TEs. A Beginner's Primer
Comments
-
Hello. I just had my TEs inserted on Thursday. I spent one night in the hospital and came home yesterday. I feel great as long as I don't try to get up or walk. I'm having stabbing type pains, seems like more on the right side than the left but they're kind of intense. PS said to expect more pain than BMX because this time they were putting something in rather than just taking stuff out but I wasn't expecting this stabbing feeling and am wondering how long it might last? I had 60 (what ccs?) put in during surgery, which If I heard her correctly is 1/4 full. Yikes..long way to go
0 -
I think it's different from person to person as to how long it lasts, but the stabbing pains are normal. As long as you have no redness/swelling and are not running a fever or have chills, it's pretty common. I would think for at least the first several weeks... I just had my exchange and they reminded me of the same thing "remember, stabbing pains are normal".
0 -
Thank you Alexa and congrats on your exchange!
0 -
OK, I'm almost filled fully, a little less on the left than the right... here is my question, can one of the tabs come 'un done'? I have a valley like appearance on the left from about where the nipple should be going toward my 'cleavage' area. The dog ear that had been there next to the ribs is now bigger and the hard part, where they inject the saline, feels like it has moved under my arm. The one on the right, seems to still be at about 'high' nipple as it always has. I hate my TEs and how I look, so I rarely look, and shower with a buff, so I don't have to feel them, but I put lotion on and noticed this. I have the Mentor CPX 9100, 650cc
0 -
Now that I'm flat if would give anything to have my rock hard expanders back. I have so much loose skin now, including my back. It's so gross. I have Ameona prosthesis but they are so heavy and hot. The expanders are still in just completely emptied so they wiggle around now. I look ok in clothes but seeing myself naked is horrendous and very hard on me. Rads starts this Thursday.
0 -
Hugs to love my coasters and knm. Good luck with RADS love. And hang in there it will end. Sorry you have to go through this. Knm, yes tabs may come undone. The P'S will know if that is the case. It does get better
much love
0 -
Moon, is it a problem if the tab comes undone, besides just being uncomfortable and looking odd? I see the ps and the nurse on Friday to discuss size and when to do exchange, but should I call them earlier?
0 -
I would call so they know what's going on and you will get peace of mind. Nothing wrong with a quick doublecheck especially if the ps can allay any fears you might have.
0 -
Ladies who now have squishies... Once the TE is swapped out, is it 'normal' to shave your armpit? I'm having the hardest time, because if I raise my arm to get in there, the whole TE moves and it is uncharted topography. Also, does any one have helpful suggestions as to how to shave my underarms? I'm just using my regular daisy razor, maybe I need one of these new fangled ones.
0 -
I haven't yet because I'm only one week out. I was thinking to do it tonight. On the cancer side, I was always told no razor except electric. I struggled with that nonsense for years and now I usually use a Venus razor and really good shave cream. There is always the risk of LE but at 10 years out (now 19 years out) I decided to chance it. So far so good... I sometimes have to use a nose hair trimmer in that armpit though, because when they took out 13 nodes they left quite a hole! I've even had it fixed a little but it's still pretty deep. You will learn what works best for you. Besides, European women don't shave, maybe we can take a "shave-cation"! Lol
0 -
No squishies until mid-July for me. Could have done exchange next month but frankly I can't wrap my head around going back into surgery in a couple of weeks and summer works better for me. My TEs don't move so no problem shaving, but huge problem trying to get back in shape. Almost everything I do with my arms hurts, even though last fill was early Jan. I'm trying to exercise with light weights and am really frustrated.Typing this while on a treadmill. At least my legs still work. Oh and PS looked at me like I was crazy for for trying to get back into the arms machines at the gym. She said her patients don't lift after BMx. I could get physical therapy referral but don't see the point until after I recover from exchange.
Scottie
0 -
Ilovecoasters, what about getting some Knitted Knockers to go in your mastectomy bra? It has pockets for the prosthetics, right? You can google knitted knockers. I think there are posts around here on them, too, maybe on the living flat section?
0 -
knmtwins and AlexaP,
I use VEET (sensitive skin formula with aloe) lotion hair remover for underarms, and I shave my legs. My doctors approved.
0 -
for shaving the underarms I'vee been using one of those small electric shavers for facial hair. It's been working great! Especially around the ridges I had under my left arm (11 lymph nodes removed
0 -
Scottiemom11. My best advice for u would to get yourself to a phys therapist who works with bc recon patients. I had my bmx in early Jan and have completely regained my range of motion. She said that if u wait it is harder to regain the range. At first the exercises she gave me to do at home were difficult but it got easier and now I have little restriction. Back to weights in the gym. Lower weight but still feels sooooo good. The pt did fascia stretching some deep tissue massage a little Rekii. I felt better a few days after the first session!! Seriously. Take advantage what a good pt can teach you. You may not need it after your exchange.
0 -
Back when I was in the TE phase (and had no armpits - just the 'batcaves'), I found a Groupon for laser hair removal and that was the best $99.00 I ever spent. It was a series of six treatments, and after the first two or thtree sessions, there wasn't much to laser. In fact, I still have two sessions left. Trust me, your armpits do reappear after exchange, and things will get back to normal eventually.
0 -
You should DEFINITELY get physical therapy if you can. I was SO miserable with my TE, it was huge 850cc and pressing on nerves, my whole armpit, shoulder and elbow locked up. After ONE treatment with PE i could feel a difference. I would not have gotten through the exchange surgery as easily as I did if I hadn't gone through PT beforehand
0 -
Hi friends,
I was able to get prosthesis. They are Ameonas, size 8 which on me is a full D. Larger than I wanted but they are comparable in size to the expanders when they are full. Since my PS won't consider my exchange until October I will have my expanders in a full year. The prosthetics are so heavy and hot. Hoping I can handle wearing them during rads.
0 -
I wore amoena size 8 for a long time. I found that nursing bras and tanks are very useful in keeping them in place. I got them at Walmart for like $10 and they come in white, grey and black. I still use them, I like the extra stability in the tanks. Give it a shot and see if it helps.
0 -
I used an electric razor for about 8 months then just decided to use a regular one and be very careful. For whatever reasons there is less to shave now than before, so its not like Im in there daily hacking away. I used the electric tho (wet in shower) tho til I could psychologically deal with the concept of regular one.
0 -
Saw PS today. He wants 2 more fills, so in the 700cc range. Says, it does appear that the expander has pulled away and separated from the tab near the sternum, but nothing to worry about. Says exchange May / June, as that is what they are booking right now, and that maybe more anitomicals will be out by then. I guess he's not happy with the projection of the current ones on the market. My husband says end of June so we can do my son's birthday party... in other words the big party we throw for all of his relatives to come to. We will have a 200 mile trip 3 weeks later for his neices' wedding, so I hope I'll feel OK. I'll need pocket work, some lipo under the arm and the tummy, as he fat grafts. I just realized, we didn't talk about nipples at all. OOPS
0 -
Hello Ladies! I have a question before I royally freak myself out any more and the tears really start to come! I had a bilateral mx on Jan 28th....I've had my fills done (3 of them - each 60cc's each time all done within 3 weeks) not this issue - mostly I have been emotionally "ok" - for some reason today I was looking at myself in a mirror and started to freak out with how my TE's are placed....the right side is placed "sideways"...it's not flat so it sticks up pretty awkward, the left side seems to be placed more towards the left, while not sideways it's not "flat" either. So with a shirt on it look like two pointy things going out to the left and rights sides....I was looking at pictures of others with TE's (I know I shouldn't compare) and they look SO much better than mine....my question is...does anyone else have awkwardly placed TE's? Thank you in advance!
0 -
Mrs Tee ... mine seem to be positioned fine, but from what my PS says and what I've read a lot of that can and will be "fixed" at time of exchange. Same w/the prob knmtwns is having w/tab coming undone & TE rotating. Mine rotated on the left side and is fairly flat on the bottom & bulbous-like on top. Not exactly the look 'm going for! ugh. But my PS assures me this will be corrected ... exchange is next week so I hope so!!!
So relieved to hear someone (above) mention that the "bat wings" go away after the exchange. If it's what I think it is, I will be very glad. Makes shaving under arms a challenge. But I'm wondering how it goes away because isn't it your muscle above the TE (later, the implant) that will always be there sticking out now? Or does it just soften some??
0 -
Mrs Tee - I did pop a stitch repositioning my self in the recliner at about week 3 and that was very painful. It did cause my left TE to be rather 'wonky' during the expansion process (under arm boob). Fortunately, my PS said he could tighten that back up during the exchange. So, I think there is a lot they can do during the exchanged surgery, but, we should be very careful once we get our implants. I know I will be!
MidLifeCrisis - I hear you on the shaving under the arms. It's so challenging. I just decided that if someone could see anything I missed, they were too close.
0 -
Try not to think of how the te look/are placed as anything like the implants will be. They are there just to create pocket space. The ps will fix it all up at time of exchange. I needed lipo but he wouldnt do that until few months after exchange. One thing at a time. But that was my guy, so others might be different and do more things at exchange time. The lipo was the most painful part!
0 -
I'm not sure if I should post it here, or on the TE Trouble board. I saw my PS this morning. I've had few fills so far and now it looks that my TE is sitting too high up and it doesn't look like it will drop. I will need a revision surgery and PS would like to do it asap, but I am undergoing chemo now; I have 8 more weeks. I'll ask my oncologist, but I doubt he'd want me to undergo surgery while on chemo. Any thoughts, experiences?
0 -
My left TE is up higher than the other one and my PS said that he will lower it during exchange. Did your PS say why you can't wait until exchange?
0 -
I suppose the difference between my TE and my "good" breast is too big to wait until the exchange. My exchange won't be until the fall.
0 -
I'd stuff your bra to make them look similar if it is THAT bad, but I don't think I'd do any surgery during chemo. Chemo was BAD.
0 -
You can be fitted for a mastectomy bra and prosthetic - right now I have a 650cc implant, which is immovable, on the right and a crater on the left where the implant was removed - matching up the size difference is a challenge, but not impossible.
0
