my first fill on my expanders

shaggy420
shaggy420 Member Posts: 28
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Wow I was not expecting the feelings I had after getting my first fill last week. it really scared me alot. I could only handle 40cc and then this week I could only handle another 40cc. I feel like my chest is about to explode when I get it done. Any tips on how to handle this? I have been taking my Celebrex about 1/2 hour to an hour before my fill, but I still fill horrible that day and all week. I start to fell better right before my next fill and then it is back to the same thing. I did finally see my Oncologist on Tuesday and now she wants to test the cancer that was taken out to see if I have to have Chemo or not, cause she has this 1% chance I might have to have it after i was already told I didn't have to have it. This sucks so much.

Well if anyone has any advise please let me know. Thanks.
I know i haven't been on much but since I am not working it is hard to get on line.

Brenda

Comments

  • SamuraiMom
    SamuraiMom Member Posts: 295
    #2
    Up YouGo ;)
    Hi Brenda,

    My doc prescribed 800mg ibuprofen that seemed to help quite a bit.

    Of course I was using Xanax to get through each fill as well.

    I agree, it's a major bummer.

    Hang in there! I'm on the tail end of all this and doing nipple reconstruction now.

    The expanders seem like a faint memory.

    You can do it!!

    We're all behind you!!!

    xxoo,
    SamuraiMom
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #3
    SamuraiMom said:

    Up YouGo ;)
    Hi Brenda,

    My doc prescribed 800mg ibuprofen that seemed to help quite a bit.

    Of course I was using Xanax to get through each fill as well.

    I agree, it's a major bummer.

    Hang in there! I'm on the tail end of all this and doing nipple reconstruction now.

    The expanders seem like a faint memory.

    You can do it!!

    We're all behind you!!!

    xxoo,
    SamuraiMom

    Brenda .. Are you lying down or sitting UP ?
    Your fills can be done in either position. Yes, it is painful - however, I found it more comfortable laying down, placing my hands under my butt and looking away. I did not take IB or Xanax - The tough thing for me .. was 'no shower' for 24 hours after my fill.

    Please note I have a high thershold for pain .. C-Section with children // no drugs or shots -- only tylenol with codine - 1 pill every evening before I went to bed for the first 3 nights.

    Now that I think of it .. the most painfull procedure I endure during my chemo/surgeries etc associated with BC .. is the 'mapping' .. where large needles are poked under your nipples .. this mapping procedure was done 1 hour before my bi-lateral .. Now that was PAINFUL .. now that I am saying this out loud .. why didn't someone numb my nipple sites? Moron's .. I do freak out in small enclosed places.

    Just like SamuraiMom stated .. this too will be a distant or faint memory in time.


    Vicki Sam
  • Jean 0609
    Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
    #4
    Brenda
    Sorry to hear about the discomfort during your fills. Luckily for me I didn't experience any pain and the last time I had 120 cc's. This was supposed to be my last fill and then I was supposed to be ready for my exchange. HOWEVER, like you my Oncologist then decided that I needed to have 4 chemo treatments and a year of Herceptin. Yes, it does Suck. I was so upset. Since then I have one chemo treatment down and three to go. It really wasn't as bad as I thought. Hang in there and keep in touch. Hugs.
  • Sally5
    Sally5 Member Posts: 87
    #5
    Jean 0609 said:

    Brenda
    Sorry to hear about the discomfort during your fills. Luckily for me I didn't experience any pain and the last time I had 120 cc's. This was supposed to be my last fill and then I was supposed to be ready for my exchange. HOWEVER, like you my Oncologist then decided that I needed to have 4 chemo treatments and a year of Herceptin. Yes, it does Suck. I was so upset. Since then I have one chemo treatment down and three to go. It really wasn't as bad as I thought. Hang in there and keep in touch. Hugs.

    expanders....
    Shaggy420,

    I am at 8 weeks after surgery... (I have had 5 fills). About three weeks ago, I thought I just wanted these out. <---(expanders...) They should be called 'muscle stretchers' instead of tissue expanders... I have great friends but NO ONE could relate.... I guess they thought I should be getting better after surgery.

    I then found this site. (Search and read some of the previous expander topics). It really helped me get my "sanity" back.... literally.

    I felt better with a sports bra on. I found one with a zipper in the front.
    My doctor keeps saying the permanent implants won't be anything like this.

    Hope it gets better.
    Take care.
  • Christine Louise
    Christine Louise Member Posts: 426 Member
    #6
    Valium helps
    My plastic surgeon gave me a prescription for Valium as a muscle relaxer. It really helps the exploding chest feeling.

    Despite what others were saying about exercising and stretching being helpful, I found that it made my expander pain much worse. PS said to just forget it until after the implants. Even housework can set off the expander spasms. Hard to get ourselves to relax and let the chores go, but it might help. Good luck, Brenda!

    PS I'm going to post about getting my implants yesterday. I hope it might encourage you while you're in this unpleasant process.
  • shaggy420
    shaggy420 Member Posts: 28
    #7
    Christine Louise said:

    Valium helps
    My plastic surgeon gave me a prescription for Valium as a muscle relaxer. It really helps the exploding chest feeling.

    Despite what others were saying about exercising and stretching being helpful, I found that it made my expander pain much worse. PS said to just forget it until after the implants. Even housework can set off the expander spasms. Hard to get ourselves to relax and let the chores go, but it might help. Good luck, Brenda!

    PS I'm going to post about getting my implants yesterday. I hope it might encourage you while you're in this unpleasant process.

    Wow thanks everyone for the
    Wow thanks everyone for the advise. Well yesterday was my fourth fill and I an dstill having problems cause my left expander is not in right and they said there is nothing they can do about it. it is lopsided, but they are hoping with more fluid it drop down some. I did have to go down on the amount I get from 40cc to 30cc due to coming back to work today. I have been having to take Ativan and Dalaudid for the pain for the first 4 days after my fills. They said it will take about 6 fills to start feeling better, but I don't know about that. It sucks also cause I have only gotten 150cc of fluid so far and I want to be a full C but I am thinking twice about it with the left 1 not working with me. But only time will tell I guess.

    Brenda
  • Dawne.Hope
    Dawne.Hope Member Posts: 823
    #8
    shaggy420 said:

    Wow thanks everyone for the
    Wow thanks everyone for the advise. Well yesterday was my fourth fill and I an dstill having problems cause my left expander is not in right and they said there is nothing they can do about it. it is lopsided, but they are hoping with more fluid it drop down some. I did have to go down on the amount I get from 40cc to 30cc due to coming back to work today. I have been having to take Ativan and Dalaudid for the pain for the first 4 days after my fills. They said it will take about 6 fills to start feeling better, but I don't know about that. It sucks also cause I have only gotten 150cc of fluid so far and I want to be a full C but I am thinking twice about it with the left 1 not working with me. But only time will tell I guess.

    Brenda

    Dear Brenda,
    I had a lot of
    Dear Brenda,

    I had a lot of pain with my fills too. A friend of mine who's been through this suggested I take an advil (for inflammation) and a tylenol (for pain) and I did this every four hours for 24 hrs after my fills and it helped a lot. I also took a muscle relaxer (flexeril) for the spasms and it helped A LOT!

    Near the end, I had to space my fills out for longer periods b/c of the pain. Remember, it is not a race. Take all the time you need. Yes we want these TE's out and as soon as possible, but not to the detriment of our bodies. If you need to, have your fills every three or four weeks. And do less cc's. My last fill was only 20. What size are your TE's? (What does the card say that gave you?) Mine are 250cc's and most plastic surgeon's will overfill you, but it will give you an idea of what your PS is thinking regarding your size. I only made it to 310cc's total. Your cup size will be determined by the size of your ribcage, your height, your weight ... not merely the #of cc's.

    hang in there. it does, eventually, come to an end.

    much love,
    dh
  • shaggy420
    shaggy420 Member Posts: 28
    #9
    Dawne.Hope said:

    Dear Brenda,
    I had a lot of
    Dear Brenda,

    I had a lot of pain with my fills too. A friend of mine who's been through this suggested I take an advil (for inflammation) and a tylenol (for pain) and I did this every four hours for 24 hrs after my fills and it helped a lot. I also took a muscle relaxer (flexeril) for the spasms and it helped A LOT!

    Near the end, I had to space my fills out for longer periods b/c of the pain. Remember, it is not a race. Take all the time you need. Yes we want these TE's out and as soon as possible, but not to the detriment of our bodies. If you need to, have your fills every three or four weeks. And do less cc's. My last fill was only 20. What size are your TE's? (What does the card say that gave you?) Mine are 250cc's and most plastic surgeon's will overfill you, but it will give you an idea of what your PS is thinking regarding your size. I only made it to 310cc's total. Your cup size will be determined by the size of your ribcage, your height, your weight ... not merely the #of cc's.

    hang in there. it does, eventually, come to an end.

    much love,
    dh

    So what did your cup size
    So what did your cup size end up being at 310cc's? just curious...
    And I never got a card for the TE. So I am not sure what that would be.

    Brenda
  • Dawne.Hope
    Dawne.Hope Member Posts: 823
    #10
    shaggy420 said:

    So what did your cup size
    So what did your cup size end up being at 310cc's? just curious...
    And I never got a card for the TE. So I am not sure what that would be.

    Brenda

    I don't know yet! I'm going
    I don't know yet! I'm going my implants tomorrow. I'll let you know! ;)
  • lillith
    lillith Member Posts: 29
    #11
    300ml tissue expander
    My 1st plastic surgeon put 300ml in the tissue expander right at time of mastectomy. That was so painful I wanted to yell at him. Over the next few months, it did not feel better and I went to a new plastic surgeon. He is so much better, I'm glad I switched. In his experience, women do better with getting small fills over a period of time.
    For pain, I took vicodin with 400mg of ibuprofen. I just had the expander changed for the implant, silicone is supposed to feel better than saline. It does feel better but I will see over time if I can tolerate the implant. No way could I take another day of that awful expander!

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