TE TROUBLE
Comments
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thinking - I am doing fine, surgery went well, just have been busy over the holidays so have not been on much. Yes, I think it is common for nips to lose some volume - I think a number of PS make them larger to begin with to compensate for this.
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Today my TE migrated into my armpit. It moves back & forth depending how I lay & turn. It was put in at the time of my MX 11/19. I'm going to the PS tomorrow. No signs of infection. I lay on my side for many hours a day due to a different problem I have. I tried propping with pillows. So he told me on the phone he may take out some fluid & leave it in for my rads. He seemed to think it would work good to leave it in. But can't he take it out & put in a new one? I was happy with it, besides all that fat & stuff under my arm, Is that an outpatient surgery? This sucks because things were going ok. Maybe if he cuts me again it will put off rads again till I heal. Maybe that's why he wants to leave it in. It looked nice in clothes. He made me nice cleavage. But it's sliding around.
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Louise, you will still look good in clothes with a bra. Also surgery would postpone Rads. Keeping the TE in for Rads helps the skin stay stretched during the time the area is under great stress. If he does sx, you would not have enough time to recover. Good luck.
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I have had 3 expansions done since my surgery which was on 12/2/15. My last expansion was 12/31/15. I am getting a sharp pain only on my Left side right under my breast. It comes and goes. This is the side that my cancer was on and they took 13 lymphnodes. It seems like it comes on when I am walking. Not all the time but every now and then. I also had my last 2 drains removed on the same day and I have been having message treatments so I don't fluid in that arm. Has anyone ever had pain on one side? Thanks and Happy New Year!
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Had my follow up for the nipple reconstruction which was done on Dec 9th. Healed perfectly. Color as well. No tattoo for coloring necessary at this point. Very pleased with the look!!! Finally done
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I just had my pre-op for my surgery to replace my TE scheduled for January 21st. Looking forward to getting things moving forward again.
Happy new year everyone!
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deb - your TE may be pressing on a nerve - especially if the pain is sudden and not constant. Usually more fills alleviate that issue because the expander is lifted up and forward as fills go on - hope that is the case for you.
gardner - yay! and HNY to you too!
thinking - yay!
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My PS did tell me to wear a bra. He said that he has been told by patients that it help. It did help. Thanks!
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Hello ladies in the TE Club! It's been a very long time since I visited the BCO boards. I'm so happy to see this forum is still active, and at the same time sad so many are still in need of it! I see many familiar faces. A special hello to SpecialK, and everyone else still helping out here! Love to you all!
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ren! Hi! Believe it or not - I have yet another TE - fortunately, it is not having any trouble! Good to see you, and hoping that you have been on hiatus because things are going swimmingly for you!
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Special K was there much pain after the surgery to replace the expander
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GardnerGirl - Special K has had 13 surgeries since she started down the BC path to try to correct infections & problems & replace various expanders, and certainly lots of pain along the way. Hopefully this latest expander will be the charm. Luckily most people don't have those kind of problems, because I don't know very many people as brave as SpecialK. And she never complains & is always there to help others.
That said, normally there is some pain but nothing as bad as BMX and not for nearly as long. For me, just getting rid of the TE's was a relief. I had drains & was glad to have them to remove the fluid. Many don't have drains with this surgery. It will also depend if the doc is doing pocket work or doing liposuction to fill in divots. If you read back through this thread you'll see some even go back to work in a couple of days. Good luck on your replacement this month.
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minus - you are too kind, I might be more vain than brave, lol!
gardner - the benefit that comes from subsequent surgery is that you have already lost much sensation, so I have personally not found it to be nearly as painful as the first surgery - BMX with TE placement. The last two surgeries - lipo and fat graft in May '15, and TE placement last month - I have taken zero pain meds, not even a Tylenol - but I am a lot of surgeries into a very unusual set of circumstances (please don't let it worry you - most people don't have this happen!) I have been incised many times and have no feeling, so really no pain. I did have two drains with this last surgery as a precaution because of my complex history, and had them longer than normal because Santa brought me a kitten two days after surgery and I moved around too much!
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special K- thats a ton of surgeries. I hope it works for you now. I also am still going in for surgeries
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stix - sorry to hear you are still at it. I hope you have resolution soon. So far, so good, for me - my skin is holding up and I have had two small fills - no fill added at the time of surgery. My very meticulous PS is cautiously optimistic.
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Rennausas! Good you popped in. Glad to see you again.
Specialk here's hoping it's going to stay good! You need a break. LOL.
Much love to all
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wow you ladies are so inspirational! I wish everyone moves forward without issues!! I'm sure hoping it works for me this time
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Hi everyone,
I've been following along with all of your posts and you have been such a comfort and support. I wish everyone keeps moving along in all of their recoveries, exchanges,etc. I posted on another area but thought perhaps I should ask here because there seems to a a wealth of great information from all of you wonderful people!
I had a PBMX with tissue expanders on Dec 8, 2015. I developed a couple of seromas on my left side that had to be drained 3 times after my drains had been removed. Luckily no infection.I'm now about 6-7 weeks out and have had a few fills on my expanders. My last one was two days ago on Wednesday. I am almost completely done with my fills and following this last fill of 100ml on my left side I have numbness and tingling down the inside of my left arm. Today it is now in my finger tips as well. I spoke with the nurse at the plastic surgeons office and she said to continue stretching my arm. As the day has gone, the numbness and tingling is worse. Motor function is fine on my affected arm. The right arm is filled to the same size and has no numbness. My tissue expander on my left side, he side I'm having numbness is definitely more laterally placed and further into my armpit. He said at the time of my implant exchange he will have to move my implant he will place more midline. I will call the office again tomorrow morning to let them know the numbness and tingling down my armpit to fingers has worsened and not gotten better.
My question for you all is has anyone had a tissue expander be too lateral ( too much into the armpit ) that it had to be repositioned? I'm a bit concerned that I've had numbness for two days that is worsening despite stretching and taking their recommended Valium at night to see if it resolves. I'm relatively small chested. I was a 34 A to a small B before surgery. I am at theend of my fills at 300ml in each side. If the numbness doesn't resolve what can I expect will happen next?
Thank you so so much!
Sara
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gaspasser - I'm thinking that!it's just theTE pressing on a nerve that is giving you the numbness and tingling which unfortunately you'll have to endure until.your exchange unless u ask your!PS to deflate you some. There are a lot of women that have had to have their implant repositioned at time of exchange either because they were positioned incorrectly originally or they just migrated in to their armpit. This usually just involves tightening the!pocket laterally You will meet alot of women on the exchange city thread with the issue!u described.
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hi all! I. Back from surgery yesterday. I'm in a little more pain having the TE replaced than I was having it removed. the PS did fill it more to get it close to my left side. Sleeping in the recliner again. I will be taking more pain meds this evening for sure.
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Hope you have a smooth and speedy recovery Gardnergirl~!!! Take care, and I hope you have a pain free weekend and people wait on you hand and foot.
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thank you lorihoop!! Husband has been great as always.
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Hi all. I had a unilateral NSM with TE placement on 12/9/15. I've had a few fills and before my last one felt a painful little bump on the side of my breast where my tumor had been. When I asked my PS about it she said it was a "knot," but didn't go into much further detail, and said it should get less painful. Now when I move a certain way, I have a really sharp pain that takes my breath away. I have a high pain tolerance (no pain meds aside from ibuprofen after surgery), but this is like I'm being stabbed! Anyone else had this problem or know what this knot might be? I'm going to see my PS again on Monday, but thought I'd see what the ladies who have been through it had to say. Thanks!!
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Ashely, sometimes the pain can be relieved by another filling as it moves the implant off a nerve. Sometimes its due to the matrix used as a sling to hold up the implant, such as Alloderm. The Alloderm I had hurt like a broken rib until my body got used to it. Your PS can also remove fluid if necessary. just try to take it easy till you see him. but if you see red or feel heat or run a fever, call him again. if you cant get ahold of him go to the ER. Just keep watching it.
Much love
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mjhi thanks for the reply to my questions. The numbness increased into Friday so they took out a little fluid out of my left expander. It is still very very numb in my whole left arm and fingers. My PS said he'll take out more fluid Monday to see if this will resolve a bit. My main concern is that I'm supposed to return to work in a week and I can't do my type of job with numb fingers. In a nurse anesthetist. We place epidurals, etc. What do you think they will do if my numbness doesn't resolve after taking most of the fluid out of the expander? Would they consider moving my expander? I am ok with anything that will eventually get feeling back in my left arm and hand of course.
Gardnergirl I hope you have a speedy, smooth, and as comfortable as possible recovery! Thinking of you!
Thanks you guys...it is so nice to be among such a wonderful and strong group like yourselves.
Sara
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gaspasser - also try massaging under the armpit to get the lymphatic fluid moving. I had that numbness n tingling after my exchange for a few weeks n was told to do that a couple of times a day n eventually it resolved. I doubt theyll move the TE at this point since you're almost done with fills nor do u want to open up the pocket just for that.
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I was at the ER a week after my last fill because I honestly thought I was having a heart attack. Couldn't catch my breath, and had excruciating pain in the rib cage. I am in pain management patient for multiple spine surgeries and a shoulder reconstruction and take pain pretty well, but when even an extra percocet didn't touch it, I got scared. The not being able to breathe was terrifying.
Turned out it was horrible, horrible muscle spasms in the pec muscles and I felt like an idiot for going, but it just would not go away.
Oh the joys of reconstruction. NOT0 -
Hi all
I read through some of this thread looking for my problem, but couldn't read through all of it. Sorry if my question is a duplicate.
I got my TEs in November and was nearly done with my fills when I found a lump on my left breast. I see surgeon about that again on the 12th. He hopes it is fat necrosis and not cancer. Many things were ruled out, leaving only those two possibilities.
Near that lump, but not touching it, and running vertically down my TEs, I now have a fairly obvious ridge of some sort (or even ridges possibly). No idea what it could be. There shouldn't be any looseness left in my TEs, so it can't be folded over section. No pain. No redness. Runs down and through my mastectomy scar.
Any idea at all what it might be? It has appeared in the last few days.
I JUST told work I wouldn't be missing any days for the next couple weeks (they are getting annoyed), so I really don't want to take off to see someone with no signs of infection or anything. Hoping someone here has experienced something similar.
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irish eyes, sorry that you have encountered something unusual. If I remember correctly you and I had surgery around the same time. Are you scheduled for your exchange surgery yet? I am not a medical professional but my gut feeling is that it is TE related. I have 450cc in one and 525cc in the other and have one more final fill ahead to even it all out. Lately i have had odd lumps and ridges ... seem to change shape slightly every few days. PS not concerned and said the TEs can still develop shapes if they aren't filled to capacity.
Keep us posted. I will keep you in my prayers. Try not to worry ... yeah right! Many hugs..
Diane0 -
My surgery was the beginning of November. I also had one fill left, but will skip it because of the recent issue. I will find out on the 12th if my lump requires biopsy, but in that case, they ruled out the TEs. It is definitely breast tissue. Just not sure if it is cancer or fat necrosis.
I hope the weird ridge thing is somehow caused by the TEs. Shouldn't the muscle cover it though? Or maybe the ridge IS the muscle LOL.
I can't wait to get these things out. The plan was to schedule my exchange surgery on the 19th. If the second ultrasound on the 12th doesn't confirm fat necrosis, PS says we will probably just do the biopsy and exchange together at the end of this month. Otherwise, April or May.0
