TEs. A Beginner's Primer
Comments
-
Oh yeah TEs. Sigh.
Yes uncomfortable is pretty much the normal thing. That's why so many are happy for the exchange. Don't worry about placement of the TEs. They are there only for stretching the skin. The PS does his work when placing the implants. Under the armpit does seem to be where a lot of them like to hide. Although they are tacked into place and cant migrate too far!
The Alloderm can feel like an iron bra. That's pretty normal. Also I felt like I had a broken rib from mine for a couple of weeks.
Please remember MX single, double, needed, or prophylactic, is still a major surgery. Try to relax. Don't overdo. Too much drainage is a sign of overdoing it. Remember, our mantra here is "Just because you CAN, DOESN'T mean you SHOULD!" And, please give yourself time to heal. You had an amputation! Sounds much more impressive, doesn't it? And yet that's true. Just because we are women We try to Keep going normally when we need the time to heal. Gift yourself with it.
As for redness, some is normal as is some warmth as your body heals itself. BUT take your temp and keep checking. At the first sign of stitches popping out, opening of the wound, or drainage from the incision site, call the PS. Take a pic and ask if you an send it to your doc. Don't wait. If you run a fever of 101 or more if your doctor is not in go to ER. Infection is not good thing.
Much love.
0 -
Hi all. I haven't been on in a while. If you can believe it I only got my first fill today! I was to go 2nd week in November but got super busy with work. I've promised the PS to see her every 2 weeks from on now. I kind of wanted to be totally healed from the TE placement in my mind anyway. No pain to report with only 60ccs though. I'm going to try 100cc next time.
I know a lot of you are experiencing pain and discomfort with these darn things, It must be so much harder I'm thinking with the MX/BMX and TE placement right away and dealing with TX of various kinds all at once. The quicker you're done though the quicker you're feel more comfortable.
TE wasn't even offered to me at the time of my MX. Then 3 years later I start shopping PS and various types of surgeries, even that took a year. Feels like yesterday but it's been 4 years on 12/14/15
0 -
Hi MLB! My 4 year anniversary is Dec 8. I imagine that a TE placement now is more akin to implant placement this far from MX. Which is a good thing! LOL. My fills were 100 cc at a time until the last 2 fills - I had just a mild discomfort. Then the 2nd to last was atrocious. It took me a week of pain pills to be able move my arms gain. The next fill was only 50 and my last. That still hurt though.
Remember, low and slow is the way to go.
Much love.
0 -
new_me, thank you for the encouraging words.
Elocin, I totally get what you are saying regarding the lack of sleep. It is so hard to feel well when you are exhausted.
0 -
Moon
You were a rock on our board back then. Man we let it all hand out didn't we! I thank god for all you gals back then. Wouldn't have made it through without you hun
0 -
And I without you and the rest of our board. I was so glad people hung around to help me as a newbie. I wanted to do the same . Hence this board. The TE Trouble board, while a font of great info is intense for those just starting with TEs. It's there if problems develope but this board is meant for those who are just starting the TE journey. Hopefully on the Express Train with NO Scenic Detours! LOL
Much love
0 -
Has anyone had Mentor brand CPX4 tissue expanders? They are marketed for improved patient comfort. My surgery is not yet scheduled but I'm worried about the pain and discomfort of TEs.
0 -
Hi Grandma3X welcome to our group! I understand what you are experiencing. I am 17 days post op bilateral mastectomy. That surgery took 3 hours (included sentinel node biopsy on each side.) Then the plastic surgeon came in and placed tissue expanders on each side. This added 2 hours to surgery time. The PS filled each expander 250cc. I was sore for the first few days post op. Pain easily handled by percocet. After a week i switched to Advil which did the job. I had 4 drains after surgery. 2 were rremoved at firsr post op at 4 days. The other 2 came out at day 13. I slept in a chair until the drains were gone and have been sleeping blissfully comfy in my bed surrounded by a nest of pllows.
My TEs are round pancake shaped. Do not know make/model the fill port is in the center. As i said i started with 250cc. I will have my first fill next week. I expectvto have 100cc in each. It is my understanding that the sooner the TE expand the less the inner discomfort. That is why my PS started me at 250.. the external tightness is handled with pain reliever. Having the expanders isn't painful but they are an odd sensation for sure!
0 -
Thank you new me! It's reassuring to hear stories like this. I know that each experience can be different, but was beginning to second guess my decision to have reconstruction.
0 -
Grandma! Welcome! I had MX with reconstruction Oct 7. My PS put 300 in during surgery. I woke up with cleavage. Haha. So far I have had 3 fills. Not too bad. The only problem I had was extra fluid behind my TE that my body was not absorbing very well. It had to be drained once. My fills are not painful because I am only getting 25cc each time. It's also numb where the fill goes in so I can't feel it. I wear a Cooby bra and I am even in clothes. The first month was a little rough but I took pain Meds. You can do this!! Good luck and hugs!!
PMR53
0 -
Thank you PMR53! There should be a thread called "No horror stories here!" for us newbies.
I'm also regretting the name I chose (grandma). I love being a grandma but it's making me feel old
0 -
Grandma - i love the name. I am going to be a first time grandma in February. You should not feel old!
0 -
Grandma3x,
Welcome, I have Mentor TEs, I don't know the model number. They have been very comfortable.
I did not have reconstruction at the time of my BMX, my PS and BS do not like to have both at the same time. Especially since I was not having radiation, there was no need to do reconstruction first. Plus I already had 33 year old sub pectoral silicone implants that were left in at BMX for "place holders".
I had the TE surgery 4 weeks after completing chemo. I had more discomfort with this surgery than with BMX or second ancillary node surgery. However, the pain was manageable with 1/2 a Norco at night and Tylenol during the day. I believe my increased discomfort was from having the old implants removed which was quite involved. After 2 weeks I was drain free and able to sleep on my side :-)
I have had minimal to no discomfort with the fills. PS recommends taking a muscle relaxer before each fill. I am at 550 ccs with 600cc TE's.
Thunder7
0 -
I am now 4 weeks post op BMX with tissue expanders and have no pain on the left (the cancer side) but have some periods of sharp burning pain right around incision site on right. I have had sharp pains occasionally on that side since i think i strained (with constipation) and did something. It only started after that. The incision site looks good but if i touch there it is tender also. All drains are gone, i don't take anything except muscle relaxer in am. I can raise arms and move around ok although of course have tightness and iron boobs. Anyone else experience same? I go back to work in a couple weeks and am scared about lifting when still this sharp , stabbing pain that hits occasionally. Also when i bend it feels like something pops out like it had folded and came back out in original position. Don't really know how to describe it. Not painful just weird feeling. My PS is not concerned but the popping just started and will check with him at appt in 2 days/
0 -
One thing I would recommend for everyone new to TE's is to ask for a referral for PT. Just 4 sessions made a world of difference for me. I had tightness, ROM issues (though not bad) and PT helped me so much.
0 -
Hi Robyn. The popping sound/feeling is most likely the TE folding on itself it's not usually a problem and self corrects when more fillings go in. . Also it could be the Alloderm support they use to help hold the TE up in place. The incision pain can be nerves shooting, burning pains as they try to reconnect. I remember once I had a burning start at one end of the incision and it felt like zipper all the way to the other end. Not fun. But that usually goes away after a bit.
Oh and Grandma? This is the non horror story board. LOL. But one thing everyone should know is no one has the same experience. No doctor chooses the same implant or the same aftercare. It's ALL individual. When we talk about things it's always based on our experience and yours may be quite different. Some doctors use bindings after sx, some dont. Some want bras 24/7 some dont. Some want massaging of the implants. Some don't. So always ask your doctor if something is bothering you a lot. Most of us do "low and slow" if we can. Meaning not to much on fills and waiting in between fills. My own fills were 100 cc each fill and my fills were 2 weeks apart.. Until 2nd to last when it caused pain. A l.ot so my last only 50.
Much love
0 -
Thanks, Moonflwr - my surgery is scheduled for Jan. 13 - UMX with TE (left side). I asked for nipple-sparing surgery but I'm still on the fence about that. If it's just for show, I may have it removed to be on the safe side. Did anyone here have the skin removed where they did the biopsy? I would like to bring this up with the surgeon, especially if I don't need rads (which would take care of any rogue cells), but I'm not sure how common it is to do this or if it's even a big concern (seeding from needle track).
Kathy
0 -
Hi Grandma3x,
I asked my PS today what type of TE's I have, they are Mentor Artoura high profile 600cc. They are new to the US. He and I are both really happy with them :-)
Thunder7
0 -
Grandma- I had UMX with TE. I am glad I had them take the whole thing. They found DCIS right by nipple. This was far away from 5cm original tumor ( I had chemo too) the tumor was broken up and there was no invasive anywhere. ( thank you chemo ) I don't want to sway you one way or another, we all have a different path. After Exchange I am getting a Tatoo. No more surgery for me I pray.
PMR53
0 -
Hey I just had lunch with my cousin and she said one of her TEs leaked and came out her drains. Has anyone ever heard of this happening
0 -
owlwatcher. Someone here on he boards did have a defective one. But hers was toward the exchange date so the PS just kept filling it til later. If your she still has drains I bet the replace it fast. But a lot if drainage can be caused by doing To much.
Grandma, nipple sparing surgery really doesn't save much of the nerves. Usually it is just numb. Also getting the nipple to match the natural breast isn't easy. But some people do have good luck with it.
Much love to all.
0 -
Thanks for the response moonflwer. That makes sense. Also pain and "Popping" sensation are already better. I have had my 2nd fill since then and was 100cc that time. First was just 60cc. So that could have helped. The fills not to bad so far. My 3rd fill is actually tomorrow and hoping it will go good as well. I do take my muscle relaxers before and later that day also though to help with discomfort. I also have been going to PT which seems to help stretch arms out. My PT also says if i have more muscle mass and better cardiovascular health it will help me get through chemo with less side effects. He is so awesome. He had a daughter go through this awful disease in her 40's also so he is very concerned about his cancer pts.
Good luck ladies.0 -
I'm about 11 days post rads. All of a sudden my TE is pressing into my arm pit. I'm in a fair amount of pain. Do you think it's the continuing shrinkage of my tissue after rads
0 -
Molly it is possible. Mention it to your Radonc and your PS. It's possible it just popped loose a bit. Sometimes they don't stay exactly where they were placed. They correct that during exchange surgery. Also they say rads continue to burn up to a month to 6 weeks after the last session. Hugs.
Much love.
0 -
I am at six weeks since BMX and TE placement. I had a lot of bruising and swelling, plus I had areas that needed a debridement which was done two weeks ago. I am healing now, and bruising and swelling has gone down a lot.
I had an appointment with PS on Thursday. I told him I am having a problem with the left TE. It seems to me to have shifted towards my armpit and it sticks out a little bit from the side. When I move my left arm, I feel I'm brushing against my breast. Even worse is that TE is also poking me in the middle of my breast. PS said he could see it poking out on the side just a little bit, and it would be corrected at exchange.
Then it was time for my first fill since surgery. Not too bad. He added 60 ml, so now I'm at 480, and my breasts are rocks again. I know that's normal.
However, first thing every morning since then (granted just two mornings), the muscles over the left breast spasms and really hurts. It also bothers me a bit through the day, but that first thing in the morning is by far the worst.
Anyone have any experience with this?
I am so tempted to push at my armpit to move the TE back to the center. Could that help?
Mominator
BRCA2+, wife, mom to 3 children of various special needs, musician, volunteer, 54 yrs young0 -
Mominator. . .I had to take muscles relaxers and pain meds for a day or two after each fill due to nerve pain. Also my TEs would sometimes shift a bit and sit on a nerve. I would gently push on the edge of it and it shifted back. I went almost 8 months between BMX and EX, however, I stopped the fills after 2 months so I had the same volume 275ml for 6 months. PS got 300 mls in at EX and I'm still very happy with outcome after nearly 5 mos. Good luck and talk to your PS about any concerns.
Scottie
0 -
I had bmx dec. 4th. Also, 10 years ago I had segmental mx and radiation and last year I had a mastopexy on the good side in an attempt to try and match them back up. A lot of good that did. So the issue now is the lack of skin.
The PS got the te's in during the bmx but was unable to fill them due to the tight skin. I also have vertical incisions instead of horizontal. My sutures are still in and he wants them to stay for awhile since the skin is so tight. My question is, has anyone had successful expansion with a similar history? I'm nervous that this wont work. I'm assuming that the attempts at fills will be small and spread out. How much can your skin actually stretch?
0 -
B ethl, I'm sorry you had a rough time. This stuff isn't easy is it? My incisions are horizontal so I can't help you there but if you want to see some examples, you can go o Vinnie's website. His nipple tatoos show all kinds of incisions under the tats. That might help you picture the end results for you in a real way. You could also try to access the picture forum. I think you contact Nowheremom. Sorry I cant link on my phone. I'm getting a new computer soon though!
Hugs and much love.
0 -
Merry Christmas! Hope everyone is doing well. Enjoy the family time.
Much love
0 -
thanks for the advice. I went on vinnies site. Wow, he's good. Do the te's ever stop hurting? I feel like I have heavy, cold, plates in my chest. And they're not even filled. I swell above them when I lay down, so I sleep in a recliner but after a nap today it feels like I might be more swollen. Is this normal, and does it last until they're exchanged?
0
