Exchange City

HuskerFan

Remi, mine had that scratchy, uncomfortable feeling too. I will say I'm not noticing it near as much anymore (exchange was 6 weeks ago). Hopefully with a little more time some of that will go away.

robinblessed54

My husband took before pictures and then every couple of weeks throughout fills. Then took pictures after exchange as I changed. So glad he did.

I asked my PS to make me as close to my pre-cancer size and he got it right on the money! I was filled to 420cc and he put 475cc 410's

Robin

robinblessed54

Remi, They are cold!! They stay that way. I don't recall having a scratchy feeling though. Kingster calls them vampire boobs! She has smooth rounds so silicone of any type is cold.

Hang in there!

Robin

Remi50

thanks all!!

Remi50

FUBC

Hi girls

Can anyone tell me how long it takes for the swelling to go down? I know every one is different but an approximate time frame will help.

Also, anyone know what the weight of each implant might be? Just wondering ...

Hope all is doing well

SpecialK

fubc - swelling is pretty individualized, and also dependent on how much is done at the time of exchange - pocket work, fat grafting, etc., but I felt like between 4-8 weeks. Silicone implants weigh about 1/4 lb for each 100ccs, saline weighs just slightly less.

FUBC

SpecialK, as usual you're very helpful. I am so glad you and whippetmom are always around helping the rest of us.

Please be safe if you're in Florida tonight :-)

kingster

I called the mentor company, and they said that 30ml equals one oz...and I also found a formula on the internet;) Mine weigh 1.5 lbs each (700 ml). That is 50% heavier than my 1 lb natural boobs, lol. I'm getting used to them finally after a year and a half! I went to the mastectomy boutique store today, and the co owner said that she has seen many reconstructions and that mine was one of the better ones! Happy happy happy to hear that;) Sometimes it takes a ton of time to heal. I felt itchy initially too, and also had twitches like spasms, and also sensations of water trickling inside. And gurgling sounds right after exchange. Crazy stuff to say the least. And yeah...we have vampire foobs now...perfect for Halloween! Nice and chilly:/

SpecialK

fubc - happy to be of help! I am in Florida at the moment and am hopeful that because I am on the west coast we will just get regular storm strength wind/rain. My DH's two brothers and their families are right in the bullseye on the east side of the state, and my inlaws are between Savannah and Charleston, on the water. All of them stubbornly refused to evacuate. My fingers are crossed

PNWBCHgirl

@JesseJake glad to hear you had a good post op appointment and got some answers . Always comforting to see the before and after pictures. I have not seen my before and afters yet, I am sure I'll be shocked since my surgeries were extended and I have one last procedure to do.

Did your PS say that maybe one side is lower possibly because the way your rib cage sits? Mine is higher on one side than the other and my PS had to get creative and extend my incision into my side to my back and do some reshaping.

JessieJake

PNWBCHgirl, that's a good question. I wouldn't be surprised to find there is some difference in the rib cage causing it. Did that creative work hold up for you? Did it require extra healing or anything? My PS recommended an underwire during hearing as she did try adjusting during surgery, but didn't seem to help.

On one hand, I can live with it (because apparently I did for my whole life already and didn't know!), but I think I'm quite literal so..... My PS had told me she could correct it during exchange and I took her at her word. So it is simply me to say, "wait a minute....You said......" when it doesn't work like I was told.

I just found out that I get to see my PS again on 11/21 as I'm going to have another round of fat grafting on 12/15. I said to the nurse on the phone, "Looking forward to it!". We both laughed about that.

Too bad there isn't a zipper instead of an incision. We could just try on implants, wear for a day or two, swap them out, try a new one, so on and so on. We could have the every day pair, a night on the town pair, a "make my bottom half look tiny" pair, a "make me look 20 again pair". I'm sure there's more....

Overall all is good, but it's entertaining, if nothing else, to analyze and talk about "what ifs".

FUBC

SpecialK, I hope all is well with your in-laws and your DH's brothers...

Asante314

The anxiously awaited call from the hospital telling me to report at noon. Sigh. I was supposed to be the surgeons first case as I have difficulty waking from anesthesia. The more they try to wake me the more nauseated I become. Dreading the half hour car ride home... debating which car may get christened in a bad way... I was hoping for the early time so they would hopefully let me sleep it off a little. Odd to say, but the best part of my BMx going in was knowing no one was going to try to wake me to get me in a car. Heck I only woke up for 30-60 intervals 5 or six times in the first 36 hours! Here's hoping the anesthesiologist really listens! Mom of 2 plus 4, did you say anything specific to the anesthesiologist?

I have heard many say how quickly they feel the rocks off their chest, and can't wait... but wondering how soon you were able to touch/ feel your squishes to have an idea of how soft they may be. My implants will be under the muscle, but I do not know the style.

Thank you

-S

FUBC

Asante

I had my exchange on Monday and yes, the implants are very soft. There's no comparison with the TEs. The implants don't hurt. The pain I personally had was onthe top and bottom poles. I had pocket revision done so that might explain the pain

PNWBCHgirl

JesseJake. He said it was a method of basically reshaping the whole fold trimming away excess tissue and that there was layers and layers of sutures and I too had to wear an underwire for several weeks 24/7 and now wearing it 12 hours. Which is fine with me I have wore one for many years. So far it has worked and I like my look. He gave me exercises to start now too . It hurt a lot in the beginning but I managed through, he said it probably compares to having a cracked rib.

Yes test driving would be a really good idea but hard to do. I had one side reconstructed last year using my ab tissue ( pedicle tram flap) and it looks and feels good. I only have one small dimple that the PS calls his problem child and is determined to fix. My other side the left ended up a implant because when we did the lift /reduction on the fragments sent to pathology came back with DCIS so we started the MX / reconstruction process. Again. So grateful that the fragments sent had the DCIS and was caught, who knows when it would have showed up.

Blueorange

hi all,

I have my exchange surgery scheduled for Oct 11th. The TE's have been horrible and I'm so looking forward to getting those out. I'm wondering how long it takes to heal from the excahnge? I have a Halloween party that I really want to attend on the 21st....it seems so soon after. I'm wondering if it's a reality at all, or if I should give up my ticket.

Thanks!

robinblessed54

Blueorange, are you going to Knott's Scarey Farm?? I live in San Bernardino county in Yucaipa. Everyone heals differently, depending on any pocket work that needs to be done. It is definitely easier than mx or carrying around those TEs!!

That is 10 days out, might be ok, but don't overdo. You will know how you feel.

Blueorange

robinblessed,

It's a private party, very fun, I've gone for the past 2 years. I'm having saline implants, not under the muscle. I just have no idea what to expect. I know it will be much easier than my bmx and TE's...

robinblessed54

where in CA do you live? Our dx is exactly the same!

Blueorange

Robin,

I live in Ukiah. Yes we do have the same dx! I haven't started hormone blockers yet...soon though.

robinblessed54

Even our towns have a similar pronunciation! That is way up in northern CA, right? I would ask your Oncologist to start you on Femara if you are pomenopausal. Arimidex and Aromison have serious side effects. Plus, I was told by mine that Femara is better for ILC.

SanFranKitty

BlueOrange I have saline under the muscle too. I am still happy with my choice even though it's unusual. Jessiejake I know I already mentioned this but I also have slightly uneven results. Seems in my case it may be the skin is thinner on the side that had cancer. Hoping another fat graft will help. It's not obvious in clothes or a bra but it bugs me sometimes.

JessieJake

me too SFKitty (bugs me sometimes, I mean), yet in clothes - great!

FUBC

Robin,

I have the same dx as you and BlueOrange but for some reason I was quoted as being Stage 1A vs 1B. I am not sure why.

Unrelated, I wanted to ask you if you can tell me briefly what SE you get with arimidex that you don't get with Femara.

I am on Arimidex and my SE are mostly hot flashes, joint pains and recently I have had nasty migraines. I have had migraines before, usually when PMS or ovulating, but in the past few months or since I started Arimidex, my migraine are very strong, the one I had yesterday lasted for about 10 hours, so my whole day was shut and I vomited. I wonder if Femara might be better for me.

robinblessed54

FUBC when I went on Arimidex I had horrible joint pain so requested to change to Aromison. I felt like I was about 90 when getting up from a seated position. And my hands were so badly riddled with arthritis that I eventually had to have trigger finger surgery caused by those 2 drugs. I changed MO and she said I should never have been put on those 2 drugs in the cold weather. She also said that Femara works better for ILC . I have been very happy on Femara. The only SE I have is dryness. Vaginal dryness is the worst! You are very young, so your situation is probably different.

FUBC

Thank you Robin.

I am meeting my MO on Thursday and will ask her to put me on Femara. I feel like I am 90 also due to joint pains etc. If I go down on my knees while trying to pick up something from the floor, it is very difficult to get up. I also have numbness on my right arm and fingers but not sure if this is a SE of AI.

I hope Femara will be more gentle on me.

SanFranKitty

Yes. In clothing or a bra I look fine. It's really something that I notice, and no one else does. My mind has been on pother things but I do come back to it sometimes.

MrsB88

Robinblessed - I noticed that your last surgery was nipple tattooing. Did you mean nipple recon. with areola tattooing or was the entire procedure tatooing only? I am 3 1/2 wks. post implant exchange and am considering 3D nipple & areola tattooing instead of recon. I've read many comments on a separate thread on this site and it seems many women like their nipple recon. & many don't. I don't have to make a decision for at least 3 mos. but am interested in what you chose. My PS is so pro recon. and I am leaning toward all tattoos. I don't care about having nipples and going thru another surgery just to possibly be disappointed with the outcome or worse, compromising my implants which I am happy with. Thanks for any input.

robinblessed54

MrsB88,

I had nipple tattoos not recon. I was going to do recon a month ago but I have a keloid scar on one side of my right breast. My PS said he could make the incision vertical instead of horizontal. Then would I have an "x" or cross incision? Would that scar keloid? I love my foobs! They are twins, not sisters. I have Allergan 410 annatomicals. I am 18 months post exchange. I don't need nipples. My tattoos are not as 3D as they were right afterwards. But just me and hubby see them. And they can't guarantee they won't flatten out completely! And what about infection? Not worth it to me. I know, my PS wanted me to get them too! Fooey! It's your body. I also have Pink Perfect silicone nipples I can glue on when I want nipples.

I can PM you pictures if you wan

kingster

My ps is against nip recon because they flatten out (very often) and cause scar tissue. Then the scar tissue makes tattoos more difficult. I checked around and many ps in my area said the same. So, I'm getting the 3D tattoos by Vinnie Meyers next month. Expensive, but I feel like I really need to have a finished look. I never liked to not finish my projects, lol.