Exchange City

KLJ

Turtle, let me know if that helps you! It was a lifesaver for me!

babs6287

Good luck scuba lady!

Just got my exchange date-10/17!!!!  Hoping this will be my LAST surgery!!!!
Babs

Frostecat

Good luck March Surgery Sisters Sandra and Linda - we're all here with the best wishes, karma and prayers coming your way!

sandra4611

SURGERY CANCELLED. Pre-op lab tests showed a problem with my thyroid. Surgeon says it's too dangerous for me to go under general anesthesia. Crap, crap, crap. Sure do wish his assistant had looked at those lab results yesterday before I had to get the PICC line. He called just as we were leaving for the hospital.

Pity Party, table for one...your table is ready.

 

jeaniebeanie1200

ohhhhh Sandra,,,, that is aweful,,,,,but things happen for a reason, and maybe saved your life that is so precious. So are they going to treat the thyroid condition first? And how long will you have to wait??? I am so sorry. We get ourselves prepared mentally, emotionally, and you are entitled to your pity party, but I am pulling up a chair next to you, so make it for 2.       Healing hugz,,,,,,,, J

vfay49

sandra4611, First of all I am so sorry to hear your surgery had to be cancelled.    I was just getting ready to send you best wishes when I saw your post.  I can imagine how frustrating that must be.  Hopefully, the thyroid issue is something that can be rectified quickly.  Secondly, thank you for the visual.  I will probably be exchanging to the 740 Allergan 410's, and it helps to see what they look like on different body frames and under different circumstances.

scubalady

Hi all. 

My exchange surgery went well. I'm still wrapped up like a mummy so I haven't seen how things look yet. Based on my discomfort areas, I believe there was a fair amount of work in the side to take out the extra skin on my right side that was left from the mastectomy. When I lifted my arms over my head, I had my two normal menopause/Arimadex fat rolls on the lifted side and three rolls on the UMX side, so he planned on removing that. He also said there was a lot of scar tissue to be cleaned up inside my original MX incision, and he did some pocket work to move the pocket in because the expander was wide and under my armpit.

The one thing that has me nervous is that he was originally thinking of probably a Mentor 550cc, (as Whippetmom did) and according to my card I have a Mentor 350-4501BC, which is. 450cc moderate plus profile. It sounds so much smaller than I was expecting, but all the nurses were telling me that my PS is really a perfectionist, and that they would all make sure they picked the one that gave me the best match. I have lost about 10 pounds since we started all this and I'm only 5'2", so that 10 pounds might have been enough to make something smaller look better.

I have an appointment Monday so I'll get to see if they made a good selection or not.

jeaniebeanie1200

I am curious about something,,,,,, I have not seen nor read about anyone having my particular implant , naturelle 45/800..   Did I miss something? Seems everyone talking a foreign language to me when they all talk about Mentors,,,,, I am confused as to y my doc picked this one now?

3littlebirds

jeaniebeanie, from what I understand, Allergan makes the Natrelles, and most people here call them Allergan style 45. Mentor is just a different manufacturer. Most PS seem to have a preference for one brand or the other. I think it's Mentor's ultra high profile style that is similar to the Allergan 45s. Somebody please correct me if I'm mistaken! Haven't had my exchange yet. Pre-op is on Thursday, so I'm sure I'll discuss it further with my PS then.  

DiveCat

Yes, jeanie, Natrelle's are Allergan. On here the Allergan's you see are usually referred to as Allergan 15s (like a moderate plus), 20s (high profile),  or 45s (an extra high profile). Mentor's on other hand are referred to as moderates, moderate-plus, etc.  I don't see the 45s as often around here as they are narrower and so not often suitable for MX patients who need to also replace width, but I do see them sometimes and they will work on some women.They are "rounder" compared to 20's, so generally there is more upper pole fullness, etc with them, assuming they are suitable for your proportions, etc.

Usually the brand used (Mentor or Allergan) is just more a matter of who the PS has the most familiarity/comfort with or has developed the better business relationship with. There are some minor differences (i.e. Allergan's generally have a bit more projection across board to Mentor's of similar model, shell thickness) but both make reputable and high quality products.

I have Allergan Natrelle Inspira's, which seem to be an "outside the US" thing (I am in Canada) so pretty much NEVER see my implants discussed on here!

Pilates4me

Sandra,

I'm so sorry!  Did he say to find an endocrinologist or see your primary care?  Thyroid issues usually can be dealt with relatively quickly. That one I know from experience. 

Good luck, I'm thinking about you.

jeaniebeanie1200

thank you for explaining,,, yes mine has a higher upper pole area that doesn't match my lifted side, I wonder if I should exchange for a moderate pole on my next surgery as the doc is removing excess skin on the same side,,,,, hmmmmmm,,, maybe talk to him about that on my pre-op visit, 

Frostecat

OH SANDRA!  Can't believe it - I can't imagine the let down when you were so ready to move forward.  But in hindsight, much better to be safe than sorry.  

Andrea623

Oh Sandra, how frustrating! I can't imagine the emotional letdown after hearing that news, but all things happen for a reason, and if it's for your health, that's the most important thing. How long will your surgery be postponed? Hugs and comforting thoughts being sent your way.

So, I think I embarrassed my PS today. He looked down at my socks and said, "Wonder Woman socks?" I said, "Yup, they match my Wonder Woman undies!" He didn't say anything after that.

And crap, I forgot to ask for my implant cards again!

Frostecat

Andrea - how did your appointment go?

Andrea623

Frostecat, I forgot to say, my drains are gone!!!! Yay!!!

twoam

Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy for no drains!!!!!!!!!!!

Frostecat

YAY!!!

linda505

Home from exchange surgery - no drains - have a tight ace bandage over a surgical bra.  Ace bandage can come off tomorrow and I can shower tomorrow.  Doc and nurses said everything looks great and I feel ok - a little pain but not much.  Hope everyone else is doing great!!  

Andrea623

Linda, glad to hear everything went well. And that you're back home. Rest up and report back later!

babs6287

scuba lady and Linda

Glad to hear all went well

So frustrating Sandra. But. Better safe than sorry!!!!!!!!

Babs

Andrea623

Babs, congratulations on getting your surgery date! I hope it's your last one too!

Frostecat

I finally felt well enough yesterday to go out dinner last night with the DH.  It was crowded, the service was lousy and the food so-so, but man it felt great to get out!

sandra4611

Thanks for the words of support from everyone. I know that YOU know how it feels to overcome the nerves and get all the way to surgery day. The anxiety and nightmares plague me every time. Having surgery cancelled at the last minute was a complete shock. (At least I wasn't already at the hospital. We were just about to leave the house so I got an hour notice.)

Like many, many people, my thyroid has misbehaved - in my case for the last 20 years. It can run in families and my mother, sister, and one of my daughters has it too. Most of the time an underactive or overactive thyroid can be controlled easily by one tiny daily pill. You have lab tests once or twice a year and the doc tweaks your dosage up or down - sometimes both in the course of a year. I last saw my endocrinologist in June and my TSH number was normal. He ordered more testing for September, but retired this summer, so the results of my tests (which showed the sudden elevation) went to his replacement - who is out of town this week. In reviewing my pre-op lab work before my surgery, the anesthesiologist told my plastic surgeon and everything came to a screeching halt. My TSH should be no more than 3.0 to 5.0, but it's jumped to nearly 12.0 in the past two and a half months. Continuing with general anesthesia at my level means the potential of Thyroid Storm with a fatality rate of 25%. (In untreated patients with higher TSH numbers, the fatality rate is 50%.) In Thyroid Storm your temp goes to 105-106, your heart goes crazy and your breathing stops. Since I've flat-lined 4 times in years past and am known for frequent bradycardia during general anesthesia anyway, the decision to cancel surgery was a no-brainer.

My plastic surgeon says he will put me back on his schedule for 4 weeks from now, but will obviously have to cancel again if no progress has been made. I will be seeing a new endo doc next week to see what can be done to bring it down and to explore why it's jumped up so high, so quickly. Some other lab values also show something is happening...just don't know what.

KLJ

Sandra, I am so sorry that you are going through all of this. But, just like you said it is for the best that they rescheduled. It's just such a roller coaster of emotions. Hugs!

grammakathy

Sandra - you have such a way of understanding complex medical issues and a gift for explaining them to others.  I'm so sorry you have to handle emotional and physical issues like this.  Hugs - I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you.

sandra4611

Awww, shucks. My friends here mean the world to me.

 

Calibea

Sandra - so sorry he hear about all the frustration and pain you have had to go through.  You are an amazing woman and a gift to everyone going through this life changing journey.  Maybe what you have gone through has made you be such a wonderful mentor and guide. 

I saw my PS for my exchange on October 6.  No drains.  Anybody know why most people have drains and a few of us don't?  Also, he mentioned arnica pellets for healing.  Unfortunately, when I got to Whole Foods, there are at least three different types.  Does anyone know the correct strength?  It was hard to figure out from the web.  How far before the surgery should I take them - some sites say 7 days, others 3 and some 1.  Hmmm.....

Superbody - my ps will not do fat grafting during the surgery.  He wants to see how everything settles before adding fat.  He will wait until the nipple stage to see.  

Thanks in advance to everyone for all their advice.

Andrea623

I'm not feeling very well today. My temperature is 100.6. Seeing the PS at one. I'm feeling a little scared.

Elizabethaw

Oh, Andrea, I'm so sorry.  There are lots of colds going around now that kids are back in school. I'm hoping it's something like that. Hang in there!  Best wishes to you.