TEs. A Beginner's Primer
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i got a 120 cc. fill yesterday. i have one more fill left. it feels tight, but not terribly painful. i think the reason why it's not bothering me so much is because i had such a huge breast removed, and i'm having the new one rebuilt much smaller.
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Hello to all. I haven't been about much my phone is giving me fits. Hope everyone is doing well. Much love
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I just want to add my 2 cents. I'm up to 650 on a 600 capacity tissue expander. And the PS is going to add more as he needs to overfill. As far as pain or discomfort, I haven't had a bit of discomfort from day one. The needle jabs are nothing and my skin is holding up just fine. I do have the strange feeling of the expanders filling under my arms, which will be fixed at exchange, but it doesn't hurt even if it feels strange.
I had whole breast radiation on that breast in 1999 so it could have turned out differently. But, it looks like everything is going to be fine. I only have fills every two weeks and have been getting 50mg only. So far, so good. My message is that it doesn't have to be a bad experience. Everyone is different.
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Hello all
I am due to have tissue expanders placed on Sept 24th. I was wondering, do I still wear my prostheses until they are filled? Also, what type of bra do I wear? Can I were my mastectomy bra?
Thanks!!
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shoppygirl, yes. You wear your prosthetics until you are filled too much. If you have any adjustable poofs those are great for this process. You can take out the fiber fill so you stay the same size as you get filled. I used my Amoena cami's for years as I went through reconstruction. They do sell the poofs separately. Only when I was being over filled the last couple of times did I not need any filling. LOL
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Thanks Moon!
I will get some poofs!!
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Just got my TE placed on Fri afternoon. Had lost left one step implant due to tissue necrosis and then infection. This binding is about driving me out of my tree-tight and itching but tomorrow will get it removed. Am guessing the drain will be around for a few days yet. But am getting started back on the road to having two breasts (with any luck) again. I had thought in the beginning would be able to skip having expanders going to direct implants but no such luck. char
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Char - I had 4 drains and they were not comfortable. PS took 2 out after the first week and then the final ones the following week. Everyone is different so you might not have them as long/short as I did..Good Luck! You will do fine!
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yeah. The tape itching drove me crazy. I had my drains for way too long. I hope yours come out soon
Much love to all.
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My Genie bras were my all-purpose go-to bras as I was getting filled (had a BMX).
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Anyone who is getting TEs... it's really not too early to start thinking about implant sizes. The TEs that the PS places at the time of your MX are the size that corresponds to the size of the implant he or she plans to insert at the time of Exchange.
The sooner you understand about the art and science of TEs and implant sizing, the more in control you will feel. You will be learning a whole new language.
Fortunately, we have THE most valuable resource right here on BCO. Her name is whippetmom, and her thread "Breast Implant Sizing 101" is really the definitive source of information when it comes to TEs and implants. Please go visit her thread.
She graciously volunteers her time to respond to women who send her detailed information about their body measurements, and will give you great information to take back to your PS to discuss.
For the record, I didn't visit that thread until I got my TEs. I wasn't planning to lose weight, but I did. That made a HUGE difference in the size of the implants I got. The TEs were huge, and I needed "Pocket Work" at the time of Exchange to make sure they fit my new implants.
It's so much better to have this information ahead of time! Here is her thread... be sure to read EVERYTHING in the header at the top of the page in the blue box. https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/746448?page=395#post_4158984
It's never too early to start learning what will be coming down the road!
p.s. I got the EXACT implants whippetmom suggested! And the PS performed the extra pocket work she suggested.
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Just got home a little bit ago from my first "fill"..happy to say it wasn't quite the horror story I was imagining...was pretty much pain free (just a little prick from the needle but not even near as bad as when they accessed my port for chemo)...stopped and picked up some extra strength tylenol on the way home and just kinda feel like i have a bruise right now...will probably hurt more tomorrow but overall i'm happy with how it went...need to wait 5 weeks tho before i go for another because my son has a doctor appt coming up in 3 weeks and since my PS is a 4 hour drive away and I need to rely on people to drive me I needed to space it out enough to accommodate my ride...hope they are all this easy
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So glad that it went well Cammee!
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Hi Ladies,
Its been 3 weeks since my final fill and I'm back at work part time. As some of you may know, I use my arms a lot with work so I notice more spasms in the evening when I get home. I've just been able to sorta sleep on my side propped up on my pillow nest. Does anyone else experience muscle spasms when you are on your side for two long? That has been happening to me in the middle of the night. I think it might be the pressure that is being put on my muscle. Also, I haven't been wearing my sports bra at night. Are any of you ladies that are done with fills and waiting for exchange sleep with out any support? I have my exchange date set for 12/17 and don't want to mess things up or have these TEs to move.
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ojoyjoy, I had my BMX about a month before you. My PS says I don't have to wear a bra with TEs, and I haven't been. I sleep in just a cami, and have been able to sleep on my right side since about six weeks out. Left side was comfortable about 2 weeks after that. Such a relief to be able to switch positions throughout the night. I'm not much of a back sleeper. I used to love sleeping on my side with my elbow tucked under the pillow, but I can't do that right now. My exchange is scheduled for 10/3.
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did anyone see who shot me in the middle of the night...i woke up this morning feeling like i've been shot..hopefully this pain only lasts another day or two...are all the fills like this or do they get better? on the bright side i've been able to sleep in my bed for the past couple of weeks now as long as i lay on my back (I can lay on my side but not for too long..maybe 5 mins at most)
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3littlebirds- I'm a side sleeper too! It has been really difficult being flat on my back these last few months. Thanks for the feedback, sounds like I'm doing everything right. I bet 10/3 can't get here soon enough for you. I'll be thinking of you that day.
Cammee- A fill should never feel like you got shot. That being said my second fill, I felt like I had. I had two weeks of 75ccs and the second week it was just to much. I was very uncomfortable for about 4-5 days and even having pain in my back. When I went in the following week I told the NP how sore I was and we took it down to 50ccs and that was much better. A little discomfort with muscle spasms but only for a couple of days and taking a Valium helped a lot. I always had someone drive me so I was able to take a Valium right after the appointment. Your next fill have them do less for you. Slow and steady....no need to rush.
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thank you ojoyjoy....I'm feeling better today...tho I'm having a little trouble with my back..i did ask the doc if the TE could be aggravating my pinched nerve...he said he won't rule it out but he thinks it has more to do with the time i spent on the stretchers and operating table when putting it in. He says it should get better over time..i guess i'll hafta wait and see. I can pretty much only take extra strength tylenol right now (or tylenol with codeine) because my family doc has me on Mobic for my back problems right now ...
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Hi. I'm searching for answers to so many questions. Been floating around from one thread to another. I am in a LOT of discomfort with my TEs. They're only filled to 350ccs but I just want to rip them out of my chest. I'm due for one more fill this coming Friday. I just don't know if I can bare it. I told my husband that this is my/our "pregnancy" (since we don't have any children); i.e. I'm suffering for an eventual outcome that will bring us both pleasure. I therefore expect him to be extra sweet and tender with me. My skin and nipples are healing wonderfully, and I have no fever or other signs of infection, but I wonder why these TEs are so painful when it seems most of you seem to be much better off. Also, I still have "dents" in one of my breasts, and a wrinkle under the nipple on the same breast. Is it possible that the TE is folded in some weird way? Obviously these are questions for my PS, but since I'm not seeing her for another 5 days, I thought I'd see if anyone here has some insight for me.
Thank you!
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iwannacookie - You are not crazy. A little better than a year ago, when I was in the TE phase, it was a very painful experience. It does seem like many others breezed right through it, but I can tell you that I hurt! I was never big breasted to begin with, but once they got in there for the BMX, they found so many things that they 'scraped me down to the bone', as my BS liked to describe it. When I started fills, I would go in every two weeks on a Monday. I would feel the pressure from the fill, go home and by Tuesday morning I would wake up in pain that usually lasted until the following Sunday. Then I felt pretty good for a few days, until it was time for another fill and then the cycle was repeated. My TEs had a capacity of 350ccs and I was overfilled to 450ccs. Not until the last two fills did those look anything like a round foob. They were dented and squarish, with corners poking out here and there that I actually thought might come through the skin at any moment. So hang in there, you can do this! It's just a means to an end, and the more you can endure now, the better off you'll be when it comes time for exchange. I hope that helps you a little...
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only one more fill for me, thank God!
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iwannacookie- Az85048 is SSSOOO right..I hurt too ALL the time right now..I had BMX and though I was big breasted, I too, had quite a bit taken out..Also, because I was big, I came out of surgery with already 500cc's. PS has filled me twice 100cc's, so I'm now up to 700cc's..can't go any further than 800cc's. So my hope is that he will only fill 50cc's this week..Believe me when I say I hurt everyday of the week!! I take a muscle relaxant that seems to help me so I won't have to take all the pain meds..Hang in there, you can do this!!
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I wonder what makes our pain levels so different. I was big breasted before. I am up to 650 cc and I haven't hurt at all from any of the fills. And yes, before the TE is filled, there will be folds and dimples, which I've been told don't mean a thing. Now that I'm overfilled, all those folds etc are gone.
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Iwannacookie - My TE's were square the whole time, with lots of dents. After my fills, no matter how small, the back pain was so bad that sometimes I felt like they were squishing my lungs, and I could not breathe. Hubby and I got into the habit of setting up the bedroom with water, books, anything I thought I might need, coming straight home, taking pain meds and staying in bed for at least 2 days. Being propped up with my "Bed Lounger" helped a lot. Hoping it gets better for you (((hugs))).
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Wow--thank you all for your responses! I feel much better now (at least mentally)!! I really appreciate this.
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Iwannacookie - I hurt all of the time. I feel like their are sharp edges to the TE's and they are cutting into me. I take muscle relaxers and a pain pill before each fill and for several days after. I am so uncomfortable...ALL THE TIME!
I have three inches on flat in the middle of my chest and two B cups under my arms. It took the reassurance of the ladies here to reassure me that all way fine.
Hang in there, this too shall pass. (((HUGS)))
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Thank you Ram. Muscle relaxants are a staple in my diet right now too, supplemented by a pain pill and an Ativan (anti anxiety med) before each fill. Sorry you're suffering too. But you're right--this too shall pass
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i wannacookie..sorry you are in so much pain..i've just started this process (only have 1 fill done so far) tho my initial day after felt like i'd been shot and i'm not in pain now, i do notice that if i lie down for more than 5 or 10 mins I do have some pain when i first get up again until i start moving around (i barely had a chest to start with so i figure since insurance covers it, and after going thru the mastectomy and the chemo, I deserve a chest this time around haha) .. i wonder if the mobic my family doc has me on for my pinched nerve is part of the reason i'm not in much pain. My mother has a friend that has also been thru this and she said the reconstruction process is worse than them removing them and going thru the chemo (some days i think i agree with her)...but we are strong and we will all get thru this process...one day at a time
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It certainly makes sense that the level of pain could be inversely related to one's initial breast size. I too was very small chested--A cup. I think I was already made considerably larger from my first fill (100cc) than I was naturally. lol.
Lots of skin stretching needed to get the boobs you've always wanted.
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How did you decide on the "last fill"?
On one hand, I'm obsessing on the image/cup of a bigger size - my 3 kids have sucked the stuffing out of me and was in training bras before BC. On the other hand I'm active in sports and the added weight in front could give me back aches and mess with my center of balance. The TE is behind an LD flap so my back muscles are compromised (for now). Plus I'm 10 lb over my pre-BC weight, so when I (eventually) get back in shape how much bigger will the implants look since they're not affected by weight gain/loss?
My ps said he'd stop when I was happy with the size. My DH says I look just fine with the amount of fill I have already. I tried on a favorite jersey halter dress my DH likes and … I had cleavage and (wow) a boob, but that was with a TE. Does this mean I need to fill more to get the same results with the implant? I'm so confused.
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Sooty--I'm curious to see how others answer your questions, but I'm under the impression that the maximum fill is based on the particular TEs you have and your skin. I was told I couldn't go more than 450-470 ccs.
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