TEs. A Beginner's Primer
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Hi All. I have one more fill to get me to 690cc's. That is a 15% over fill to get me to where I was before. My exchange is scheduled in April.
My PS told me to use coco butter on the scars. He said he has seen others use more expensive scar treatments and obtained the same result. I ordered organic butter from Amazon and I was surprised when I received it - it was a block of butter! Not really useable in that form. I went ahead and ordered some Shea butter and essential oil and vitamin E and made my own body butter. I have been using it for a little over three weeks and the results are amazing. I am now on to making lip balm and other types of butters. It is super easy and I really like knowing that everything I am putting on my skin is organic.
JJ - do take it easy with the vacuuming. A little over two weeks after my BMX, I busted an internal suture on the side close to my arm just rearranging myself in the recliner. It hurt like crazy and as I have been expanded, the TE is sliding under that arm. The PS said he can fix it during the exchange, but, it looks really wonky!
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Won't the PS reduce / fix some of the scars during your exchange?
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Has anyone had experience with getting a therapeutic massage with TEs in? I'm dying to have one!!
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the scar strips sound like a good way to go because the treatment would stay on the skin longer than an oil don't you think?
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thanks for the suggestions for lotions and scar strips. Right now I'm most concerned with the stretch marks that seem to be happening because I know my scar will be redone at the exchange. I bought Palmer's cocoa butter today and I ordered on Amazon DermaRestore, which got great reviews for helping with stretch marks and scars. Here's the link if anyone is interested. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DLRNSSK/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I hope all of this helps because I'd hate to go through all of this to have breasts with stretch marks all over them!
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When TES are put in and not filled are they flat?
I asked surgeon how much they put in at BMX and he had no clue.couldnt tell by just looking at them.they just filled them as much as they could.
Anybody else having rads?
I will get first fill at 5wks post op and after have rads at some pt.im worried they will try to put in too much and it will hurt like hell. When did ur rads start after surgery? And we're u filled to max before starting rads?
Also does it hurt when they fill? I have a port and it hurts when accessing it even when using EMLA. Doc said I don't need to use anything beforehand but I don't trust him. I'm very sensitive and starting to get worried
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Dancing - I'd think they'd be pretty flat if nothing in them. PM PinkNinja, her PS couldn't fill hers as her pecs were too tight. The surgery hurts like a b-tch, stay on top of your meds, have someone spend the night at the hospital with you, as I was too sore to push the nurse call button. By noon the next day, you will be SOOOOO much better, but that first night, YIKES! Did my TEs hurt, who knows, the whole thing was painful, but I did a reduction also, so was on the table for 7 hours then puked for 4 hours in post op, so chances are, I was worse than many. I've never used ELMA for my port, I always have them use the numbing spray, so I can't tell you. Mind you, it hurts when they access the port, but just for a moment or two. For fills, it hurts when they put in the local anesthesia, but my nurse has said that I have good nerves ... makes me wish sometimes that I'd kept the nipple on the prophylactic side. Then they stick you to see if you still feel anything, then maybe more anesthesia, then a little pressure maybe. You feel the fills later when that wears off, as it is pushing on the muscle. I take my muscle relaxer and 2 Aleves later that day.
Dancing - your signature line says surgery on Feb 5th, but it is the 26th???????
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twins, no I had surgery already on the 5th with TEs, they are filled slightly because they r not flat, was done at surgery and now in 2 wks I will get the first fill post op.
Why do u think I'm getting surgery on the 26th?
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KnMtwins- they give you local anesthesia with your fills?
The fill needles are nothing compared to when they access my chemo port. Omg it's horrible. I use emla AND numbing spray and still cry every week. It's just so bruised.
My TEs have taken on their own zip code. They are too big and so uncomfortable. I'm overfilled to 860 right now. PS wants to add 40cc more just on Cancer side.
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I never had any type of local for TE fills. I have an exceptionally small chemo port and use both EMLA and freezing spray and never feel the stick.
dancing - they will usually fill TE to some degree because they need some tension to gently get the skin to adhere to the muscle and form a new blood supply. There is no standard amount, but the TE may not look flat even with no fill because of its inherent shape. This is what they commonly look like:
I would assume they want to fill you as rapidly as possible prior to rads - I am not trying to scare you but radiated skin doesn't stretch well and there is a significant failure rate with implant reconstruction after radiation, so even if it is uncomfortable you might want to consider maximizing fills.
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love that picture- seems like they put a sunny side up egg in us!
I got 100 cc at the bmx. Enough so they werent flat but not so much itd be painful. The idea of filling them as much as possible or even much more than 100cc during the implantation of te's sounds horrible and I would strongly tell my surgeon that you do not want to do that. Also first fill after 2 weeks sounds fast, so discuss that as well. Low and slow is the way to go. These are my opinions but also from being on the boards for 18 months, seems to be the way most women go with the least problems.
The needle at the fill seems long and awful! But actually its not so bad- they dont put any emla or local anasth. at the time- they find the te hole with a magnet and then its a small stick. Often it would be where I have no sensation any more anyway, so no pain. Then you sit there while they fill you...Some women take a pain killer or motrin before they go.
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I think it depends on individuals. My surgeon put in 200ccs at surgery and I think he easily could have put in 300. He filled me 100cc at each visit and I only slowed it down after I started having back and arm problems after we hit 800ccs - turns out my axilla was just wonky from surgery and since I'm right handed it affected me more than I thought it would. Having chiropractic and physical therapy has helped and I'm up to 850cc now. But for someone else, going as fast as i did would not be possible...
I think it kind of stinks that when I had cancer, the nice lady showed up and showed me arm exercises 18 years ago. But this time, since my pathology was negative, no one showed up... No cancer (Big YAY) but I Still had a mastectomy! A little help would have gone a long way... But that's a different subject...
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Hope everyone is doing well today!
I was wondering if anyone has or has had problems with hypersensitivity with their breast tissue after BMX with TE's. My breast tissue is so sensitive to the touch, it is a weird feeling that I compare to hitting your funny bone; not pleasant. I will be 5 weeks out from surgery this Wednesday, a little concerned about this hypersensitivity problem. I am trying to massage the skin more, but it is quite unpleasant! Just wondering if anyone else has had this problem? If so any ideas on what worked for you. As for these TE's......still feeling like I am wearing a 25 lb steel corset across my chest! I think I will be happier having the TE's taken out than I was having the drains removed! Crazy stuff
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your nerves are regenerating where they were cut/damaged in surgery. If you had nodes taken you might have the same sensation under/along your arms. This should resolve after awhile. I had it under and along my arms for a number of months. But ask your dr when you see him next.
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JJ47 - I will be 4 weeks post surgery on tuesday and I have the same sensitivity issues. I really don't like massaging my breasts b/c the sensations kind of creep me out but I've been trying to do it at least 3x/day. I feel like things were going really well for the first 3 weeks and I was seeing a lot of improvement, but for the past week I don't think anything has changed and I'm getting frustrated. I haven't had a fill yet and I'm not sure my doctor will do one at my next appointment if I still have the sensitivity and some pain. How long will this last?!! I'm starting to feel a little depressed b/c every morning I think I will wake up feeling much better and then it hits me that it's the same...
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Thank you aviva for sharing your experience. Hard to know what is my new normal and if I am healing the way I should. I see my PS tomorrow and will ask him more about it.
Jabec you made me smile when I read your explanation of massaging your breast tissue because that is how I describe it to my husband and friends, it totally gives me a weird creepy sensation. It is a hard sensation to explain! I will just have to keep at it no matter how much it creeps me out ! Also I completely understand where you are coming from right now, you are a little less than a week behind me with surgery date. I too thought I started to feel better and then it seemed like I just stalled. I expect to feel farther along and am frustrated with my body. I haven't even been able to drive yet and the sitting around is hard. I have found that the very cold weather is not helping matters, it makes my pec muscles tense and then spasms start. I have days I feel depressed, not an easy time of year to be sitting around, but I just remind myself that I will get there and then I look for the positives in my situation. I am also working on being more patient with myself. The last few days have been less painful and my ROM seems improved. So hang in there, it will get better; that is what I keep telling myself! I am thankful for this website and the ability to talk with people who have been down this same path or are on it now, helps me feel less alone.
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JLF: I haven't visited this board in a few days and it looks like you didn't get an answer on therapeutic massage. If not, I'm in the done with fills and waiting for exchange category. My PS gave me a prescription so that it's covered by insurance for PT/Massage therapy and I am going to a place that specializes in breast cancer. The massage portion on the pecs (TEs by default), arms and back has made me feel like a new woman. Some weeks I went the day before and the day after fills. Keep after the PS until you get the prescription!
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my ps advised me to do message therapy and for me to massage moisturizer into the scar tissue areas to try to soften it. We are hoping this might help the area of scar tissue stretch more so that the dent I have might fill out a little as I get filled. I sure hope it works. I find the cold has a big influence on how much pain I have - on the metal corset feeling, as well. I had a kind of buzzing or electrical current feeling around my under arms into my back after mx for over a year. I now have it in my neck and shoulder since the TEs were inserted. I am trusting that it will disappear in time just like it did after mx. I actually had this sensation in my thigh after an auto accident where the nerves were damaged. It took about three years for that one to disappear so time is the healer.
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Thank you howdidigethere! I will ask today as I'm seeing her for a fill. Also, I've noticed my ROM has actually decreased. It was really good up until a few days ago so I'm not sure what's going on there. I was able to raise my arm over my head but now all I can manage is a "salute". Maybe the scar is shrinking or something? In any case I will speak to the PS and ask. I've been told it's too soon to really start exercising and I still need to take it easy so I will need a little guidance to make sure I'm not locking myself up.
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Is it unreasonable to ask for muscle relaxants after a fill? I asked last time and she really did not indicate this was something they do. Pretty much Ibuprofen and stretching. Am I being a wimp? It gets pretty darn tight after those fills as you all know!
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JLK, it is not unreasonable at all to ask for muscle relaxers during the full process. I found them very helpful and much prefer taking one to a pain pill. I would keep asking. I think you will find many here who have used them and found them helpful through this process good luck.
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JLF- My PS encourages me to take my muscle relaxer. If I didn't have the muscle relaxers for my fills I would be so upset because the fill I had last week was extremely painful and the spasms/cramping made me cry( I should of taken the full dose of Flexaril instead of half the dose)
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thanks Gatorgrl and trailrose. When I told the nurse this is what I had seen on the Breast cancer.org group discussions she said "don't believe everything you read" and indicated they do not prescribe muscle relaxants with fills. Bummer. So after yesterday's fill (managed by staying home and taking ibuprofen) I have one to go so I'll manage
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JLF: I was initially offered valium and told them 'my head game' was ok. The nurse laughed and said that valium is one of the best muscles relaxers available for the TE expansions. I only need 2.5mg (1/2 of my 5mg.) most of the time with the ibuprofen and then as things get better I eliminate the valium For me the ibuprofen initially doesn't cover the pain. My last fill (final) was the mother of all fills and I took valium for several days! They only give me 20-30 at a time so they can monitor use. LOL. Be demanding!
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Sorry to say but your PS does not sound very compassionate. I was on muscle relaxers and was offered Valium on top of it for same reason - muscle relaxation... If your dr is truly going to be a butthead about it, you could try to take magnesium every day. Magnesium (by itself, not with any other vitamins or minerals) is a goo muscle relaxer. But it does give some people the runs, so if you use it, be aware!
And I agree BE DEMANDING! What you are requesting is NOT unreasonable!
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jlf, you do need to be firm. Tell her if you ant have muscle relaxers you want fills of only 25cc. Every other week. Yes it will take longer but it should not be torture.i bet you get the relaxers because your P'S won't want o deal with 25 fills. But the choice is yours. My fills were 100 or ore up till my last. My 2nd to last really hurt. I was not expecting it a had no pain up til then. After i told him he cut back to 50. I had yo let him know.
Others who have the sensitivity issues, hugs. It should get better. If your ROM gets worse tell your P'S it could be scar tissue or possible cording or even swelling . Should be checked on though.
Much love Hugs to all
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Moon, you say it so much better than I do:)
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Thank you! The good news is I have one fill (in 3 weeks) to go at 25 ccs then I'll be at the max for my TEs (350ccs). I am going to give the nurse the feedback though because I had to take a day off from work after my last fill. I've stabilized now though thank goodness...
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Glad to hear that! Hugs to all and much love
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everybody doing ok? Hope so! Much love
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