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TEs. A Beginner's Primer

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Comments

  • Funclassygal
    Funclassygal Member Posts: 27

    Having surgery in January due to I have to change my insurance to get the surgeon that I want. My Oncologist wants me to start on Tamoxifen in 2 weeks because I am waiting a bit longer. So scared to take this pill. Can you ladies tell me some of your experiences? Hope some have not been so bad as I am fearing. Hoping everyone is doing well! Thank you!

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938

    i had my surgery first and was already postmenopausal. So I'm on am AI.but I've been on it 2 1/2 years without major issues.

    Hang in there.

  • anothernycgirl
    anothernycgirl Member Posts: 821

    Funclassy, - I was on tamoxifin for 5 years. I took 1 pill, twice a day. No problems with it.

  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 1,801

    Char66 - In my humble opinion Winking you are getting VERY large fills.

    I waited for a month after BMX to get my first fill (got 180ccs in the OR, and that was awful). I asked the surgeon if he would be putting in 50ccs, and he said that he had no preconceived idea of numbers until he started. He said a lot had to do with the condition and feel of my skin, and what I reported to him as to how I was feeling.

    I was a fairly large gal at that time.... with very large skin flaps, and VERY lax pecs. I never worked out. I should have been able to stand large fills, but we didn't want to push it. My TEs were 700ccs as well.

    I decided to take it low and slow for many reasons. I knew I couldn't have my Exchange until after August, so I took my time. I said I'd rather have lesser amounts of fills, and possibly take longer. It wasn't a race.

    I'm really glad I did it that way. I only had pain with fills on a few occasions, and that was the same night, in my back muscles. A nice hot shower and a back massage from DH took care of that. (And an occasional Valium....)

    If you are not having your Exchange until March, there is absolutely no reason for you to have 150cc fills each time. The amount and frequency are up to YOU. Try a smaller one, and see if that helps. Also, remember - the PS can REMOVE saline just as easily as he can insert it.

    Even if you have a three-month waiting period from your last fill, maybe your Exchange will be in April instead of March. Just consider it...

    Wishing you all the best....

  • Funclassygal
    Funclassygal Member Posts: 27

    Thank You Moonflwr912…

  • nancybel
    nancybel Member Posts: 39

    Funclassygal, I have been taking Tamoxifen since late August and the only side effects I've had are the hot flashes, which suck, but I've learned to cope with them. I had surgery in Oct. and my MO said I could stay off Tamoxifen during the first couple of weeks of healing for the purpose of comfort. I stayed off it for only 1 week and had not problems when I restarted.

  • NewStart52
    NewStart52 Member Posts: 2

    I had my first mx Oct 2011 and the second 2012. I just saw a ps about doing reconstruction. I am very depressed about ever looking 'normal' again. It didn't bother me so much when I was married. At that time I thought I might not do reconstruction - after all - having no breasts didn't interfere with my sex life. However, I am now separated and my husband has moved on. I have tried to, but I don't think I can take another 'I don't think we are right for each other' speech when I tell the guy I have no breasts, or he discovers it on his own. The plastic surgeon didn't really make me feel much better when I asked what it would look like afterwards. He told me that no one would be able to tell.... when I had my clothes on. Nobody can tell now, when I have my clothes on. Great. The whole TE procedure and swap out to implants seems so incredibly long when you don't know what the results will be. I read one post in this thread that mentions that you need to know what type of implant you will have be you have the TE's put in. My ps didn't talk about that.

    I am very lost.

  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 1,801

    NewStart52 - you bring up a very good point. Sometimes the reasons we have for going through recon or staying flat change as our lives change. At least you do have options.

    The TE to Implant process can be long, but in truth, in the grand scheme of things it goes pretty quickly. A lot depends on the condition of your skin, the amount of flap that is available to create a breast mound, and whether or not you had radiation. Sometimes that can be a challenge, but I have seen awesome reconstruction results on radiated skin.

    It's good that you are asking questions, but I think you may be a bit premature in trying to decide to reconstruct right now. That is probably why you are feeling lost. You just don't have enough information to make that choice.

    There's a ton of reconstruction information here on BCO, and lots of threads devoted to different kinds of recon. I do think TE to Implant may be the least complicated.

    It's not easy - but many women have VERY few problems with their TEs. As for Implants, there is a thread called "Breast Implant Sizing 101", run by our very own whippetmom, who is our resident implant expert. Even though you do not have TEs, you can still read all the information in the blue box at the top and PM her your information. She can make recommendations that you could take back to your PS to start a discussion.

    Sometimes it's actually even better to do this BEFORE the TEs are inserted. That makes it easier to create pockets that are the correct size for the eventual permanent implants.

    Let me tell you - I have seen some AWESOME reconstructions with implants... some even with nipple reconstruction, and with the cherry on top being 3D tattoos. Yes, there can be scars, but a tattooed nipple tricks the brain into seeing just a breast with a nipple and an areola. Not a foob, not a fake boob, but a breast.

    I have had my implants for more than two years. They look very appropriate for my size and age, and truthfully, look a heck of a lot better than the Original Girls. I never used to go topless around the house before, but I do now. DH says they feel real to him, so he's a happy camper. I still have Barbie Boobs (no nipples) but am planning for 3D Vinnie tattoos when he comes to California.

    I'm so sorry that in addition to BC, you went through the loss of your marriage. And the speech you've gotten from men you've dated is just, well, let's just say it's their loss.

    I do know there is a thread about dating after mastectomy (without recon) but I'm not sure of the title.

    I think that right now you need to be very good to your sweet self, and understand that you DO have choices. Even if you wait until the time is right (in your heart, in your gut) those choices will still be there.

    Hoping you find the information that will bring you peace....

    xoxoxoxo


  • NewStart52
    NewStart52 Member Posts: 2

    Thank you Blessings2011, for your kind reply. My only options are implant or stay flat or foobs. I have some fat just on my stomach but not enough to use to do any other type of reconstruction. I stayed completely flat for just over a year. I was fired my my job the day I returned from my second surgery. I found a lower paying job in the same town, 10 months later along with the separation from my husband, my new boss retired and I had to get a new job in a new city and move. I felt very self-conscious and vulnerable, so I started wearing foobs. I want to be able to choose clothing based on my taste and not on what works with foobs.or flat. It hurt so much to go through the 'I don't think we are right for each other' speech (twice) after what seemed like very good beginnings. Then my soon to be ex-husband tells me this weekend that he has a new girlfriend and he hopes will get along well when we have Christmas dinner together with our grown son. The last thing I want to see is my ex with a new woman who has boobs! Thanks for letting me vent. There was a lot of loss associated with this journey and no one can understand that who hasn't also been through it. I will check out some other threads as well.

  • Funclassygal
    Funclassygal Member Posts: 27

    Thank you Nancy - appreciate the positive feedback!


  • aviva5675
    aviva5675 Member Posts: 836

    I said from the beginning Id do implants but if at any point in the process there was infection, lost a te etc,Id stay flat and not mind. For me the process has been pretty easy. I freaked myself out before bmx by reading the TE Trouble thread, but they went in fine (I mean- bmx recovery fine), then recovery, fills for a few weeks, and 6 weeks wait til exchange. BMX was Aug 23, my exchange was Jan 20. I found out after bmx also that they should know what type of implant to choose te. I was worried about that but my ps seemed to feel it would work out either way, and it has. My original implants were 410s and I swapped to rounds in May. Some minor pocket work but nothing horrible.

    But everyones decision is their own. Our breasts don't define us. If you stay flat, go bigger, go smaller--- we are survivors and strong women. If you start out flat there can be reconstruction down the line if you so choose.


  • sunflowercat
    sunflowercat Member Posts: 37

    Just curious if anyone has had too big a fill and went back in to have some saline removed? My fills have been fine so far: 200cc at surgery, 60ccs at 6 weeks post op, 110 at 8 weeks, 60ccs at 10 weeks and this last one was another 60ccs putting me at 490ccs. My TEs are 500 and I am in so much pain this time. I've been stretching, had a massage, seen the chiropractor, using heat/ice and nothing is helping the pain. I took my last flexeril yesterday and spent most of the day in bed. My PS won't give me any more muscle relaxers (the ones I had were from my BMX in August). To be honest the muscle relaxers didn't really help that much either. I have an 8 hour car trip tomorrow and the idea of traveling in my current level of discomfort is not appealing. I don't want to be miserable for the holidays - we've got a lot of fun stuff planned for the kids. I'm contemplating asking the PS to remove about 20ccs from each side todayto see if it helps. Has anyone done this? If so, did it help with the pain and muscle spasms?

  • noonrider
    noonrider Member Posts: 203

    Doggon it! Another setback. Not bad, just adds more delay in my fill process, which is frustrating to me.

    Over the weekend I had a suspicious area show up along the scar line of my right side. This morning was supposed to be a fill day. I have been getting 75's with no issue at all, so was going to ask for 100 this time. Jumped in the shower quick before I had to leave for my appt. Get out of the shower, dry off, and my towel barely touched that side and it burst open. UGH!

    I got to me PS's office and she did a scar revision right there. She removed about a 2 inch square area of skin that was too thin and not very healthy, plus a blood clot that was sitting behind it. The pocket were the previous seroma was has shrunk down to nothing so that's good! Also my TE has rotated again. Its still ok just something to keep an eye on. (I ruptured my previous TE on that side) So, no fill for at least two weeks. I'm sitting at 325 on both sides right now, with my goal being to get to 600.

    I wanted to be done with fills by Christmas. My PS wants the TE's to 'rest' for 8 weeks after the last fill. Getting done by Christmas gives me surgery the end of Feb, so I could go on a vegas trip and be able to swim by the end of March. I need to learn to not get my hopes up for anything because it just never works out!

  • vfay49
    vfay49 Member Posts: 51

    noonrider, Sorry to hear that you had another setback! You are truly a warrior! I don't think I would have handled it well if that had happened to me after showering. I hope things improve for you going forward and that you are able to enjoy your Vegas trip!

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938

    noonrider. So sorry. But it is better to heal before going farther in order to not get even farther behind. That's the sad part of this. Have you visited the TE Trouble board? There are a lot of people there who understand this.

    Much love

  • happyteacher
    happyteacher Member Posts: 45

    I took it for a while. I am 6'2'' tall and weigh about 185 pounds. I was started on 20 mg. It took me a while to figure out what the side effects were for me, as they were atypical in some regards. I did have mild hot flashes at night at times, but just enough for my girls to get a kick out of it. The problem was my eyes- they really hurt. I have a prosthetic eye and that was not an issue- but my one good eye felt like a grape that was being squished. I had a really red eye also. My oncologist ended up cutting the dose in half, and check a few weeks later to confirm if I was in the therapeutic level or needed to go back up. Ended up that even at the half dose I was well within the therapeutic level- odd since I am a giant! The lower dose was not nearly as hard on the eyes. Other than that no issues with it.

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938

    Hoping everyone is doing well! Getting ready for the holidays and welcoming my first grandbaby! So Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Yule, and any other happy wishes.

  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 1,801

    Congratulations on the upcoming new grandbaby, Moon!!!!! Now THAT's cause for a celebration!!! ThumbsUp

  • anothernycgirl
    anothernycgirl Member Posts: 821

    A new grandchild! How exciting!! All good things ahead for you Moon!! Smile

    Wishing everyone here all good things, too!


  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938

    My first grandchild, Felicia Rose arrived last night.

    image

  • babs6287
    babs6287 Member Posts: 1,619

    Congrats-and such a pretty name!!! She's beautiful. Enjoy her-there's nothing better than being a grandma!!!

    Babs

  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 1,801

    OH, HOW PRECIOUS!!!!!

    Congratulations to all....

    xoxoxoxoxoxo

    p.s. Glad you planned your nail polish to match your sweater for Felicia Rose's first picture!!!!! Winking

  • noonrider
    noonrider Member Posts: 203

    Hey! Look at all that hair she has!!! We can all be jealous. LOL

    Congratulations on the birth of your grand baby. She is beautiful!

  • anothernycgirl
    anothernycgirl Member Posts: 821

    Grandma Moon!! What a little doll you are holding!! Congratulations to you and all of your family!!

  • moonflwr912
    moonflwr912 Member Posts: 5,938

    Thank you all! She is precious. All my babies had hair like that. She was a week early and 8 and a half lbs. If she stayed another week she would really have been a big baby! LOL. My biggest was 1 week late and 10 lbs 4 oz. My DD1. My DD2 was a whole lb more than her little one just born, and my 4th was 9.1. Thank goodness my 1st was early and small or I wouldn't have the other 3 or a grandbaby yet! LOL.

    And I'd didn't really plan on the manicure. I treated Felicia mom to one for her bday on Monday. Lucky they don't remove it for the birth like they used to! LOL

  • sunandsnow
    sunandsnow Member Posts: 17


    Congrats on the new grandbaby! So very sweet!

    I am hoping one of you ladies can help me. I had a nipple sparring mastectomy on 11/4 with 250cc inserted at surgery. I have gone for 3 fills. I go every Monday morning. 30cc, then 40cc, then 50cc. I have been getting along fine with my TEs. I am almost to my normal self. Able to go to dinner with friends, enjoy kids acitivities, do some driving and just getting back to myself.

    Well this Monday I took my husband to be tested for the flu and we were there 2.5 hours so I missed my weekly fill. Once we got home it was me immediately taking on mom duty ( 7 and 10) since he was so sick and trying to nurse him back to health. After going to 2 walgreens in 5 hours and driving 20 min each way downtown twice on Tuesday I was so stiff I was in a lot of pain. I called my doc and they had me come in. The doc that saw me wasn't my doc but he thought right looked a little pink so put my on a daily antibiotic. My regular nurse didn't agree with him and told him I was always pink but went along with it. I'm taking it in case. Wednesday and Thursday my daughter was home sick. She tested positive as well ( so more driving, more nurse mom and another doctor visit) she went back to school today because she had a flu shot months ago so wasn't near as bad. So far the prophylactic Tamiflu has been working for my son and I. But it has been exhausting the last 4 days. I have also been sleeping on the couch so I don't catch it.

    Anyway I tell you this because I am misearable and want to know if any of you have experienced this or have advice. The thought of going in for more cc's on Monday almost brings me to tears. I don't want to get out of bed or do anything I am so miserable which is so unlike me. My chest is so tight and uncomfortable. the vallum and Tramadol are not working. I have an arsenal of drugs here so should I do Percocet at night? Or 600-800mg of Ibuprophen? Or just a few regular OTC. Any thing you guys can afvise from experience. Do you think I just overworked myself or do you think there might be another issue? Love to hear your experience. Thanks ladies! 

  • horsemom
    horsemom Member Posts: 31

    Erinjmp

    I'm a week ahead of you (10/27). Been feeling good. On Monday I did quite a bit, nothing too heavy, just a long day of "stuff". I have been done with fills for about 10 days. I was soooo sore, tired, and just exhausted. I cried in my car after one of the later stops at the grocery store. I also have kids - 13 yr old twins. One that I've been running to the hospital for X-rays and castings for a broken arm.

    That night I took a Valium and a couple of ibuprofen. I have not been sleeping well but felt much better the next day.

    You're going through a lot more than I am. I think you need to get a bit more sleep, take a pain pill, and delay the fill. There's no rush. I personally don't think you should get a fill anyway if there is any question of infection.

    I am not a health care professional and am purely basing this on my experience.




  • sunandsnow
    sunandsnow Member Posts: 17


    Momwriter:  Wanted to ask how yoga was going? Saw your thread. I was just doing my post surgery exercises (which I am awful about doing) and went into childs pose (felt great on my back) and was so tempted to dry a down dog but knew better. Curious how yoga is going?  Wonderinf if I will ever be able to do a side plank or even a regular plank. I love yoga and am really missing it.

  • sunandsnow
    sunandsnow Member Posts: 17

    Farmerlucy: For me the best way to describe it is if you have ever had a baby I feel engorged. LIke I haven't seen my baby for 3 days and need to get the milk out or pump or something. That's how  I feel anyway. Somedays more than others.

     

  • sunandsnow
    sunandsnow Member Posts: 17

    horsemom: I hate that you are feeling that way but it makes me feel better to know that I am not the only one and that you are a week ahead of me even. One evening my chest was so tight i felt like I couldn't get a deep breath and I was in so much pain I thought I might be having an anxiety attack. I shut myself in my closet and cried it out. It helped.

    I take vallum pretty much twice a day. I have tried to cut back but the pain becomes miserable again and I just sit there like a bump on a log grimacing. I will tell you that I have not been diligent with the exercises they sent me home to do and I did them after I wrote my post and actually feel 30% better. And yes resting is needed. I still feel like a need a good two hour nap per day. I lay down just to rest and am out cold for 2 hours.

    Did they send you home with an exercise sheet? Do you do those? I thought they were dumb because I am moving all around all day bit It actually felt like it helped.

    And I agree on the fill. Anxious to see my regular doc. He only does post mastectomy breast reconstruction so he is very conservative.

    Best of luck!