound so when I go in tomorrow I will check. I had my surgery on sept 28, so maybe with any luck I will feel that what too. I have my last fill Thursday. I will check with the PS then. Thanks !!0 -
Hey Dakota do you live in one of the Dakotas?
My TE's always felt tight and heavy. I had to do small fills (60cc) or it was worse.
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Chickadee-
No... Lol in live in MA. I did the 60 cc's also almost done. 0
