TE TROUBLE
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I have hair envy because mine is not growing fast enough, and I do not look good in short hair, and I refuse to gowanderng around looking like I am all face.
Jbl...from what most of the women who are doing the Bravo method have reported, the Bravo vest itself has not been approved for reconstruction, just augmentation. So, insurance won't cover the vest. It is around a thousand, I think. The fat grafting that he does after you spend months and months wearing the vest log periods of time every day, is generally covered.
Kim, I can't believe your port is missing. I would be freaking out.0 -
fluff - I look like a 10 year old boy.
I think kim's port is not really missing, only hiding!
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jbclsw10, good luck with your surgery next week.
Glad to see you check in, miasanta. Hope you are feeling well.
fluffqueen, I have had wardrobe malfunctions involving silicone foobs as well. I found that they are heavy & tend to migrate...toward the center. Unifoob is not a good look!
kim40, hope your port is located.
Tatina & SpecialK, the apostrophe bras are great, aren't they? I use the stretchy one with straps that convert to racerback with a little hook. The pockets for the removable cups are big enough to hold a foob on my flat side. I used them with 2 foobs after BMX as well.
Layla, hope you get a surgery date soon.
evebarry, I'm sorry you have a stubborn PS.
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Hi, I am new on this thread. I had BMX on Nov 28 and TEs placed. After my first fill (about 2 weeks after surgery). I developed a small opening on the right side which has continued to leak fluid. Last week it was discovered that there was an infection on the left side. The PS removed a ton of gross fluid from the left and I was immediately started on IV antibiotics. I had to have a PICC line placed because my port was removed during surgery. I am now administering the abx at home, grateful not to have been hospitalized. Yesterday when I woke up I developed a small opening on the left incision and the fluid started pouring out. I did call the Dr. And they said it should decrease and has a little bit. My concern is that I am going to lose the TEs which I really don't want to happen. My fear is that if they take them out I will not be brave enough to have them put back in at a later time. And, I am supposed to be going on vacation in two weeks! Need to get this resolved before then. I was not able to go back and read all the posts, so just wondering if anyone has had anything similar? Thanks.
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Dear Beebop,
You will get feedback on this. I am so sorry for your TE troubles. I had my BMX on 9/2011. All was going well, until a month later, when I developed a small little skin tag (it looked like that). The doc put a bandage on it. The following week when I went in for the bandage change I was sent directly to the hospital for a full blown infection. Was put in IV antibiotics, had an ultrasound guided removal of the fluid, and was in the OR the following morning to remove the TE. It was devastating. Nearly 3 months later, the TE went back in. Going on 5 weeks now and all is well.
Prior to the TE being replaced, my PS and I did discuss other reconstructive options if the TE didn't work. Luckily, there are other options. My best to you......keep us posted.
Special K - I would have loved to have met you in person! What a bummer you aren't joining your husband on this round.
Take care,
T
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Beebop - very sorry to hear about your infection. You've come to the right place. I developed a bad infection a month after BMX. I was devastated. My TE was replaced at the end of October. I'm nearly three months out and have had no problems (knock on wood). In my case my PS thinks the alloderm may have had a hand in it. My TE was replaced without the alloderm this go around.
From what I've learned here and from my doctors, when an infection happens in these cases, it is rare that antibiotics will work. It is better to get it out and let the area heal. Yes, it bumps back your reconstruction but you will feel so much better. Other ladies will chime in here with more info for you. Don't worry, it's not uncommon to get an infection and like Tatina says, there are other options if this doesn't work. Hang in there, you'll get through this.
Tatina - I'm sending some more rain down your way. The third wave is starting it's way on through Northern Cali now..
Michelle0 -
hello i had my te taken out after 2 weeks of problems im confused as my drain was taken out after one day but everyone i have spoken to have had theirs in alot longer.
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I had four drains after BMX. The left two were taken out about a week after. They had almost zero output. I had on drain the right removed about a week after that and then the last drain about axweek after that. My PS keeps them in until output is less than 20ccs in a two consecutive 24 hour period. All PSs are different. I've read some will take them out when output is less than 50.
After TE removal, I had one drain and it was removed three days after surgery. I had close to no output.
After TE replacement, I had two drains and they stayed in two weeks! Ugh, I was putting out over 75ccs. Finally it slowed down. Was I happy!
Michelle0 -
Beebop - my left TE developed an infection a month after BMX and a course of oral antibiotics seemed to clear it, but it came back right after a fill, so I had more oral antibiotics, which didn't clear it as indicated by skin turning pink, so had surgery to replace the TE (it was surrounded by a straw-colored liquid that cultured positive for diphtheroids, a skin contaminant) and then I was on IV antibiotics for 2 weeks at home. The infection seemed to clear, but after 3 weeks my drain was still putting out a little more than expected (just under 20cc/day), but my PS removed it and did a small TE fill (because I was short on time for filling, needing to get radiation started). The next day the skin turned pink again, and so I was set up to have the TE removed the next morning, and had to get 2 more weeks of IV antibiotics after that. I had 2 months of antibiotics in total. I lost the TE about 5 weeks ago.
Some doctors say if a TE gets infected, you might as well have it removed. I don't know the stats on that, but I think it's worth an effort to save it if there's some chance of success. Oddly, my other TE never had a problem, so I still have it and I'm lopsided until I can get a flap reconstruction later. Because I am getting radiation now, another TE/implant is ruled out. If you do have to revisit TEs later, know that some do just fine with a break away from infection for a few months. But I hope yours do get rescued this time so you don't have to prolong the process.
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AnnAlive - Thank you, I know that my PS ideally wants to save the TEs. I am still waiting for the results of the culture. I am scheduled to finish the IV abx on Jan 28th. My biggest concern is that I am scheduled to go to Florida for a 10 day vacation on Feb 4th and then start radiation on the 15th. I am hoping and praying the vanco will take care of the infection. I would hate to have to cancel this trip because of the complications or delay radiation any longer than I already have.
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beebop - were you hoping to have more fills or are you satisfied with the size you are now? Is the problem on your cnacer side? Most PS want you fully filled prior to the start of rads. The breakdown in the skin as a result of rads makes it very problematic to fill afterward.
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SpecialK - I had only one fill on the cancer side and that had to be reversed due to the incision opening up. Now the non-cancer side is worse. My PS seemed confident that we could continue with the fills after radiation, but I have prepared myself that it may not be possible and am okay with the fact that they may just end up being small.
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beebop - I would also have a consult with your RO on whether or not they will allow rads to start with unhealed skin. What is the rationale for rads after MX?
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The RO was aware of the opening on the cancer side and thought it would be healed by the time I start. Saw her prior to learning of the infection and the other side opening up. So it may be delayed anyway. The cancer was originally in the lymph nodes, but wiped out by chemo. There was also a spot behind the chest wall that lit up on one of the scans in an area that could not be reached by surgery.
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Bee - you had neoadjuvent chemo? How long after the end of chemo did you have your BMX? I was just trying to figure out your timeline.
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Hi Beebop - sorry you're having to join the 'TE trouble' group. I'm sorry to say that the infectious disease Dr I was seeing said that when an infection is in a TE or any other foreign object, in his opinion, it rarely clears. I was on oral antibiotics for a couple of weeks then got a PICC line and went the IV route with ancef then vanco for about 5 weeks to no avail. The TE was removed. I had a new one put in a few months later (June 2011) and there's been no problem. I hope you're still able to take your vacation.
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SpecialK - My last chemo was 11/4 and the BMX on Nov 28th.
Mich - What was the recovery like when they took the TEs out? If this has to happen it would probably be right before my vacation. Aarrrggghhh......0 -
bee - maybe not enough time between last chemo and BMX - the chemo in your system will have inhibited your healing. I had my TE out and really felt pretty normal in a week, and this was after 5 surgeries in 8 weeks. You don't have very much pain sensation because of the cut nerves from BMX. Do you still have pain from that surgery now?
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Spec - I don't have a lot af pain in the breasts, just occasional sharp pains. The most pain I have is in my arm on the side the lymph nodes were removed. You are probably right about the chemo. I also think the PS started too early and too aggressively with the fills.
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Beebop - when I had my TE replaced, I felt good the next day (Thanksgiving!) but not as good after that because the vancomycin made me feel crummy. I didn't have much pain at all, just dragged down by the antibiotics and presence of TE perhaps my body was objecting to having there. When I had the TE removed 3 weeks later, I was greatly relieved, didn't have any pain, and took IV Teflaro which wasn't bad at all symptom-wise. I think my body was happy to get the TE out, but of course I am not too happy to be semi-flat (bumpy from skin spared). I had 24 days between chemo and BMX & TEs.
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bee - I had 5 weeks between removal of TE and chemo, then 7 weeks between end of chemo and replacement of TE. Then at least about 6 weeks until first fill.
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Thanks for the feedback ladies. Will keep you posted.
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Bee - Recovery was quuuuuuick after removal. I was tired for the first couple of days. But as soon as he took the drain out, I was ready to get moving again.
If you are getting it removed in the next couple of days, I think you'll be good to go on vacation. It is nothing like recovering from mastectomy. They just take it out, clean up the infection and sew you up. I was amazed at how great I felt after removal. You don't realize how the infection affects you until after it comes out and you are cleaned out. I had to take antibiotics for about a week after to make sure I was good.
Michelle0 -
Michelle - it won't be this week. I'll be on the abx until Saturday so probably won't even see the PS until next week. Good to know that you felt good after the removal.
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SpecialK: Thanks! Yes, I am fully recovered. BC is almost like a distant memory. Of course if I ever do forget, the scars are there to remind me....I do have to make an appt with the BS really soon for my 6 month check up.
BTW, does anyone have any advice on getting a hysterectomy done after breastcancer? When is it called for and when not?
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mia - mrochon just had an appt for this same question. Even though you are DCIS did they put you on Tamoxifen?
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Tamoxiphen was a big question mark whichis why I'm seeing another oncologist. To refresh my path report said there were cancerous cells in my nodes. You know that whole story. I decided against Tamoxiphen. I thought I had enough probes with this cancer and didn't feel like tipping the scales for another cancer. I'm having an oopherectomy and my tubes removed on the 3rd. My gyno said my uterus looks great for now. No need to rush and take that out. Im ok with that cause you know sll i have going on in the next few months. But being er/pr+, the ovaries and tubes are coming out! That will preempt me from having to take Tamoxiphen if this oncologist says I should.
Dagnabbit...Giants scored a TD! >:(
Michelle0 -
Regarding hysterectomy...my appointment is Tuesday asking that exact same question.
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No, no Tamoxifen. Why?
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I questioned it because a potential SE from Tamoxifen is thickening of the uterine lining, and possible uterine cancer. A lot of ladies have to be closely followed if they are on it, or elect to remove the uterus to avoid the problem. If they have had invasive BC some remove the ovaries as well.
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