im posting this topic in the hope somebody has some advice. I had mx and ld recon nearly 4 weeks ago.Last week my breast starting leaking and i have been using maternity breast pads every day and night. Doc put me on antibiotics but today i went back to see him and hes booked me in for surgery on friday! Hes not sure if the skin is having a problem healing or there is an infection inside caused by having the implant (which will mean removing the implant) - something i really dont want! I have no symptons of an infection ie fever, headaches etc and other than the “leaking” im feeling great. Had anybody else had anything similar - its seems like its one step forward and 2 steps back!!!
Hi, not sure if mine is the same , i have an expander in,all ok until xmas then admitted for iv antibiotics for an infection in boob, however it turned out to be fat necrosis. to date the fat is still leaking from a sinus whcih developed on the boob.
i am due to see con next week.needless to say my reconn boob is now only half the size it was and still leaking a yellowy fluid…lovley…internet says it can take months to heal so not sure what my next stage will be
I went to hospital 4 weeks ago to have an implant replaced because it was leaking, a few days after this I had pain and a lot of swelling my breast felt like it was on fire.
I had to go back to the hospital for a check up and I was admitted immediately and put straight on antibiotics. I had to have the implant removed as it seems an infection would not heal while it was there. I am having it replaced in a couple of months they have to be sure all infection is gone before that can happen.
What should have been a simple operation turned into a nightmare, I am only just starting to feel right and am not looking forward to another op, I shall be paranoid about getting another infection.
Jan
mine sounds exactly the same as yours! Have just come home from hospital after an operation to remove the implant - i cried when i had come round and found out. Pathetic, i know but just when you think your on the road to healing then its a big backward step! I had the LD flap done so thats still in place, bizarrly giving me a little bit of breast. Have been told that I will need a prosthesis to go ontop and then 6 months time they will operate again to put an implant back in. I get married in 6 months time and would have LOVED for all this to have been sorted by then!!! It wasnt mean to work out like this!
OMG deed and jan, I cant believe what im reading. I was desperately looking for people in your position about 2/3 weeks ago, put a couple of posts on here, felt like I was the only one going through this. My implant was removed due to infection onwednesday and 4 weeks after be put in (was only a boob job to even up the ld flap recon on the bad side) and sadly 3 weeks and 5 days after the infection began! Its been a nightmare, have not been this poorly for this length of time evven on chemo! Been on 5 lots of a.b.'s, 2 lots iv the rest oral, had it aspirated twice (first time 100mls of puss - yuk)
I am so releved thats its out, and I actually feel much better now even though I have a drain fitted which stays in until tuesday which is uncomfortable. I just wanted to say I know exactly how you feel and its not at all nice. I too will have to wait now 3/4 months before can have the proceedure done again, this was suposed to be the last bit of treatment and now i have to face it all again which is depressing.
Jan and Ness - im not alone!!! thanks for the posts girls, its easy to think your the only one that gets these complications. Ness, I too have the lovely drain (another surprise) and hes put it in the most awkward position and it pulls constantly.
Originally I was told it would be 3 weeks till he could replace it but then a diff surgeon told me 6. I shall have to keep my fingers crossed that its the first one cause i soooo desperately want 2 breasts for my wedding on November 1st.
Ness, you look the image of my best friend, i did a double take when i saw your pic - spooky!! ha ha
How spooky indeed! I recon my surgeon has put my drain in the most awkward place too - probably doesnt matter where they go they pull i recon. Hopefully mine will come out tomoro, my fingers are crossed. Funny how our surgeons have different oppinions on how long to wait, yours talks weeks n mine in months. Which ever way it is im sure you will have 2 boobs for youre wedding in November. U have something lovely to look forward to, shame youve got this crap to deal with first.
Please keep coming on here and updating, like you say it is a comfort to know that you are not alone in a particular situation, even if you wouldnt wish this sit on anyone. Its a bit scary isnt it. In my case ive dealt with all the cancer crap and lots of treatments and ops that that brings with it, this was suposed to be the last little bit of treatment. I am kicking myself a bit for messing around with my good boob, but then ive only just turned 38 and wasnt ready for high necked blouses to cover up my wonky boobs!!!
Ness,
it looks like im following in your footsteps - ive just come back from a check up with the surgeon and my good boob is now infected! I had a reduction and uplift on that one and thought it was looking fab until it started to get a little red and warm last nite - back on the anti b’s!! hopefully its been caught quite soon.
I know what you mean about the high collar tops - im 41 and my boobs were the only part of me that i truly loved and now after all this i search my wardrobe every morning looking for something that will cover me up! Im still wearing my “lovely” support bra (i call it my stab vest cause its similar to the ones we wear at work!) - not sure i will even remember how to do my job by the time i return!! blimey, who would have known this year would turn out like this when i was merrily partying away on new years eve! what part of the country are you in?
hi deed, just typed a long message and lost it all, arrrhhhh. Sorry to hear of your infcn in good side, thats where mine is, you just dont expect the good side to be a problem do you. The ‘stab vest’ yes good term, I have been wearing mine since last Aug - had 4 boob ops since then! Are you in the police force then, stab vest???
I have been back to see surgeon today and the drain has been removed, very painful experience but feel much more comfortable now, he has left the steri strips in place, didnt want to disturb the healing process but is happy with the way I seem to be healing. I have everything crossed now that we are on top of the infection, god i really hope so, have just 2 days left now on antibiotics, been on them for 4 weeks, fed up of em. I have to go back for reveiw on monday and for stitches to be taken out.
I am going to a ball on friday, i now have to find a dress!!! thought I would have perfect boobs by now and so was waiting till after my boob job. I live in Lincoln by the way. Hope you are feeling better very soon.
yahhh, the drain is out! Not an experience i want to repeat after this being the 4th one! my infection is still there but they seem happy enough that its turned from red to pink. Have finally had the dressing off the “bad” boob so feeling a little more “exposed” yet normal now. They were talking about when they could put the implant back in but i found out today that its another 6 weeks off work after having this surgery - my work will go mad cause as soon as i get back from mx then i will be off again!
Had a really bad day yesterday and cried and cried all day. Have been positive through everything but it just seemed to hit me. my OH didnt know what to do with me!!!not sure people understant the psycological aspect of everything we have gone through.
hope your all well
I have found that having my implant taken out has been one step too much, it was suppose to be the end of a bad run.
I am a lot older than you, I first had bc 25 years ago age 38, I had a recurrence in 2005 and another one last year when it was decided that my implant on what was my good side till last year was leaking and needed replacing. Thought it would be a simple enough procedure and it would have been if I hadn’t got an infection. I was more upset about that then when being told my cancer had returned.
No one understands how we feel, they think once treatment is over its back to normal but I don’t know what that is any more.
Don’t know about you but as much as I want the implant replacing I am certainly not looking forward to another hospital stay, seems it will be in June.
Janice
I know exactly where you are coming from! I told my gp yesterday that i couldnt face going into hospital yet again for the implant to be put back in and to face getting an infection yet again - but then i look at myself in the mirror and hate what i see, so what choice do i have?
Today was supposed to be my wedding day but cancer got in the way of it, i wanted 2 “normal” breasts for my wedding in november but even that dream has gone out of the window because of this infection…its one nightmare after another isnt it!!
Hi. I had cancer as a teenager and treated by radiotherapy. In 2004 I was invited to attend annual breast screening due a possible increase risk of breast cancer due my previous treatment. In 2006 I was diagnosed with widespread DCIS and advised to have a bi lateral mastectomy to greatly improve my chances of staying well. I opted for immediate breast reconstuction with implants. On 6th April 2010 I finally got around to having nipple reconstruction to finish off the job as well as the removal of some fibrous tissue in my right breast. This turned out to be invasive cancer. On 20th April I had a further three cancerous lumps removed as well as lymph nodes. I was also informed that my right implant has to be removed so that further skin can be removed to mimimise chances of another recurrence. Due to being slim (or skinny as my consultant calls me) I will not be left with enough skin to insert another implant. If I am lucky I may be able to have reconstruction using skin from my back in twelve months time. I am gutted! I am now left with the prostpect of having an implant on one side and/or a flat chest or a prosthesis. At the momement this is bothering me more than the diagnosis itself. Has anyone any advice? Or been in a similar situation?
Just posting to add my own similar experience-good to know am not the only one with implant problems. Thanks to you all for sharing your experiences. I was starting to get a complex that it was me!
Not advice I’m afraid TillyB, but hope that seeing some other experiences may help in some way. I had my implant removed 2 weeks ago. This followed a nipple reconstruction-supposed to be ‘the nice bit’ marking 2 years since dx- that didn’t work, led to an infection, exposing the implant. When I realised they were just planning to remove it, I was so upset, and I felt dragged back two years. I wished I hadn’t had anything done and was beside myself. I had gone in for a dressings check, and suddenly needed emergency surgery and I was really shocked.
Like you TillyB I was told that my skin was very thin and stretched, and there was not enough to replace the existing implant. I asked if the infection had settled if they could put something smaller in. I just felt that I wanted something-however different in size. Fortunately in my case they were able to do this,and fingers crossed it seems to be doing ok, but does look very different to before, and to the other one, much smaller and the nipple has all gone. I am now back in the round of appointments with more reconstruction in future.
Two weeks ago I felt so down about everything, and so dispairing I really couldn’t see myself putting that smile back or agreeing to any further surgery ( LD etc),but I have found some strength again and nothing feels as bleak-less like complete dispair and more like banging my head against a brick wall! I have even let myself accept the possibility that I may face having more done when things settle.
Hi, ive just spent another couple of nights in hospital, i noticed last week a little red spot under my implanted breast, right on the mx scar, so i put some sudocrem on it for a day or so. I was due my second dose of chemo fec-t on thursday, but due to low bloods it was cancelled, so because i was already at the hospital, decided to pop in the breast clinic, and have a word with my bc nurse about this redness. She wasnt sure what it was so she got a dr, to come and have a look. She thought it was a little cyst, ans said she would put a needle in it, i told her that i had an expander implant in, which is over inflated, now and very firm, and that i wasnt realy happy about her sticking a needle in it. I would rather wait and see my own consultant, so we left it at that, and i came away with anti-biotics, and told to contact them if any more trouble. Over thw weekend it seems to swell up like a big boil,and was very painful, and then when i woke up sunday morning it had burst. My hubbie cleaned it up, and said he could see the implant poking through the hole, to which i panicked. So within 10 mins we were on our way to a&e. After waiting a while and sen by numerous nurses and doctors, i was deposited on the surgical assesment ward, and told i was nil by mouth, until seen by a doctor. Anyway i was seen, they decided i was to be admitted and put on iv anti-biotics.Then yesterday my consultant came to see me, decided i would be better off at home, (he knows how much i hate hospitals) with another higer dose of ab’s, and the district nurses coming daily to change the dressing and odserve the output. I have to go back on friday,and see him, and have to keep my fingers and toes crossed that it will be ok, i told him that i would be gutted if they have to take it out, after all the pain its caused me, and he also said he would be.
All being well i will be having my second treatment now on tuesday next week.
Sharon x
Sharon, what an absolute nightmare and soo scary! I know when mine started pouring our fluid like a dam i thought the implant and ld flap had all come away and couldnt get to A & E quick enough!
My implant has since been removed and to be honest, after the initial upset im actually pleased its out because it feels soo much healthier. I know it will mean more surgery 4 months down the line but for now i just want to get on the road to getting better!
Will keep my fingers crossed for you for Friday, let us know how you get on.
Sharon
I hope it works out and will keep fingers crossed for you. That A and E trip is awful, and I know that panic when they ask when you last ate and you know what that means! Nice to hear that the consultant recognises how much better it feels to be at home,it makes such a difference being away from the hospital when you can, especially during chemotherapy.Hope it settles and you can have the second cycle.
xx
Sent that post too early when children and pasta needed tending, also wanted to say TillyB I hope someone has been able to offer some advice since your post and thinking of you.
Thank you cupoftea. I already feel better since using this site. It helps to know that others can relate to my situation but also I realise my situation could be alot worse. I think I am starting to feel flashes of positivity x