Exchange City

SpecialK

Leanne - fat grafting is added either over the implants, or in the step-off above them, to either add size or soften the look in the upper pole. Other than stretching and massage I am not sure about any specific exercises.

Mfana - type UCLA into the search from the left column and it will bring up all references to it - I think that would be the fastest way to find any members who had recon there

trailrose

Fe_Princess- My implants are a little squared off next to my underarms but rounded in the cleavage and underboob area. Our exchange surgeries are just a few days apart. Have you started running yet?

MinusTwo

mfana - Whippetmom - the guru of implants - is in Southern CA and had her surgeries done there. She also keeps a list of recommended surgeons around the country. If you read the header of the thread below and post to her, she will have good thoughts.

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topic/...

Fe_Princess

Trailrose, hello! I started to run last week but it really hurts my breasts badly afterwards. I am going to take it a little easier. My mx side has been aching a lot since I started too. It feels good though to run. I massage and stretch as well but not much has changed. It's very square and that's a perfect description. What does your PS say about it. How are you feeling these days? I am not full of energy yet.

trailrose

Hi Fe_Princess- I would imagine some aching after running is normal since it really is so soon after surgeries. On June 11th I go to see my PS again so I will ask him about the square look on the sides closest to my underarms. We just need more time for things to settle. I ran a little with my TE's but didn't experience pain. Other than that I still see a little ripple on my right side and am waiting patiently for more time to go by! I've been going out and doing some fast hiking which as you know is not running but it will do for another 2 weeks. Do you feel cold on your implant side more than on the other side? I get cold so easy it's crazy!

Fe_Princess

Hey Trailrose, do you think they will fill out on the sides in time? Did you PS tell you that? Do you have massaging excersized yet? I wonder why I got the green light to run before you? Is the ripple from the implant? Yes, I feel much colder on the mx side but since I am in surgically induced menopause (don't be jealous!) I get a bit of hot flashes.

ThinkingPositive

3 weeks now since exchange and reconstruction on other side. Exchange side still feels tight but not really that swollen. Feels like something is on my chest..just like the TE. Really no difference except not hard like TE. The other side where I had reconstruction done with implant is still swollen..especially on the side by the underarm area. I still feel it when I put my arm down by my side. Saw the PS last week, and he said everything looked good. Wonder how long the swelling on this side should be there. Any possibility that the implant shifted to the side??

trailrose

Fe_Princess- My understanding is that they will fill out on the sides. When I saw my PS 2 weeks ago he said that they will keep changing in appearance and that this is not the final outcome. I have been massaging my implants 3-4 times a day as instructed. He asked me to put the palms of my hands on the outer sides and push inwards. At first my PS said I could run 4 weeks post exchange surgery but wanted to extend it by another 2 weeks. He's very conservative and strict on instructions. My steristrips are still in place from May 1st! He still won't allow my chest area to get wet either so I've been waist down showers and washcloth baths for my upper portion. I can tell the ripple is the implant showing underneath the skin. My sister went through a surgically induced menopause since she's BRCA 1# and says it's very hard! I am going through perimenopause (I'm 43 yrs. old) so I get occasional hot flashes. Maybe the implants feeling colder are good especially for running since maybe we'll never overheat!

ThinkingPositive- I can still tell that something is under my pec muscle but not like the TE's. It definitely feels better going on 5 weeks out. There has been a couple of times that I didn't even notice them.

Jumpship

I'm headed in to the Exchange in a few weeks but saw the new PS. I asked him, how do I know this lump/bump is scar tissue or a bump from the TE or.....a weird BC lump where my breast used to be. He said the famous "I don't know." Anyone else have lumps and bumps at the far edges, like near the armpit-portion of the breast?

jabec

I had my exchange on May 18th and was surprised how much pain I was in. I thought it would be a piece of cake, but the PS did a lot of stitching inside me - had to raise one side and both had to be brought towards the middle. Still less pain than MX but more than I thought it would be. I was off painkillers after a few days and was driving 5 days later. The stitches are healing and the skin and muscles are loosening up now. I think they look good in clothes and my PS seemed to really listen to what I wanted them to look like. However, I'm upset to see more (new?) stretch marks on the cleavage side of my breasts. I asked the PS about it and he said that it's stretch marks that were previously there, but I definitely don't remember seeing them and my PT today said the same thing. I also asked my PS what I can do about them - lotions now and/or some kind of laser later on. He told me that nothing will really help! He said there are lasers that claim to help but he doesn't thik they do. Has anyone heard of something that will actually get rid of or reduce the appearance of stretch marks? It's clear that my skin does not stretch well - I have a lot of stretch marks from pregnancy, but my breasts looked nowhere near this bad before exchange or MX. I'm starting to feel a little depressed about it. I now have nice, perky boobs, but they don't look good in a bikini b/c of the stretch marks!

mjh1

jabec - if he had to raise one side, then he probably had to do stitches to rib cage which is why it's more painful.  I had the same thing done and it felt like I had bruised ribs for two weeks.  A lot of people swear by Bio oil and others don't think it works.  You have to use it at least twice a day for a month to see if you notice any difference.  Send a PM to downdog or post the question on April & May 2015 Surgery Sisters.  Like our whippetmom is the implant whisperer, downdog is the guru of all things related to breasts.

robinblessed54

jabec,

It is still early. Try to step away from the mirror. You have to give your body time to heal. It takes at least 3 months to let them settle and since you had so much pocket work, you are healing inside and probably swollen. I have been using Bio Oil for almost 3 months since my EX and I can hardly see my stretch marks around the scar area. The scar is also getting flatter. Hang in there. Robin

MinusTwo

I used Mederma and you can hardly see my scars. Also says for stretch marks.

jabec

thanks everyone!! I'm going to try to think positively that all the oils and lotions will make a difference. I also go back and forth with my thinking about whether the shape of my boobs looks great or whether they look a little too full at the top (I did ask for that fullness). I know that I have to wait for them to settle before making any determination and I'm sure that ultimately I will be happy with them. It's hard knowing that this is it - what you see is what you get, unlike the TEs when I knew that I could fix things in the exchange.

Fe_Princess

Hey Robin, where do you get bio oil?

robinblessed54

You can get it at any pharmacy like Walgreens, CVS and I found it on Amazon a lot cheaper.  I paid $13.00 for the small size.  Can't remember the price on Amazon, but almost 1/2 price.  I have been using mine for almost 3 months and it is only half gone.  I not only put it on the scars and massage it in, I put it over the entire boob area. 

kingster

My PS said it is the massaging motion that helps the scars and not necessarily the oil. He said any lotion or oil will work. I got bio oil at Sam's club. But I saw it at wal-Mart and giant eagle. My friend told me to use 100% cocoa butter sticks. I got a bunch of those at the dollar General for $1.30. And they make you smell like chocolate...what could be better? 😄

trailrose

I'm five weeks post exchange surgery and notice more rippling on my right side than 2 weeks ago. I know I'm supposed to give it a full 3 months before I can say it's here to stay but does it get worse before it gets better? My PS was originally going to put in high profile smooth round gels but ended up putting in moderate plus smooth round gels. If I remember the TE's were ones he put in with high profile round implants in mind for the exchange surgery. Can that make a difference in rippling? He said I was expanded to 500 cc and put 400 cc implants in. Should I have gotten bigger implants?

mjh1

tailrose - being that you are 5 weeks out and seeing more rippling I can say from my experience that it probably will not resolve on its own.  I'm sorry.  My TE's were expanded to 490 and I had 425 smooth round implants put in originally.  My rippling started two weeks after and progressively got worse.  Three months later I then switched to 525 cc gummy bears and they definitely do look a lot better than the rounds did (in my opinion) because they fill the pocket more.  I also had alloderm placed over one of the implants in the revision.  I have one boob that I think is perfect and the other one still has some rippling and some other problems that I'm hoping will be resolved in my next revision.  Don't despair.  There are always things that can be done.  If it's just rippling and not a pocket issue, they can do FG which I know has helped a lot of people and is the least invasive.  Also, please keep in mind these are manmade and therefore are subject to imperfections.  Nothign will ever compare to our natural breast as far as feel wise, but lookwise a very skilled PS can make it look pretty darn close.  If after 3 months you are still completely unsatisfied, see what your PS has to say about a fix and I would also go to another PS for a second opinion. 

trailrose

mjh1- Thank you for your reply and sharing your story. I'm scheduled to see my PS next week so I'll get his opinion on what he thinks. I'll have to research other PS in my area too. I thought my TE's were at 440 ccs since I was keeping count but I guess not.

AZ85048

trailrose - Go over to the 'BREAST IMPLANT SIZING 101' thread that's run by our beloved implant guru, whippetmom. Not only does she give wonderful advice as to implant size and style, but she keeps a list of the 'good and great' plastic surgeons all over the country. She can give you some solid recommendations if you send her a PM and let her know where you live.

Fe_Princess

Hi Trailrose, I am thinking that maybe my implant side looks "box like" on the armpit side is that I only had the TE in for a month? Is that even a logical explaination?

mjh1

tailrose - PM whippetmom.  She keeps a list of PS that our other sisters have used and she may have someone in your area.  She gave me a whole list of names and after weeding them out to see who's in my insurance and going on 4 consults, I have finally decided on one.

trailrose

AZ85048 & mjh1- Thank you ladies! I will do that. Besides the rippling the cleavage and roundness on the underboob is beautiful!

Fe_Princess- My understanding is that the "box" shape you are seeing should go away after the 3 month waiting period. Maybe longer. The TE was there just to stretch your skin to give room for the implant but I'm not sure if it being in there only one month made the difference.

mjh1

justajen - good luck tomorrow in your exchange.  I hope your new "girls" will be all you want the to be.  Warm hugs!!

ThinkingPositive

What is rippling? Its been 3 weeks for me since surgery for exchange. Both sides still feel sore and swollen..reconstruction side feels worse than the MX side. Feels like my boob is too swollen on the side. The MX side looks like its more towards the side of my body than towards the middle. Like its not centered right. Does this fix itself??

MinusTwo

Thinking - oh oh. You're looking in the mirror again!! When do you go back to the PS? Remember, 3-6 months not 3-6 weeks, but you can start a list of questions for the doc.

Fe_Princess

Hi SpecialK, did you have the fat graphing done after the exchange was finished?

JustAJennifer

thanks mjh1- laying here sleepless and thought I'd check in. Reporting for surgery at 5:45am! Nervous, want it over with. I'm doing a lift on the healthy side and they will biopsy the tissue they remove. Fingers crossed all is well. It's time to move on!

AZ85048

JustaJennifer - Wishing you the very best of luck tomorrow!