TEs. A Beginner's Primer
Comments
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I guess not everyone sees their PS for fills? My PS is always the one that does the fills and the exams. I really like him and he does beautiful work. I can't wait to see the end result.
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Hello everyone and welcome to our new people. Sorry Ive been missing in action.so glad everyone has been helping each other out..
Someone asked about BP and blood draws. Do you still have your port? My Drs all use my port for my blood draws and even my PCP will order tests and wait till I have others I need to draw with the port. I even had the anesthesist use it for my knee sx.
Mych love to all
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Molly, my PS did my first fill and then told me for the next few I could see nurses. He said he was comfortable with his nurses doing them and their schedules are more flexible. I then saw the PS again and we talked a little about my goal size and exchange surgery.
A few weeks ago I asked a question about knowing when you've reached the right size. I just wanted to say thank you to those that responded. I realized I hadn't acknowledged your kindness! The last couple of weeks have been crazy for me between the start of school and illness (first kids, now me).
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hi all,
My drains were taken out on Friday! The plastic surgeon said I'd feel a little pinch. That's Dr code for a ton of pain I guess! It hurt so much! I am so glad they are now gone though. It seems like the pain is a little bit less intense. I still have the burning pain, but it's more in the outer edges near my under arms. Also if I try to carry anything heavier than a cup of water...I'm wondering when I'll be able to lift my arms above my head, or lif things, open drawers...drive?
Oh, I did get a small fill on Friday as well. I saw my plastic surgeon for about 10 minutes and a different PS did my fill. My chest feels tight, it's such a strange sensation.
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bonniebleu,
I have awful pain with my te's as well, and I'm only at 250 cc. I have constant spasms, so uncomfortable. I am taking more intense pain meds though, and muscle relaxers which help...but I still feel it consistently all 24/7.
I hope you find some relief from the pain, I know it's awful
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I've read that some of you are doing exercises recommended by a PT. I haven't been referred to a PT yet. I'm wondering how long after surgery you started? I'm 3 1/2 weeks post op and still can't really use my arms. Everything is tight and sore. I wonder if PT would help relieve some.of the muscle spasms? When I try to do most anything with my arms I get spasms...PS doesn't seem worried about the pain.
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blueorange, i had my bmx with te just under 5 weeks ago. every week gets just the smallest bit better. i havent seen PT, my surgeon thought i would regain my range of motion on my own. i guess we will see. the first 3 weeks were the worst though, the fourth i finally felt like i was moving forward until i got my last fill. yikes. i felt like i was back to square one. my chest felt so tight and i felt like i could barely move my arms. it has gotten better after a few days. the mornings are terrible, but as i get moving it quickly gets better. surprisingly the burning sensation has subsided with the last fill. i just keep trying to stretch my arms a little further each day. i can definately relate to the spasm. wakes me up in the morning. im hoping the tightness goes away with the exchange.
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I had PT after my MX in January, with my first session about 4 weeks after surgery. I wasn't sure how much it would help, but the first few sessions turned me into a believer! They gave me stretching exercizes to do at home and I met with a PT 3 times a week for 3 weeks. It helped immensely. Ask your PT or BS for a referral. I think most insurance will cover it, but it has to be ordered by your doctor.
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Aviva5675, I was reading your post and I started to laugh. I don't know if there were restrictions or not on the amount of lifting for my PS. He had no choice because I had an accident a week before my TE surgery. I broke my right foot on the fingers and calcaneus bone. That obliged me to use my hands to move and to go to appointments with walkers. Beside the intense stabbing pain in the chest at the site of the surgery, I still have pain in my right foot due to fracture, on my left foot and knee because of my body weight, and in my forearms and hands because I have to use force to move myself. Since calcaneus fractures take time to heal I still have to use walkers to move in or out of the house. Well, I think I am doing the exercise my RO told me to.
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Just back from my last fill...now at 800!
Feel let down in some way...guess I had gotten used to the rhythm of fills and having regular check in's with the PS...plus just found out that my swap date will need to be pushed back a couple of weeks due to a conflict with the PS's schedule. So unless I have complications/complaints, I don't have another appt with the PS until December!
Was going to have the swap at the start of the Christmas recess so as to have recovery time before the spring semester started up...now will have to wait until January, so instead of 4 weeks will have 10 days before I start teaching again. I know that should be fine as long as all goes well...but feel a little let down and concerned that I have burned through my "recovery buffer" due to a scheduling conflict.
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Trmtab, I'm sorry..I can understand as I have also tried to be very logistic with my surgery scheduling. Is there any way for you to take some time off and push the surgery up, instead of delaying it? I scheduled my exchange for 12/5, and will miss a couple of weeks of work, but have plenty of time to recover during winter break. I'm a lunch lady, not a teacher, so my job is physical. Hoping for a better solution for you!
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Hey all - I thought I'd check in. With school starting, I've been crazy busy. Last Tuesday I had my last fill, putting me at 660 ccs. Thats 210 bigger than I was last time although its weird that I don't think I look much bigger. The profile is different and they cover more chest space but I don't think they project too much more. Thankfully I have had no pain with these fills. Some discomfort but nothing like I experienced last time. I have been pleasantly surprised. Don't get me wrong - they are still TEs with all their glorious hardness and no give. I will be eligible for exchange in mid-December but most likely will not do it until January or February. Right now it all depends on another surgical procedure I may have to have for something else (seems like my pelvic floor has become jealous of all the work and attention that my breasts have gotten and are looking for a piece of the action. Unfortunately, when they speak up, you can't help but take notice)
I hope everyone is doing well.
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Ringelle, That's great you are comfortable with your TE's, but stinks you have other stuff to deal with. Best wishes as you gather info.
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Ringelle, so glad things are going well with you. Pelvic floor surgery is no fun. Hopefully you aren't dealing with prolapse. My PS is not happy. My TE's look beautiful. Probably a few more fills to go since I insisted on going slowly. He's unhappy because right is lower than left and seems to be filling lower. He has me wearing an underwire bra with the right side pulled tight. I think it's because I had radiation on the left. Either way he can fix it during exchange but will require more work. I still don't have any pain just tenderness.
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Molly, glad you are not in pain. Although I haven't had the discussion with PS, I'm guessing my exchange will require more work too as one of my TE's has turned and is vertical instead of horizontal. Do you have a date for your exchange?
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Hi Wildtulip, no date yet. I think he wants to do it as soon as possible but I want to wait until late January. I have a 5k I am running in mid January plus I have no more FMLA time.
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How long do most plastic surgeons like to wait between final fill and exchange surgery? Mine seems to have a pretty definitely minimum of 3 months between last fill and exchange.
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mom2.... Mine wants minimum 3 months too. I am counting down the days!
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My PS only wants 6 weeks if you have no complications during fills. I waited 8 weeks for exchange and everything has gone great so far
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mine says 2 to 3 months
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Mine says 6 weeks but we will see. He is done filling me but next is the "overfills" to get some good stretching out of the TE's. Since righty is drooping I now have to have alloderm with both implants. Does that mean I will need drains?
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I am having my exchange 2.5 weeks after my last fill. I am also 230 cc over TE capacity. Right now my pain is mostly during the night, when I lay in bed, other than that I am doing OK, no painkillers, no advil...Good luck everyone !!
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My PS does not put a time frame between last fill and exchange surgery, but I had an LD flap and he likes to do exchange 6 months after flap. (Regardless of when I have last fill.) I'm going in for a fill next week, and I think it will be my last. My exchange is 12/5 so it will be 2 months from last fill to exchange.
Molly, I don't know the answer, but I hope not, for your sake!
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I am 4 weeks post exchange and I can tell you sleeping has gotten so much better. I can now semi sleep on my side, I put pillow behind my back, hug another pillow and ANOTHER pillow between my knees. Lots of pillows but it works. I also have a small pillow that I still put underneath my arm that keeps it raised off of my side and from squishing my implants together.
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Oh my Alex. That sounds exactly like me! I actually take a mild sleeping tablet right now to help me stay asleep but I wake up often to move around and adjust my pillows. But I still have TEs. I sure hope my implants are more comfortable. On Oct 5 I see my PS (a new one for me since my original one took another job far out west). I think I'll probably be having exchange done in Oct.
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Glad to hear everyone is well on the way to Squishy side. And thise who got them are enjoying them.
Molly, more pocket work can mean drains,but not neccesarily. Even the PS wont know til he gets in there. But if you need them, chances are they willout much sooner than during other sx.
Im sorry Ive been out of touch. My grand daughter shared her cold flu with me and it hit me hard. Still coughing 2 weeks later. Fever broke only 2 days ago. Been doing so much of mothing, not even watching TV. Or i should say watching whatever is on and too worn out to change the channel. LOL.
Much love.
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Hugs Moonflwr, our household has been sick too. My special needs DS got very sick after my DH had a horrible cold, then I got a cold and now I have had DGS all weekend while he runs a fever. I hope you feel better soon.
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I had double mastectomy with TE placement about two weeks ago. I have been pretty much sleeping sitting up since then. I have a temporary setup in our living room recliner, but since it seems unlikely that I will be able to sleep more reclined anytime soon, I am contemplating a more permanent furniture move and moving furniture out of my bedroom for a recliner, etc. Before I do, can anyone tell me how long it was after surgery before you could sleep comfortably in a more reclined position or a bed? I would love to get back to my bed, I thought maybe once the drains came out, but its definitely the pressure from the TE's causing my issues at night. Also, I know I will be getting radiation, so I am on a more aggressive fill schedule to get done before then. So wondering if maybe once the fills are done (which actually should be a in a few weeks) things will start to settle?
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hi Meg,
I could probably look back at my posts to find out when I could start sleeping flat, but my guess is maybe a little longer from where you are.
I had a pillow ramp in my bed. I would often slide down it while I slept and would wake up from the discomfort of my TEs. Then I'd prop myself up and start over again. Eventually I'd find that I had slid off my ramp and was laying flat without pain.
I'm sure that it occurred a lot while I had fills and being able to sleep more flat came after fills were complete.
Now sleeping on my side was another story! Some have lots of luck with side pillows and such. It took some experimenting and eventual healing before I felt side sleeping was natural. In my case my PS attributed the increased comfort to the "basting" stitches holding my TEs in place finally dissolving (no more pulling on my chest wall)
Hopefully you will begin to notice moments of decreased discomfort and can be assured those moments will grow and grow.
In the meantime, experiment and know you aren't alone in interrupted, uncomfortable sleep!
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Islept propped up for a long time but the pressure from the TE improved with fills for me. I did radiation after mastectomy as well. I hope you feel some relief soon. Is your PS letting you stretch over your head yet? I had some ROM issues and went to PT during rads. It really helped me with holding my arm over my head.
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