TE TROUBLE
Comments
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Moonflwr thinking of you with positive thoughts ,sweet prayers and joy in my heart. I know you are soo ready for this exchange and I feel its going to go great!
Huggs
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What a difference another 80 cc's makes. I'm up to 580 cc's now. I had fill #4 this morning. None of the previous fills have been painful at all. I could sure feel the stretching of the skin and the tightness across my chest afterward, but by the next day I had adjusted to the new sensations so I haven't had the TE hell some of you talk about. (My hell came earlier when I lost one implant to surgery for necrotic tissue. Not enough good tissue left to cover it.)
Today was still was a completely painless experience, but the shape of the TE has really changed. (Fill #1 was 180cc's, #2 240cc's, #3 80 cc's, and today another 80 cc's.) All of the sudden I can feel the bottom of the TE moving over a rib as I sit and can feel some "side boob" when I swing my arm while walking. Who knew 80cc's could make such a difference? I'm sure that rib will be complaining later tonight but that's what Tylenol is for.
My plastic surgeon is pleased and thinks we will have only two more fills if my skin will cooperate. Then we wait a month for things to settle before I get an implant back on that side. Fingers crossed that there will be no infection again. Because I have nothing but skin and bone under my arm now due to all the muscle and tissue I lost in the last surgery, the TE is practically up against the implant on the "good" side and sits an inch higher. That's why I was surprised to feel the swell of the TE when I moved my arm! Maybe it was just fat arm instead of side boob. (haha) Sigh...let me cling to my fantasies!0 -
LOL @Sandra! Enjoy your thoughts! I will cross my fingers for no infection for you OR me. We havent been particularly lucky with that have we.
I do not feel anything with my TEs today. I know they are there but no pain. I have two more weeks before my next one. I wish my PS was in next week so I could try 50 at a time. When I go back on the 30th I will only want a smaller fill. I should make the deadline anyway. Heres hoping.0 -
knew I forgot something. PURPLE how are you doing? Any progress? Pack it girl pack it! LOL0 -
Hi ladies,
I just had my exchange surgery today - yay!! Holy crap, it hurts more than I thought it would- boo! I'm on Vicodin (which I hate) and the pain is coming through loud and clear. From those of you who have done this already, how long can I expect this crazy pain to last?!
I made a special request to my surgeon to make sure everyone near me washed their hands really well and sprayed some Lysol all around so that maybe this could be my first cancer-related surgery without an infection! Lol. Time will tell.
Hey Purple- I hear you are wound packing. I did that too a while back- we are definitely part of a very small group there. Lucky us!. I'm happy to share any helpful hints if you'd like. Please feel free to PM me. Hang in there!0 -
binc - yay! But sorry you are having pain - hopefully just a few days.0 -
Binc, so glad you r in the other side of this. Sorry you have so much pain. It shouldnt last too long. Can you see what your boobs look like yet?
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Binc,
How exciting! You've had your exchange! Congratulations. Are you writing from the hospital or did they send you home the same day? I hope you are home. Hospitals are where the germs are, ya know! Fingers crossed that no infection comes your way this time. They are truly awful. I'm one of the small club too, although I never had to do the packing and wound vacs like others have. I had surgery to do away with all the necrotic muscle and tissue under one arm and on the side of one of my 2 week old new implants. It's been six weeks now and just got the ok to begin trying to stretch on that side. Having one nicely healed implant side and one scar crossed TE side is certainly interesting. Talk about being able to compare!
Keep that Lysol handy and spray anyone who comes near you while you recover. LOL.0 -
Binc, I didnt know you had your exchange today! Congrats! So exciting to know an exchange really happens. Somtimes I forget people actually get there. LOL. I too hope the bad bugs stay far away, no one needs those nasty things. NO. INFECTION. AT. ALL. NONE. WHATSOEVER. NOPE. NOT. NOW. There, now you know how I feel. LOL. Much love and fast healing.0 -
Thanks for all the well wishes! Still hurts like hell. I've never been a very patient patient.
Sandra- the exchange was an outpatient surgery for me. I like to get in and out as soon as possible.
Goldie- I haven't gotten a full view of the new girls yet. One of them looks a little squished up as far as I can tell. But I was told not to be upset when I do get the first look. Apparently it takes a couple of weeks for everything to settle in. We'll see . . .0 -
Hang in there, Binc. Keep us posted.0 -
Binc,
I laughed when you described one of your new "squished" foobs. They really do look funny at first...at least some of them do. (You don't suppose it was hallucinations from leftover general anesthesia, do you?) One of my implants looked great but the other looked so strange that I worried the PS had put in a defective implant. Nope. That side looked fine after a day or so and healed great. It's my soft perky pride & joy now. The other side that had looked so perfect was the problem child. It's gone now along with parts of 3 muscles and some tissue that decided to mutiny. I have a TE on that side now and hope to get a new implant in a month or two.0 -
Hello all not sure if this is the forum to get answers on tissue expander hell. Well here is goes. October 11 th I had my last chemo treatment and was scheduled for nov 5 th for the implant surgery. Well Saturday I started running a temp of 103 and had what I thought was a rash on my right breast. It was itchy and red. Went in for my neulasts shot and was told yes you have a rash take Benadryl topically and orally and Tylenol for the fever. I thought ok I have a plan. Well come Monday morning I could hardly get out of bed weak as a kitten. I thought wow this last chemo is really doing a number on me. I have had a tough time with chemo side effects. Well looked at my right breast and it was red as the center of a watermelon. Immediately called oncologist to tell them. Went in and next thing I am being admitted to the hospital........you have an infection in your tissue expander. My thought oh no this can't happen. Was in the hospital 6 days with IV antibiotics. Plastic surgeon drained fluid from the breast to do a culture. Go to plastic surgeon tomorrow to get the results. They want to see if bacteria is growing. My question is once infection is cleared up can I have my impant put in or will I have to have the expander taken out and the what!!! So disappointed wanted all this done this year and get my torcher expanders out. They have been awful. I am so close to to ending this journey. Not sure if I have anymore fight in me!!! Any suggestions are appreciated.
Hope everyone is doing well or at least managing!!0 -
togetherness. So sorry. So close. My PS took out the TE every infection I had. So you are ahead of the game if they left it in. Unless they cant control the infection they will most likely leave it in. And if the infection is gone and the TE is out its a toss up as to whether they will implant the squishies or reimplant TE. I think they could go ahead. Keeping my fingers crossed for you. Much love.0 -
togetherness, I had an infection also. Tried to treat it orally/IV antibiotics for over a month all the while continuing chemo and my fills. Finally I was filled enough and antibiotics were running out so PS said lets go in to surgery. If infection isn't bad ill put implants in. If its bad te's come out.
He said he stood there looking for 5 minutes. What he expected to be bad wasnt, but there was enough that he was worried things would get worse, so out they came. I kind of expected that would be the case. Turned out to be a pseudomona infection from the mastectomy.
Binc, when I went back in to redo the te's, I smuggled in a can of Lysol under the sheet and whipped it out in the operating room. Told them if anyone remotely had a cold, a sniffle, or had been feeling bad, they needed to leave immediately. It definitely broke the ice.0 -
ok my ladies I'm glad everyone is doing good... No MORE infections!!!!!
I really need everyone's help here... As you guys know I have one TE in ... My radiated side with no TE is healing ok i guess it's been almost 2 months from radiation and my skin still had the square tan....my PS has a pain in my ass ... I finally have decided to change PS.. He's always late something always happens... Si after 2 month of waiting to heal .. Count see him ... He had 8 appointments at 8 am and I was one of them... No respect for the time waited 2 hours and find out he wasent coming in till layer cause there was an emergency I left upset no answers and still not knowing what to expect.... I did make couple of appointment with different ps to see what options I have.. I know many ladies here have had radiated skin first and then implants... But I haven't heard anyone of how everything is going....please my ladies let us know how recovery is after radiated skin with implants or please ask your PS about radiated skin and implants.... Maybe you guys can help me pleaseeee I can't take this any more I hate my PS0 -
Together,
I agree with Moonflwr, the QUEEN of TE trouble. (But she is getting really close this time to squishy-ville.) For you, much will depend on what happens the next few days. If the antibiotic has done it's job, you may get away with no more than a temporary delay. Hopefully you won't have to start over again like she did - twice.
I had a BMX with immediate reconstruction with saline implants. One side was perfect, but the other side developed an infection on post op day one. The IV antibiotics did a good job of stopping the infection and saved a lot of tissue, but not all. I had to go back into surgery on day 14 to have the bad stuff removed. There wasn't enough good tissue to cover the side of the implant anymore, so it was removed and replaced with a TE. After two more weeks on IV antibiotics I began getting fills. The first two, 180 cc's & 240 cc's, filled up what was left of the empty pocket of skin. That could be what they do with you if they have to take out the TE. Wait a couple weeks to make sure the infection is gone, then put in the implants if you are ready - or another TE which they will fill up quickly to get you back to where you were.
The last two weeks I've gotten 80 cc's twice to begin to stretch the good skin. They are trying to get it big enough to be able to put the same size implant back in but I'm still 220 cc's short and there's not much room left. I'll probably end up saying "enough is enough" and get a smaller implant plus replace the good side with a smaller one to match. What about you? If you have to down-size the implant at your exchange will that be ok? Or will you hang in there with more fills on the problem side until you are back up to where you were?0 -
Thanks for all the information. Well had my appointment with PS and he said the fluid drained off the breast around the tissue expander did not have bacteria growth per the culture test...... Yippee. Said to stay on the antibiotics for another week and we should be able to stay on track. He called it a cellulitis infection. Feeling much better. Meet with PS next week to discuss what type of implants I want silicone vs. saline. There are so many options. I am sure my PS will have his opinion on what i should have but the final decision will be mine. I am currently at 500 ccs on both sides. I am ready for this journey to end and get on with my new normal life.
Hope everyone is well and continuing the fight!!0 -
I've been lurking on here for awhile. After my BMX with TE recon I kind of got lost as to where to go
. This is definitely the place! So sorry that we are all here. My surgery was July 18, 2013 and I started out in the July Surgeries Thread. My scars are in the form of the anchor cut for breast reduction. I had a SSM and wanted to be smaller than I previously was. I had a huge bruise on my right breast after surgery. At my 10 day check up with my BS there was blistering in the center of the bruise. At the 2 week check up with the PS he said the tiniest spot in the center was attempting to die off. He was hoping it was only the surface so we wanted to let it run its course. I had to clean the spot everyday and keep it covered with antibacterial xeroform and gauze. The moisture in the bandage aided in the necrotic skin sloughing off. After about 3 weeks of that it was finally advanced enough that he debrided it, which left a fairly nice sized hollow spot. He pulled that closed with 3 stitches. I had a fantastic weekend for the Labor day and caused those darn stitches to get infected. Boooo. He removed 2 of the stitches in order to clean the "pocket" of infection that was created. I then had a tiny deep hole that I had to pack 
. That lasted about a month total until it finally closed completely about 2 weeks ago. Last Thursday on the 17th, one day shy of my 3 month surgery mark, I FINALLY got my first fill! I started with 200 cc's at time of surgery and got 100 cc's last week. I have enough skin that I haven't felt any pain at all yet. Will get another 100 this Thursday and go from there. Also found out that this will not delay my exchange which should be toward the end of January, first of February. My PS likes to wait 6 months between surgeries. I DO feel very blessed that I have not had to have any other treatment....but dang a girl can sure feel alone in the world when she wants to complain and everybody reminds her she needs to be "thankful". Don't get me wrong, I AM. But we are all human and this has been a roller coaster summer. So glad I finally found this thread!!0 -
jtapp, welcome and so sorry! LOL. When you have to pack a wound yep that qualifies as trouble! LOL!
Speaking of which, call out to Purple! Hope you are seeing the healing! If you can please fill us in.
I am doing well so far. See my MO this week. See my PS next week for a fill. 3TTC x3. (3rd times the charm -said 3 times- LOL)
Much love to all.0 -
Welcome Julie. You are "home" now.0 -
Renn....Thank you for ur link. Great information. Packing is going ok, but is a lot of work to keep wound infection free. I change my dressings 3x a day. I go see my PS Wed., I am gonna try to talk him into attempting surgery closure. Hope all are doing well....as always keep the faith.0 -
MOON ...so sorry have been busy with new boyfriend that I have neglected this site. Thank you for inquiring. My would is still huge to me...no infection which is good but a lot of work.0 -
So my new foobs are both red. It started last night and hasn't gotten any better. I've been on antibiotics since the day of surgery, but I guess they're not working. I go back to my surgeon tomorrow. I sense another picc line coming my way. I'm so sad :-((((0 -
Binc,
I wouldn't wait another day. Please call the PS and get them to see you today. Sometimes it's just a matter of changing the antibiotic. In spite of being on IV antibiotics from the time I got my IV before surgery, I started running a fever the day after my BMX with immediate reconstruction/implants. The look on the group of doctor's faces when they came for rounds that morning told me it wasn't good. One side was fine, the other had an infection starting. Two days later, in spite of a change in antibiotics, I was running a 102 fever and although I couldn't see the worst of it, the top of the implant side was puffy and a pale purple. Since my veins were shot, they ordered a PICC line and brought in the big gun antibiotic, Vancomycin. Worked right away. My fever was gone within a day and the puffy pale purple was fading. After 7 days, I went home temporarily with the PICC line, IV Vancomycin twice a day and a visiting nurse. I knew I would need a second surgery to get rid of the tissue and muscle that hadn't made it, but the PS said the Vanc was working so well, some of the "iffy" tissue might make it after all. On day 14 I went back to surgery for the repair, had the implant out and a TE put in. I stayed on IV Vanc twice a day for another three weeks. No further problems.
I have had a PICC line since August 26th. It was not very painful to get and other than the hassle of having to get the dressing changed every week, it has been easy to maintain. (For those of you who don't know what a PICC line is, they use ultrasound to locate the right vein on the inside of your upper arm, give you some lidocaine and insert the line which goes up your arm, across your chest and down next to your heart.) If you have to have another one, ask the PICC team to buffer the lidocaine with saline. It stung for a minute but was 50% less than straight lidocaine.
It's been a blessing to have them draw blood from one of the lumens and give me meds in the other one. No more unproductive sticks! (I had 25 before the PICC was put in, including failed tries in my feet.) A week from today I go in for an 8 hour iron infusion and after that the PICC team will remove it. Literature says there's no pain involved. I'm ready to get rid of it for a while. Since it can't get wet, I have to wrap my upper arm in Saran wrap then put on the shower sleeve which leaks a bit in spite of the elastic top and bottom.
If my veins are still uncooperative before the exchange surgery, I'll get another PICC and if another infection tries to jump me, I know what IV antibiotic will work. Good luck, and call your doc today.0 -
I did end up going to my PS today and he doesn't think that it's infected. Apparently, he did a lot of pocket work where each boob is red and thinks it just may be irritated from the compression of the surgical bra. So, I'm not wearing a bra now and some of the red seems to have subsided. Hopefully, he's right. I just don't have the emotional energy for yet another infection/roller coaster ride. Both of my prior picc line experiences were fairly traumatic for different reasons. I'd really like to avoid another, if possible. My reconstruction has been going on for a year and a half so far. I need it to end!!0 -
((((((BINC)))))) oh my. I am glad there was no infection. I understand. I really do. Ive got my fingers crossed and my toes and at times my eyes - just for you. 3TTC for you too! (Third times the charm!)x3. Because it works best in threes. LOL. Oh and prayers too. Or three.... LOL well it sure cant hurt! PICC lines suck. They work and save sticks but they dangle and get in the way and when they took the tape off mine 5 weeks after they put it in they took my skin with it. Still have the scar. LOL.
Purple. I was just thinking about you. I know I would be freaked out with a wound that big. I hope it at least doesnt hurt too much. Heal fast. Heal fast. Heal fast. (Might as well stick with the theme!) LOL
Much love to all.0 -
moon....PS agreed to attempt closure on my chest wound. I am beyond excited. Pray it stays closed and I heal quick. Surgery is in the morning first up at 730 am.
Bicc....Goood luck....I'm sending prayers up for u. Hang in there. Hug and kisses to sll0 -
Good luck tomorrow, Purple. I will be thinking about you. A month after my bmx I went back into the OR for debridment and reclosure. It worked great! I hope the same for you.0 -
I went back in for drainage fix. It worked. Hoping for same for you purple. We'll all be with you in your pocket or at least tied to the hospital gown. Fingers crossed and prayers! Close and heal. Close and heal. Close and heal!0
