breast reconstruction with implants

elahall
elahall Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hello Everyone!
Six years ago in 2000,I had a radical mastectomy and breast reconstruction on the same day. Expanders, Chemotherapy and finally silicone gel implants.

Everything went smoothly and I almost forgot that I had implants! Only recently, the past two years I have had small infections, tightness and painful breast with a pink flush on the skin. Very uncomfortable! I was checked by both my General Practitioner and my Plastic Surgeon and both were puzzled and gave me a series of antibiotics.
I'm a bit conserned since these incidences are occurring more regularly.
Has anyone had or knows of someone that had a similar situation?

Comments

  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #2
    I have implants. They pre-dated my lumpectomy. After the nodes were removed, my 'special' breast turned bright red and swollen. (NOT my arm, by the way...) Turns out it is lymphodema, just in the breast...I am exercising now, and do nightly massage...from the breast toward the armpit. Seems to come and go...

    I paniced, thought "Inflammatory Breast Cancer" (mine was 'regular old run of the mill' bc)....ran to my onc, who reassured me.....if it was IBC, it would not change from laying down to sitting up (it did), and that it would not 'get better'.

    Hugs for the vigilance!
    Kathi
  • 24242
    24242 Member Posts: 1,398 Member
    #3
    My experience has been problems have been known to lay dormant until our immune systems are low they really don't seem to effect us. There has been some thought out there that this was my problem for years, infections brewing below the surface because it took forever for my immune system to get back to normal, if it ever does. Just a thought.
    Tara
  • kathydaly
    kathydaly Member Posts: 81
    #4
    I would, if it were me, check with my breast surgeon or my oncologist. Implants can get infected and need to come out and I wouldn't necessarily trust the guy who put it in there........but, you know, again this is just me. I have my real trust in my oncologist, after 16 1/2 yrs. she's rhe only one who has been consistant in all my treatment, breast surgeons come and go, plastic surgeons come and go. So therein lies my own idiocyncrasy's.

    My girlfriends mom had a maestectomy and reconstruction w/implant. She kept getting infections too, and the plastic surgeon didn't want to own up to it being his responsibility because of fear, (law-suit, possible free new surgery, etc.). It was her breast surgeon who called it and said she had to have it taken out.
    That is what my knowledge of someone else having a maybe similar situation. But I was never happy with the hospital she eventually chose to go to.
    She had also seen my breast oncologist on a referral from me, who told her she wouldn't do reconstruction for her, that she was not a good candidate. My BS gave her 3 names of other BS's in the cityto go get other opinions from. So, she didn't like that and went to someone who told her what she wanted to hear.

    That's why I say it's possibly similar, but she definately had infection in her implant at the end of the day, and it wasn't the plastic surgeon who was telling her that.

    I hope I'm not sounding alarmist, but this is what I know about since I was so involved in it because of my gf, and it sounded similar to me.

    Beat me w/a paddle, someone kick me in the ****, if I was screwy to mention all this.

    It's just that I'm concerned for you.

    Prayers, love and (((((((hugs))))))), Kathy
  • Future
    Future Member Posts: 133 Member
    #5
    I was having recurrent infections -- had infectious disease consult. First time "normal" antibiotics routine; infection came back so doctor put me on 30 days of antibiotics. It's been 14 months now and no problems.
  • elahall
    elahall Member Posts: 3
    #6
    kathydaly said:

    I would, if it were me, check with my breast surgeon or my oncologist. Implants can get infected and need to come out and I wouldn't necessarily trust the guy who put it in there........but, you know, again this is just me. I have my real trust in my oncologist, after 16 1/2 yrs. she's rhe only one who has been consistant in all my treatment, breast surgeons come and go, plastic surgeons come and go. So therein lies my own idiocyncrasy's.

    My girlfriends mom had a maestectomy and reconstruction w/implant. She kept getting infections too, and the plastic surgeon didn't want to own up to it being his responsibility because of fear, (law-suit, possible free new surgery, etc.). It was her breast surgeon who called it and said she had to have it taken out.
    That is what my knowledge of someone else having a maybe similar situation. But I was never happy with the hospital she eventually chose to go to.
    She had also seen my breast oncologist on a referral from me, who told her she wouldn't do reconstruction for her, that she was not a good candidate. My BS gave her 3 names of other BS's in the cityto go get other opinions from. So, she didn't like that and went to someone who told her what she wanted to hear.

    That's why I say it's possibly similar, but she definately had infection in her implant at the end of the day, and it wasn't the plastic surgeon who was telling her that.

    I hope I'm not sounding alarmist, but this is what I know about since I was so involved in it because of my gf, and it sounded similar to me.

    Beat me w/a paddle, someone kick me in the ****, if I was screwy to mention all this.

    It's just that I'm concerned for you.

    Prayers, love and (((((((hugs))))))), Kathy

    Kathydaly:
    thanks for your advise, I have an appointment with my plastic sur. tomorrow morning. I'm curious what he will say. I will also take your advise and see my breast surg.Do you know if there are tests to examine whether there is an infection. Certainly a doctor cannot make a decision by simply "looking and feeling" Is there someting like an MRI that portrays the status of an implant?
  • kathydaly
    kathydaly Member Posts: 81
    #7
    elahall said:

    Kathydaly:
    thanks for your advise, I have an appointment with my plastic sur. tomorrow morning. I'm curious what he will say. I will also take your advise and see my breast surg.Do you know if there are tests to examine whether there is an infection. Certainly a doctor cannot make a decision by simply "looking and feeling" Is there someting like an MRI that portrays the status of an implant?

    Dear Elahall,
    I am so glad some of what I wrote seems to have helped. Yes, I am curious what he'll say also, please come back and tell me? Maybe he will be clearer about it this time, but I am very happy you're going to your breast surgeon as well, this is truly her area of expertise and not his(the PS). I was thinking afterwards(yesterday), maybe what's going on w/your breast is linked to breast lymphodema. You can get that just in your breast sometimes, and not in the arm.Your WBC(white blood cell count) will indicate the strength of any infection you're haveing to fight. I have had many breast MRI's to show breast cancer disease or not but as far as showing infection, i don't know. You need your breast surgeon clearly, I think, for all these answers and I'm so glad you're going to see her/him. God Bless you and love and (((((hugs)))), Kathy
  • chessie
    chessie Member Posts: 40
    #8
    I had to have my implant removed after just 7 months, due to an infection. I happened to be on a medrol dose pack at the time, for a back injury. The fever started just as I was on my 3rd day of the steriods. 3 days later, I was in the hospital with a raging infection. I Had the implant out, and now I'm glad its out, even though I am left with a 'concave' shape now. I am more comfortable with it out and my prostesis is perfectly matched and when I wear clothes, you can't tell. So, I am content..after going through treatment, I feel like you have to really pick your battles. Having futhter implant surgery or trams isn't for me, at least not in the short term. Hope you can get some relief soon.

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