TE TROUBLE
Comments
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Awww honey- that really really sucks....that's awful and frustrating! I feel for you! If I had some extra( or any for that matter lol) I'd send it your way.
Are you at least able to shower with those heinous things in? I was not- selfish of me to say, when you, IMHO, have it way worse than I did, but, for me, that was the worst part of them.0 -
Ok my typing really blows- that should have read, if I had any extra magic( or any magic at all)
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Merlcat - yes, my PS encourages a LOT of showering from Day 1. He always tells me to shower more. It's not too terrible - I've even figured out a way to sleep on my side with the drain in
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Roadwarrior, my drain after exchange was in for at least 2 weeks. My PS also told me not to lay around, but to get up and move around but not to overdo it. It will go down, your body's just not ready yet. Good luck!
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road warrior -- after my BMX and TE placement in September, I had two drains on each side. The first set came out at 10 days, the second set was in for 27 days. It seemed like an eternity. It was such a relief to get them out!
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CurleyFry: Yay for the new TE behaving!
Olgah: painful itchy drains are pretty common, but that rash is not. Does sound like an allergy. Call your doc!
Roadwarrior: 2 weeks was the longest I had a drain. Like you, my body over-produces fluid. I found that when I used my arm too much, my output increased. Here's hoping things calm down soon!
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Thanks all for the input! I'm seeing my PS tomorrow - they're going to fill up the TE to see if it pushes out the fluid. I have to fly on Monday so looks like I'll be doing that with a drain...
Day 18 and counting...
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Good Evening All,
It's been a while since I've posted, and am having my exchange tomorrow.
I don't remember the exact type of implant I am getting, but it is Kaiser's version of the Gummie Bear! I can't wait to get these hard rocks out of my chest!
They will also be repairing a hernia, which I understand to be more painful than the exchange.
Anyway, I have missed you guys, and will post when I can.
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DM - yay! I remember way back in the beginning... Hope all goes smoothly and I will be thinking of you!
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Hello all, I am almost finished with TE fills then a 3 month break until exchange. I am wondering how long the procedure for the exchange is.? I assume drains will be necessary again? Love to hear from anyone as what I should expect. Thank you.
Best Lola.
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lola - outpatient surgery - several hours, home same day, I was uncomfortable for a couple of days - just sore but not painful enough for narcotics - nothing like BMX, I did not have any drains. Felt immediate relief from the TE - so much more comfortable!
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DM13: Good luck tomorrow!
Lolalee: I wrote in detail about my exchange on my blog (that post is entitled "exchange rate" and dated Sept 13, 2012). My surgery lasted 3 hours, a little longer than most b/c PS did a lot of pocket work. I had 2 drains, one on each side, because after the issues I had with delayed healing, my body produces excess fluid so I needed them. Not everyone has to have them (as SpecialK notes above). Due to that pocket work, I was in some pain and had to take pain pills for about 4 days. I did very little activity for 2 weeks. Then I started hiking and driving again. Hope that helps!
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Thank you SpecialK and Rennasus for the prompt reply. I will look up your blog Rennasus thanks for that information.
My PS is really hard to talk to and only volunteers information on a "need to know" basis - nothing more. He does have an excellent reputation as a surgeon so I do persevere with him but he really lacks any kind of personality. I had to wait 2 hours for my appointment with him yesterday, finally seeing him at 6.00 pm. He looked so tired that I did not quiz him too much, the young girl who went in before me had some serious facial injuries, I don't know how he put her together again.
Thanks again, Lola.
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Hi Renn, just read your blog, very interesting read, very helpful, thanks.
Don't think I want to get my socks dirty either! May just have to feign greenmonkey's dizziness.
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Hey all - saw my PS today. No dice on drain coming out yet. They pumped 60ml into the left side to get rid of the pockets where fluid accumulates, so hopefully that slows down the draining...
I'm traveling with the drain next week and will be seeing my PS two weeks from now to determine next steps...
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I went in for my last fill today and told her about the major pain I have been having on cancer side. She decided after asking me if I wanted to wait a week and get more or take 1/2 fill today that I really did not need any more and could move on to exchange surgery in a few weeks. It had been a little over a week and half since last fill so I will get exchange on Feb 25. I am excited - will be happy to get rid of the rocks in my chest and looking forward to squishy boobs again.
I have no idea what size I am going to end up being - I think I have about 420 in fills. I lost track actually. Dr just keeps saying you will be a C cup. I was a double D and did not want to be that large again. They are much smaller but I am happy with how they look under clothes. Just need to get tops that fit now - new wardrobe coming up - at least something good is coming out of all of this.
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Here is my TE Trouble. Had BMX on 20 Nov. I had one fill then started Chemo 27 Dec. on Jan 5 I had terrible muscle spasms and a temperature. After many tests had mild pneumonia and a blood infection. The right side had a small scab and got very red as we were sitting in ER. This side had been radiated in 2008 with my first cancer.
Was admitted to hospital for lots of IV antibiotics but kept spiking fevers. PS went in an removed and cleaned up right side. I had told her not to replace because I couldn't think about fills and chemo and that side not healing. When I made the decision to do reconstruction they didn't think I would need chemo. But oncotype came back high.
So now I have one TE, chemo will last through June. We are not doing more fills. If I can fit it in would just like to do the exchange on that side and get this thing out. Still don't know what to about right side.
Any suggestions??0 -
SharonS - I had a similar situation except on my left side. I just wore a prosthetic while I went through chemo and just had the TE replaced. Going straight to implants was also an option.
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sharon - I also lost my left TE and did chemo with only one in. Had it replaced after chemo and then did fills and exchanged. Chemo was enough of a distraction I didn't really pay all that much attention to having a TE and wearing a prosthetic!
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Hello! I was at PS office yesterday and they removed 1 drain. 2 left...No fever, no rash ( it was, probably, allergy to surgical glue), almost no chills, next week , I hope, he removes other 2...I cannot sleep without drugs, pain is almost constant. I think, is it bad to take Tylenol more than 2 weeks or it is OK? I try to take narcotics only for sleep, makes me week and sweaty.They filled 400 ml while operating, want to expand next week, I am so scared after all bad experience.
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olgah - Maybe try alternating Advil with Tylenol? I am glad you are feeling better, but filling that soon makes me nervous. I definitely don't think you should fill with drains still in.
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Oh, they told me they will remove drains and fill...Drains are big, yacky, itchie and painful.Cannot wait to take it out!
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Road warrior and Special K
I am just curious to the reasons for your TE's being removed. My PS has only removed in one other patient in 15 years. When she went in the TE had never adhered to the chest wall.
I figured I would just wait until Chemo is done. And yes having done chemo in 2008 it is pretty life consuming. After the first round of AC I agree with the "red devil" nick name. My taxotere and cytoxan then was pretty uneventful. Using the Zyrtec after the shot helped with the bone busting pain, so that is a good discovery.
Still concerned about the slow healing on that side and if it would happen again. They are looking into using hyperbaric chamber for healing if I go that route.
Appreciate the feedback.0 -
sharons - my left (non-cancer side) TE was removed due to skin healing issues after skin/nipple sparing BMX. I developed necrosis (happens in about 20% of cases with this type of surgery) and the skin split open, exposing the TE, and I needed emergency surgery. Despite two additional surgeries within the following month to repair, the skin would not heal so the TE was removed. I needed to start chemo and could not do so with unhealed skin. When the TE was replaced I had no issues, and we proceeded with slow fills (25cc) weekly and I had an uneventful exchange surgery 11 months ago.
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SharonS - I think most of us on this board have had a TE removed. I believe mine became infected due to fluid build up, but that's just my theory. It got red after the first fill and kept getting worse. Then after a week or so my drain scar reopened and I started leaking fluid out my side - which went on for about 2 weeks. I was also having horrible pain, like someone was jabbing me in my ribs. Since I was coming up on my chemo start date, my PS thought it'd be better to remove it and try again later.
I just had it replaced 3 weeks ago, but still waiting for the drain to come out.
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I saw my ps yesterday and things have improved a bit. I thought maybe it was just my wishful thinking but he agreed that the Redness and swelling have receded. I'm not celebrating just yet, but maybe there's hope that the infection will clear this time! The bottom of the TE till hurts like hell though.
Roadwarrior- I hope the fill helped your drainage issue!0 -
Binc - it did! Only 22 yesterday and I'm on track for less than 30 today
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Road- that's great!!
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Olgah: MY DH is a pharmacist and he has me take one Advil and one Tylenol together when I'm in a lot of pain. The Tylenol bosts the Advil's effect. Try it and see if it helps you. I also would not rush the fills!
Binc: Your pain is likely from pocketwork to secure IMF...yes? That takes time to heal. Glad things are improving!
Roadwarrior: YAY for less fluid!!
SharonS: If you look at the top of this thread you'll see all the ladies who had to have a TE removed. I had mine removed b/c I developed necrosis along incision line on cancer side, and dang if it didn't want to close after that! My body then over-produced sebum in an attempt to heal, and the incision leaked fluid for 5 long months. Finally had right TE taken out, and waited 5 more months before putting it back in again. I had slight healing problems after that too, along same stubborn incision line, but after a few months my body finally healed. My left side, meanwhile, had no problems and was filled to 350cc at BMX. When right TE was put back in, PS filled it with 150ccs. About 6 or 7 months later (we waited a really long time!), I had ONE fill, of 50ccs on each side. A couple months after that I had my exchange. Because my left side TE had been in so long, it had long ago "dropped" so after exchange, it looked very natural. Righty is still high and tight due to all the surgeries and trauma, and has not "dropped" nor "fluffed." I am very uneven! But it's only been 4 months since my exchange. I hope your incision heals up!
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Hello Everyone!
Had my exchange, and the recovery is so much better than BMX. I also had a hernia repaired, and I think I've had more pain from that!
Interesting - the left side, which has always been the "good" side, ended up needing a drain! Apparently, a lot of breast tissue had been left behind, so my new PS ended up doing partial mastectomy!
I had to go in and see him today, because my drain output has been too high in his opinion. All turned out okay - will have to have drain in for longer period of time. He did say that he could not believe how much breast tissue had been left behind!
Anyway, I ended up with 425 Sientra's that are tear dropped. They already feel nice and comfy!
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