Expander pain!

Mic80
Mic80 Member Posts: 46 ✭
in Newly diagnosed
Evening lovely people x
So Tuesday week ago I had a right mastectomy with auxiliary clearance and expanders put in....
My question is... who else has experienced expanders? And were you in pain? I am struggling to even stand up straight most of the time... wondering if this is relatively normal?
Thanks guys xx

Comments

  • Zoffiel
    Zoffiel Member Posts: 3,374 ✭
    I had a lot of pain, seems some do and some don't.
  • Mic80
    Mic80 Member Posts: 46 ✭
    @Zoffiel Good morning... did you find the pain eased up over time?
  • Zoffiel
    Zoffiel Member Posts: 3,374 ✭
    I'd love to say yes, but my retreads have not behaved themselves. The expanders felt like Bathurst burrs, all sharp corners and scratchy bits. Shooting them both out into my armpits  a couple of days after they were inserted (same time as my double MX) probably didn't help. I had drains in for nearly a month because I kept leaking/bleeding. it was a shitfight.

    I found the change over from expanders to implants was an improvement, but unfortunately reconstruction was not the best choice for me. It seems I'm too irritable to adjust to foreign bodies under my pecs and I'm now on my third set of silicone. 13 years and I don't know how many operations later I've sort of got used to it. Life goes on.

    A week isn't very long but if you are really uncomfortable you should talk to your surgeon. Its unlikely they will offer many solutions, but it is important to flag this stuff--if only for your own peace of mind. Hopefully by this time next week things will have settled down for you. 'This time next week' is my perpetual goal; just getting there can be considered an achievement and there is always the possibility things will have improved. Somehow. Mxx
  • iserbrown
    iserbrown Member Posts: 5,768 ✭
    I described my expander like having a brick on my chest. At each fill it was wise to have panadol prior as that brick felt heavier. It soon passes.
    I was 5 months before changeover with one hiccup that involved a 5 day hospital stay.
    Certainly document and ask about your discomfort but it's early days
    Take care 

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