After Implant Exchange...

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hoop77
hoop77 Member Posts: 84
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hello!
I had my exchange surgery 3 weeks ago and just wondered what experiences other bc sisters have had. I vacuumed the other day and oh boy, the muscle spasms started! How long does this last, or is it unusual to still suffer from this after expanders are removed? It's amazing how much work those chest muscles do! I never realized that just setting down a coffee cup requires the pecs to work. Just turning the steering wheel is taxing on my new chest. Anyone else have the same issues?

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  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #2
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    yes
    Yes, I have the same issues even now. I had double mastectomy and reconstruction with tissue from the abdomen (DIEP procedure) and some nodes removed on the right side. 1st surgery in Dec. 2008, reconstruction surgery was summer of 2009. I still have some muscle tightness in the chest wall and right shoulder when I do unusual things (like moving furniture). Occasionally I have random shooting pains in the underarm muscles on the right side. It seems odd for it to be continuing so long, but I have read other posts and do not think it is all that rare.

    hope this helps. seof
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #3
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    seof said:

    yes
    Yes, I have the same issues even now. I had double mastectomy and reconstruction with tissue from the abdomen (DIEP procedure) and some nodes removed on the right side. 1st surgery in Dec. 2008, reconstruction surgery was summer of 2009. I still have some muscle tightness in the chest wall and right shoulder when I do unusual things (like moving furniture). Occasionally I have random shooting pains in the underarm muscles on the right side. It seems odd for it to be continuing so long, but I have read other posts and do not think it is all that rare.

    hope this helps. seof

    Ladies .. 1 of my favorite subjects .. what can I do
    today ?? Sweeping and vaccuming seems to really intensify my breast pain. Or if I sleep on my side too long (how long?) I wake up with breast pain - I equate it to a frozen shoulder pain - or in my case 'frozen breast', so I gently massage the frozen pained area .. over and over again, reminding myself to lift small lite objects for a few days.

    Did I mention the muscle tigtness, and numbness thru out both breast, well that's another story for another day ..

    Life with my new tata's are great - I must now get used to the little side efforts that they bring with them. It will get better ....


    Vicki Sam
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #4
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    seof said:

    yes
    Yes, I have the same issues even now. I had double mastectomy and reconstruction with tissue from the abdomen (DIEP procedure) and some nodes removed on the right side. 1st surgery in Dec. 2008, reconstruction surgery was summer of 2009. I still have some muscle tightness in the chest wall and right shoulder when I do unusual things (like moving furniture). Occasionally I have random shooting pains in the underarm muscles on the right side. It seems odd for it to be continuing so long, but I have read other posts and do not think it is all that rare.

    hope this helps. seof

    I had a lumpectomy, but,
    I had a lumpectomy, but, want to wish you good luck.

    Hugs, Jan
  • Dawne.Hope
    Dawne.Hope Member Posts: 823
    #5
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    i'm with ya
    Dear Hoop,
    I'm 7 weeks out from my exchange and I'm afraid to even try to vacuum. It hurts to reach up high, driving is an issue. It was chilly here tonight and the cold, the shivering doesn't do a good thing to those muscles now that all the fat and breast tissue are gone and it's exposed to the cold. OUCH!

    Are you wearing good, supportive bras? I'm learning that is something that is incredibly important. I'm with VickiSam, when I roll over and sleep on my side too long, ouch! Cutting a pizza, that hurts too. The pain gets better over time, I've heard, you're only three weeks out. Time. Patience. Aren't we tired of hearing that? ;)

    hope it gets better soon,
    dh
  • SamuraiMom
    SamuraiMom Member Posts: 295
    #6
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    xxoo
    Hi Hoop!

    800mg ibuprofen helped me A LOT.

    You can see my story and reconstruction photos from double mastect., expanders, etc on my website: mymastectomyonline.com if you'd like a visual perspective. :)

    I just had my first nipple tattoo last Saturday and my left nipple redone as well.

    It's an ongoing process I never thought would take this long.

    In my head plastic surgery was supposed to be the more glamourous side of this mess.

    Hardy har har on me!

    I'm just keeping my chins up! ;)

    xxoo,
    SamuraiMom

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