TE TROUBLE
Comments
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Mrochon, I was in Sonoma last weekend! Rained the entire time but still, so beautiful!
My pinhole seems to be behaving itself. I had one instance of leakage last week but nothing since.
Beebop: Hope you are home from hospital by now and resting!
Re: strength: Takes a long while to regain it. Basically back to square one after each surgery. After TE was removed in July, I healed up for 2 months before starting PT in Sept — went twice weekly for 2 months. Major help! But since this last surgery in Dec and my healing issue, I have lost significant strength and will need to build back up with PT once I am healed up. It's all just another lovely part of this process. (Not!)
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Agree with SpecialK on the heat pads...I used one after a particularly bad fill.
Sick son. Even made a trip to urgent care to rule out strep or sinus infection. Just a virus. He had a bday party today and tomorrow is the start of Catholic Schools Week and he is going to miss some things they have going on school. Not sure what is making him more upset, the virus or missing the fun stuff.
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I find that Aspercream (the non-smelly version of BenGay) provides a lot of relief from muscle spasms around the TEs. I slather some on before each expansion and usually a bedtime. It just loosens things up a bit. I like the idea of using this cream instead of putting yet another medication into my body
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Tried that too sunermom! BTW, I am from Xenia.
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I also love the tanning bed. That warmth just makes all of the aches and pains seem to melt away. I think I'm definitely going to be a snowbird when I retire because I seem to have less and less tolerance for the cold, gray weather that we have had for WEEKS now in Ohio.
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I finally broke down and took a Vicodin. I can't believe how much less pain I have. Then I took a 4 mile walk - I have to say it was an interesting combination. I guess as long as I am not driving or operating heavy machinery its all good!
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Hi, ladies I am back.. I finished my chemo January 3, and they scheduled my operation ( exchange left TE because of its leaking and cut some excess skin and reopen and check right one) February 9.Redness on the left one never did go away, I had an infection in October... I had 2 lumpectomies and BMX September 1, so it happened after last one... scared... PS sends me to work 2 weeks after, is it possible? I am not working in the office...
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First shower today after TE removal on Jan. 17th! Was very hard to look at, but I made it through and finally feel clean
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DM13 Glad to hear your doing okay and had a nice shower ! I had a BMX Dec 8, and last Wednesday had my right TE removed, infection. I will see PS this Wednesday, don't know why there was an infection. I am mad at myself thinking I caused it somehow. Now I have one breast very nice with TE and my right is so deformed without anything there. I am going to do a six week chemo plan every three weeks, will find out more this week, port to be placed Tuesday. What is going to be your plan any Chemo involved? and then will they address a new TE?
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olgah - glad you are done with chemo! Don't know about back to work in 2 weeks, that might be too soon. How are you feeling?
Krystal - they will not put a new TE in until after chemo because of the inhibited healing. While infection is not that common, it does happen - doubtful it is anything you did, so do not think that! I have even heard of someone with a sinus infection that went to the TE - so it could have come from anywhere, including during the surgery. I had the exact same situation as you (no infection, but lopsided during chemo) and had the TE put back after chemo. Just finished fills and am now awaiting exchange. You will get through this, but I know it is hard.
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SpecialK thank you for your comments. How do you add addtional comments to your signature area above your diagnosis, like you have additional info on surgeries etc. Thank you.
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Special k....it was a huge bathtub of muda all keated up. You sit in it for about 30 minutes if I remember. They keep putting cool cucumber slices on your eyes and lemon juice water washcloths on your forehead. It was wonderful.
To those recent ones withte removal. It is bad at first,and is never pretty, but I kept telling myself that if the military heroes could go on in life without limbs and with burns etc, then I could certainly handle my issue that I could disguise. I told myself that every day and it got easier.0 -
Hi Olgah - I'm not sure I understand your post…is your surgery on Feb 9th to remove your infected left TE or to re-insert a new one? Is your right TE doing fine? Seems strange that your PS would open it up to check on it. Congrats on finishing your chemo!
DM - I know it doesn't feel great looking at yourself after the TE is removed, but keep reminding yourself that it's temporary. Glad you enjoyed the shower:)
Krystal - you didn't cause the TE infection so don't blame yourself. It's quite likely that it happened during surgery but took a little while to show symptoms. Focus now on getting through chemo…the TE situation will wait for you.
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Krystal - go to "My Home" at the top of the page, click on "Edit My Profile" and down at the bottom where the box says "Signature" you can type extra stuff.
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Hi Mich, they will reinsert the good one, I don't have infection now, it was back in October, but TE is leaking inside.... It started on Halloweeen, after my 3 chemo, and they had to wait till I finish with chemo and my bllod goes back to normal. However, left TE is red all the time...The right one has some hanging skin, he wants to remove it and also to do revision, I don't know why, o may be I forgot, because of chemo head. I will call them tomorrow.If I only knew that , I would go flat instead..
Special K , I am all rigt, getting a little stronger , but still not that much... I so worry about this operation, more than about BMX, because I wanted to get rid of all THAT... now... complications, how do I know about the left TE? Is it really going to be better? I am so skeptical... How are you doing? what's going on with you, that you had to take Vicodin?
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Olgah, Krystalrose, DM13 and Moonflwr912, I added your surgery to the top of the page.
Good advice on not feeling blame for your TE trouble...there is little we can do about it. I thought I caused my delayed because I did not rest enough after BMX, but that right side wass just a slow healer. My little pinhole is still there but it is healing. You really have to be a patient patient when experiencing these TE setbacks!
DM13: Congrats on the shower. It was 3 weeks until I had one after my last surgery. Man, that gets old!
How is everyone feeling today?
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olgah - I took a Vicodin because I am fully filled and the weight of the TE's is pulling on my neck, shoulders and back. So, hopefully a temporary situation. My exchange is in less than a month. Also, I am having residual joint pain from a combination of Herceptin (which I finished earlier in January) and Femara. All together it is getting to be a bit much, so I broke down and took a pill. I have to say it was nice to have no pain, but I am leery of getting into that habit. I too came back slowly from chemo - I still tire easily and it has been almost 8 months! Every day is a little better though and I can do what I want and it is fine. My left TE also has a reddish appearance, but that is my trouble side and the skin is thinner there, and I show it to the PS everytime and he says it is ok. Hopefully once you have revision and a new TE things willlook better for you.
Ren - Hi!!!
DCIS/IDC ON RT, ADH/ALH ON LFT, NS BMX 11/1/10 AND 12/6/10 TCHX6 (2/17/11-6/2/11) Herceptin done 1/19/12
Diagnosis: 9/27/2010, IDC, 2cm, Stage IIb, Grade 3, 2/14 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2+0 -
Got another fill today - one more to go on Friday, then on Monday she wants to even them out. The new right TE looks bigger than the left. Could it be possible that the left one (that's been in since May) has settled somewhat? It still needs one more fill so I hope they will even out. I guess the name of the game at this point is to stretch that skin and she will even everything out at exchange time? Whatever - I'm just looking forward to that 3 month break. Ready to get off this ride...
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Thanks for the clarification Olgah - I hope your left side's redness isn't an issue. Good luck with your surgery.
Momof3 - I felt the same about my re-inserted left side somehow looking bigger within a few fills post surgery, than my right side that had more saline in it. For me, I think it was just that they were placed in slightly different locations and gave the illusion of left being bigger than right even though it was underfilled. Once I was evenly filled on both sides, they looked pretty much the same. Good luck with your last fill…you're brave to have a second fill in one week. I have my exchange surgery next week, but have had a 4 month break since the last fill…the TEs feel so much better when you're not getting fills.
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Mich...we will all be thinking of you next week! How exciting!!
Good to hear from you, Renn!
Did we ever hear from Survivor?
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momof3 - by even do you mean the same amount of saline in both? Or just visually? I still don't have the same amount, I have 75cc's less in my replaced one due to chest wall and scar tissue. They had looked even when first placed after surgery with the same amount (I am assuming) of surgical fill, so... I am done and will end up with 2 different sized implants. I have not seen survivor11 again - her lat post was early Dec. - I hope she is ok.
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SpecialK - sorry if I missed one of your previous posts that explained this already…..how does your PS know now that he'll give you 2 different sized implants? You mentioned above about 'chest wall and scar tissue', but I don't understand. thanks
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Mine were filled with different amounts and in the end I ended up with same size implants. So curious too Special K.
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Hi ladies... I had a PBM with TE using Alloderm 6 days ago. Healing well, just lots of pressure. I have BAD bruising on my left side. Saw the breast surgeon today and she said that it happens with skin sparing mas. because they basically clean it all out. Sometimes the skin is so thin that blood flow is bad. She said my PS will check it out Weds. Anyone had this? I do recall PS saying it is a risk. May have to remove some of the fluid from my fill? or if the skin dies do a skin graph? Anyone have any information?
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jenn - When they remove the tissue and leave the skin they lay it back down directly over the muscle. The skin must form new vascular connections to that muscle tissue or it dies. I am not sure the thin aspect of the skin is as critical as its ability to form those new connections. About 20% of skin sparing or skin/nipple sparing have some skin death (necrosis) occur. How much saline did you have put into your TE during surgery? Some may be removed by your PS if they feel it is compromising the skin. If the skin dies and cannot be connected together adequately you may lose the expander, but skin would not be grafted. Your TE would be removed to allow healing and stregthening of the skin, most likely and you would either start again, or go forward with a flap surgery of some kind. My left TE was removed due to the skin not holding together after several excisions of unhealthy skin. I needed to progress on to chemo, so my TE was out for 7 months until chemo was over and I was healed. My TE was replaced and all has been well since. I am now done with fills and awaiting exchange next month.
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Mich_M - He said that would most likely be the case. I am assuming that he will bring several different sizers with him and attempt to get as close as possible while still achieving symmetry. I look very even with 575cc's in the left (replaced) side, and 650cc's in the right side. His theory is that if he tried to put say, 600cc implants in both sides, my left side would look larger than the right, because there is residual scar tissue that he is reluctant to disturb. Remember, I did not have an infection, I lost my TE because of skin necrosis. I had 3 separate excisions so I have thinner skin (I can see the blue through the front lower part of that side) over the front, below the nipple.
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Thank you for the great information SpecialK! Very helpful
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We spent several hours walking around Super Bowl Village on Saturday, eating, drinking, listening to the bands and all the fun in general. I don't know if it was the cold weather and walking or some kind of combination, but my mips started to ache as we were walking around, and were very stiff.
It was weird. I walk two 15 minute miles on the tread mill 3-4 times a week, as well as the elliptical, and that doesn't bother me at all.
And for those with their implants....when you are cold, do your pec muscles feel weird over the implants? Mine were kind of shivery when I was really cold. I had to focus them into relaxing. LOL.0 -
Special K - yes, she's going to even them out visually. I still need one more fill in lefty, and righty gets one plus whatever she thinks. I think at exchange time she will even out any imperfections. Going to Onco appt this morning. I went last week and waited for almost 2 hours, and they still couldn't guarantee that I'd get into a room the following hour, so I left. I have the 1st appt of the day today so it should be fine. Just a regular check-in, I really like my Onco, he's just soooo busy. Hope everyone has a great day!
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Fluff-I had recess duty the other day when it was so cold and felt the same way.
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