TE TROUBLE
Comments
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goldie - You are welcome - I know how alone I felt with the issues I was having - we need to thank ren and the ladies of this thread too! My PS doesn't laser things, lol! He does recon work for BC and other things like congenital defects and corrections from accidents, does cleft lip and work on children, but he does not have a big cosmetic practice, other than some breast aug. My vascularization is from the repeated incising into the face of the breast - my incisions are in the IMF but my excisions from necrosis are in the area from the nip to the IMF - it looks purple and blue there. I have also read about tattoo artists that can cover this with flesh colored tattoo ink. I think momof3 is doing that, and she is here near me. My only concern is that I have freakishly thin skin and pectoral muscle (genetics) in the area of vascularization so I am hesitant to mess with it. I believe that you need 4mm of skin/muscle thickness for the tattooing - not sure I have that. PS told me that only one other patient of his had as thin pecs and I don't want to laser or tattoo the implant! Good thing I didn't want to be a bodybuilder, right? I see him in Nov. so I will ask about it!
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Thank you Specialk for directing to this discussion forum. I haven't had the chance to read everyone's post but I will. I had a double mastectomy on 6-4-13 with TE inserted. On 6-23-13 had to have both TE removed due to skin necrosis. Waited 8 wks for healing and on 8-23-13 we reinserted TE on both breasts. On 9-6-13, rt tissue expander hand to be removed because incision line opened to the size of a lemon. Today, 9-25- I was admitted and surgery was performed to remove my left TE because I had an explosion of fluid come out of my left breast due to infection. My PS now says Latissimus Dorsi Flap will need to be done on both sides. I am not happy that I have had 5 surgeries in 4 months and feel like I am still at square one. I am also scared to have the LDF done on both sides. Any encouraging words would be appreciated. I am very lucky to find all of u strong and courageous women. God bless each of you in your journey.
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purple87: I'm so sorry to read of the difficulty you are having. As SpecialK above said, we really can't anticipate all the challenges we face when we embark on reconstruction. Have you considered DIEP or is that not an option? Hopefully other LAT Flap ladies will chime in as to how dibilitating (if at all) that procedure is, especially bilaterally. I'm glad you got the TE out, your body needs to heal. Please eat lots of promote an don't do too much until this is under control. I totally understand the feeling that you are back to square one. I spent 1 1/2 years in recon hell. If I had to do it all over again, I'm not sure what I would do. But it *wouldn't* be TEs. Hang in there.
SpecialK: Thanks for the shout out. I am grateful for your knowledge and your gratiousness in sharing it. Thank YOU!
Mamasixtaz, how are you after your exchange surgery? Update please!
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I saw someone post this on another thread I beleive, but thought after reading Lesleys post, that I dont think many people are aware of additional reasons for collecting Social security disability and what they call Compassionate Allowance Conditions.
Take a look:http://www.ssa.gov/compassionateallowances/conditions.htm
I realize that fortunately many of us will not receive these benefits, however I dont beleive many know about them. I myself will pass this info onto my sister as her husband is suffering from one of those mentioned.
Katie
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Rennasus I can not have a DIEP flap because I had a tummy tuck last year due to extreme weight loss. I was suppose to have a breast lift this year, however when I was diagnosed with BC in April all my plans changed.
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Katie,
Thank you for this link. I will b checking it out later today.
Sparkey
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ren - always!
purple - there are several lat flap peeps on this thread - I know DLL66 had one - probably the best place to find a bi-lat lat (that sounds funny!) is on the surgical thread for that recon. What about doing another kind of flap - gap or tug?
catey - was there a specific thing on the list you were directing us to? The breast cancer heading is for stage IV only and Compassionate Allowance is not an automatic award, it is an expedited review based on a diagnosis of stage IV disease, that usually results in an award. I believe that you still have to meet the criteria of being unable to work for the previous five months, and unable to return to work. You are also eligible for Medicare if you are awarded but that is a 24 month wait.
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Yea the squishies are in! Surgery was about 3 hrs with a lot of pocketwork, yet no drains! Recovery was rough as they didn't keep up the pain meds and so I got behind and had much more pain than expected. They finally changed IV med and gave me vicodin too. Was sooo groggy, foggy when I got home I just crashed, all the meds caught up to me then. Was in at 8:00 discharged at 4:00. I sent those TE's to the incinerator! These implants feel sooo much better, yet I feel he must have used a baseball bat against my chest as it really aches from my clavical to my sternum to my ribs. More discomfort than I thought I would have. Not a big fan of narcs but need them for now. So many say the recovery is sooo much better than bmx, and I agree but this is not pain free either. My arms are sore as well, playing the T-Rex again, feels like such a set back. But this too will pass, it is only my first post op day.
Purple87-I had bilateral LD flaps with my bmx and was very leary, scared, but after 2 PS said it was the only recon choice I decided to do it. I had TEs with it due to the size I needed. The extra muscle was necessary to support the 800cc implants as I have thin skin even without having radiation. It is a very long surgery and recovery but doable. I would make the same decision again, the results have been so far so good. Had some issues with it as well with infection, necrosis and seroma build up in my back. But I am 6 months out and with exchange surgery hopefully done. PM me if you have more questions, I would be happy to answer them. The thread for Lattissimus Dorsi Reconstruction has a variety of success and not so successful stories. Many have done well with it others (as with TEs only )have not. Read and take out of it what you can. It totally stressed me out and I had to make multiple appts with PS to get the comfort I needed to move forward with it. Thank goodness he is a very patient doctor. I took multiple pages of questions to the appts and would hand them to him to answer, as I always was so upset, I always left in tears just from the fear factor. Now, I am glad it is almost over. I just need to heal from this surgery then decide on nips or no nips or only tattoos. I also realized that this body will never be the same, but I can function in my job as a nurse working 12hr shifts in a busy L&D. Sometimes it aches and swells, but I hope with time it will get better and better, especially with the softer implants. I hope this helps you some, sending you many ((HUGS))!
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Mama6 so glad the squishies are in. I am just starting to feel my TEs as hard. I am 600 on one side 500 on the other. And my old right one DIDNT pop! LOL but that one looks like less than the left one even though it is filled more. I took my tramodol extra one today. Hope to feel a bit less discomfort tomorrow. And just so you know when he put my implant in he did pocket work and that hurt for at least a week. So maybe that is what you are feeling. Much love to all. Heal fast and well.
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I'm so happy mamasixtaz I'm so happy that your surgery is done....
I was denied for disability .. And didn't feel like fighting ... Just used my hubbies insurance....well I'm just waiting for skin to heal and not sure what I want right now... Fat grafting but will see 😩0 -
mama - yay for squishees!
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SpecialK- I was not necessarily directing to anything specific it was more of a FYI in general I dont think many know of whats available.
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Mammasix Yeeeeah for the long awaited squishies! Hope recovery is going smooth and easy for you.
Nancy
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Talked with my PS yesterday and I really don't have a choice but to have the double LDF bc I PS had to remove dead muscle and tissue due to infection. TE definitely had to be removed as well. Now I don't have enough muscle or skin to provide coverage for my permanent implants. I feel I am to young, only 44, to go without reconstruction so I guess I just need to come to terms with what I have to do.
Again I thank you ladies for posting and sharing your stories as well as your encouragements. May God be with each of you.
Mama thank you for your reply I will look at the LDF forum and see what others say.0 -
Thanks Again For All Of Your Responses! It Just Seems That We Should Be Eligible For Some Assistance As We Battle Reconstruction. I Am AN Inner City Teacher, And Accommodations For Americans With Disabilities Doesn't Work For My Position. I Will Contact A Social Worker At The Clinic. Saw PS Yesterday. Have Seroma Again, A Few Stitches Popped A Few Days Ago And TE Has Lowered A Little. She Rescheduled My Diep For 3 Weeks From Now Because I Will Still Have Insurance In October. Keeping Me On Iv Antibiotics Until Surgery. 100 Cc Fills Yesterday AndEvery Week Until Diep. Thank God For Muscle Relaxers! She Did Not Drain Seroma...Nervous That Something Will Go Wrong. I Would Prob Have Another Infection If I Wasn't On Antibiotics Already. Getting Very Nervous For The Diep...Yikes!
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lesley - hang in there, hoping things go well for you.
purple - wishing you the best and hoping the bi-lat LDF is the answer for you.
catey - thanks! Just wanted to make sure I had not missed something!
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SpecialK, I can understand not wanting to mess with your implant. If you look good in clothes, then what's the point. I am actually getting to a place that my expander's don't look that bad in clothes, but I want them out so badly.
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Unbelievable. ..just released yesterday from hospital from having TE removed from left breast area. Went to change my dressing and found my stitches have come undone and I have a hole again. I have a call to PS office. FRUSTRATED BEYOND MEASURE
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goldie - I am reluctant to mess with it, but there is a part of me that wants it to look better after all of this!
purple - dang it!
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Purple thats horrible. Hugs to you. My PS used real stitches and on the outside to in order to prevent my last infection. Looked very weird but it helped. I hope they can do something for you soon. I have heard of people having one lat flap and one implant on the other side. Maybe you dont need both. Or perhaps you just need more time to heal before you try anything. It must take skin that had rads longer to heal. Much love.
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Lat flaps should be a last resort procedure. A diep is the way to go if you can't do implant. I was going to do diep until they got my healed, and expanded. Now I am going for the implants, if they don't work diep is my plan. What I am hoping for is that they perfect the fat grafting in the next few years (like Suzanne Somers had done), and the say they will be able to reconstruct a whole breast just with fat grafting. Then, when my implants are old, I will do that.
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Goldie - Interesting that my PS said lat flap is the only way to go. He's been doing them for years & very successfully. Since I'll have rads only on the right, and this weeks surgery/axillary dissection was able to save that implant, I can only hope my skin doesn't rebel too much once rads starts. He said he will not even try another implant if that happens.
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Purple Frustrated cant begin to cover how you are feeling. im sorry about the stitches! i remember having a small hole where the stitches did not want to absorb, my body wanted it out. I kept it covered with gauze and dab of neosporin and they said it would heal from the inside out-finally did, took awhile.
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Goldie I agree with you about perfecting the fat grafting in the future, its also my back-up plan if implants fail or are not livable.
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Speaking of fat grafting, did anyone have it with their initial BMX/TE? I had a small amount, it was to bring more of my own tissue to the area for multi-purpose benefits. Im now being told the large lumps i have on the right breast are fat necrosis. Does anyone know what can be done about it?
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Hi, I'm new here and am so thankful to all of you who contribute to this topic! i have a question that I hope someone can give opinions...
My bilateral mastectomy was Aug. 13, 2013, with immediate reconstruction, tissue expanders placed and 100cc fill. My left "foob" hurt more than my right side, up until another 100cc were added. BUT, on my next visit, 200cc were supposed to be added. I could really feel the discomfort as the right side was 'growing', but the left side wasn't feeling as uncomfortable or tight.
The following day, I phoned the Dr.'s office to ask if this was normal, the Dr. was in surgery all that day, but her nurse phoned me back and told me not to worry. Well, tomorrow is 2 weeks later and my left side feels 'squishy' and is smaller than the other side. I think something is wrong.
Could this be the start of a big problem???
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SwoozieQ it might be. It almost dounds like the TE is leaking. Sometimes they can keep filling it til exchange, but thats usually towards the end when you are ready to exchange. I jope that is not it and that is just a glitch for you. However if it has to be replaced. There are those who had that done. And go on to exchange without any other trouble. Much love.
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Thank you Moon. I'm hoping that it was the "nurse" that did something wrong. She was the receptionist and I was surprised when the doctor brought her in the room to do the 'fill'. This time, tomorrow, I am going to be much more outspoken, I'm actually going to bring my husband in the room with me because sometimes I forget things because there's just so much on my mind! Thanks again!
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My PS is the only who does fills. He uses a magnet thing to find the fill port every time and marks it with blue ink. Then he proceeds to do the fill. He likes to do 100 at a time. I wish you well. Much love.
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Swoosie ... You should have only the ps do it..... And I know lots off ladies do 50 or 75 cc at a time .. 200 it's a lot .. If it cause to much discomfort they can also remove some fills.... Please be patient ....TE can cause infections and can can it to be remove ... Speaking from experience good luck
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