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TE TROUBLE

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Comments

  • maa764
    maa764 Member Posts: 10
    edited January 2013

    Hi everyone. I had my bmx te surgery Dec 3 all is going well. I go to pt 3 times a week have fluid build up on non cancer side. I have had 4 fills after the last one I am having a lot more pain on cancer side which is a lot higher and has less skin around it. I had the fill last Friday usually only have mild pain then slight discomfort. This time is different. Dr is out of town my next appt for final fill is wed. I am wondering if this is normal or is something wrong. Everytime I move my arm I have pain on sternum side. Therapist said it is just muscle pain but it feels different.

  • olgah34
    olgah34 Member Posts: 300
    edited January 2013

    Thank you, ladies! Do they sell saline wipes in drugstores? We are having snow storm here, sitting home. MybPS tod I could wash with soap...he even did not mentioned whipes. My temp is just slightly above normal, but I have running nose, I think, this is a reason of my fever. My cold from January3 still did not go away! Howevwr, they send people home with low grade fever...Bad experience I had before does not let me be positive...

  • lolalee
    lolalee Member Posts: 164
    edited January 2013

    Hi Olgah, I have not seen saline wipes this part of the world.  Saline solution is easy to use just squirt/pour on incision and pat dry with sterile gauze.  Soap may also be used although I found it difficult as I did not want to put any pressure on the incision for fear of the wound opening. 

    Hope your snow storm clears soon.

  • olgah34
    olgah34 Member Posts: 300
    edited January 2013

    Lola, did you use shower too, but did not shower incisions?

  • lolalee
    lolalee Member Posts: 164
    edited January 2013

    Yes I did shower almost immediately but I wrapped cling film around the back to front of chest.  The PS said it was ok to shower without any protection but I felt safer with the cling film for the first week just in case there was any bacteria in the shower water.  Reading a lot of these sites some were told not to shower until drains were out.  How many drains do you have?

  • olgah34
    olgah34 Member Posts: 300
    edited January 2013

    I have 3...I may be have sponge bath instead?

  • lolalee
    lolalee Member Posts: 164
    edited January 2013

    Olgah I was in hospital for just over a week and came home with one drain.  I got it caught in the recliner chair and the drain came apart one day after being home.  I think it was close to coming out anyway as the PS said that 30cc or less in a 24 hour period and he would remove.  Anyway he was not too impressed with me having pulled it apart at the suction point.  I did call a locum doctor but he was a numpty, he was the one who removed it.  I was told that I should have gone straight back into hospital for them to put together...live and learn.

  • momof3infla
    momof3infla Member Posts: 333
    edited January 2013

    How are you Olgah?  When I had a slight temp after one of my surgeries, my PS encouraged me to drink lots of water and not to just lay around.  She wanted me up and moving around a lot.  Thinking of you!

  • specialk
    specialk Member Posts: 9,261
    edited January 2013

    binc - crap....

    olgah - sorry you are not feeling well - hope the fever and runny nose go away soon.  Remember that not showering or sponge bathing is not good either, I think the cling film idea might work out.

    maa - your TE may have reached the point in expansion where is it pressing on something.  Remember that they are hard backed plastic - not comfortable, so even if you did not have pain before having it now is not necessarily a sign of a problem.  Have you tried ibuprofen or acetaminophen?  If it is truly muscle pain either of those would make it go away or dissipate.  That might be a good way to determine if it is muscle related.

  • olgah34
    olgah34 Member Posts: 300
    edited January 2013

    Thank you, my friends! Today I did not have temperature, but got a congestion...and chills...I did have pneumonia shot and flu shot in October,I hope it is nothing. But I am very very scared. They say you can get pneumonia even if you had a vaccine.I always had such a bad luck.When I breath deeply, I hear some noise in my lungs. I will see my PS only on Wednesday. I do move around the house and it is cold everywhere. chills.What to do?

  • specialk
    specialk Member Posts: 9,261
    edited January 2013

    olgah - are you taking any medication to dry things up - a decongestant maybe?  You may be hearing congestion in your lungs but if you run a fever again be seen by a doctor more quickly than Wednesday.  Any bacterial bug (cols are viral, not bacterial) can turn into pneumonia, and there are different strains, so a pneumo-vax doesn't prevent all kinds.  Try to stay warm, drink fluids, rest.  Keep us posted!

  • Rennasus
    Rennasus Member Posts: 642
    edited January 2013

    SpecialK: A special shout out to YOU for always knowing what to say and for always being so helpful! You are a true gem!!! Thank you for being on these boards. xo

  • LeeA
    LeeA Member Posts: 1,092
    edited January 2013

    A big ditto on that!  My screenshot folder is full of posts from SpecialK!

  • olgah34
    olgah34 Member Posts: 300
    edited January 2013

    SpecialK you are great! Thank you! I am sweating like crazy, have pain in my drains and itching skin around incisions, I had rash on my stomach, chest and back, now it looks better. Chills, no fever. Can Hudromorphine give me chills?

  • 1Curlyfry
    1Curlyfry Member Posts: 45
    edited January 2013

    Today is day 18 with my new TE! So far no issues at all. Third time really is the charm! It better stay healthy because I've bonded with my new little foob!

  • fluffqueen01
    fluffqueen01 Member Posts: 1,801
    edited January 2013

    Olgah, glad the rash looked better and they changed your antibiotics. After one of my surgeries they had me on two antibiotics, bactrim and cipro. About four ays in, I broke out in huge hives, and a rash. Now I have to tell everyone I am allergic to sulfa, although they really don't know for sure if it is that, or the two antibiotics I was on or what. Changed me up and it went away. I hope that happens for you.



    I would call your doctor tomorrow for sure. I am not a medical person like Special K so I can't advise on any of those symptoms, but just sending healing vibes your way! Feel better!

  • fluffqueen01
    fluffqueen01 Member Posts: 1,801
    edited January 2013

    Oh...curlyfry....congrats! Isn't it nice to have things going the right way?

  • specialk
    specialk Member Posts: 9,261
    edited January 2013

    awww...thanks you guys!!! Ren - thanks for the shout out!  My philosophy is to help those who come after me because I was helped by those who came before me - paying it forward is a good thing!  A win-win because I feel good about it and if someone takes away something from what I say, I have helped out.

    olgah - you could be allergic to hydromorphone, and it may be causing your rash and chills.  All of your symptoms are consistent with documented side effects for that drug, but it is hard to say because they could be coming from a number of things.  I was violently allergic to the antibiotic used after BMX - Levaquin, and I am allergic to penicillin and all its derivatives.  Have you talked to your doc?

    curly - yippy zippy on the success so far! 

  • roadwarrior28
    roadwarrior28 Member Posts: 161
    edited January 2013

    Hey all - I'm a little over 2 weeks post te replacement. The rash is gone, swelling from surgery is gone, incision looks good. Still draining though, getting 32, 33, 35 a day - just can't get it down to 30.



    What's the longest anyone had a drain in?

  • jill47
    jill47 Member Posts: 85
    edited January 2013

    roadwarrior:  My exchange drains came out 7 days post-op; first days 30cc/day and the last 3 days fluids < 10cc each side. I'm sorry your's are still draining a good volume, is the volume improving?  What does your PS say about all this? When do you see him/her next?

  • Merlcat
    Merlcat Member Posts: 122
    edited January 2013

    Roadwarrior- I was fortunate to have both of my drains out within a week of umx. My PS did tell me that once you get close to the 'magic' number of being able to get them out, volume that doesn't decrease can mean too much activity on your part....not saying you're doing too much but a possible suggestion ? I know, sitting around sucks!

  • annemarieh
    annemarieh Member Posts: 124
    edited January 2013

    Road~yes, I agree with Merlcat! Park your butt!! LOL! I had mine in for a good 10-14 days...P.I.T.A.!!

    I have a question. I had my last fill last Tues of 55ccs'. I was FINE this whole time with fills (except the first one). Saturday I woke up to lefty (rads side) to sever burning under my L arm, and where the incision is.Inframamary fold. This TE sits up very high due to the rads/tight skin and have side boob. Could it BE from the rads? Thanks Ladies!

    Annemarie 

  • Merlcat
    Merlcat Member Posts: 122
    edited January 2013

    Anne Marie- I didn't have rads. I, too, was fine with ALL of my fills....no discomfort immediately but it took 12 ish hours to kick in and then resolved within 12 hours..no need for any pain meds...until my very last fill, which was 60 ccs and overfilled my TE by about 40-50 ccs? My zoob hurt for over a week.



    When in doubt, call and ask your doc. Never forget that we pay them! They're our employees...:) good luck!

  • annemarieh
    annemarieh Member Posts: 124
    edited January 2013

    Thanks Merl! t seems worse tjis morning. Hurt to open the microwave. It's my call I guess. I want that skin to strestch, but I also know hes going to want to move up the exchange...something to think about! Thank you!

  • annemarieh
    annemarieh Member Posts: 124
    edited January 2013

    I guess I'm having some spelling issues this morning....LOL...

  • Merlcat
    Merlcat Member Posts: 122
    edited January 2013

    If its any consolation, mine last fill was only 2 weeks ( a thursday) before my exchange and my zoob didn't stop being sore until the Saturday or Sunday before exchange.so that's +/- 10 days....Idk if its because I didn't have rads but it was nbd with my PS to move forward....

    Ikr about the spelling/typing thing. Lol sometimes I think I'm the dyac queen! :)

  • roadwarrior28
    roadwarrior28 Member Posts: 161
    edited January 2013

    Jill47 - the volume goes up and down. It's under 40, but one day its 38, another 33. I actually saw PS this last Wednesday because I thought the drain would be out (they were down to 30), but the volume went up to 45 the day before I saw him. He said he wasn't 100% sure what the right protocol was but given my previous experience (fluid build up after drain removal that led to infection and then drain scar re-opening and me draining out my side for 3 weeks), he was leaning towards keeping it in - so it stayed in. Now I'm just waiting around...

  • Merlcat
    Merlcat Member Posts: 122
    edited January 2013

    Roadwarrior- oh geez...I feel SO badly for you....that's just awful...those damned drains were the worst! Not trying to be a know it all or bossy but give really parking on your butt all day..torturous, I know, but hopefully, it'll help....I can't imagine it can hurt...except the boredom factor...ugh



    Hang in there and I hope it resolves WAY sooner than later!

  • jill47
    jill47 Member Posts: 85
    edited January 2013

    Road, well at least your PS is working with you, doesn't make it easier, I sure hope you start draining more soon.  Thinking of you, drains suck!!  Jill

  • roadwarrior28
    roadwarrior28 Member Posts: 161
    edited January 2013

    Merlcat - have really tried to park it. Last Tuesday, before I was to see the PS, I literally stayed in bed the whole day trying to get the drainage down. It actually drained more...

    I have to start flying again next week for work so if the drain doesn't come out, looks like I'll be traveling with it...

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