TE TROUBLE
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Wow, Michele
My doc is making me wait two months after my last fill before my exchange. You are lucky to get it so quickly after last fill. Good luck. Keep us posted.
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I am seriously thinking about getting a pedi tomorrow so I can sit in the massage chair.
My surgery was July 28 and have had fills every Monday. I asked about moving so fast and his nurse said every ps is different.
I forget about pocket work, I know I will need it for sure.0 -
Michelle-good for you! Pamper yourself and enjoy your pedi and massage!
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Michele,
that is the fastest turn around I have ever heard of with expanders. Did you have a lot of skin left, not much expanding to do?
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It is relatively common if you fill often and slow to not have to wait too long for exchange. My PS was ready a couple of weeks from the last fill but I ended up at three weeks due to schedule conflicts. Michele's time from TE placement to exchange is 6 months, mine was 7 months (from the replacement of the left TE, the right was never filled beyond the surgical fill) - and I was filled to 575cc left, 650cc right.
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Well, now I am getting upset. My doc is saying 2 months from last fill, maybe three. I am going to talk to him again. That is just too long.
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goldie - plastic surgeon's are all different - more of them favor waiting longer - doing it faster is more the exception to the rule. The last thing you want is to make it all the way to exchange and then lose an implant(s) rather than just a TE! While it was 7 months from the start of fills to exchange, my right TE was in for 16 months, and it was more than 24 months from BMX to fat grafting. Don't rush!
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Goldie-much as I hate to wait, my PS said MINIMUM of 12 Wks post fill..he said the longer I could go the better. Initially I wanted to wait till mid Oct...but after my last fill was offered by his scheduler sept 25Th and grabbed the chance to get it done! So glad I did, but it will be worth the wait if all goes well to finally be done. Here we go again, knock on wood!
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Actually my TE's were placed July 25th. I had a skin sparing bmx April 1.
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Mine waits a month after last fill, however he made some exceptions to his rule. I had to wait three months before I could start again after he removed the first expanders. He filled every week, and once we hit 400, I got the implants a couple weeks later. I think we were all nervous about something happening again and wanted it to be completed.
On the first set, I did fills every couple weeks or so. Since I was getting chemo weekly, and his offices were right next door to my ONC's, it was pretty easy to combo them up. I started at 240 after bmx and filled about 60 each time first round. Second round, I had to start at 100.0 -
Michele - sorry! I just assumed you had the TEs placed with BMX!
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Well, I am still draining toouch. 40 cc every dump. Tthree times a day us still over 100 a day. It's almost clear, that good, but gee. I don't do much during th day, just raqd. BTW, I have readover
16 books since my surgery, LOL. All romance or mysteries, nothing to taxing, lol Much love0 -
moon - wow on the reading! Sorry your drains are still producing, but good that they are looking clear - hope things slow down soon so you can get them out!
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Moon-great time to catch up on the reading! Bummer about the drains, yet better to get it all out than build up inside,ouch! I thought I would read lots when off with bmx but kept falling asleep didn't get through as much as I wanted. Audio books were good as I could knit and listen for periods and if I fell asleep could go back to where I left off! Hope the drainage decreases soon!
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Was diagnosed with dcis on May 13th. Did bilateral mastectomy with TE on July 18th, took drains out five days after, started filling in TE 7 days after, now after 4 weeks of fillings, my PS said the expanders are going in the wrong directions, so I had to do surgery on the August 29th to remove and replace with a different brand. Unfortunately there was infection in the right breast so now I am without any TE. I have been placed on pain killer and antibiotics for 9 days. Going back to see my PS on September 4th. I am so frustrated because the plan was for 2 surgeries now I am going be doing 4, does anyone know who long will it take before they put in the new TE.
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kikianomar - the infection needs to be cleared before your expanders can be replaced. It is difficult to answer your question because it is impossible to know how long this will take.
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Kikianomar-I Had A Bmx With Immediate ReconstructioN On 6/26. Then In July, I Had A Severe Infection In Left Tissue Expander And The Right Had Changed Positions. Surgery To Remove Both, New Tes Placed Immediately. Sent Home On iv Vanco For 2 Weeks. Then, A Couple Weeks Later, I Reached Across My Body To Grab My drink And Felt Stitches Popping In Right, Drain Turned Blood REd And TE Came Completely Out From Behind Chest Muscle. 2 Weeks Ago, I Had Right TE Replaced Again. Maybe It Wouldn't Have Happened If My Body Had Time To Heal From Infection Before Replacing te. This Last Time In Surgery, They Told Me It Looked As If There Was Barely Any healing From Last Surgery. I Am Afraid To Move At all Now. Hang In There! This Whole Process Has Been Difficult And Frustrating. I Finally Had Drain Removed YesterdayAnd Am Drain Few For The First Time Since 6/26. You Are Not Alone. ThE Ladies Here Have Helped Me And It Sounds LikE You Are Getting Support. Having Said That, It Still Sucks!
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Well my ladies everyone is having a hard time with f$&@ TE.... Well
I have finished my radiation and my skin just peeled on my armpit ... I don't have a TE on the radiated side. I been out since August 22 ..... So I get to see my PS next week I'm not sure what he will suggest but I'm not in a rush for anything ... I want my skin to heal completely and have TE back in but with my radiated skin I don't know what to expect ... I would love to have implants and no DIEP ....I'm just sick of surgeries period... I still have to plan my hysterectomy since I was BRACA2.....
Michele13 did you have radiation then TE???0 -
Hi Patricia! I did have TE's after radiation. They were placed at the end of July. Tomorrow is my exchange to implants.
You might think about getting your hysterectomy done, at least it will be out of the way. I had mine the 2nd week in July. I feel so much better.
I can't seem to figure out how to update my surgery dates at the bottom.
Hopefully your skin is not hurting0 -
michele - go to your profile then click on add surgery and put the new info in. Yay for your exchange, hope all goes well!
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Has anybody had their expanders cause swelling. I had an expansion last friday, and today I noticed that I have some swelling on the left side of my clavacle. No pain, no redness, just swelling. Also, I measure my arms everyday because I am so paranoid about lymphedema. They are actually a half inch less today. I have been trying to lose weight. These expanders are so tight they have to do something to your circulation.
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Sorry everyone is having problems. I too, am not quite done with surgery. I am Going back in TOMORROW!!! To have my, are you ready for this?? Drain replaced.... LOL Never heard of this! Three weeks, still at 100 cc fluid daily. So. Tomorrow, going in, PS will see why I'm leaking so badly, try to fix it, clean it up, place a new drain to help clear up the draining lymph fluid. I won't be drain free,but I will have another hole for a new drain. WHEEEE! Are we having fun yet? And I can add ANOTHER "SCENIC DETOUR" to my OMG list of things I didn't want to have happen.
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moon - yeesh! Hope this does the trick and you can get off the scenic detour express!
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Alright Ladies, I hope today doesnt end up as my induction to TE Trouble. Had Bmx on 5/31 and had allergan 133fx 550cc placed. Have had no problems with the exception of some minor healing/necrosis issues. Filled at surgery to 150 and after a 6 weeks of fills I am now up to 450cc.
Now heres the problem. Today at work, Im a mail carrier, I stretched quite extensively trying to reach a mailbox and thought I heard a pop on my left side and was wondering if I could have either popped a stitch holding the TE in place or could it have been some scar tissue releasing???? The area under my left arm doesnt feel as tight anymore.
I have another appointment for a fill on Thursday and am praying that Im not going to have issues/problem and he says I cant continue with more fills
HELP, any comments or thoughts???
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Some plastic surgeons do indeed tack expanders in place under the pectoral so it is possible that you popped a stitch. I would think that because you are filled to 450cc already that your TE has far less danger of migrating anywhere because of the volume of saline already in it - it is only 100cc from the total fill volume. Also, could have been scar tissue, or even some cording that you might have been unaware of. What is the total volume you will be filled to? If you are stopping at 550cc maybe you could get a 100cc fill (ouch!) so you are maxed out and in the holding pattern until exchange.
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SpecialK, thanks for your thoughts!!
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Moonflwr: Girl you keeping taking the TE cake! OY! Let's hope your PS corrects the drain issue tomorrow and you will be on your merry way to healing!
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Michele2013 -Good luck tomorrow on your exchange! Mine is 3 weeks away! So far yet so near! Can't wait to get these TEs out
!My GYN did an endometrial biopsy (on Tami) and looked at the new foobs. She was concerned about my swollen underarm boob, will refer me to LE specialist to evaluate some lymphedema. Goldie- I worry about this as well, not a problem I really wanted and kept hoping it would just go away...PS wasn't concerned last time at all, but don't think he really knows.
Moon-what a ride! Not more drains!!!It's the worst, I really feel your pain. I thought 4 drains for 4 weeks was all I could take! Had so much seroma in my back I still had needle asperation weekly for another 4 weeks. Hope this fixes it forever!
Caetyz2-I had a pop and a cool feeling not long into my fills, was worried I had a leak, but PS nurse told me some edges flex in the expanders and can pop out with the fills as well as with movement. Now I am at max fill (800cc) and havent had any more of those "pops". These are stretched to the max! Hope it is just a passing thing and nothing to worry about. Best wishes as you finish the fills!
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I am a three time breast cancer survivor. Last year I had a latissimus dorsi with expander put in on only left side. I broke out in hives about two weeks after placement. I had surgery 5 months later to put expander in right breast, broke out in hives next day. Then I broke out every month until my right expander leaked and had to be removed. Two weeks later the left expander had to be removed due to infection. I was told that the expanders were not cause of my hives. I hadn't had anymore after they were removed. My ps wanted to try again with expanders. I said no way. I am now going to do fat grafting. Good luck to all.
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Hello Again, Ladies! I Am Writing This From My Room In Hospital. I Woke Up This Morning With Extreme pain, Fever (101.8), Visible Fluid In Both Breasts And The Left One Was Red And Hot To The Touch.. I Am On Iv Vancomycin. This Is The Same Side I Had Infection And Subsequent Surgery On In July. My PS Said She Thinks It Is The Alloderm. My Skin Just Doesn't Stick To It. Anyone Else Have Issues With Alloderm?
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