I have a tissue expander which was inserted after my mx. I have had it filled with fluid although I have not started radiotherapy yet. I have heard of others not having theirs filled until after. Was yours done before or after?
Also, how comfortable is your expander? I find mine can be quite painful especially at night after I have been lying down. When I try to turn over its quite uncomfortable.
I have also found lately that it seems to have changed shape and got harder. I mentioned it to the oncologist and although its not really on her remit, she did have a look and put me on a course of antibiotics just to be on the safe side.
I’m worried about how much radiotherapy will affect it. Will it become harder and more uncomfortable? How did you get along with yours?
Thanks
Debs x
Someone please help! Surely I can’t be the only one with a tissue expander?
Hi Buzzy,
I had a tissue expander following my MX. It was in a year to the day from MX until it was changed over for a silicone implant. It was painful and uncomfortable for the entire time,it was such a relief when it was eventually replaced. Sorry i can’t answer any of your questions re radiotherapy - i didn’t have any. I remember my surgeon asking me several times if i was going to be having radiotherapy (in the lead up before i knew the oncolgist wasn’t recommending it for me). He said if i was having radiotherapy they would probably take a break from the expansions until the rads was done. Sorry i can’t be of more help. If there’s anything else you want to know re the expander let me know. Good luck
Lynn
x
Thanks for the reply Lynn although not great to hear it was uncomfortable for the whole time. I guess its something I’ll just have to put up with for now.
I hope someone else comes along soon to answer my other questions.
Debs
x
Hi Buzzy, I had bilateral mx in Feb with tissue expanders, followed by node clearance and 6 FEC - last one yesterday (Yeh!) I was borderline for rads but have decided not to have it. I’ve had my expanders filled 3 times since surgery, 2 out of the three I had excruciating pain for a few hours after then some pain and discomfort for a few days before they settled down. Most of the time I’m not really aware of them but they are quite uncomfortable lying on my side mainly the discomfort is because they are so hard - like 2 tennis balls - rather than like normal soft breast tissue, and a bit under my arm - surgeon is going to try and push them closer together when I get the real ones! This is partly because I am slim and quite a boney chest so not much flesh to work with. I was told that rads might cause some encapsulation round the implant where the skin hardens but as they would be swapped for ‘proper’ implants within about 3 months this was not really a long term issue. Any rads I had were only required on one side and my surgeon also said that this side might end up a little bit firmer and higher. So overll it is probably an advantage to have expanders as any problems caused by rads would be negated by the fact that the implants are going to be changed anyway. I discussed at length with with my surgeon at my local hosp and with the Marsden where I would have had rads. Hope this helps.
Thanks Catee that is helpful. I think I will have to call my BCN and discuss things with her as I’m quite anxious about the radiotherapy now.
I was hoping a few more people would reply on here so I could get some idea of others experiences but I guess maybe tissue expanders aren’t as common as I thought they were!
Hello there,
I’m so sorry I can’t help you as I’ve not had any form of reconstruction, but am just bumping this up for you, as I can hear how desperately you want more replies.
Come on folks, anyone help out here pls? 
Luv,
Shelley xxx
Hi Buzzy
I was diagnosed last August and had a lumpectomy, then mastectomy with TE inserted, but haven’t had to have rads. I have had about 7 fills to date, that last one was approx 2 months ago. My experience with the TE’s is that it does hurt,or is uncomfortable most of the time. I cant wait to have it out (my surgeon has just agreed today to schedule the exchange surgery for end Sept as I have been suffering from overwhelming fatigue).
Having said all that, my understanding is that the end result will be well worth it, and as I am only 37 I am happy to persevere in order to look as “normal” as possible. Ive found I can control the pain with ibuprofen and paracetamol, and using a wheatie pack seems to help. Plus, Ive definitely learnt to listen to my body and rest when I need to!
I dont know if that really helps, but I would say its worth it. If I had to have a mastectomy again I would still take this option. Stay strong xxx
Bumping again! Still looking for answers!
I’m v interested too as I am considering this for my surgery in September. X
Hello. I had a mastectomy and saline implant/ tissue expander in 2009. yes, it was uncomfortable after every “refill” but I had been warned about this and that helped me to cope, the discomfort soon settled. Yes, it was uncomfortable afterwards, the rigidness, the port etc but I understood that rads could possibly harden the implant so put up with it for a year, and I did have some scar tissue causing some discomfort - but this was preferable to what I had been offered before I changed surgeons (remove the offending breast and tidy you up next year)to one who would do the skin-sparing and make the recon possible. I pushed and pushed for reduction of other breast at same time - was considered cosmetic but won! Had silicone implant Jan 2011 - much better, comfortable, look great with clothes. I have secondaries now in bones so boo, but chest as good as can be IMO. Best wishes to you x
Hiya, I had a bilateral mx in Feb 10 with expanders in. It does take a while to get used to them as your muscles tense up and your chest goes hard, but to be honest I don’t even notice them now (I still have them in some 18 months later!) I am due to have the rest of the recon surgery in the next month or so.
I did initially want to have the DIEP procedure done but as I would need rads they said I should have the expanders in first.
The only thing I still don’t like is the ports at the side that are just under the skin…eeekk!
Paula x
Oh and in answer to your question on rads…It didn’t affect my implants at all. When they top the fluid up, your chest can feel a little tight for a few hours then it subsides.
Hope that helps. x
Thanks to those who replied. I’m slightly less anxious now. I have a pain each end of my scar so I suppose it could just be scar tissue rather than something “more serious” like the things we all worry about.
Good idea about the wheaty heat packs. I’ll give that a try.
Roll on reconstruction!
Hello folks,
I’m having a right sided mastectomy on 16th Sept with immediate expander.I am not big boobed and have to say that it’s the first time in my life I feel grateful for small boobs.I waited til I was sixty when I put some extra weight on to get a bust and now one year later, they’re taking one of them off me!!Still the idea that they’ll put an expander in straight away makes me feel confident that perhaps they’ll be more careful with saving the skin available or am I being a bit naiive.
I’m only expecting to lose the sentinel node.I’ll face anything else later when I have to .The whole experience from start to date,maybe three weeks has been very efficient and organised and I have a lot of faith in the team,especially the B C nurse.I think it really helps if you trust your team.
Hi Buzzy
Yes i had the expander put in following my mastectomy in April 2010,and had weekly fills of saline to pump it up!
All this was done well before i started my radiotherapy in the Oct of last year.
I also had a lymph node strip at time of mastectomy.I did find i was suffering discomfort in the expanded boob and arm.
I would say i have more of a sensitive area there more than anything and yes it always feels hard.
Back in May i had my permanent implant put in and now waiting for a breast reduction/lift on other side??
Hoping i can look as normal as possible again soon as don’t feel happy with my body since having my last op.
Best of luck to you with your journey.xx
I had a skin sparing Mx with temporary saline expander 2 years ago. I had chemo and rads and my expander has never ever been inflated or deflated. Result. capsular contracture, feels like having a rock on my chest! I am convinced that some of this could have been avoided if my expander had been filled prior to rads, but although I asked many times for this to happen, the surgeon just kept saying that it was fine as it was!! Anyway, next week I am going in to have my temporary swapped for a permanent silicone expander and the dreaded port will be taken out at the same time! I’ve been told there is a 50/50% chance the implant will again become hard, but figure it’s worth going through with because, worst case scenario, the implant won’t become hard immediately and I will at least have some pain free time! If it becomes hard again, they won’t do another swap as it would just happen again. So, if that proves to be the case, choice is to put up or shut up or consider a DIEP. I’ve been told many times now that recon and implants are not happy bedfellows and are not recommended due to possible contracture. DIEP is definitely recommended as it would give the best cosmetic result and also no probs about implants, but, for me personally, and after careful consideration I’ve decided against it…
Good luck with whatever you decide to have done and if you would like more information, you are free to get in touch with me personally…
Take care…
Hi Has anyone out there had problems with tissue expanders? I had
MX 3 weeks ago and expander inserted. The area is now really red swollen and sore. GP thought it could be the beginning of infection or else my body reacting badly to the material the implant is made of. Have some antibiotics just in case but I am allergic to some things like elastoplast and the sticky tops of hold-op stockings etc.
Don’t want to have it removed but it is very uncomfortable. Hope someone has some idea if you can react against the implant.
HI Buzzy,
I had my tissue expander fitted in Febuary and I am having it exchanged on friday…HOORAY. I found it uncomfotable to start with and very hard and sore after the fills. Mine has been filled to 350ml now and I have been living with it for 3 months but it has got so much easier now. I don’t even notice it. It is harder than my other breast and it just does not move. But has softens slightly over the 3 months. Sorry I have not had any rads so can’t comment on that part. I was really scared about having my expander as all the posts seem to say how awful it was. But I.m pleased to say other than been hard to touch it has not been uncomfortable at all.
Hope you get some answers
Emma xx
Hi Jasmine,
I did feel like someone was sitting on my chest after expander fitted and each fill. But I was lucky the symptoms did resolve and improve gradually. Also the swelling I had when I had an exander fitted was much much worse than my mascetomy especially along the scar and in my armpit. I remeber getting the nurses to check my arm pit on numerous occasions as I was not able to see it! Hopefully it will settle down soon for you. In my case they explained that they had to rearrange lots of muscles to cover the implant and hence this led to more swelling. taking anti inflammatories really helped with this.
Em xx