TE TROUBLE
Comments
-
Hi all. I havent been here a while with all the holiday busyness,but thought I would check in. Ann, so sorry to hear about the removal. I think I mentioned before that if I could have known everything, I would have skipped all the antibiotics trying to save it. It was so much better the second tme. And sleeping on my stomache again was great! You will get through it.
Mom of 3....stay healthy. I just got over the first cold or sinus infection that I have had in over a year. I forgot how much I hate them. And it figures it occurred two days after my flu shot. Thoufht it was a reaction at first but no. Ended up with laryngitis. It was nice to be miserable over something minor though.
Everyone else....have a wonderful holiday with your family. We are rolling into the holidays and wedding week with my niece, so I will not be on much.0 -
Thanks to everyone for the well wishes! I had my pre-op today and everything seems to be going as planned. I'm still so afraid I'm going to get sick before Friday. This is probably an irrational fear but I just can't help it. I'm so close to the finish line!
Thanks again for all the well wishes. I will let you know how Friday goes.
0 -
Renn (& All) - I also am feeling better every day. I am frustrated though that I seem to still have a weakened immunity from chemo and am just fighting off my 2nd cold since thanksgiving. I have started subbing almost everyday and am not exhausted when I come home so that is an improvement.
Fluff-I tried sleeping on my stomach the other night and woke up very stiff. Do you use pillows?
0 -
Chick, you're probably just picking up the "post Thanksgiving" germs that seem to combine and spread after all the kids have been around their family from all over the place. I used to get sick a LOT when I subbed. I took this year off to finish this reconstruction. Hope you feel better soon!
JBennett, I was so paranoid that I'd get sick before my surgery as well and had everyone that stepped foot into my house scrub down, and nobody was allowed in that even had a sniffle:) Stay away from busy places and good luck - we will be thinking of you!!
0 -
Speaking of being paranoid about getting sick before surgery, I'm going to Mexico with my family Jan 4th for a week. I'll get back home a few days before exchange surgery…..please God let me not catch anything while away!! I thought about not booking the holiday but frankly we never know what if anything we're going to catch, when or where, so might as well just live life and have fun.
0 -
Okay, the TE repacement is done. Was in major discomfort on the drive home.....doing better now. Thank you so much for all your well wishes.
Hugs,
T0 -
Tatina, I was just wondering about you! Yea! Did your PS remove a lot of scar tissue? Do you have a drain? Rest up, drink lots of fluids. Things will settle down in a couple of days!
0 -
Chick-I dont remember what size you are but I am not real big. I have a pillow that is a little firmer and I kind of wad it up a little under my neck/chest are so that I am not laying flat on them totally and that makes it easier. I also sleep with both my arms up on the pillow, always hae, so that also seems to have them raised up. I toss and turn at night so I never end up in the same position. Hope that helps! If I was big, I am not sure I could do it. I did read on a couple of plastic surgery sites where the ps told the women who had implant augmentation to lay on their stomache to help reduce chance of contraction. Havent read anything on that for reconstruction tho. I did get the ok from my ps too.
0 -
I can't wait to sleep on my stomach again. I've always been a stomach sleeper and this is driving me crazy. How long after exchange was it before you could lay on your stomach comfortably? My exchange surgery is Friday....I'm so excited!
0 -
Mich - take hand sanitizer with you. And don't eat anything that is not cooked (like salad). When I went to Cabo, the resort had their own water sanitizing system and it was okay. I still drank bottled water though. You are right, you can pick up a germ anytime, anywhere. Stay healthy and have a great holiday and vacation!
0 -
Rest up, Tatina! Glad you are home now.
Will be sending positive thoughts for your surgery, jbennett38!
(I am jealous, Mich_M.)
0 -
After TE was out Saturday, I saw the infectious disease doc on Tuesday. He took me off Bactim DS, which obviously didn't work, and put me on Teflaro, a newer cephalosporin drug that comes only in IV. So home care will come this morning to access my port and mix the first dose and watch me for adverse reaction, then I should be on my own for the rest. The pharmacist said they didn't have stability information for Teflaro yet, so they couldn't premix it into those automatic pumps I had last time. It's a powder that has to be mixed and injected into the IV bag, and they sent an IV pole to my house too! I had a rash spreading over the left incision area and flank yesterday, but it has mostly cleared this morning, even before starting Teflaro.
Drainage continues to be minimal (7-8 cc per day) after the TE removal, but I think I am stuck with it until my PS appt next Tues. Christmas with my drain and IV pole -- and husband.
Time to shower, before the home care nurse puts a dressing on the port, which makes it harder.
0 -
Fluff- I think we are about the same cc plus or minus. Thanks for the suggestion.
0 -
Congrats Tatina! Rest and recover...
Mich...we found some saline gel stuff for our noses when we went to Vegas, it's for air travel so you don't catch the germs on the plane. It moisturizes your nasal passages or something. None of us got sick:) We also took Ester C everyday. Go have fun and enjoy yourself!!
0 -
LADIES!!! I have been gone so long! But I am back and can use an actual computer, so I will be posting again!
To all who have just had surgery, or are about to, I hope you are doing well.
Ann - you have been through so much, hang in. If you need me, I will be there. For anything.
All - I was lucky enough to meet up with the beautiful (inside and outside!) Michelle at Starbucks while on my trip, and we had a nice chat! She is right - something magical happens on these boards, and it isn't awkward to meet in person. We all just understand and care about each other, and wish for nothing but the best for each other. I had a great trip and visit with my friend, and meeting Michelle was a highlight!
Flying back (on a redeye, with every crying baby in the universe) there were a bunch of sneezing and coughing folks - beware! I got home in the morning yesterday, almost missed my flight from Atlanta, but got on at the last second when they had to delay after they discovered a row of seats that was not bolted down - YIKES! I baked a bunch of stuff and made baskets for the receptionist, office manager and PS, and then got a fill. PS says 2 more fills, then I will be done.
0 -
AnnAlive - your rash sounds similar to mine, I'm allergic to most topical antibiotic creams. I have to have a prescription one with no neomycin in it. I'm glad the internal antibiotics seem to be getting it though.
I made it through my TE with no problems except pain and a lot of tightness as radiation progressed. I've been having issues with healing from my "final" implant. I'm scheduled for surgery tomorrow morning to take out the implant I have as there is infection around it. My PS insists that when any infection is involved you cannot clean and put back in any implant, you need to do a new one to ensure there is no infection attached to the surface of the implant. I know how hard it can be to fight with these guys but maybe we should all demand new ones at least to help prevent further infection.
I expected the final implant to be so much more comfortable than the TE and I have to say it is some but not that much so far in my case. I still feel it, can hear it sloshing at times (I chose Saline) and feel tightness of the skin on the front and sides. I keep hearing that I shouldn't have very much feeling in the breast after full BMX but, do have feeling, some numbness but plenty of feeling. These folks need to start recognizing that each body is different and we don't just sit around complaining because we want sympathy - we actually hurt.
I'm fighting with neuropathy from the Taxol in chemo as well. So far no real answers there either other than, "most women don't have problems", HAH! Come read our boards docs, lots of people have problems.
Merry Christmas to all you lovely ladies. Thank goodness we are strong women and can rely on each other. Let's make a pact to enjoy the good things in our lives over the holidays.
0 -
Renn, how are you doing? I can't believe that it's already been 3 weeks since TE replacement surgery! I'm doing well - was having NO pain at all, so I thought I'd go to the gym this morning. Only rode the recumbant bike for 10 minutes and also worked my legs with the weight machines pretty good. I'm feeling some tugging, almost a pulling like when you get a cramp underneath the incision line in between the old drain scar and the new one. It doesn't really hurt when I push on it, and everything looks good. Incision is closed up and so is drain hole. It pulls when I'm in the shower (without my tight ACE wrap) reaching or twisting for something, or when I'm in bed and I twist a certain way. I think I recall this feeling with the last TE healing process, but wanted to see if you have any similar pings or pangs. I'm taking almost no meds for pain. Just ibuprofen as needed. I think maybe I should just sit down and stop trying to be Superwoman lol.
0 -
Oh Ann, IV and drain for Christmas…..that just sucks. Next Christmas can't help but be so much better!!! Take care and take is easy. Let others look after you.
jclarsen - sorry to hear about your implant and other troubles and hope your surgery goes well tomorrow.
SpecialK - nothing worse than crying babies on a plane! Hope you didn't pick up any germs from the coughers!
Jbennett - yes I always drink only bottled water when going south and will be extra careful with my food choices. I agree with you about sleeping on my stomach…I can't wait! I even find sleeping on my side with TEs is not comfortable.
Hi everyone else…wishing you all well.
0 -
SpecialK - Glad you're back OK! Yes, it's nice to meet up with others in the same boat, and I was so glad to meet you in person after my Thanksgiving surgery! Thanks for your kind offer. DH is off work for a few weeks now, so I hope I can get to a better spot in this time leading up to rads (which can't happen until I'm clear of infection).
Jclarsen - It happens that I did have my TE replaced with a brand new one at Thanksgiving, and either it stayed infected anyway (as if they can't wash out the tissue good enough or get the right antibiotic) or got reinfected. My first infection cultured diphteroids, a skin contaminant, and then I was in the hospital 3+ weeks later to have the new TE removed, and the cultures are still pending. The infectious disease doc says these infections caused by skin contaminants are very persistent and can require weeks of strong antibiotics. Oh dear. I hope I'm on a good one this time, the 5th one they've tried. Will you be in a slight panic like I was earlier in the week, not knowing what to wear on the flat side since I have no prosthetic? I had bought a post-mastectomy cami earlier that has the fluff, so I am using that. I have Fruit of the Loom sport bras (from Wal-Mart) that have front closures--good for doc visits--and they have a lining that is easy to cut open along the underarm seam, and I slipped in the fluff (which has its own casing, with polyester fiber that can be torn out or added to). So at least I have a couple of bras that work until I can decide what might be better. I too have mild neuropathy from Taxol.
0 -
Hello everyone,
Just came back from seeing my PS. The right side looks good so far. No drain was necessary which was a nice surprise. PS filled the right side about 1/3 of the way as compared to the left side during surgery yesterday -- so, still lopsided for a while.
Katarina and JBennett- Sending well wishes your way.
Going back to bed.....I'm exhausted....
T0 -
Tomorrow is my big day. I've gotten through this last infection and on the eve of my exchange. I will report back as to whether the PS finds any bugs when he goes in. He has me on vancomysin IV for 2 hours before the surgery. I've had breast infections even before I had breast cancer so if there's a chronic history of breast infections (skin in these cases) it doesn't mean I'm out of the clear after exchange. I will have to watch post surgical problems. I'm praying for smooth sailing.
Thank you all for your best wishes. They help
Hugs,
Kat
0 -
jclarson and Ann-for neuropathy, try taking acetyl l-carnitine. It helped me a lot with taxol, and there are current studies on using it in combination with taxol to help. I had minor pain, but freezine cold feet and hands all winter long, especially at night, that my Onc said was neuropathy. My husband put hot water bottles at my feet each night.
Ann- I hope you don't culture anything. My TE's came out due to pseudomonas, a nasty bug. When he put the expanders back in, he cultured everything and this time came back with a form of mrsa (some long name). I never really had symptoms from that. He actually said it is common to have on the skin and thought it might have been something from the skin during surgery. I was also off chemo for three months by then, so my resistance might have been better. After implant exchange, I went back for my one week appointment, and he came in waving the culture results..three different ones, exclaiming Negative!...Negative...Negative! I am not sure who was more excited.
jclarsen-I have a lot of feeling in my also. the area right across the incision is numb, but not much more than that. I was surprised. I expected my fills to be painless and they were awful. My implants are much more comfy than the TE's though. I only really notice them when I do things that cause the muscle to react. Opening a jar is weird.
Katarina-sending you good wishes for tomorrow!
0 -
Katarina - Praying the surgery goes well. Let us know! We like good news.
Fluffqueen - How do we get these infections so easily? I am suspecting I first got infected with a fill. I spiked a fever one day about 3 weeks post-BMX when I already had a couple of fills, and then the fever went away, later to be followed by pinking skin, and then I was inundated with a series of antibiotics that didn't work, so the TE and replacement got more infected. The skin would clear, but with another fill, it would turn bad all over again. Do they not clean the skin well enough for fills, or is it not possible to clean it enough, and just the tiny needle prick introduces bacteria? When I ask my PS how I got the infections, I get a kind of a shrug like he doesn't know. But I think he does know it's getting introduced at surgeries and fills.
0 -
Kat - hope you are feeling better each day!
I'm still having some muscle spasms if I move the wrong way, so I've been kind of babying myself the last couple of days. Today is the day the PS said I could "unwrap" from the ACE bandage. I'm thinking I'll do it gradually, so I'm going to go without the wrap for date night tonight, then come home and wrap back up. Then maybe a little longer tomorrow and so on... Kind of nervous, it's become like a security blanket.
Ann, I hope you are also feeling better each day and healing!
Merry Christmas Eve Eve:)
0 -
Ann-I think it has something to do with being havinga foreign body in there, although I suspect there is some truth to the fill idea. In my case, our bodies can have pseudomonas happily hibernating in ourbodies and then when a foreign body is introduced, they see it as a threat and attck. The mrsa you can just have on your skin no ,atter how hard you clean and they swab. Once yourskin is cut, it can be on the knife or tools, etc. And that doesnt take in to account what kind of crud everyone else working inthere might have.
0 -
Katarina and JBennett, please check in and let us know how your surgeries went!
tatina, AnnAlive, how are you feeling?
Momof3: Man, my energy level is still WAY off. I FEEL good so I think i can do my errands and such...today I guess I did too much (Xmas shopping, grocery shopping, then dinner with friends). I am WIPED and I have to cook all day tomorrow. I am not in any pain and I do not have any muscles spasms or anything. My chest muscle was a little sore after wrapping presents, but that was from using it too much. Feels fine now.
Welcome back SpecialK!
And Merry Christmas to all you lovely ladies!
0 -
Hi Ren,
Thanks for checking in. Well, I'm 4 days post op and the majority of pain I feel is at the new incision site. Still tender, get those pains if I move my body a certain way (bending down, sitting down, adjusting myself in bed), and my energy level is zapped.
Just finished some light chores and will go back to bed soon.
Holiday hugs to all of you,
T
0 -
Merry Christmas everyone!
0 -
Hi everybody! Just checking in. I had my exchange surgery yesterday. I was home by 12:30. My husband said the PS was very happy with the result. I have not looked yet. I have more pain than I thought I would have. My abdomen is really sore from the lipo. I'm just hanging out in bed sleeping and taking my pain meds. Luckily I have everything ready for tomorrow.
Merry Christmas everyone. Thanks for sharing your stories and advice.0 -
Tatina - glad you're feeling well after surgery….continue to take it easy for a few days.
Jbennett - thanks for checking in. Glad you're feeling ok.
Katarina - how are you doing?
Merry Christmas all and I hope 2012 is full of health and happiness for you
0
