Wednesday, August 20, 2008 stepaheda asks

Q: First fill for Breast Implant tomorrow what will they do??

Hi PJ or Angi or anyone out there,

This is Stepaheda,

I will see my ps tomorrow for my first breast implant fill, and I am excited but also a little on the uneasy side. Because I am not sure what they will do, I have the explander in right now, and I know they will put in 150 cc to 200 cc. But how do they do that, is it put in with a needle or do they have to open up the inceision again?? and when they put in the permantent breast implant do I have to stay in the hospital or what. I know I could just wait till I get there tomorrow to ask all these questions, but I'd rather be just a little informed before I get there. And if you have gone over this before, I'm sorry for asking the same question again. Just trying to prepare my self for the next step of treatment.

thank you for your time,

Stepaheda

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Answers (16)

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

8/20/08 2:29pm

Stepaheda, I hope Angi sees this, because I'm not familiar with this process. Sorry I can't help - Best of luck tomorrow! - PJH

steakprincess

8/20/08 6:18pm

I sort of know the answer to this, but I would like to leave it up to the experts. Please post after your appointment. I am about to have mastectomies with reconstruction just the same as you.

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

8/20/08 8:36pm

Hi again Stepaheda - I guess Angi isn't around. Again, I'm not at all familiar with implants (I had a TRAM-flap), but I believe there's a valve, and the saline goes in through a tube. I imagine somehow there has to be an injection, because how else would they get the solution in? I would assume it's not a hospital stay, and I'm sure they'd provide you with pain meds. Sorry for the scanty info., but I hope all goes well tomorrow -PJH

Anna

8/20/08 11:15pm

Hi Stepaheda,

I am currently undergoing expansion as well. I go every two -three weeks for fills, My physician has never put more then 100cc in (that was the first fill) after that he has put approx. 45-50cc in each time. I have gone 4 times since July 1st. I will have my last expansion on Sept. 19. Then I am going to wait until January to have the permanent implants placed. I needed a break so I ask him to delay the next surgery. He agreed saying that the longer the expanders stayed in the better result I'll have anyway. I am a very small girl with not a lot of excess skin so he took moved slowly on my expansions. People who have gone through this advised me to take some kind of pain killer such as ibuprofen or hydrocodone to ease the stretching pains and I did that. I did not have much pain but I did take the medicine an hour or so before I went. I also have been very strict about doing stretches and arm exercises since my bilateral mastectomy so you will maintain good shoulder range of motion. I also found that the stretches eased the tightness on the expansion days. They will fill a large syringe and place a needle through the incision that you all ready have, it just feels like blood work being drawn, no pain assoicated with it (perhaps a pinch) then they slowly fill the expander with the saline. It is facinating to watch the breast grow before your eyes. It really is not a scary thing nor did I find it particularly uncomfortable. Good Luck and God Bless!

Mimi

1/28/11 8:41am

I have been putting off looking for this info since I will be starting to get my expander filled soon. This was very helpful. Now I kinda know what to expect.

Mimi

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

1/28/11 11:26am

Good luck, Mimi - I hope you've read all the way through this thread, as it includes useful information from women who've been through the process... PJH

darica

1/28/11 9:35pm

Thanks for getting back to me. Right now My entire left side is fillrd with fluid. The JP drains were in for 10 days and my surgeon thought it was ok for them to come out

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

1/29/11 7:06am

Sounds like it might not have been OK for the drains to come out; best to call your surgeon, OK? PJH

stepaheda

8/21/08 6:50am

Thank you so much, Anna and PJ,

For your loving concern and help. I feel so much better now. I will be sure and post the out as soon as I get home today. Due to the fact that we were moving out of state when we got the new about my cancer (about a 5 hr drive back to my treating doctor) We are having the fill's done every 4 wks. The doctor said that this would be ok, since before surgery I was a DD cup, and I want to go a little bit smaller on the implants. He said due to the fact that I already had a lot of skin, he would not need to do much expanding for the permanent implants. I sure hope he is right.

But Anna I will be sure to keep you up to date as to what is going on with me. OK. My surgery was on 7/16/08, my doctor is hoping to have every thing finished by the end of the year.

Thank you ladies again, Have a great day!!

Anna

8/21/08 11:58am

Hi Stepheda

I hope all went well today. Please keep me posted on your ongoing reconstruction as I will with you. YOu are more then welcome to have my home email anna.squilla@verizon.net. I would love to stay in touch.

Anna

bmwol

8/21/08 12:06pm

I had my mastectomies and expanders placed on 7/15/08, also. Had trouble with the left, a bleeder, and lost a lot of blood, had to be kept in hospital a week and given iron infusion,w hich I reacted badly to. Became very weak, hemoglobin 6, now up to 11.7 I had only one fill and it now feels like I have a lump under my armpit. Having it checked on Monday. Just learnd yesteday that I will need chemo due to the oncotype dx testing, which they all told me I would NOT need. I would have waited on the implants, had I known. Anybody here having chemo along with the tissue expanders?

lia

8/21/08 12:36pm

Hi Stepaheda, as Anna said.. move, move , move.. I just had my last fill.. 100cc first time..maybe second then 50's after that.. they go by the amount of tension they feel.

early a.m. hours are the hardest.. but if you walk.. and do all your range of motion on your arms the tissue seems to loosen up.. Don't know what drugs you are on, but with the tamoxifen i find the walking also helps with my mood..so two benefits.. I have a total of 650cc in, and she will put in a 8oocc implant at the end of september..apparently the new expanders sit up.. so there is extra space for the addition 150cc. Remember your plastic surgeon has done this many times before..so I used our time together every two weeks to ask other questions that I had about my breast cancer..they can give you a lot of good imformation in informal chats

good luck , Lia

stepaheda

8/22/08 9:31am

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to give you an update on my first breast implant fill. All went well, thank you Anna, it was just as you said NO too scray at all. I'm sure that it help that everyone at the doctors office is very nice, and they know that you are a little nervous on your first fill. They were so nice, and joking around. What I had was 150cc, but what I found out was due to the fact that the doctor said my tissues where doing so good on the day of the surgery that he filled me with 200cc that day. I did not even know this, so total I now have 350cc, we are shoting for 700cc total. He said I have more than enough skin for this and still will not be as big as I was. I don't know about you ladies out there, but I am looking forward to being a little bit smaller. I will be able to find more cute things to wear. The doctor also said that I should have 2 more fills, then surgery will take place for the explanders to be removed in Jan, 2009. I was hoping for all to be finished in nov, 2008. But due to scheduling problems, can not have a spot till Jan. He also said that it is better if the explander stay in a couple months after the last fill for better results. Has anyone else out there been told the same thing, or is it really just due to sheduling problems?? Don't get me wrong I like my doctor alot, but I also know that business is business. I live in the real world.

Thank you all alot for helping through this first step to recovery,

Stepaheda

Angi

8/22/08 10:09pm

Stepaheda, sorry I wasn't around to help, but it seems many others came along to answer. I've been sick the last few days.

As I've read you've already had your first experience - so you know the drill. For your next appt. I recommend taking some tylenol or something first. It will help with the uncomfortable feeling you get when the expanders fill.

If you are shooting for 700cc's I would think you'd be there in about a month. It did not take me more than 6 weeks to hit 700cc's - at which point I found them to be rather small. The doc said is was about a D cup, but I put on my old C bra and I didn't quite fill it - so he had to remove my current expanders and replace them with larger ones...this is when he found out my cancer returned. I still have my expanders in place, that are probably about 3-400cc's but injections stopped while I did 31 radiation treatments. I saw him when I finished and we don't follow up again for 3 months cause he wants my burn to heal - so I'm bummed about that. But before he found the cancer we were moving right along. We've talked at length about the procedure and he never told me I would have to wait - but each doctor and their practices are different.....it also depends on how you respond. Now I know you have to have the implants in for 3 months before getting the nipple part done, but I don't see why you'd have to wait more than a few weeks to have them swapped out after you reach your size. See what happens once you reach 700cc's and when exactly that is. It may take you longer to reach 700 because of the pain. I know I was getting 100-150 cc's each week, but if the pain is too much they will cut it back to only 50.

Best of luck to you. Feel free to PM me if you need to!

Angi

Gailbaby

9/ 7/08 5:05am

Hello, I am on the last leg of reconstruction. My implants will be put in on Sept. 15, 2008. It has been a long journey and quite educational as well. My double mastectomy with tissue expanders was done on May 15, 2008. At the time of surgery the 650cc expanders were filled with 150cc already. On my next visit and every week after I got another 100cc's until the expanders were purposely overfilled to 700ccs. This was done by the Dr inserting the saline into a port already built into the expander resembling the type of top on an injectable medicine bottle. It is interesing how the Dr finds the port for the injection. There is a steel ring around the opening of the port that the Dr locates with a special tool that is a magnet , wow. From start , May 15th to the date of my next surgery on Sept 15th it has been 4 months of healing and stretching. I always took something for pain before I went for my "fill up" I usually took Ibuprofen, It eases the uncomfortable "full" feeling after the filling, this passes by the next day. I have had no real pain from this step at all. I am so looking forward th getting them removed and my new Memory Gel silicone implants in. These expanders have been real hard to sleep with at first and I am a beautician so going back to work was hard because the expanders extended to my sides and under my armpit, because they were so big. But it is all worth it, My cancer is gone and I only have to take Femara for 5 years. I am so glad the worst is in the past.

cynnie

1/ 4/10 9:20am

I am a hair designer also. I am going to have my expanders put in on jan.21st.How long was it till you could go back to work doing hair ?

Gailbaby

1/ 4/10 3:14pm

I went back in about a month, I had no pain, just some discomfort due to the increasing size, I had no problem working. The girls got a kick out of my size increasing almost weekly. It was finally all over in 4 months when they put in the implants, those were 4 long months. Good luck, Gail

stepaheda

9/ 7/08 9:41am

Hi Gailbaby,

Thank you for the information on your reconstruction, and weekly fills. I didn't know what to expect, but it was just as you said. I too am looking forward to having the explanders removed, because it does make it hard to sleep at night, can't sleep on your side or your stomach. The doctor said to try a body pillow between my legs to see if that would help, helped only a little. Then I had to deal with the hot flashes, due to having that big pillow next to me. It now has a new home in the closet. My next fill is scheduled for 9/18/08. What will be your cup size when they finish? And do you know if we will need to wear a bar after all of this reconstruction? And what about clothing, do we need to buy all new tops? I was a DD before, so all of my tops were X-Large. Some have said that clothing do not hang the same after the surgery. If anyone out there have any ideals would like to hear from you.

Have a great day,

Stepaheda

Gailbaby

9/10/08 12:55am

I will know more about the size and bras after Monday the 15th of Sept. I have these huge expanders removed and my new twins put in. I am hoping for about a C or some where close. I do not want big ones. I will keep you posted.

Gailbaby

10/10/08 11:04am

Hi Stepaheda, I have had my new implants for about 3 weeks now and I am so HAPPY with them. I can still wear my old bras, 38 D . but instead of having to "roll" up my boobs to get then in, the bra just fits right on them nicely. I love them and have had no pain or any troubles at all. I go to see my Dr again next friday to start talking about the nipples and areola tatooing. I feel great! and cancer free!

MsMary

8/ 1/10 11:48pm

I am just reading your post about reconstruction. I had mine done July 19, 10 and I am having trouble with bras. I am still wearing my bras that I used when I had my expanders in but it is really sore where I was cut. I got the right implant and a lift on the left side. It has been two weeks and I am still in pain and sore. It gets worse when I sweat. I am going back to work next week and don't know what to expect. I can not stretch my arms over my head. How long will this last?

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

8/ 2/10 6:18am

Ms. Mary, I'd expect the pain and soreness to last longer than 2 weeks - time heals, but it DOES take time! How about switching to a camisole with soft cups? You really don't want to be wearing a bra that's putting pressure on your incisions. Good luck - PJH

Gailbaby

8/ 2/10 11:07am

With any surgery it usually takes 4 to 6 weeks for an incision to heal. When I started wearing a bra again I found a soft one, the American cancer society gave me a mastectomy bra that hooks in the front, I love it and still wear it at times. I would check in with your Dr. about the pain, is there any infection ? get it checked. God Bless, good luck

JACQUELINE

12/ 9/09 5:59am

Hi PJ or Angi or anyone out there, This is Jacueline, I will see my ps tomorrow for my first breast implant fill, and I am excited but also a little on the uneasy side. Because I am not sure what they will do, I have the explander in right now, and I know they will put in 150 cc to 200 cc.

stepaheda

12/ 9/09 10:51am

Hi Jacueline,

This is Stepaheda, I just complete my reconstruction early this year. So I know just how you feel, and what you are going through. First they will find the stud in you breast implant of each breast. Oh Im sorry I don't know if it is one or both breast. For me it was both. Any way, once they find the stud, they will use a needle to fill the expander in your chest. At this stage of the process your chest should still be numb, but they will still put a bit of numbing medicine on the area. Don't worry they will go slow to give your skin time to except the fill. I use to alway take a pain pill just before the fill to help with the discomfort, and you will feel a bit of pain for a few day right after the fill. One you are feeling better, try to walk as much as you can, it really help your body to adjust to the new you. I hope this information help to calm your concern, but please feel free to contact us with any of your questions.

Elli

1/29/11 1:59pm

I talked to my Dr just yesterday! He has a magnet, that will guide them to your port in the expander. He will then stick a needle in with the saline. He said it doesnt hurt when the needle goes in because I nerves are still not working yet.

How do your expanders feel? Mine feel like this hard piece of thick leather. I can feel the edges rubbing inside and it makes me sore.

I am sending hugs your way as what you have gone through is not easy and I hope that you get through the rest of it with as little discomfort as possible! My Dr said that feeling the edges will go away with the fills, but we will feel heaviness and may have some muscle spasm as the expanders are under the muscle and will be stretching me muscle with each fill. He said this will only last a couple days and you can take valium for it if it bothers you so much. Just talk to your Dr. Let him help you through it!

Hugs Elli

Q: First fill for Breast Implant tomorrow what will they do??

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