Brain MRI this morning - Page 2

kk1 · 07-16-2013, 06:05 PM

Just to clarify and expand (pun intended) on the issue of expanders versus implants and MRI-- Many of the expanders have special filling ports that are metallic so they are easy to detect (you would not want them missing and accidentally sticking a needle in the sack rather than the filling port) and would be heated by an MRI. Metals and MRI are not a good thing, which is why they ask if and where you have any metal parts. KS gals problem is probably unique because she never received actual implants. The final implants do not usually have metal ports--only expanders have ports.

KS gal, my prayers are with you that the MRI will be good once you get the expander removed....or maybe you should think or discuss with the plastic surgeon just finishing the reconstruction. The inconvenience of having the expander removed might be similar to just putting in an implant.

Of course, as my dad use to say, I am talking through my hat as I am flat chested no reconstruction, as I found I was stage 4 before I had my mastectomy,and like you at the time thought why bother....10 years latter I still often wonder if I did not second guess myself and consider going in for that reconstruction after all. Wishing you good scans.

All the best

Cat · 07-16-2013, 09:16 PM

I am tired just reading that. I don't know if I could laughed until maybe tonight so I give you credit for putting it all in perspective. Like Denise said it is very unlikely things would go haywire in such a short time though I understand the fear and have felt it too. Praying for smooth times for you in these next steps as it sounds like you've have your share of missteps and deserve some easy times and good news.
Hugs, Cathy

BonnieR · 07-16-2013, 10:09 PM

I told my husband your story. He wants to know why they can't just stick your head in the machine??!! Lol He kinda has a point
Keep the faith

KsGal · 07-17-2013, 12:28 AM

Denise..my last scan was three months ago...Im just hoping it doesn't take months to get this all fixed where I CAN have a scan. I hate not knowing what those little creepers are doing up there.
Bonnie, my Mom said the exact same thing. "Well, stop letting them stick your chest in there! It's a brain scan, not a foob scan". Foob is for fake boob. In fact, for the rest of the day she called me "doughnut foob". I asked my radiation oncologist about open MRI and if there was an MRI machine that could just do my head and not my chest...and apparently neither is an option. So tell your husband he should get to designing one post haste! lol Could be a lot of money in that.

No-one called me back today, so I will be on the phone bright and early calling the plastic surgeons office. I have an appointment with with medical oncologist tomorrow and herceptin as well. Hopefully this visit is less frustrating than the last!

vballmom · 07-17-2013, 05:03 AM

Oh my goodness, what a day! I hope you get this all straightened out soon. Meanwhile, I'll pray for a silver lining - that having the expanders out will give you more comfort and that those pesky brain mets retreat while you wait.

Rolepaul · 07-17-2013, 10:29 AM

The manufacturer of the expanders should have informed the surgeon about this. It is a real common issue. The good news is that the growth in the brain should not be an issue if there is a three week delay. The second good part is there appears to be new methods to handle brain issues. There is an Intrathecal Perjeta clinical trial with multiple sites if the Gamma knife does not whack a mole them dead. Worry, but not too much. Keep on going as the "Luck Balance" has to swing back your way.

v-ness · 07-17-2013, 04:33 PM

holy crap! what a TRIP. thank god you noticed the donuts, is all i can say. you've been through enough without internal donut burning. i don't blame you for being scared of the time wasting that will now go on and what the hell was that plastic surgeon thinking??? ugh. i hope you can get this resolved quickly. i am glad you could laugh at the situation because laughter seriously is the best medicine and keeps you sane. looking forward to hearing that you've gotten the MRI and you're stable! v

SusanN · 07-17-2013, 05:23 PM

Ohhh Myyyy dearest ksGal!! Your "mess" has a great "Message!!"
I do hope your writing a journal...or something...what will this "chapter" be called??

Know you are in my prayers...God is most certainly in ALL OF THIS!!

jaykay · 07-17-2013, 06:43 PM

What a day! At least you can laugh a bit. I would have totally freaked out - find me an ativan :-).
Interesting thing is - I was scheduled for an MRI for a 3 year back issue, told the lab I had a port and tissue expanders, no red flag. Then I thought to call my ps' office and they told me to definitely NOT have an MRI until the tissue expanders are out. Mine use magnets (metal) to find the fill hole as obviously your do. Would have been a big mess - to put it mildly.

KK1 has a point - it's still surgery to take the expanders out; you should look into implants. Can't believe you've had expanders all this time. I can't wait to get rid of mine and get this elephant off my chest.

Best,
Janis

jellybean · 07-17-2013, 08:33 PM

Wow, what an ordeal!! I believe I was told in advance that I could not do a brain MRI with my expanders in. I think they have some metal in them.

If you are going to have surgery to remove the expanders anyhow, why not put in implants? They probably could give you a big fill now that would do the trick. (I think I only had one or two fills before my exchange surgery.)

yanyan · 07-18-2013, 01:53 PM

Same thing happend to me last year in June when i went for my 1st brain MRI.. As soon as my chest was in the tube, i could feel my expanders getting tighter so i told the tech who stopped the procedure right away. I too, had to delay reconstruction due to diseases progression to skin. So the metal part which your plastic surgeon uses to locate the spot to expand your expanders reacts to the magnet of the tube.

Instead i had a brain CT. It is not as accurate as an MRI but was better than nothing i thought. If you are on tykerb and herceptin only, your counts should be fine for expander removal or replacement. Best wishes for you !

KsGal · 07-19-2013, 04:15 AM

Im so glad that someone else had this experience too, makes me feel less like a freak.
I just think the weird thing is...I've already had four brain MRIs with these expanders in. Ive always told them I had the little BB type things in my expanders, and they always said no issue. Well, I haven't always told them, once I was unconscious.
Anyway, onward and upward. Talking to the plastic surgeon in the morning, who was going to go over his surgical schedule. Definitely going to try for little implants, since I only had two fills in my expanders. They are roughly half the size of my original breasts, but I am so totally fine with that.

KsGal · 08-03-2013, 12:44 PM

Just a quick update....Went to consult with the plastic surgeon at his office. He put a double fill in the both sides of the expander, which has made me totally miserable, and scheduled me for surgery to put in the permanent implants on Tuesday. Im happy that he worked me in so quickly, and I should be able to get a brain MRI in the next week or so. The double fill actually has made me quite uncomfortable. Can't sleep very well. My skin itches a LOT and my whole chest just hurts in general. Will be glad to get these out of there!

SusanN · 08-03-2013, 02:56 PM

Thanks for your update! Glad to hear your plastic surgeon is taking care of you...sorry your feeling uncomfortable...yet knowing you will soon be able to have your MRI is very good news...especially with no DONUTS!!!

Will be sending prayers your way!!

'lizbeth · 08-03-2013, 04:50 PM

I think I'm laughing here . . . you are worried about your brain, and the plastic surgeon puts in a double fill - talk about priorities!

The brain may be broken, but the breasts are looking good, real good!

I so hope that your brain has gotten to NED, and with the implants in it could become quite the celebration.

Good luck!

IrvineFriend · 08-03-2013, 10:15 PM

Reading this with my jaw dropped! Unbelievable!!! You have my respect for how you're handling all this. Hope you get your scan so you can have that worry put to bed. Praying for you! You're so amazing!

-Julie

NEDenise · 08-04-2013, 09:09 AM

Yikes!
Do you have pain meds for the chest discomfort?
Don't be shy! Take them!

You are definitely a she-ro these days!!
Sending prayers for your comfort and peace of mind!
Along with a big cyber-hug...
Denise

KsGal · 08-05-2013, 12:33 AM

Thank you, ladies, for all the warm wishes and kind thoughts.

I went into the plastic surgeons office saying I didn't care what my chest looked like..just get the expanders out and put in whatever fits in there! He said he wanted to use a certain size implant, and I needed a fill to be able to get it in there. I thought...whatever..just hurry up! He told me he was putting 60 ml in each, but ended up putting 120. They look ridiculous...all up around my neck practically and hard as a ROCK. The part that is hurting me is the part that kind of goes into the armpit. Also, because its under the muscle, muscle cramps in the breast. Woot!
I can't wait until the surgery to get those damn things out of there. And Denise, yes, Im popping Vicodin at least twice a day. It's the only thing that works!
Prayers and positive energy all around. Big hugs! I'll let everyone know when the brain MRI is...hopefully those two little buggers are gone!!!

KsGal · 08-07-2013, 07:05 AM

Had my surgery yesterday and everything went fine, thank God. Quite a bit of pain just under the bottom of the implants where they put some stitched into my muscle, but all in all feeling pretty well. Being doped up on Percocet certainly isn't hurting me any.
Today Im headed off for my Herceptin, and then going by the plastic surgeon's office so he can check out the incisions. Going to stop by the radiation oncologist to schedule the brain MRI, and with any kind of luck I won't have another doctors appointments for a few weeks. However, if the brain scan is worse than last time...we start Cyberknife. Thank you again for the prayers and well wishes. Im sure sending prayers for each and every one of you.

'lizbeth · 08-07-2013, 10:05 AM

KsGal,

Thanks for the update. I'm so glad you have gotten the new implants in. No more breast Donuts for you!

You will want to massage the pectoral muscles if they are being so stretched you might have contractions in muscles fibers that pull at the attachments at the sternum, clavicle and upper arm. Fish around for anything that feels like a half cooked macaroni or a pea. Compress for 30 to 60 seconds. If the pain gets worse just lighten the pressure. Or you can stroke across it to get more circulation into the fiber. The pain should stop when the fiber releases.

Or visit a massage therapist that knows Neuromuscular therapy. After all you've experienced you deserve a massage!

I can't imagine bad news about the brain MRI. You have prayers for a good results. May God bless you and heal you from metastasis.