TEs. A Beginner's Primer
Comments
-
Yes, sloshing. After BMX, I was what you might affectionately call concave even with 100ccs in each - because they had to remove so much more skin than they'd initially expected, my surgeon likes to tell me he scraped me down to the bone.
And I believe him. The expanders were in place, but it seemed to take forever to fill them so that they looked like anything that even remotely resembled a boob. I'm tall and thin and was never a very big girl before all of this (34C) so filling those TEs up was a process, and yes, during the early days there was sloshing!
0 -
I'm trying to think how long it was after my BMX and TEs that my foobs were making sounds like Rice Crispies..... PS said it was normal.... ho hum!!!
0 -
Iwannaseeyoubebrave...my brother has a house at Lake of the Ozarks...I love it there!!! If I could find a way to live there year round and keep my job here, I would so do it!!! I have been known to be there for up to 10 days and never leave the house unless it was by boat!!!!
0 -
I had sloshing too after my lumpectomy...I had a seroma that sloshed so bad it sounded like a waterbed when I walked!!! I had to be careful who I walked next to,some times others could hear it too!!!
Freaked my husband out so bad he called the MD before I got up one morning!!! LOL!!!
0 -
When the PS is creating the pocket, he/she has to make it fit the particular size of your TE exactly to keep everything in place for the next three or four+ months until your exchange to implants. The kind of TE you have will fit only certain implants. That's why it is crucial to make your implant decision before your TE's are placed. If you change your mind, the pockets will have to be revised at the exchange and that adds recovery time. (And pain.) I've had pocket revisions on both sides, twice on the right and three times on the left, and I can tell you it is no fun. I feel extremely sore on the bottom couple of ribs and around towards my back. Sometimes it's worse than others. Surgery #4 was easy because my PS used lots of Exparel, but after surgery #3 (before I knew about Exparel), I was sure the PS had whacked me with a baseball bat on my ribs.
Sometimes your own tissue is too weak to support the TE or the skin flap is too thin, so the PS uses one of the dermal matrix products like Alloderm to supplement your tissue when he places the TE. Other times the PS uses Alloderm at a later pocket revision. Many of us have never had Alloderm. Although I have no personal experience with it, several women on BCO have said that Alloderm hurts on the bottom of the implant and the lower couple of ribs.
0 -
hi all,
Have been AWOL because the crazy BCO automatic spam detection software blocked me! Feeling increasingly sore and uncomfortable now I am back at work full time. Can't work out if it is the chicken fillets in my mastectomy bra compressing me or the TE. Sick of being tired and uncomfortable (and grumpy!).
It is however reassuring that others are in the same boat. And I haven't walked into door frames or had audible sloshings. Do feel paranoid that everyone is staring at them though!
0 -
During my "awkward TE phase" I wore a lot of lovely scarves. Worked like a charm. As things got more full I was fine in my Genie bra with the foam pads. The pads really helped to round/smooth things out. Then we had to expand lefty more than righty in the end. And she was heading southwest...so I went back to scarves, jackets, etc.
0 -
I have alloderm, honestly, if my PS hadn't told me he was using it, I don't think I would even know it's there.
My sister - same surgery, ten days after me, different surgeon - doesn't have alloderm and has had more pain than me for a longer time than me. Who knows why?
Every body and ever surgeon is different. It's really hard to compare. Actually, it's probably good that there are so many of us here on the board, because at some point we will run into someone with the same issues. It's hard not to compare - but you never know if the situations are the same once you get into the details.
Have a great day!
0 -
thanks Dulcigirl.
Definately going to have to start with the scarfes a bit more. Tried the long heavy necklace (as a distraction) but it kept bumping and getting sore!
0 -
I have Alloderm too. I had no idea I did, until recently. Never bothered me.
0 -
Hi ladies,
I haven't scheduled my exchange surgery yet, I have a few more fills to go. I just wondered, if you need revisions, pocket work etc is that done during the exchange or after? If after, how long do you usually have to wait to do it?
I am hoping to have my exchange between June 22 and July 22. I may be done w fills on April 22. Does this seem realistic for time frame between my last fill and exchange? I am hoping to have exchange between those dates so I will be healed and ready to return to work in the middle of August. If I had the exchange in late July, would that give me enough recovery time to go back to teaching in the middle of August??
0 -
Everybody is different, but my exchange was on a Thursday & I was back at work on Tuesday. It was a breeze. I finished my fills in late August/early September and had my exchange in October. So your timeframe for that seems realistic. I think it depends on your PS.
0 -
Hi, Mommyathome... I'm retired, so I didn't have any deadlines.
As far as "pocket work" this is a term that is usually associated with Exchange. Once the PS opens you up and removes the TEs in the OR, he or she can inspect everything inside...and make whatever changes are necessary to accommodate the implants. This might include removing scar tissue, doing additional suturing to muscles, or even extensive narrowing of the pockets that were created during MX surgery.
"Revision" usually refers to procedures that are done a while after Exchange.
Some women find that after BEING PATIENT
for months, and letting their New Girls heal, that they still do not have the outcome they desired. This is not unusual, and many women have had revision surgeries. Sometimes this involves a second opinion; other times the original PS goes in to make the changes. Ladies have had minor defects removed, or even swapped out implants for smaller or larger ones.0 -
Out of four surgeries in the last 7 months, I've had pocket work four times. The first was the BMX with permanent implants so obviously the pockets were created then. The second surgery was to remove the left implant and a lot of necrotic tissue and put in a TE...more pocket work there. The third surgery was to exchange the TE back to an implant, but since we changed the type of implants to gummie bears from rounds, and they were smaller than the first implants, both pockets had to be redesigned to fit the new foobs. The fourth surgery, 2 weeks ago, was to work on muscle repairs on the left and to fix the left side because the implant had done some bottoming out due to a pocket too weak to support the implant. The implant was removed, the pocket reinforced, a new row of stitches placed, and a new same size implant put in.
Any time they are messing with the pocket, you feel sore along your lower ribs.
0 -
sandra - did you ever feel extreme pain in your xiphoid process? That's the little cartilage tip of the breastbone, in between where your ribs meet, and what they tell you to be careful of if you do CPR on anyone.
I swear, that little area hurt more than anything... I was wondering if the PS attached everything to that area!
0 -
I know the Xiphoid well, unfortunately. But not from any of the breast surgeries. I had my gall bladder removed about 11 years ago when they were still using the "open wide" method. They had to use rib spreaders to get to it and even ended up cutting into the xiphoid. It did not heal right and curves up now. They said surgery to fix it would be painful. (Gee, no kidding?) That was a miserable recovery. Previously had costocondritis, which is an inflammation of the cartilage in the sternum...ouch, ouch, ouch. You can barely breathe with that. Finally, I have a serious allergy to narcotics and have flat lined (coded) several times. I woke up one time on a gurney headed up to ICU with a male nurse straddling my chest and pounding on it with CPR. "I'm awake!", I shouted. "Stop that, you're killing me!" That cracked up the doc and nurses in the elevator. Glad they were entertained. I ended up with two broken ribs and a bruised sternum.
0 -
YIKES!!!
0 -
YIKES INDEED!!!
Sandra, I'm really having trouble wearing a bra because the band hurts my ribs. Do you have any suggestions?
Alice
0 -
WOT, go without a bra. I did after the very early surgical bra stage. My PS did not require them unless I was running or doing something that would jar them. If yours does require a bra, I've heard many people swear by inexpensive Genie bras from Walmart, Target, etc. or soft camisoles.
It's also possible that what you are wearing is the wrong size for you. You can go to a professional fitter and find out.
0 -
WOT - Sandra's right - as usual.
(If you hang around here long enough, you'll find yourself saying 'Sandra is right...' A LOT!) Free 'the girls' and see if that helps.... 
0 -
My PS doesn't want me wearing a bra at all right now. Which is a good thing because my ribs are really sore on one side where I believe he did a lot of pocket work. In fact, he said I really won't need one throughout the entire TE process since these puppies aren't going anywhere. However, with his approval I'll probably start wearing some type of coobie or Genie bra (I have about 10 of these), so I can line them with the small foam insert they come with and make things look a little smoother as I go through the expansion process. Good chance I'll be lopsided for awhile since my rads since is going to take longer to expand.....wearing a bra that can be stuffed will certainly help under these conditions.
0 -
Some PS insist on tight ace bandages for a week or two, then compression bras 24/7 for who knows how long. I don't understand it. It's totally opposite to what my doctor advises and he's an experienced and well respected surgeon too. I searched on my own to find some studies to support (ha-ha) the necessity of a bra during the TE phase or in order to ensure optimal healing after the exchange. Other than the preferences of different doctors, I didn't find a thing so I asked my plastic surgeon. He said as far as he knows, there have been no studies. If there were, he would insist on it with his patients. He said that except for certain situations, bras are not necessary. If a patient feels better in one however, she should wear one - as long as it isn't an underwire. (Some doctors insist their patients wear ONLY underwires.
) He does say that if you are going to run or do vigorous exercise that will make you bounce around, you should wear a supportive sports bra. If bras were so necessary to the successful outcome after mastectomy, don't you suppose that information would be universally accepted? I just don't understand it. I'm not against bras and wasn't looking for a reason not to wear one. If he had said to wear one 24/7 so gravity couldn't compromise optimal healing, I would have said that made sense. But he said other than certain circumstances, gravity isn't an issue. I was just puzzled by what I've read about other PS's rules and wanted to understand why mine was different. The same thing holds true for a hundred other differences between plastic surgeons. Don't you think there would be supporting documentation on the internet for all these things or at least a standard of care? It makes my head swim! My PS told me that contrary to my previous three surgeries, I would have to wear a bra for awhile after surgery #4 two weeks ago. I have had repairs done to several muscles from the front of shoulder down to the side of my left implant, as well as well as some repairs to the left pocket. The tissue was thin from the beginning so this time he wants to keep any pressure off the healing muscles. In a couple of months it will be up to me if I continue to wear one.
0 -
Thank you!! I have been so confused about the bra question. My PS didn't say anything one way or another until I came in for my first fill & I had a seroma (which by the way I never understood what makes this a complication instead of just the result of removing drains too soon). Anyway, then she said I needed a tight bra for compression. After she left the nurse wrapped me in a tight ace bandage. It hurt!!!! I wasn't able to stand it for long & tried tight bras which I don't think did much to eliminate the fluid - it just flowed to the area of least resistance. They drained fluid at the first & second fills. The remaining fluid is now pretty much gone. I guess it just took some time.
I have found a lot of this process confusing. I think there should be a manual. The "Missing Breast Manual".
0 -
WOT, fluid build up isn't good, not only causes pain, but can lead to seromas which can get infected, and cellulitis, which you don't want. Infection can lead to loss of TE or implant. Can also lead to loss of muscle and soft tissue, further surgeries, more chance of infection...none of these are good. Anything that goes wrong is a complication. Having to have fluid drained is a complication. A fever is a complication. Hot spots on your skin are not good. Red, pink, or at least in my case, lavender colors are not what you want to see. Oozing incisions, even tiny ones, pinhole spots that won't heal, discharge with odor...the list goes on. There are lots of things that make those of us who've been there-done that nervous.
0 -
I'm with you Sandra, on the bra issue. My PS is very experienced and well-regarded. One of those that consistently makes the various "top doctor" lists. After my PBMX and TE insertion, I woke up in a surgical bra that he told me to wear for about a week to "let the sides heal" and after that I could wear what I wanted or none at all. After my exchange, he had me in a front closing sports bra for about a week to "protect the cleavage", then after that I could do what I wanted. For exercise, he said to wear a decent sports bra, preferably one that crosses in the back, with the band tight and high - kind of tucked under the bottom of my breasts. Not to protect the reconstruction he said, but to prevent soreness from bouncing around. He said with natural breasts you generally get sore on the tops if you bounce around too much, but with implants, the soreness would be at the bottom near the ribs. He tells me at just about every check up that no matter what I do - exercise wise - I won't damage anything. He did not have any opinion one way or the other about underwire.
0 -
Ha - ha, SarahJane, I think we have the same doctor!
0 -
I think I'm confused on just what a seroma is. My drains were removed after fluid was less then 30cc for 2 days. Then fluid started to collect in the bottom of my breast. I was aspirated twice & the remainder absorbed with time. Was this a seroma? It's not a problem now, but I'm curious.
I'm so paranoid about complications. I have to have rules on how often I take my temp & look at my chest.
0 -
AT LAST - A USE FOR THOSE CRAZY TEs!!!
0 -
blessings, love them!
Going for my third (and hopefully last) expansion tomorrow and suspect I will be there (except for he blong bombshell look)
0 -
Shoot, when I had a bodacious TE, I didn't have to lean back in order to balance a cup. Seriously!
0
