TEs. A Beginner's Primer
Comments
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12 years! Wow I can't imagine having these things that long. I'm so anxious for my exchange (not scheduled yet).
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This thread is pretty quiet recently. The site was acting up but I hope everyone's questions are answered? Everybody ok?
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I'm 2 days post surgery and don't feel any of the tightness that others have noticed. Not much pain at all really. I'm not sure if the PS put any saline into the TE - I look pretty flat. Drains are not bad - I can see them under my skin, but they are not painful or bothersome (yet!). Slept great last night in the recliner. I woke up at around 5 am and took a couple of Tylenol but didn't feel any pain. Overall, I think this whole experience was much less painful than I had anticipated. I want to thank everyone here for your support. It's always great to hear from women who have gone through this without too much pain, and I'd be happy to talk about my experience with any of you who are waiting for surgery. I contribute my lack of pain to the pain management I had prior and during surgery. My anesthesiologist gave me acetaminophen, Celebrex, and gabapentin just before surgery, and I also had the paravertebral block, so did not feel anything for about 24 hours after surgery. Tramadol is the only narcotic I've taken since then, but just one each day mostly to ward off pain. Tylenol seems to do the trick.
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Grandma 3X - it is so good to hear that you are on the other side and doing well! I wish you a speedy recovery!
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Grandma 'that's amazing. Hope you heal quickly and have easy expansion.
Scottie
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I got my pre-op calls from the surgery center today. Among the things the nurse mentioned was the surgical plan: Allergen 410 anatomicals, extra projection, and there will be "left pocket adjustment" done. I'm so glad I told PS I am having problems with the left TE. Although he didn't make a big deal about it during our last appointment, he had the nurse make a note about it and it is part of the surgical plan. Another thing he didn't talk about was size. Nurse said that there will be several sizes available and the PS will discuss with me and we will then decide. Apparently, PS likes to talk right before surgery.
I am sooooooooooo looking forward to getting rid of these TE's.
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Mominator - how exciting! I can't wait to hear all about it. i am tentatively scheduled for March 4
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Grandma- so happy it's Over!! You sound amazing and strong. Prayers for a smooth recovery!! Just remember to take it easy. Really. I took meds and felt good and way over did it.
Hugs to you all and have a great weekend.
Patty
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GrandmaX, my experience was similar except for the pressure from the TE. I felt much better after my first fill. You are doing great! Btw, Celebrex is such an amazing drug. I had it after a car accident and it managed my pain so well.
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Grandma so happy it went well!
Mominator, a date! Whoopy!
Newme So glad you're getting there. Yay for progress.
Much love to all
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Thanks, everyone! Patty - the camisoles are great - thank you for sending! Also thanks for the reminder to take it easy
I was thinking of doing some housework today, but maybe I'll just put my feet up and relax for a few more days. 0 -
Grandma3x: relax some more. Have the hubby, kids and grandkids all wait on you. You deserve it.
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new_me/Diane: I'm happy to see you here! How is your expansion going?
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Question: those of you getting fills- do you drive yourself to and from your appointment and are you able to go back to work right away afterwards? I talked to someone yesterday who said she had fills on Fridays and usually didn't (couldn't) go back to work until Tuesday or Wednesday. I've heard they aren't fun but I wasn't planning on all that.
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Hi Ringelle! I had no problems with fills but I may be unusual plus I had umx not BMX.
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Ringelle, I had no problem whatsoever with the fills. The first time I took Extra Strength Tylenol in advance but I really did not need to, so for the other appointments I did not. I drove myself to the appointments and went right back to work. In fact, in my case the fills helped relieve the discomfort of (what seemed like) sharp edges of the TEs against my chest wall and rib cage. Good luck.
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Ringelle: From what I've read on this thread, people's experiences vary widely. Had LOTS of anxiety before the first fill because you don't really know what to expect! Fear of the unknown! My doctor and her nurse did sort of a tag team approach for the first fill, with each of them talking to me and asking questions to distract me while they each used the magnet finder tool and marked me and cleaned the areas and it was over before I even realized what happened. I had an easy time with fills, and the first one actually relieved some of the sensation of hardness in my chest. I took a Tylenol an hour before each appointment and took it for the rest of the day (just in case); my PS had provided a prescription for Flexeril, but didn't ever need it. Driving home (2 hours) after the appointment was not a problem for me. The next day there would be a mild sense of discomfort in my upper back (go figure). I received 100 cc's to each TE every Friday for 5 weeks in a row. Each session was slightly different as the TEs shifted some over time so the ports also moved around a bit. Sometimes you may feel the initial poke of the needle, but IF you do, it only lasts only a second. Watching your expansion progress is fascinating.
Keep in mind that YOU are in control and can request lower volumes per fill or longer intervals between fills depending on how your body reacts.Wishing you a successful, painless fill experience . . . . and the same with everything else in your recovery!
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Thank you for your replies. Up to this point in my recoveries I seem to be on the less pain/discomfort and fast healing track. I hope that holds true this time. I'm glad to hear there is a variety of experiences.
Another question: anyone here having delayed recon? I'm curious if you see your PS at the pre-op?
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Grandma-glad you are enjoying them!!! I did something stupid after surgery because I was taking pain meds and felt "good". I packed up my sisters house 2 weeks after MX. I thing it caused my Seroma and subsequent pain and slow healing. So remember just because you can it doesn't mean you should. Just take it easy for 4 to 6 weeks!!
Patty
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cheddiecat - i'm with you. I look forward to the fills and i watch the saline go in and the expander get bigger. I get 100cc in each. My husband comes in with me and he thinks it is so cool. As he commented after the first fill "wow, i have an inflatable wife lol"
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Grandma - awesome that you're doing so well! I did not, honestly it was worse than I thought it would be - pain wise. But I'm 6 weeks out now and back to work, feeling much better. Still take it easy. I had an excisional biopsy the end of August. I felt great and a week or so later was doing yardwork and lifting tree parts and lugging them into a pickup. Stupid I know. A few days later I ended up very sick. Seroma turned into infection turned into 5 days in the hospital. It's hard for us to sit still, but it's necessary. My first fill is this Wednesday and planning on going to work after, and meeting with oncologist a few hours later for my first lupron shot. Perhaps I will premedicate!
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Thanks, BethL - I made the mistake of accidentally lifting a pot of stew off the stove last night with my mastectomy arm - and I'm paying for it today! I have a red "no-no" arm band from the hospital. Will need to start wearing it again just to remind myself!
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Yes. ALL of you have to say the mantra with me now: Just because you can, OESN'T mean you SHOULD!!!!!!!
Its something we all needed to remember. You are still healing inside even if you feel amazingly well. One of our ladies has a story to tell about what happens when you try on a article of clothing and cant get out without causing yourself pain. Please think about what you do before doing it. It may save you some pain.
As always everyone is different and so are our Plastic Surgeons. Do what your Doctor suggests because they know your circumstances and problems. we can tell you what we did, what worked for us, but keep in mind its just that. Some will feel pain at first till the fills relieve the nerve pain. Some will not have any pain, maybe just an ache. Some will feel the pain later as the fills get harder to put in because the skin and muscle is stretched so much. Some of us will hit the doorframe while going through them sideways! LOL Just hang in there!
Much love
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Had my second fill today and owwwww ... very uncomfortable. She put in 100 ccs each side, so now I'm up to 200 each side and only have one more to go. I don't know how anybody stands more
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Paxton, we're all different. I was given 420 ml fill during surgery, but it was the 60 ml fill that bothered me a month later. Who knows? Maybe I was still numb from surgery? Maybe it was because my TE shifted. Talk to your PS about any concerns.
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Hello lovely ladies. I'm home recovering from my exchange. It was a bit harder than I expected.
Despite scopolamine patch and two higher dose Zofran tablets before surgery, I woke extremely nauseous and very dizzy.
Pain is only slightly less than mastectomy. I had hoped for so much less. Surgery was over 2 hours, although for exchanges my PS usually takes just1.5 hours. I think PS had to do a lot of pocket work for both sides.
Right drain put out 50 ml of fluid and left put out 40 in the first few hours, so I'm glad that PS gave me drains.
My hubby and two daughters have been wonderful. I've been resting and I did manage to eat a little applesauce and toast.
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hi Mominator! So happy to read your post and that surgery is over. I am sorry that you had a rough go of it. But just think ... it is over! This prophylactic endeavor has been completed . You made the wrenching decision to sacrifice your perfectly healthy breasts and ovaries to ensure that you will never have those cancers. What an awesome gift to your family
Love and warm hugs diane
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mmominator, it is still surgery! And with a lot of pocket work, lots of drainage is pretty normal. But, I'll bet you'll be feeling much better much faster. I know my BMX was 4 weeks on hydrocodone. But all the TE placement sx were much faster recovery. I think i only used the strong stuff for a couple days not week. Wait a week nd you'll see.
Much love to all.
PS: I have a new computer so I am adding links to my post up on top. I started with Implants 101. I'll add Exchange City and TE trouble. Any other ones you want or suggest? Thanks.
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Moon - How about a link over to whippetmom's thread? (It might be helpful for some of the girl's toward the end of their time in TE's...)
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topics/746448?page=1
OOPS! I just realized you've already got that one...
How about the BRAS 101:
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topics/753120?page=185#idx_5523
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Hello everyone! Here's a question to those who have their implants already:
Have you heard of having different size implants between the two breasts?PS had met with me right before surgery and we had agreed on FX410410, which is 410 gm. He said he would be using the sizers to check before he put in the implants. But I'm reading through the paperwork and I see that my left breast received model FX410450, which is 450 gm, and my right breast received FX410495, which is 495 gm. The right breast does seem a bit bigger than the left.
My right breast has always been larger than the left (during mastectomy 812 gm was removed from the right breast and 666 gm from the left), but I was expecting to receive the same size implant for both breasts. PS did a lot of pocket work in both breasts, as both breasts are really sore and have been putting out a lot of fluid in the drains. I saw the nurse yesterday and I will see the PS tomorrow.
So, any ideas??
I'm not upset nor angry at anyone. I'm just really surprised.
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