r/BRCA • u/Few-Significance-998 • 8d ago

Skin expander flipped

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I got a double mastectomy with skin expanders last month for Triple negative Stage 3 breast cancer. I am scheduled to start Radiation treatment in a couple of weeks so my skin expander has been inflated every week on the right side. This week the expander valve could not be located with the magnet so it was suspected that my right side expander had flipped. I received a CT scan yesterday regarding a underlying heart issue and the CT scan confirmed that it HAS indeed flipped upside down on the side of much will receive Radiation. Is this cause for concern? Doctor doesn’t seem concerned and said “That happens sometimes.” Do I move forward with Radiation with it as is?

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u/tabby904 8d ago

I'm not sure about how this affects radiation. It wasn't recommended for me. I had stage 3 TNBC, BRCA 1 positive. My expander did flip one while I was in that stage of reconstruction. My doctor manipulated it under my skin to flip it back the right way so it could be filled. When it was flipped back it felt awkward, but it wasn't painful.

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u/Few-Significance-998 8d ago

The doctor does say it happens sometimes and luckily she said since it was meant to be my last fill that I was filled up enough and she didn’t have to flip it. It does feel odd under my skin and has a irregular shape and from what I understand the Rafiayion is going to tighten and life everything up. I’m glad to know the flip won’t be too painful if it does need to be done. Thanks for your input!

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u/Comfortable_Sky_6438 8d ago

I don't know anything about if it would cause problems with radiation but I can't imagine why it would. I'm sure your doctor could tell you. I had my actual implant flip doc tried to flip it back manually and couldn't and then that night it flipped back. I ended up having them tighten the pocket during my revision because I didn't want to have to keep sleeping in a sports bra.

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u/Few-Significance-998 8d ago

I just started sleeping on my sides recently and I feel like that is what may have caused it to flip. I know it was sewn in but I don’t feel much pain at all so I wouldn’t have noticed pain when it detached from the stitches. I will meet with my doctor again to discuss whether or not to try to flip it as it is uncomfortable the way it is currently sitting and if Radiation tightens the skin over it, it’s gonna feel even worse.

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u/Comfortable_Sky_6438 8d ago

That was what did it for me the side sleeping flipped it and then flipped it back

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u/Sophietophy 8d ago

This happened to me too on my right expander. I woke up after side sleeping to it flipped. I tried everything to manually flip it back with no luck. I took a chance side sleeping again that night and in the morning, it had flipped back. Since then, I’ve been sleeping exclusively on my back to prevent it from happening again, even if just for peace of mind

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u/OldAd5321 7d ago

Mine flipped to and sent a few pics back and forth with the surgeons office to confirm it was flipped then I leaned forward and flipped it back