adhesions

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obliva
obliva Member Posts: 18
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
At the time of my double mastectomy in April, my surgeon also placed expanders in my chests. I was able to go through 2 expansions before starting chemo. Between chemo, infections and taxol I didn't get back in for additional expansions until November. My plastic surgeon informed me I have adhesions around the expanders which means: 1) reduced how much saline can be injected from 100 cc to 65 cc, and 2) the pain afterwards makes it really hard to get any rest for about 4 days. Have any of you experienced adhesions? Any hints from Heloise for decreasing this discomfort?

For all of you...Some of you have had a good year, for others it was painful, frightening, intense...and I personally had not planned on spending this year in treatment...using all my vacation leave when I ran out of sick leave. I had wanted to go to New Mexico for my fall vacation, not the oncologist. So my wish for all of us is May 2004 be better than 2003. May we find peace. May we have health. May we experience joy. And, when we are faced with challenges, expected and unexpected, may we have the courage and humor to handle them.

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  • hummingbyrd
    hummingbyrd Member Posts: 950 Member
    #2
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    Here, here to your toast! To a Happy, Healthy New Year filled with God's peace, love and joy!

    As for adhesions, it's scar tissue, no experience just know it's going to hurt. My best guess would be get into physical therapy, especially to be working and stretching those chest muscles before you get future injections, go slow with saline expansion, heat probably will help along with something like motrin and vicodin. (Anti-inflammatory and pain medication) Ask your doctor!
    God bless and good luck! hummingbyrd
  • jake10
    jake10 Member Posts: 202
    #3
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    hummingbyrd said:

    Here, here to your toast! To a Happy, Healthy New Year filled with God's peace, love and joy!

    As for adhesions, it's scar tissue, no experience just know it's going to hurt. My best guess would be get into physical therapy, especially to be working and stretching those chest muscles before you get future injections, go slow with saline expansion, heat probably will help along with something like motrin and vicodin. (Anti-inflammatory and pain medication) Ask your doctor!
    God bless and good luck! hummingbyrd

    hummingbird is right on target! Had a friend who had scar tissue build up during chemo and such. Had 55cc's injected each time. Used heat and Vicodin. Spent 3 days after each fill up in la la land. But completed it and doing well 18 months later. (She didn't get any physical therapy, it may have helped). Beth
  • live42day
    live42day Member Posts: 64
    #4
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    This may not help at this point, but the surgeon that did my mastectomy told me after the staples were removed to massage vitamin E cream onto the scar twice a day. He said to really be firm when massaging the scar. It helped to get rid of the hard places in the scar. I just get vitamin E cream at Wal Mart and you get 2 jars for under $3.00 so it is very affordable. It might not help, but it won't hurt either.
    Janet

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