TE TROUBLE
Comments
-
I am in no hurry either! We would have to decide whether we want to go to NOLA or Baltimore though!
0 -
I say NOLA! Not just because it sounds like more fun, but because they will direct bill your insurance, rather than you paying up front and trying to get reimbursed for Baltimore.
0 -
Hi all! I finally closing in on the TE finish line! My exchange surgery is scheduled for May 1st, just a couple of weeks away! After two TE failures I never thought I'd get to this point. I only got filled to 250 cc and filled really slow. 30 cc at a time. I'm small framed so I'm good with small breasts. Heck, after living with no breast for almost a year and a half I'd be happy with anything at this point.
I don't often post, but I always check in to follow everyone's progress. So glad to see so many ladies doing well!0 -
curly - yay! Almost done - I had those thoughts of "am I ever gonna get there" too, so happy for you!
0 -
So I got measured for bra size yesterday since I'm done with the fills...and wound up with 32D! To me, they don't even look that large but who knows...
0 -
road - I measure a 34DD but look like an average to full C. I think the cup measurement has to go all the way around the TE or implant so it is bigger than the look visually. I was a full B-small C prior to surgery.
0 -
Good for you curlyfry. I can't wait. I have been in so much pain since my fill on 4/9. I have taken valium, Percocet and advil every 4-6 hours. I guess 60cc was too much. I'm thinking about stopping the fills and just scheduling the exchange. I'm curently at 420cc. I was a 38DD before surgery. I'd be happy with a full C.
0 -
kathymc - have you talked to whippetmom on the breast implants 101 thread? She can tell you based on your stats (read the header of the thread for what she needs) how many cc's in your size TE will compute to what cup size, and the specific implant brand and size she would recommend for the look you want. She did this for me and she was spot on. I am fairly petite and needed 600cc on the left, 650cc on the right, Mentor smooth round high profile to look like a full C (34DD in a bra). The bra size you wear does not necessarily correspond with how you will look. I did 25cc fills so as not to be i pain and stress my skin on the left side.
0 -
CurleyFry! YEA!! Wow you have been on the long-haul journey as well. I have you on the schedule!
Olgah, do you still have surgery upcoming in 2 days?
Psalms, any news on your reschedule?
0 -
Help! I just had mastectomy and TE placement on April 10th. I was prepared to hurt, but is the TE supposed to be all the way to your armpit? It is killing me! I only had a 50cc fill at surgery so I don't think it's that. I'm very petite (32 inch bra band) so I'm worried that this "smallest expander they had" might still be too large for my frame??!?!
0 -
Weety, First I am so sorry you have to go thru this. I would not wish this for my worst enemy. I would see what SpecialK has to say. She sounds more your size. I am a 38 in bra band and I did not have that problem. Good Luck.
0 -
weety - I am also fairly petite and they will feel kind of over in the underarm - especially right after placement. When the TE are filled they seem to lift off the chest a bit and provide more forward projection, rather than seeming to be so lateral. Have you seen your PS yet, post-op? Don't worry too much about the size of the expander - it is basically to make a space under the pec muscle - the true picture will come at exchange when your PS can tailor the pocket to accomodate the right size implant. Also, were you prescribed any kind of muscle relaxant? Soma, Skelaxin, Valium or Flexiril? It might help how the muscle feels to try one of them.
0 -
Thanks, ladies. I was given some Valium but was told it was for if my muscles started spasming. They aren't doing that. It's more of an ache that won't go away--almost like when you wear shoes that are too tight and they make your feet bones ache from the constant pressure--almost like a bruise feeling. It's under my arm and then a 2nd area is in my cleavage area poking into a spot on my sternum area. It feels like an underwire bra digging into that area.
0 -
I see my ps on Thursday for first follow up.
0 -
weety... so sorry you're going through this. Remember that your TE is rubbing/pressing against raw tissue (or what's left of tissue) so it def. hurts like hell. Keep up the pain meds and take your colace!! Hang in there.
0 -
Weety, welcome to the club. I'm also petite. Small framed is a better description. At first my TE was so tight in my arm pit I had trouble putting my arm down. As fills went on it lifted a bit and projected more forward. It is never comfortable, but I got used to the weird feeling. It is really early for you. Give it time to heal. It will get better.
0 -
Hi Ladies
I am at at 7 weeks post op.. Bilat MX and have my TE in and fully filled at 500 cc. I was told since my last fill(April 1st) I had to wait 2 months for the exchange. Fine,, becasue I was waiting on Oncotype dx scores to come in(which they did ..I am a 27 high end of intermediate..ha! that figuires) so I figuired I can do the exchange in June then start chemo(which I have chosen to go with in my case) but I heard the PS say that one will delay the other in some way..Like you can't do the exchange and then have chemo at the same time for risk of infection and you can't be taking chemo and have exchange during that time for risk of infection..so what do I do? These TE are KILLING me as far as pain. I am still on pain meds and the PS feels I should be weaning off them..so I fear this was my last rx. BUT THE PAIN>>>uhg..and then there's the fact that I want to get on with it..as far as chemo goes..so what is your experience out there? I have read some of you keeping the TE for months due to delays! OMG I will go crazy, especially without proper pain control. Not that I am not already crazy waiting, waiting , waiting for oncotype..Dr's visits..scheduling..uhg. thanks for not pushing me off my soap box..lol recommendations? experiences?? Would love to hear them. Love you all ..runnermom
0 -
runner - going all the way to fully filled to 500cc within 7 weeks from surgery is why you are in so much pain, that is a little fast, and it is not surprising that it hurts. Your choices are to wait with the TE in place during chemo, which many people do and I think is most common, or have the exchange and delay the chemo until healed - probably 4-6 weeks. That would put you at starting chemo, which is more important than exchange, beyond the optimal start window post-surgically of 4-8 weeks post-op. Once you begin chemo you will not heal - the drugs inhibit healing and drop your white blood cell count so opportunistic infection can be a problem. I honestly don't think I have ever seen someone have a BMX, fully fill, exchange, and then start chemo - it is just too fast a recon process. What is your chemo regimen, and how long are they projecting it to take? You would probably be done by June if you start now, then you would wait for the 4-6 week post-chemo time period and then exchange. Your pain from the TE and surgery would hopefully be dissipating during the time you are receiving chemo, although you could also experience some chemo-related side effects.
0 -
I went for my weekly fill today and decided against getting anything. I'm still in a lot of pain from last week. She actually ended up taking 30 CC's out of the right side instantly felt relief. She believes it's from the radiation on the right side I had seven years ago. The skin and tissue is so damaged. We are going to try 30 CC's next week and if everything works out 30 CC's the following week. I am finally scheduled for my exchange. The big day is June 11 Hooray! !!!!! Almost there.
0 -
SpecialK thank you for answering..
I just saw my MO today and will start chemo on April 24th..It's a long story but I had to fire my first MO bc she refused to do the Oncotype Dx on me,,and IMO I lost precious time in the beginning of all of this. I will receive TC, 4 cycles. I was a 27 on the Oncotype and as it turns out, (I and I knew all along) I am proceeding with the treatment. My surgery was 26th of Feb. I did receive fills ..200cc during surgery..(I woke up with boobs) and then 100 ea for the next 3 fills. rather quickly but I had hoped to get the exchange surgery done in June, but alas..chemo comes first. I was almost at the point of no return ref: chemo so thank goodness this new MO moved swiftly. BUT the pain will remain..and I will have to deal with it. At least I have a light at the end of the tunnel at this point..
thanks for the response..I really appreciate your input
0 -
runner - I am glad that it has all worked out - and know that you will likely not remain as uncomfortable as you are now the longer you have the TE in place. I am hopeful that you will not experience too much in the way of side effects from chemo - particularly in light of having 4 cycles as opposed to 6 - many of us find that once we got to four it was hard to pysch up for those last two, lol! I also started with 200cc surgical fill, then the train went off the rails, so to speak! 100cc fills are very big - yikes! The time will pass and then you will just have a bit of a rest and on to exchange. Best of luck to you!
0 -
Count me in for Vinnie's Visit for Terrific Tattos! My first choice would be New Orleans, only because I have never been there, but I am game for either.
I am taking an Alaskan cruise August 11-21, so need to work around that. There was another group on here that all met in Baltimore and booked the whole day. Took a cooler of champagne, etc and had a blast. I'll probably need a lot of that champagne as I don't think he lets anyone use emla cream.0 -
Kathymc. Good for you taking it slow. There is no need to rush and suffer with too big of a fill. Congrats on scheduling you exchange! It is such a mental boost to have a definite target date. Before BC I never counted down the days on my calendar but now I have a series of X's every month since diagnosis in Nov!
Weety. So sorry to hear about your pain! I, too, am very petite and small framed and have experienced constant pain since TE was put in. PS kept telling me the amount of pain was highly unusual. THEN I found this sight and finally felt like I wasn't going crazy. It feels to me like a torture device. I have a hard time with pain meds and am holding on to the hope that relief will come with exchange.
Runnermom. So sorry for the delay in your reconstruction and the pain you are in. So glad that you, too, found this site and started posting. The "you can do this" support and encouragement from this group of fellow BC journey women has made such a daily difference for me. Family and friends have been great, but often they just don't "get" it. Best of luck with the chemo.0 -
Thanks Leahy
I do so apprecite the feeling of belonging and understanding.
HUGS
RM
0 -
Good Afternoon,I have a surgery date of June 14,2013.The Exchange I am so excited.I hope that the surgeon knows the style and size that is right for me.What is the recovery time. I am aware that the gummies are approved.My surgeon told me that the shape of the gummies are tear drop and may not fit in my breast pocket.
This is a question that I need to ask.My dx was DCIS and I don't feel that my follow up with my doctors are aggressive.Is there anything I should be requesting from them routinely? I was informed by a lady who had a case of Lymph Edema and so do I.I usually wear the compression sleeve.The lady told me that I should always be in physical therapy continuously.Any comments or helpful hints?0 -
Hi ladies, Wanted to see if anyone else was having the port on the TE moving from fill to fill? Well only on the radiated right side the port is moving and has very stiff raised ridges. I thought it would smooth at as they were filled. I started out with right side 34ddd (shrunk a little after radiation in 2010) left side was 34g prior to bmx, so i have ample skin coverage. The muscle is much less flexible on the radiated side, so i have to work much harder to recover after each fill. My fills are 150cc each side. My last fill was april 18, and was not terrible painful, but the ridges seemed to grow bigger rather than smooth out. the old meanie nurse seemed concerned, so she had photos taken, because of course no docs were available at fri 4:00. Anyone elese had this te issue? I am not very big and my te are 700 cc, and go clean into the armpit. They have gotten less painful since surgery. I had one nurse tell me they were stitched in place, so no chance of them moving, then another one told me no they were not and could possible be folded up on itself...??? I am not sure what to think and i am 8 hour round trip from my ps. My future plan is to go with smaller fills(100) and request my ps be available at the time.
Nancy
0 -
Hi Cowgirl - My TEs have migrated upward and the right one has rotated somewhat, so the port has moved from around noon position to around 2 o'clock. My PS commented on it but didn't say he was concerned about it. He said to just keep massaging vigorously with lotion.
0 -
Hello, I had my squshies on Thursday yesterday I had shower, not happy with results...Left one was red again and bigger. than right, right looked like ...pancake..I called them, they said, it happens sometimes.....I also have nausea and weekness, doctors switched me to another antibiotic. Iwas very nauseas after surgery, even with anti- nausea medicine...
0 -
GreenCowgirl - yes, mine were in a different spot each time.
Olgah - did they say if they'll even out? I was talking to a friend yesterday who had just regular breast implants, and she said it took up to a year for them to completely drop, fluff out, settle, and now she's very happy.
0 -
Idid not ask, I will see PS on Wed, but, probably will even out....I am upset , because he did not remove a piece of skin, which was hanging there ( cellulitis) and on my side....I don't want anymore operations....
0
