TE TROUBLE
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So... left has detached from the 'sternum area' and stretching towards the back, PS is not happy that we couldn't get a surgical date till July, so I think the deflating TE on the right is a good thing. As I have to go to the hospital (insurance), and he is there Thursdays, they are hoping to find a place for me on the 30th or 7th. He wants to swap out the left as it it is ready and he is concerned about stretching skin in my back, and if the muscle allows (I have plenty of skin) then will put an implant in on the right also. Woo Hoo, life with TEs may be almost over.
Special - I didn't even think to ask about Tamoxifen. Once he said swap out, I lost my train of thought. I have an email in about that, and recovery time right now. Rumor is the lipo for the fat grafting is the worst... I have little kids, so lots of driving, to school, to sports etc...
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I guess I can believe there r so many of us with te trouble as my ps told me on initial visit that 35% of woman size C or larger would require more than one surgery....well here I am 5 days after getting lft expander back in! Initial bmx 11/11/14, left te removed 12/22/14 after acquiring infection..yes rt side healed and looked wonderful. Anyone else just have prob with cancer side..which was my left? Been on many antibiotics cephalexin,levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin. anybody think these have caused any tendon probs in chest? recent surgery had small pocket of pus, but did not test pos for bacteria...think could be from irritated tendon? was sore but no fever or anything, only tightness that went from front to back scapula area. Go back today to see what it looks like...know I will have drains another week as first time had drains for over a month...can't complain as I am one of lucky ones with DCIS, BMX which required no chem or rad...good luck to everyone out there with te complications...looks like everyone goes at their own pace!
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Sixty, I am having trouble with just my cancer side, also the left. Had it replaced after 3 weeks last Friday. It's draining again, but I'm hoping its just because I overdid it instead of listening to the Dr. I'm doing IV antibiotics and hoping I don't have to have it removed. I have to start rads soon and can't afford another delay.
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PS has me scheduled for sugery May 7, will exchange left side at that time and hopes that the muscle on the right will allow the implant. If not, we get to play this game again...
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knm - you're in good company - hopefully in December I will get TE #3 - same side, more than five years after initial diagnosis, lol! I have also had two different implants in there! Hang in there and here's hoping they can exchange both and you will go on your merry way!
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This cancer ride has been ridiculously tough and one of THE toughest parts was the TEs. I'm ho grateful now for my completed reconstruction. I have soft and reasonably symmetrical comfortable double reconstruction. It was a super long tough road, but now there is no looking back. I can wear a lightly padded bra with a tight tank top and my chest looks really good - like "before." There are truly no words to express my gratitude. It took 3 right reconstructions and two left to get it right. That's my story. Now I live to celebrate.
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mariasnow, sounds like good news for you. I get te replacement to permanent implants on May 1, and I am really excited &anxious at same time. I will update next week.
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Valentine, hope u r doing well, and your drains are doing their job...they r a pain for me. Just had my lft TE replaced 4/16 and still getting 75ml out a day..seem to be queen of drains...never stop flowing and can never get comfortable...thank you to everyone out there for the info...makes me seem more the norm...my ps did say welcome to the crazy world of reconstruction when my first infection happened...have to stay positive and look forward to the wonderful day when we get r comfortable implants!0 -
yeah! love to read about happy endings...something we r all shooting for....congrats!
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Sixty, I was lucky when I had my replacement because I didn't have a drain. Mine was leaking at the incision. it seems to have stopped, although there was a tiny bit tonight. My PS wants to do a full this week then 2 next week so I can get started on rads the following week. I'm really worried about stressing my incisions.
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good luck , valentine...does seem like a lot of pressure to put on your incision. My PS is taking it very slow this time and did not fill TE initially. I am fortunate that I don't have any chemo or radiation to have to attend to. Hope everything heals well and you can get onto your rads in a healthy state!
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How is evetybody? A lot of surgeries were scheduled for May. Please check in!
Much love
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Having my exchange to implant on MX Side and reduction/lift with implant on the good side tomorrow morning.. Really nervous..
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Hooray for you, Special K! Let me know who you ultimately chose. Text is fine if you prefer.
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Surgery went well so I am told. Had to stay in recover longer than expected due to very low blood pressure and constantly falling back to sleep and not breathing.. No pain there at the hospital but once the pain meds started to wear off I had to take my pain meds. Good boob side that had reduction and lift with implant is very sore... TE side not bad at all, PS put in the implant. Can't lift arms above shoulder and need to keep elbows to the side. Had to have my daughter help with getting dressed and going to the bathroom...curious how do you wipe??????? Even unable to get into button down the front shirts myself. Didn't have these problems with MX last Oct.. so this is all new to me!! Any advice?
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thinking - some find that using flushable baby wipes easier than toilet paper - hope that helps. Glad you are home and done with your surgery and hoping things improve every day!
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SpecialK thanks for all of your help. Went to my followup this afternoon and he took off binder bra and all bandages. I was afraid to look, but my husband did and was impressed. He was thinking I was going to have multiple incisions making my boobs look like a road map. But there was not too much... I even go the guts to look and PS did a wonderful job at making both look the same. Its amazing what they can do. I have basically no pain on the mx side...some pain and stinging in the good boob where he did the implant to lift and slight reduction to get to the same as other side. So You were right...not a bad surgery at all!!!
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thinking - yay - so glad! Take it easy - I am not surprised that the non-cancer side hurts worse right now - the other side had nerves cut already, so less feeling. So happy for you!
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SpecialK...itchy all over that area? Could it be the incisions...or maybe pain killers... ?
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Several possibilities, allergy to betadine or tape, or pain med sensitivity as itching is a common reaction to opioids
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SpecialK - thats probably what it is...it just seemed to start late last night and more so when he took off binder and the cotton wrapping under that... But I feel so much better now...even the little bit of pain that I have is probably bearable with out pain meds..but not ready to find that out yet. Slept last night on the chair and only feel asleep for about 3 hours. Tonight I am moving to the couch. Can't sleep in my bed yet...my husband moves all over and I don't want to get knocked this time its both sides.. Then I plan to move to the spare bedroom and then back to my own bed.
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Anyone out there having trouble with pseudomonas infections? Going back to surgery next wed. 5/27 to have left expander removed for the second time...please tell me third time will be a charm! Right breast reconstruction perfect from the get go, but left which was the cancer side has been a problem, even with being on cipro for extended periods. will probably let lft side rest for 6 mo. since after 3 mo. this last time, it still reoccurred!
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Sixty, so sorry. I know what you're going through. If you look on my signature same thing. 3rd time was a charm for me. So there is hope. I waited a year before I tried my 3rd Time however. I tried my 2nd 3 months after chemo and it was on soon for e. Good luck.
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Moonflower,thanks for letting me know third time could be a charm. I waited three mo. for second TE to be put in, guess it wasn't long enough. My PS mentioned tram flap but not sure I want such an invasive surgery...have time to think about it though. Were your infections due to pseudomonas? Hope your body is happy and healthy now!
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hello ladies haven't been here for a very long time just wanted to know if second infections could be because of alloderm. I had my radiated side placed a TE but after my last fill its infect again. My arm hurts and he said to wait till Sunday. I'm under antibiotics. I'm really thinking about my infections are so to my alloderm if that's what I have. I will read my PS report and see what he places. Please any feed back
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Needed to say hello, it has been a while since I have been in the forum.I am glad the surgery dAtes are still posted as I have forgotten my dates...
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psalms - how are you?
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I guess I should join this post as I have had a fair share of 'TE TROUBLES' for sure. My story starts at the end of 2001 when I had my BMX the day after Christmas at the ripe age of 25. At the same time they put in TE's. To make a long story short, I went through 2 horrendous infections which included one hospital stay and had the TE's put in and removed twice back then. Infections were most likely due to my body being weakened by chemo as well as the 45 rounds of radiation which damaged my skin on the left cancer side. We finally decided to just leave them out and let me heal for awhile. Awhile turned into almost 14 years.
On May 12th of this year with a new ps, I had TE's along with alloderm put in. We had high hopes that since it had been sooooo long that my body would accept the expanders. Unfortunately on May 30th I developed a fever and after speaking with the on call ps a few times and seeing my chest turn a bright red and begin to tighten up, I went to the emergency room. The ER doctor took one look at me and said "oh that's bad" and admitted me. I was told that if my chest didn't begin to look better in the next 48 hours, they would have to remove the expander. After 48 hours I looked somewhat less red and so they left them in.
I spent the next week hooked up to IV antibiotics (vancomycin and cefepime) and getting culture after culture done. I also had one drain removed and another put in (not fun as they couldn't get me numb). I also had to have the IV moved around a few times on my arm as it kept getting infiltrated. Finally they put in a PICC line and on Saturday June 6th, I was sent home to continue IV antibiotics. All my cultures came back negative so I continue on vancomycin and cefepime. Both of which have some fun side effects (migraines and mood swings...whoa!)
I've seen my ps several times since coming home and he is not thrilled with my progress (neither am I, to put it mildly). I continue to be red and very very tight. He removed my drain on Monday as it wasn't putting hardly anything out anymore. I was glad. However as soon as he removed it, out flowed a vast amount of fluid and pus. Tons of it in fact. He began to press and squeeze and roll the skin....OUCH...OUCH...OUCH... to get out as much as he could. He jokingly said he was about to put his knee on me. Yeah that would have sent him through the window to be sure! It was NOT a fun experience.
As of now he wants to keep waiting and see how I do when the IV antibiotics are stopped which tentatively will happen this Saturday. Will I continue to very slowly improve or has the antibiotics just been holding back the worst of it which will flood forward once they stop?
We shall see................
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Rutt7733 im sorry that you are going through all this. i had couple of infections myself had my TE expander removed and i waited 8 months of course not as long as u have. i only know that i asked my PS to fill only 30 cc per visit and my visit were every 3 week or a month i have waited over a year for fills and now its time for my exchange on 30th. i have been very patience about it. i hope yu start feeling better soon. please keep us post
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Has anyone experienced having "cording" come back after having exchange surgery. I worked really hard and went to physical therapy for about 12 weeks prior to my exchange surgery to get rid of the cording I developed. Now 6 weeks after my exchange it seems like its back.0
