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TE TROUBLE

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Comments

  • bethq
    bethq Member Posts: 177
    edited July 2014

    Thanks Moon , I knew you would respond! Always sound advice. Last night everytime I poked at it to try and feel where the top was I became instantly nauseated??? Freaking myself out I guess.

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited July 2014

    Dr. DR. IT HURTS WHEN I DO THIS! 

    ANSWER FROM DR,  

    DONT DO THAT! 

    LOL

  • bethq
    bethq Member Posts: 177
    edited July 2014

    Moon now you are sounding like my husband! You are right. I am starting to wonder if tamoxifen is draining me of common sense!

  • schoolcounselor
    schoolcounselor Member Posts: 229
    edited July 2014

    We so need that Moon!!! I blame Aromasin!

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited July 2014

    LOL.  Yes we DO scare ourselves sometimes. Hugs!

  • bethq
    bethq Member Posts: 177
    edited July 2014

    So I did call my PS today because not only is it still clicking but the same area (top left) is very tight and seems swollen. Of course I got the secretary who said "there is nothing in there that can hurt you" and that she would run it by the PS but that I am fine just coming in for fill Friday. My only real concern is a seroma due to the swelling and tightness but I've heard they are just drained at the exchange. Can't they keep getting bigger though? Especially if I am vigorously stretching trying to get my range of motion back? Ugh this sucks.

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited July 2014

    beth, take a deep breath. If it is a seroma they won't wait til exchange. They will probably drain it. They might try a double fill to see if the pressure of the fill helps. But don't keep poking at it either. Try a cool cloth over it to see if that helps. Hugs. 

  • bethq
    bethq Member Posts: 177
    edited July 2014

    How do they know if it is a seroma?

    Will try cool cloth.

    Will try deep breath....

  • bethq
    bethq Member Posts: 177
    edited July 2014

    May I ask another TE question? My assumption is that the alloderm is like cement and won't ever move, however with fills the skin and muscle stretches,etc. Well, my right breast slopes up from the alloderm and is perky but the left alloderm area is almost like a natural sag?? It seems to be the alloderm doing the sagging shape. I can literally put a pencil in the crease and it stays. No way on the other side.  This is also the breast where the TE seems to have shifted. The alloderm has always been saggy in appearance since the surgery on the left but my question is can that change with the exchange or is the direction of the alloderm fixed? Wish I could draw a diagram.

  • turtle42
    turtle42 Member Posts: 31
    edited July 2014

    Hi all, I had bmx about a month ago with litissmus on the left. Just had my first fill last Friday and the ps said she didn't like the feel of the needle going in and was worried that she ruptured it. I still have a drain in my back. Last friday I noticed some swelling at the lower part of my ribs on my side about where the drain ends. By Sunday i went from draining 40ml every 24 hours to 180 in 24 hours. This lasted about a day and a half. Now I'm down to about 80 every 24 hours. 

    I called the office yesterday and my ps wasn't in so they scheduled me with one of her partners. He literally spent about 4 minutes with me and never did an exam. He said that if the expander was ruptured it would be flat. I had a lot of swelling in that breast due to prior radiation and only had one fill so I don't think it would go completely flat.

    He wants me to wait till Friday to see my regular ps to see what she wants to do. 

    Has anyone else had an implant rupture during a fill? and if so what happened?

    Thank you so much for any ufo,

    Jackie

  • specialk
    specialk Member Posts: 9,258
    edited July 2014

    turtle - it is surprisingly common and does seem to happen when the TE are relatively unfilled because there are folds and sometimes when the needle goes through the skin, it keeps going through one of those folds.  The usual fix is to swap it out, but I wonder if they will give your swelling some time to go down so they can really see what is up.  If you develop a leak later in the fill process most PS will just fill you weekly to keep the volume up and then let you go on to exchange, but with so little saline in you probably would have to swap the TE out if leaking.

  • turtle42
    turtle42 Member Posts: 31
    edited July 2014

    thanks Specialk I really appreciate the response.

    Jackie

  • specialk
    specialk Member Posts: 9,258
    edited July 2014

    turtle - will keep my fingers crossed that you just have some swelling that will resolve and that you can continue without having another surgery - trust me, I know about having extra surgery! :)

  • CLYDAY
    CLYDAY Member Posts: 40
    edited July 2014

    Hi all....I am in middle of my TE expansion.  Had 80cc put in last Monday and was very painful for days! Now on my post RADS side I am having sharp pain under my rib when I take in a deep breathe. Anyone experience this and have advice? 

  • raelan
    raelan Member Posts: 84
    edited July 2014

    CLYDAY - The answer to your question is, "YES", that would be me at the moment.  I am filled to 350 cc's in both TE's and over the past week or so have been having sharp pains in the rib area at the bottom of the TE on the radiated side.  What's interesting is that my last fill was over 2 weeks ago, but the pain just started within the past week.  I think my TE shifted slightly and is now sitting on a nerve.  Fortunately, I'm close to finishing my fills so I hope this will go away soon.

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited July 2014

    rarely and clyday, it never hurts to call your PS office and describe your problem. It does sound like it is on a nerve as that does happen. I had what felt like a broken rib but that was the alloderm.  But do check it out with your PS. It's possible they could even fill a bit more early to see if it would help. The other thing some people use is a muscle relaxer.so call and get a script to help. 

    Much love

  • raelan
    raelan Member Posts: 84
    edited July 2014

    Thanks Moon.  I have an appointment this Thursday so if it's still bothering me then I'll discuss it with my doc.  Would probably help if I'd stop working out.  Been running a lot and the jostling certainly isn't helping.  Just hate to keep losing ground right as I'm getting back in shape.  In the meantime, Ibuprofen does seem to help quite a bit.    

  • Galsal
    Galsal Member Posts: 754
    edited July 2014

    Not about a TE problem...but I'll surely be happy when don't have to wear a dang sports bra 24/7!

  • RainDew
    RainDew Member Posts: 228
    edited July 2014

    hello ladies,

    So I've just been hospitalized for a TE infection :-(

    3-5 days IV antibiotics to try to salvage the  TE otherwise will need to be removed.

    I am pretty bummed - this also delays my chemo (was due this week for infusion, can't now obv). 

    Really hoping I don't have to have it pulled and start over...PS guesses 50/50 depending on response (had it aspirated today).

    Anyone have a good outcome story for this?

    :-(

  • Radical2Squared
    Radical2Squared Member Posts: 350
    edited July 2014

    Clyday,

    I have your problem right now. I didn't have radiation but my left side under my ribs hurts. I almost have myself convinced I collapsed a lung coughing...but it doesn't hurt THAT much. It is tender to the touch so a cracked rib was my next thought...

    I much prefer "TE is on a nerve"... ps today. Coughing and sneezing is killing me and I do that a lot. Chemo is not helping the mucus running down my throat from allergies!

  • Ally2345
    Ally2345 Member Posts: 96
    edited July 2014

    Radical-  So sorry you are having a rough time...someone said in one of the posts that it helped her to hold a small pillow to her chest when coughing and sneezing.   Hoping the allergies calm down.  Take care and know that you can do this!!

    Clyday- Hang in there..each day is a step closer.  I never had more than 60cc at a fill and maybe a lesser amount might help.  It is hard to have it sitting on a nerve and be really tight at the same time.

    Raelan-  Good luck with your appt!

    bethq- My PT could move my alloderm so I don't think it is like cement/glue.  I would show your PS the area that seems to be folding at your next appt.  If you don't have an upcoming appt., I would make one to show the fold.  Good luck!  PS:  Deep breaths actually do help.  If not, come back and vent to us!!

    RainDew-  I hope you can keep your TE...sending prayers your way.  

    Take care everyone!

    Ally

  • specialk
    specialk Member Posts: 9,258
    edited July 2014

    raindew - many of the ladies listed in the header of this thread have had to start over with a TE, often with a good outcome.  Hoping the IV antibiotics do the trick for you, but if you do have to start over there is every reason to think it will work out fine.

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited July 2014

    raindew, hugs. It sucks to start over but it does happen at some point. I had to delay my chemo until I was off Abx. I am hoping things work out for you. 

    Radical, my alloderm felt like broken ribs to me. I had to keep my hand in the fold below my breast to help. It went away slowly. A small pillow worked too and probably didn't look like I was molesting myself! LOL

    Much love to all. 

  • RainDew
    RainDew Member Posts: 228
    edited July 2014

    Special K, Moonflower, thank you.

    I think I just feel a little bit like the train derailed...had a plan, and now...

    Anyhow, PS wants to keep me in hospital on IV drip for 72 hrs to see if we can salvage it...fingers crossed..

    Wish I knew what went wrong..12 weeks post BMX, I had assumed all healed :-( chemo, I guess...

    Anyhow, thanks for the good thoughts!!

  • Ally2345
    Ally2345 Member Posts: 96
    edited July 2014

    RainDew-  Hang in there!  Wow, at 12 weeks post I would have assumed the same but I guess that is what people mean when they say there is a lot of healing going on inside and we tend to focus on what we can see on the outside.  Okay, 70 more hours-  counting down!  Big hugs!

    Ally

  • CLYDAY
    CLYDAY Member Posts: 40
    edited July 2014

    Thanks ladies....I definitely will NOT have that much filled at once again!  I went to the Dr. today and had a CTA of chest just to make sure it was related to surgery/expander.  No signs of anything serious....just some soft tissue swelling. Hoping it will eventually calm down a little! So hard to sleep as I am sure all of you have experienced!  I am not due for another fill for 2 weeks since my PS is out of town so maybe it will heal up by then.

  • purple87
    purple87 Member Posts: 93
    edited July 2014

    Hello ladies its been awhile.  Hope all is well with everyone.  I had surgery on July 18 to put in permanent implants bc my rt TE got a leak.  I have been in extreme pain ever since bc my PS tacked my skin and muscle to my ribs to make a pocket.  I expected the muscle but not the skin.  I am NOT happy with results.  This doesn't look like any breast reconstruction I have ever seen.  I meet with PS tomorrow as he has been out of town since my surgery.  Had anyone else ever heard of or seen this type of reconstruction done?   Is it to much to ask to look normal again without all this pain?  

  • Lakegirl1
    Lakegirl1 Member Posts: 158
    edited July 2014

    Rain dew....I developed Staph about 2 weeks after bmx., hospitalized 6 daysIV antibiotics. PS did have to go back in, take out TE and alloderm, "power wash" and replaced TE.  I went home with PICC line  for IV antibiotics, but didn't have to start over completely.   Hang in there, hospital sucks.  I just walked as many laps as they would let me!!!  LOL!!!

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938
    edited July 2014

    Purple I am sorry to hear that! Dang, can't you get a break?  I've never heard of that reconstruction but perhaps it had to be done because of your previous problem. The other thing is we all know is they do change shape and give it a bit of time. Hugs

    Much love

  • Radical2Squared
    Radical2Squared Member Posts: 350
    edited July 2014

    Moonflower,

    I'm going to have to try the pillow...after your comment, I realized it MUST look like I'm molesting myself!

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