Exchange City

mjh1

minivan - If all goes according to plan, I would estimate from your arrival time until when you leave should be about 3-4 hours, maybe 5 at most.  The exchange itself shouldn't be more than 1 1/2 hours. 

Alibeths

HAD TO SHARE THIS SHIRT I GOT!

http://www.teespring.com/survivor-shirt

robinblessed54

My daughters got this for me when I decided on reconstruction.

RAK1

My exchange went very well.

I am so glad to have those TEs removed.

This surgery was much easier than the Mx.

Love Robin

trailrose

robinblessed- Great to hear you're loving your implants!

RAK1- Welcome to the squishy side!

RAK1

Thank you trailrose.

This is much better!

Robin

Jumpship

Thanks Mjh1!

cherish

I have done my last filled on 4/1. I was told by ps to wait at least 3 months for the exchange. So now my exchange has been scheduled on 7/6. I have total 930cc filled on both sides, but the mastectomy side looks bigger than the BMX side also not in the same position. My ps said she will adjust it during the exchange surgery. I used to have small size (b-)but I want to have bigger boobs so I'm looking for about c - d cup perhaps it will be the size I want. I think I will I go for the silicone implant. The ps said the max on silicone is 800cc so I think it shall be enough room for her to adjust to same position since I have done 2 overfill for (130cc). My shoulders hurts bad due to this hard like rock expander 😢... Hopefully it will be gone after the exchange. Question : how long the sever pain last after the surgery ? Are you able to move after surgery? I'm getting nervous when the day get closer😔😟😥😟

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kingster

cherish, my exchange surgery was actually instant relief from the dreaded tissue expander. Mostly because they "give" and are not rock hard. My surgery was about 1 hour, and went home same day. The exchange is must easier than the mastectomy! Try not to worry.

ThinkingPositive

cherish - I had my exchange done on May 13th..with reconstruction as well to my non MX side.  Went home the same day.  Took the pain meds every 4 hours so I really don't know if I needed them or not...but by day 2 I was not taking them as often and stopped by day 3.  Had to keep my arms to my side...and slept on my back.  Had a tough time getting dressed the first day due to not being able to move my arms.  Went to followup next day after surgery and had the binder and dressings removed.  PS put on my sportsbra and I have been in it 24/7 except to shower.  So far so good.  Pain that I had been experiencing in my shoulder and back were gone after reconstruction.  Hopefully your pain in your shoulder will go away as well.    Good luck with your exchange and don't be nervous.  It really was no big deal. 

Leslienva

Hi Patricia, I also had an infection on my radiated side--for me it was after the stitch popped. I had to have the expander removed and replaced we're pretty much starting over on that side. I just hope the expansions work this time and I can get the implants. So tired of these darn expanders!!

stephaniegee

I had my exchange surgery in April and it went very well. This past week I started having pain in my left side near my underarm to what feels like behind my breast (maybe ribs?). I saw my MO and he sent me for a chest X-ray (which was fine) and a bone scan in a few weeks. The pain seems to be getting worse, hurts when I take deep breaths, move, lie down, etc. I am wondering if it could be surgery related. Anyone have anything like this?

MinusTwo

stephanie - I know we talked about LE on another thread. But have you called your PS or your BS? If you're questioning surgery issues, it seems to me that would be the next best avenue.

robinblessed54

What are some of you using on your scars? I have one part of my right scar near the armpit side that is red and a bit raised. I have been using Bio Oil since the glue came off. I also was using coconut oil. Then my good friend Kingster suggested I try using the contents of vitamin E capsule. I found out from a friend her PS told her not to use it. I looked it up on Google and found out the same thing. It can cause dermatitis or rashes and may cause the scar to get worse. Just wondered what everyone else is using. Other that that one area, my scars are thin and fading. Thanks for your input. Robin

mysunshine48

I use coconut oil everywhere.....

mysunshine48

robinblesed, what kind of anatomical implants do you have?

downdog

robinblessed54, the elevation is called scar hypertrophy and usually appears after about 1 month. The key feature of a hypertrophic scar is that it is confined to the wound borders. Keloids are elevated and extend beyond the wound borders, and usually appear 3 months - years after the injury/surgery. Keloids are difficult to treat once they are established, so prevention is key. Certain individuals with a genetic predisposition and those with darker skin are more prone to keloid scar formation. Cryotherapy and corticosteroid injection are usually deployed to help treat keloid scars. Since the 80s there have been multiple scientific studies that have demonstrated that silicone sheeting helps flatten hypertrophic scars. Best results are obtained when application begins 10-14 days after sx, once the incision has healed, but you can get some improvement for up to 2 years. At only 3 months out, you can still achieve significant flattening. Silicon gel is a newer product and easier to apply than the sheets. Silicone sheeting is worn 24 hours a day; the gel is applied twice a day. There are several scientific publications that have concluded the effectiveness of silicone gel for treating hypertrophic scars. To my knowledge, there are zero third party scientific research studies supporting Bio-Oil's marketing claims. Coconut oil seems like a reasonable product to help achieve similar goals of silicone polymers, but it has anecdotal reports of success, not years of scientific studies. Does it work as well? I have no idea. I wouldn't risk it at 3 months out. If you wish, apply the coconut oil as well after the silicon gel based treatment product has dried. Dimethicone is a common form of silicon in scar gel products. You can buy pure silicon gel or a product including other wound healing and collagen remodelling ingredients. Buy a squeezable tube and avoid jar packaging, since if your product contains certain delicate ingredients, such as antioxidants, they will degrade when exposed to light and air. BTW, this is also true for skincare products. If you're paying money for antioxidants and skin repairing ingredients for your face, avoid jar packaging.

kingster

Downdog, when my grandson got head lice (gross I know), we bought a product that was only dimethacone to use. It was a pesticide free option. That is very slippery btw when it gets on the floor. Anyway, are you saying that is good for scars, because it is silicone? Wonder if that is cheaper than the scar gels? The head lice product was $10, and Maderma was $40.

downdog

kingster, silicone is slippery. If the product you got for your grandson was labelled for head lice (FDA tested for application to the human scalp), then yes, you can use the cheaper product, since you state it is pesticide free. Check the ingredient list to make sure it's just dimethicone. The challenge would be in not having most of it transfer to clothing. If you want to use it, then I would probably use more frequent, but less liberal applications and try and massage it into the scar for 2-3 minutes. Some of the targeted scar therapy silicone products have been formulated to dry, are flexible and gas permeable. I would think that a pesticide free dimethicone lice product is probably occulusive to suffocate the lice, so would not dry, and you mentioned that it got on the floor. The silicone would make it easy to slide the lice comb through the hair. Dimethicone, also known as polymethylsiloxane, is an ingredient in all kinds of shampoos, conditioners, hair detanglers, anti-frizz products and skin lotions. It adds a slippery feel to them and acts to soften. The softening properties are what helps flatten scars.

robinblessed54

I have Allergan 410 filled to 475cc FF.

shorfi

I am scheduled to have revision work done on my left breast August 12th. I want my breasts to look symmetrical. So my PS said he would take out the implant and put a smaller one in. My left breast had radiation back in 2004. Does anyone know the down time for this? He said 3 days, but I neglected to ask him is it going to take another year for it to feel ok?

If I am posting on the wrong site, I apologize in advance. Thank you.

mjh1

shorfi - it all depends by what you mean by revision work.  If he's just swapping out the implant, your pain should be minimal by day three but you will still have to be careful for at least two weeks until stitches heal.  Your pain and healing time is dependent on how much pocket work you will need and what restrictions are imposed on you.

shorfi

mjh1...thank you for your reply. By revision I mean making both breasts look symmetrical. My right breast has 500cc and the left breast has 550cc and it sorts of slides to my armpit. I am a "B" cup, I went smaller...used to be a DD.

kingster

Downdog, are you a chemist? Or a biologist? Thanks for the advice. The dimethacone lice product was dimethacone only. Never dries and even stays slippery after shampooing. I know that dimethacone is a common ingredient in skin care products. I will have to check out the ingredients in scar gels. The size of that lice product was pretty big compared to the typical small size of those scar gel tubes. What do you think about Vaseline for treatment of scars? My ps had me use Vaseline initially to prevent scabbing I believe.

ThinkingPositive

Has anyone had a problem with insurance questioning after they authorized the surgery... that they now need medical records in order to review the claim..??  Both claims - Hospital Charges and Plastic Surgeon Charges are pending... Medical Records from Hospital Needed.    But they pay the anesthesiologist? 

mysunshine48

Yes, I have had to send in paperwork, or rather, my doctors did with medical records, but all worked out

Elizabethaw

I'm late in responding to this, but Patricia had asked about feeling the needle with fills. My PS gives out a topical numbing cream (EMLA), and I used it for each fill. I could still feel the needle stick, and sometimes I felt other unpleasant things, but it definitely helps. And I agree that feeling something is a good sign that you have some nerves left. Patricia, if you're still having pain, ask for EMLA.

Badgergirl

Hi everyone!

So I had my last fill on Thursday...filled to 380 cc's, which seems small since prior to surgery I was an E, but when I look in the mirror, I don't look that much smaller. My exchange has not been scheduled yet (pre-op is July 17th), but after the exchange, I would love to know what some of you experienced in terms of size and expectations. Did the implants seem smaller than the TE's? Or just less like a rock? I'm so darned nervous. Of course, glad to be alive, so there's that ;-) Any insight is appreciated...I don't feel like I have a good expectation of what will happen with the exchange.

Thank you in advance!

AudreyB

Badgergirl, my exchange is scheduled for 8/19. Since January, through my diagnosis, 3 surgeries, and all the stress that BC has caused, I now find myself stressing over my final outcome. My TEs are filled to 750cc and last week my PS said he was thinking 650cc implants with projection, mentor moderate plus. Whippet mom suggested 700cc high profile. I called my PS nurse yesterday. She has been with me for every fill (my PS has done every fill himself). I asked her to stress to him I want good projection and that he can't be conservative with me. These are my consolation boobs. So now I wait for my next apt . The stress never ends.

mysunshine48

Audrey, From what I have read, and knowing what you want, I side with Wippetmom. High profile, 700cc.

I have learned that implants come off bring a lot flatter since we have no tissue. And, the expanders are filled with saline which projects more. I am thinking about 700 cc's too. I am 5'6 and weigh 140. You