Exchange City

ZukiCat

Leslienva,

I was tiny before my mastectomy as well and had a big space on my sternum. I tried on some bras yesterday and it looks like I am now a 32 B. No knockers here lol! How much bigger were you able to get? I have Natrelle gummies 410 anatomicals at ONLY 225 g each side, so very small!!

RAK1

I had my exchange in June. In September I had fat grafting done and Botox injected into the pectoral muscles.

I was told that the Botox has lasted for six months to a year in other patients.

For me it only lasted 3 weeks, but i was told that the did not use much. My body reabsorbed all of the fat which was only 150cc within less than 2 months.

Does any one know anything about this and how to resolve it.

I am having two complications Capsular contracture and dynamic breast deformity.

These complications are causing me great distress mostly because of how it feels like (I have a vice of some sort gripping both breast) and the implants have gotten very hard. It is painful to do the massage that I was told to do.

Please if anyone has any advice, experience please share I have found myself depressed over the results.

My foobs are very hard and not symmetrical anymore.

Robin

Scottiemom11

Best wishes to everyone. . .

mjh1 thanks for making me smile today while we await Snowmaggeddon2 in WetLanta. The only "cure" I have found is treadmill, running and hiking. Yes, I'm one of those baby's got back girls since BC. I have managed to firm things up a lot in the past year though. If you find another way, please share.

Mominator

Robinblessed: I can only guess why the fat was left behind. I had very large breasts before the mastectomy. Maybe BS and PS were being conservative in the amount of tissue they took during the mastectomy.

katykids

I finally have a set of boobies I can go topless with and now I can't wear a thong...lol.

I don't mean to laugh but thank you, I needed that. I am dealing with some post MX pain and am going to try at-home cupping therapy. My poor husband. Anyway, I saw on the reviews, on Amazon, a lot people thought it helped with cellulite. So, not proven...but maybe something to try.

BTW, I am out in Suffolk County but starting traveling to Great Neck for new PS follow ups. Glad you are pleased with your boobies!

new__me

Saw PS yesterday. Exchange surgery set for March 16. Originally (tentatively) set for March 4 but PS will be on vacation. I am fine with waiting a bit more. Will get gummi bear anatomicals and fat grafts. Surgery is at a day surgery center rather than the hospital and i was very surprised at that. I didn't think surgery centers did actual surgeries including drains. In a way it makes me feel a bit less anxious since it isn't considered 'serious' enough to warrant using the hospital. PS said it will take 2 hours and then several hours in recovery and then home. Hoping it goes that smoothly : /

MsVeryDenseBreasts

mjh1, re: cellulite.....ballet class. Ever seen a ballerina with cellulite on their legs? Nope. The regimen you go through really tightens the glutes and thighs, especially in that hard to reach upper and outer back of the legs area. If interested, let me know and for starters I can give you an exercise to do at home 3 min a day that will help tone (and lengthen, not bulk) all the major muscles in your legs. Also, cut down or cut out on starchy carbs (bread, chips, crackers, potatoes etc). Just cutting out that stuff and getting the right kind of exercise can really help tone things up. Good luck.

robinblessed54

new me,

I had my exchange in the outpatient day surgery center at my hospital. That is not unusual. My EX lasted 2 hours as well. I also have the Allergan Natrelle 410 gummies. Some PS use drains for these and I was told I could have them if he deemed it necessary. I didn't have them. My drains for my BMX were only in 6 days and they didn't produce much fluid. I guess I don't produce fluid. He had to do a bit of pocket work on one side but nothing was very painful. Mostly used OTC Tylenol. I see that many ladies are having fat grafting at the same time as their EX. I would think that the doctor would like to see how the gummies look. People with gummies don't generally need FG. If you want, I can send you a PM with a picture. Just let me know. Robin

Angie4

Robin, I'm having the same problem. I have capsular contracture in my right foob and it is quite painful. I'm having surgery February 2 to replace my current implants. My PS is going to use Strattice mesh around the implant to reduce the chance of this problem recurring. So sorry you have to deal with this too!

RAK1

Thank you Angie4 for responding.

I hope this gets resolved, this is quite painful!

What kind of implants are you getting?

mjh1

scottiemom and katykids - glad my lumpy butt gave u a good chuckle. I always say laughter is the best medicine. I walk a !ot n do at least 200 stairs a day n really don't even have a butt to speak of so I'm thinking mine must be hereditary (like BC) . I've read about coiffe grinds, retinol A, n laser n plan on trying them all. I actually just saw a groupon at the great neck spa for laser so I think I'll try that first since that is quicker. I'll keep u posted n hopefully amused

Msverydense - please PM Me that 3 minute exercise tip.

Rak - so sorry the FG was of no help and now u have CC. Everything that I've read suggests dynamic breast deformity can occur when implants r placed under the muscle with no known solution other than changing the implants to oiver the muscle But that is only a feasible option for women that had an augmentation n not reconstruction. If firm massage does noit break up the CC you're only other option is surgery. My concern about that would be if they remove the capsule will u have evn more rippling. Gummies bear implants r supposed to have less chance of develping CC n r more form stable than the rounds but I would definitely ask your PS how much experience she has with gummies as the pocket needs to b specific for them. My first PS switched my rounds to gummies n one rotated.

bikefam

Good Morning. My PS prescribed physical therapy for me for range of motion on my foob side. It has been 6 weeks since exchange. When I do the exercises the PT gave me, I feel like my implant is going to squirt out through my nose from the pressure of my pecs. Is that normal? I have a 360 cc mentor round high profile implant.

katykids

bikefam, I started seeing a new PS and he told me that some women get their implants and never notice a thing. Others feel every single muscle movement around their implants. I fall into that category. It's weird but I am trying to adjust to the "new normal." A number of women have found myofascial release to be helpful following their surgeries. I am considering returning to that rather than the traditional PT I am doing now. My exchange was nearly 3 months ago.

bikefam

katykids, is myofascial release something that a PT can do, or certain PT's? Did your PS prescribe it instead of regular physical therapy?

katykids

bikefam, I think I learned about myofascial on these boards. Such a steep learning curve in this new territory. I am not sure all PTs practice myofascial but mine was also a PT trained in this method. My Internist gave me the script and I found my own PT.

robinblessed54

katykids, so sorry to hear you are having such a hard time. That should never happen to any of us considering what we have gone through. I feel so blessed, I have had no problems. I pray you get the results and relief you deserve.

Robin G

Tina1969

Good Evening Ladies,

I have a question for those of you that have had your exchange. I do not have mine scheduled yet but I am hoping it will be at the end of February. I'm anxious to get these rocks out of my chest. But I'm experiencing some anxiety because I fear that the implants will look and feel like the TEs. Right now the TE's seem high to me and feel like they are in my armpits. It is hard to find a comfortable position while sleeping now since I am at my maximum capacity (450cc). Did any of you feel like this prior to your exchange surgery? And if so is it better now? My PS told me he will be moving them down a little and that I will be happy with the results but I guess I want to hear it from someone that has gone through the experience.

Thank you in advance for your feedback. Have a great evening.

Tina

Mominator

Hello Tina,

It's only been 6 days since my exchange, but lots of things are better already. I no longer feel that I have rocks in my chest. My implants look much more natural than the TEs. Best of all: they are not in my armpits any more!

I'm not comfortable sleeping right now, but I expect that to change as I recover. PS had to do a lot of pocket work on both sides plus he removed some fat from both sides. So my recovery will be longer than most.

Best wishes for your exchange.

Tina1969

Thank you Mominator. That is encouraging to hear. I'm really looking forward to having them removed. Good luck with your recovery.

DeeRatz

Tina-I feel exactly the same way as you. I can't wait to get these rocket boobs out. I feel like they start at my collarbone and they are in my armpits. I have a 4 finger wide gap between them. My PS has assured me they will be lower and closer together. Since my last fill at the beginning of Jan they have been way more uncomfortable. Not sure if it is because they are overfilled. I have a few weeks left until my exchange on Feb11.

Mominator-thanks for the reassurance

Leslienva

Zukicat, I was at 460 ccs with TEs, now at 360 ccs with Natrelle Inspira implants. My right side, which wasn't radiated, looks smaller than my left. I'm not very happy, but I don't want more surgery anytime soon.

bikefam

Tina, I hope my case is the exception and that you have better luck as the other ladies seem to, but my TE was high and wide and my implants are exactly the same (I had exchange Dec 8). I also had a small implant in my good breast to lift it up. When I saw the PS 5 weeks post op, he was shocked that the implant was so much higher than the good breast, and that they were the same height when I came out of surgery. He things the good breast "dropped" already, and the implant hasn't. Waiting 6 months to see what happens and they he'll discuss some revision. Just be aware that it can take up to 6 months for the implant to drop into place, according to what they tell me. I wish I would have known that before my surgery. Good luck and keep us posted.

Mominator

Sending best wishes and healing to NJSurfer, exchange is today, and SKnitter, exchange is Thurday.

PNY

Wow this is a busy week!! Mine is tomorrow.

Hopefully we will all do well:)

Good luck

Tina1969

Hi DeeRatz, I too have been more uncomfortable since my last fill. It is definitely harder to get into a comfortable position to sleep. I think it has a lot to do with mine being overfilled. I'm at 450cc and they are 400cc capacity. My exchange is scheduled for Feb. 22nd. I guess we just have to trust that everything will be ok. Good luck to you on the 11th.

bikefam, I'm sorry to hear that your implants are too high and wide. They are softer though aren't they? What kind of implants did you get? Hopefully they can fix them for you.

Angie4

RAK,

They are replacing my old implants with Inspira.

Mominator

PNY I hope you had a smooth surgery and are resting comfortably.

Mominator

I had a big appointment with PS today: both drains were removed and stitches taken out, and also received my driving clearance!

After the appointment, I got a copy of the pathology report. I am certainly very happy that the removed tissue was all benign. But I surprised that the tissue was listed as "breast tissue" as opposed to just "fat tissue" or something else. I had a BMx in November, and this was just an exchange, TEs were taken out and some fat. So it makes me nervous that the pathology is calling it breast tissue and makes me wonder if there's more breast tissue in there. That will be my first question for next appointment.

Also, I've been cold and shivering this evening and my muscles are having spasms with each shiver. Ladies with implants, do those spasms ever go away?

Thanks,

Mominator

Moonflwr912

es they will go away. Things just need to settle in. They can never remove every bit of breast tissue. It's impossible to do that. The tissue came from the breast are. That makes it breast tissue. Adipose breast tissue too.

Much love

PNY

Mominator

Surgery went well THANK GOD

I am home and feeling pretty good with some pain. I am buried under that oink compression bra stuffed with cotton:) and a huge band around my belly form the liposuction, although my belly looks anything but flat:)

Getting up from a lying position and lifting my arms seem to hurt the most but i am doing it.

So happy I am on the other side. I will get my first really good peek when i can peel myself for my first shower in another day or two.

Thanks for checking in.