TEs. A Beginner's Primer
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Trmtab, my left TE was in from September 2015 to March 2017.
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It's been a while since I chimed in here. The implants don't even compare to the TEs. They are so much better but still take time to adjust to. Mine are sub-pect. I had my TEs from April - November in 2016. Heart attack and other cardiac problems in December. Then last week severe vertigo and vomiting with trip to ER. Still don't know why and still have regular spells of vertigo. May be med or Low BP related but I think it's inner ear problems.
As far as energy problems I have not been able to get past exhaustion lately. But that may be heart and age related. I am 66. When I think back my energy level had greatly reduced during 2015 and I remember then having so many aches and pains that I made the comment to my DH that I wouldn't be surprised if I had cancer somewhere. Just didn't think about BC. So I guess I believe that the big C and surgeries just reduced my energy level more than it already was.
Well we went from hot to cold in one days time but thankfully no bad storms here YET
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My plastic surgeon says he rarely if ever uses drains after the exchange.
East coast....I had that burning neuropathic pain too. NSAIDS like Aleve or Advil is what worked for me, but my PS made me wait 3 weeks to take them.
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hi everyone, I'm new here I finished chemo 4 weeks ago and had a double mastectomy with expanders on Monday 4/17...I definitely couldn't prepare myself for this type of discomfort ugh I think most of the surgery pain has diminished except for some swelling and pain near incisions, but the TE tightness is the worst! And so high up! I didn't expect this....I'm not a happy camper, been sleeping in a recliner in the living room and don't know when I'll get to sleep in my bed again since sleeping flat on my back is torture...I will start radiation after I'm filled and get switch to implants 6 months after radiation ends.... Ugh
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Welcome Becky, I know what you mean about TE tightness. Hopefully it will ease up for you soon.
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Welcome Becky, praying the tightness eases up for you ASAP. I just finished radiation a few weeks ago myself and we had similar procedures. 🙂 I had 7 months between my DBMX and radiation so I was well healed by then. The only problem I had was with muscle contraction on the radiated side. I have an appointment with my PS to see if we need to take a little saline out of that TE. I'm hoping we can leave it alone and shoot for exchange in 5 months. 🤞 My PS warned me that he may have to take saline out of the TE during radiation. Did your PS mention this to you? I know they are all different but I was glad my RO was able to go under my TE as mine are extremely high also. It was weird having the TEs so high but I was very grateful for it in the end. I'll give my PS an extra big hug when I see him on May 1st!
Molly, how are you feeling? Praying you are getting back to your usual self after your TE exchange. Big hugs! 🤗
Healing hugs to All 🤗
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Becky:
I've had my TEs since 2/27 -- not long, I realize in the grand BC scheme of things -- but they have gotten a lot more comfortable as time has passed. Still feel them (yes!) and it seems some days (activity level?) are better than others...but hoping yours will get better, too. I think part of the increased "comfort" is mastectomy healing for me, so give it some time. And I've only had one fill, but it was a piece of cake. Have another this Tuesday.
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I've had my TEs since my surgery 3/8. My PS won't leave drains in longer than 3 weeks, and I still had a lot of fluid at that point. When I went in for my first fill, they aspirated 120 ccs from each side! I was still numb, so it wasn't painful, but I wondered if it would ever stop. That first time they put in 60 ccs, asked if it hurt, and it didn't, so they put in another 60. I had some pain for the TE, mostly when I moved a certain way, and I think it was one of the sutures holding the TE to the Alloderm. It went away in a couple of days and hasn't come back. They have put 120 ccs in at each fill, so I'm at 360.
My problem is that my MO wanted to do an Oncotype to make sure I didn't need chemo, and it came back at 24. He wants to do 8 treatments at 2 week intervals. Friday I got another opinion from an MO at Baylor, and he said he wouldn't have even ordered the Oncotype for a cancer that size, and we wouldn't be having this discussion, but since we already had it, he would do TC every 3 weeks for 4 treatments if it was his wife. He said he saved the 8 doses for his triple negative patients.
Everything said my cancer was IDC until the final labs after the surgery, and I'd been told no radiation or chemo, so this is depressing. I can live with the chemo, but will be supremely pissed if I end up with some permanent side effects. I'm 66, so don't have young children at home, and I'm an accountant that works for her husband, so won't get any flack about missing work. I guess I can look at it as something I'll be glad I did if for some reason I have side effects from the AI. (I'm overweight, and have good bone density, so he's more worried about DVT than bone density. I got off track --
Other than the one time, I haven't had any discomfort from fills of 120. I get the impression they'll do a couple more fills before I start chemo, then a couple more after. After the chemo thing came up, I haven't asked when my exchange will be. I agree with everyone about how high the expanders are, especially to someone my age that was a G cup! I am finally losing the grooves in my shoulders from the bra straps.
Good luck to everyone!
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Irwells50, sorry you now have this change of plans. I think we all experience it, in some form. Your DX looks similar to mine, except I was diagnosed in sept, and I had a bonus endometrial cancer. I was under the impression that Oncotyping was for our type of cancers. Even tho chemo stinks, I would think you would want to cover all of your bases. I was fully filled in 2 sessions- 600, then 150. My TES just started not bothering me as much. 6 weeks post op.
Hang in there everyone! Hugs!
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BG46TN- Ugh, I remember that feeling well. See if you can get into PT- I started about two weeks after my double with TE placement. It helped a lot, especially through radiation (and getting to me where I was comfortable in the position I needed to be in for radiation.) I also did PT all through radiation- it is a lot of appointments but it helped me SO much. I still do many of the exercises I learned in PT since radiation is the gift that keeps on giving and things always want to tighten back up. I am now three months out from radiation (and three months pre-exchange) and things are MUCH better. Hang in there! I'm happy to answer any questions if you want to PM me.
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Hi BG46TN I feel for you!
Yes the TEs are a pain; you might see my rants earlier on the boards if you scroll back! But to be fair the first couple of weeks are the worst and then it tends to ease off more and more. I had my TE present on 22/2 and got filled with 200ccs each at surgery. Since then I've had 5 fills ranging from 80 to 120ccs at a time and my PS has said we stop now at 680ccs. The first few days after each fill tend to be a bit painful but nothing that doesn't get relieved with a good painkiller. I went for something stronger than Tynelol as I didn't feel like putting up with any unnecessary pain. I'm doing my stretching exercises and they help and I'm improving in my mobility range and strength slowly. I think the worst part is lying down in bed and turning over in bed. I still am not comfortable lying on my side or turning over in bed. My PS wants me to wait at least 3 months before we do the Exchange, but that would mean July and I really want to enjoy my summer after a rough winter, so I've told him I'll see him after the summer. It also gives me time to lose weight and tone up!
Hope you feel better soon
Thanks Shoregirl for your support and hope your exchange goes brilliantly. Hope to hear how all is going!
And thanks Moonflower for all your help and advice! You make a difference to so many people! Hope you are feeling better.
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I agree! If it weren't for this thread and Moonflower I would have whined myself into oblivion by now! Thank you Moonflower for all you've done for us TEers!
I'm with you all the way BringOn2017! I have an appointment on Tuesday with my PS to make sure the tearing sensation I feel along my incision is all in my head. No exchange until Fall for me too. Maybe my 32ndAnniversary gift? 😜
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Hi,
I've posted on here before but it's been a few weeks. I had my MX and bi-recon TE in early March and they told me I would be getting 800cc implants but I was just looking at the card they gave me for my TEs and they are 650cc. I have read that some PSs overfill them, but by that much? I'm going to call and find out what the heck is going on but thought I would check in here first to see if I should complain or not to my PS. I've had so many problems with this PS. Grrrr.
Thanks!
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lisbeth - yes, your 650cc TE can be overfilled by that amount with no problem. It is likely that your PS selected this size TE based on your chest measurements - the 800cc TE may have been too wide/tall. Implants sit differently in the pocket than the TE so an 800cc implant does not necessarily need an 800cc TE.
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Thanks SpecialK, glad I didn't call him!
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what SK said! My implants were supposed to be 900s but instead they are 750s filled to 850..
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Moonflower, you have 850cc? My PS said that the largest implant I could go, per FDA was 800cc. They even talked about putting me in a study to test and get FDA approval forlarger implants, but my health wasn't good enough. Is my PS lying to me? Actually it was his coordinator that told me all that. It's not that I want huge foobs, but I was formerly DDD and my PS said anything smaller than 800 wouldn't look right on me and I agreed.
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lisbeth - the largest silicone implant is indeed an 800cc, but for ladies who need larger, an 800cc saline implant can be safely overfilled to 960ccs. I believe moon has saline, and I also have a good friend who went this route. There are some custom implants, which I believe are silicone, but they are prohibitively expensive and I don't think they are covered by insurance, so most who wish to have larger than 800ccs do the overfilled saline. I will caution you though, your skin and muscle integrity is a big factor in the success of recon with the upper end of the size rang - greater than 800ccs are heavy implants.
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My TE had a "max fill" of 720 and was filled to 800. I will switch to an 800 silicone implant... that I assume will not be any "heavier" than the TE. My engineer husband talks about specific gravity weights... at any rate, I've gotten used to it! and while smaller than what was removed (approx. 1100) is plenty big and I have lost 20lbs since MX in effort to have the MX side become closer to my remaining breast...they are pretty close now...I think another 10lbs will have me set. I know some go with larger than 800 saline, but I thought 800 was enough.
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I was also told 800ccs were the largest used in the US. From what I've been told/read the "special order" implants are very expensive.
Do you think there's much difference feel wise between 800cc silicon implant to an overfilled saline implant? Imay switch from getting an 800cc silicone to an overfilled saline implant if the feel is similar. My DH asked "What's the difference? After 32 years with me I'm all you need. Who cares if they feel normal?" He's such a hamster!
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wench - overfilled saline will feel firmer than silicone, remember that they are overfilling the 800cc shell. What I can say is that I have had a 650cc silicone implant, a 600cc, a 500cc - all Mentor smooth, round, high profile. There was almost no discernible difference between them. I had the 650cc and 600cc at the same time, then the 600 was downgraded to a 500cc and they looked almost exactly the same. I now have Allergan Natrelle Inspiras, which provide more projection, in 445ccs and I am wearing the same bras as before. Don't get too hung up about relatively minor increases in implant size, they don't look all that different. From the smallest to largest implant on the market the difference in projection is only approximately 2cm, but of course that is moderated by how your PS adjusts your pocket and your individual body. You might ask about the Inspiras in 800cc if you are looking for the most bang for your buck and want to stay with a silicone implant.
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Hi WenchLori, we'll have to share notes in the Fall then! meanwhile I desperately need to lose weight and exercise!
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SpecialK, my PS uses Mentor implants only. I'll be going with the 800ccs ultra high?? I hate the thought of losing the projection I'm getting with my TEs.
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Wow, so they can not only overfill the TEs but also the implants or am I not understanding? I thought an implant came filled, I didn't know they fill them. I should be good with 800cc, but I need to lose weight. Don't want my stomach sticking out farther than my implants, ugh. Hope I can get my health under control so I can get the energy to get up moving soon and cooking healthy.
I want to go with saline, for a really strange reason. I read that if a saline implant leaks, it leaks all at once and you know without a doubt it leaked, whereas a silicone implant leak is very slow and can take a long time before you ever realize it's leaking. Being the worry wart that I am, I'll always wonder if my implants are leaking so saline will save me a lot of stress and give me some peace of mind. I'm weird, I know.
My PS only uses Mentor too.
OMG the birds are chirping, how did I manage to stay up so late? Went online shopping for dresses for my daughter's 8th grade promotion, I don't have the energy to shop at the mall anymore. Boy did I lose track of time. But I'm an insomniac so not too far off for me.
g'night all.
thanks for the great information.
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lisbeth - only saline implants can be overfilled. Saline implants are placed in the pocket in an empty state and filled once in place, but a silicone implant is placed full. Saline implants do indeed "go flat" if they leak, but silicone implants are very different these days, and are made from cohesive gel that does not leak and stays form stable. The silicone does not break off and migrate like the silicone implants of days past.
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I had my follow up appointment with my PS this morning and he was totally shocked at how fast my skin has healed. He said there was no tissue damage at all along my incision and said I could have my TE exchange the first part of July. I'm taking everyone's advice here and putting exchange surgery off until Sept/Oct which will be 6 to 7 months from finishing radiation. My PS told me to call him when I'm ready and we'll get it done. We discussed what I wanted of course what I want I can't have. I want the 900ccs that was removed during my DBMX. We talked about saline but he said I won't be happy with them so we've decided on 800cc Ultra High Mentor implants. He made marks so I can see what he has planned. I know my DH will want to know so it makes it easier for me to explain to him what the game plan is. My right TE has totally flipped. I told him right after TE placement that if something weird could happen I'll be the one to do it and I did.
Now for 6 months of no poking, prodding or testing... just time to breath and watch my garden grow, get some swimming done and a lot of relaxing
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wenchlori, sounds like you are in a great place! I wish I could put off my exchange, but I need to be ready to go back to school at the end of August. ENJOY relaxing!
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Thank you 2FUN, I'll try. I'm still getting used to not having appointments every week/day.
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HI Wench Lori great news! I finished my fills and while I can't wait to get rid of my turtles, and get my squishies instead, I'm so glad that the needling, and filling is behind me...and I don't have to strip in front of anyone for the next few months.
Do the rest of you feel vulnerable about taking off your top in front of nurses and docs..... My BF said I would get used to it soon enough, but it's really the part I dread most!!
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that's an interesting question. I've found I don't feel self conscious at all shirtless in front of my surgeons and staff, but very self conscious about how I look in clothes to everyone else. And I have a great fear that , as the weather is warmer and my clothes are less concealing, that a boob will be showing and I'll have no idea because I have no skin sensation
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