Visible ripples in implants

Anonymous

Lee- I'm really hoping there's a lot of swelling because I wanted to be smaller than I was before and I'm bigger. Also have something else going on. The back of both arms are numb all the way down to the elbow. He swapped out the implants through a small incision in the arm pits. I'm wondering if some nerves got cut. I'm so paranoid about Lymphedema. Maybe I should have insisted on him using the same incision site. Guess I'll see what he says tomorrow.

leeinfl

Kate - I had numbness on the sides of each breast and under the arm (armpit area) too, but I had it after the mastectomies too so I don't know if that is unusual or not.  It took a while but I have full feeling and sensation there now.  I'm sure you've got quite a bit of swelling so it might be a while before you see your actual size.  Sending good thoughts your way!

Anonymous

Thanks Lee! I really appreciate all your help through this. Dr K should hire you!

leeinfl

I'd work for him in a heartbeat!  Not just because I think he's such an amazing surgeon and compassionate man, but I'd love to help women get more information and access to this procedure.  Heck, if I didn't live 4 hours away, I'd VOLUNTEER there!

leeinfl

BTW - At the video shoot I met a lady who had her mastectomy in January and IMMEDIATE fat grafting.  She woke up with A cup breasts!  Isn't that amazing!?!  THAT is the ideal reconstruction right there!  She had her second grafting on Friday (you might have seen her!!) and was there just 2 days after to tell her story. She looked incredible!  I was so happy for her!

One day this will be standard - until then, we just need to spread the word.

Again, hope all goes well tomorrow.  Just tell him what you are concerned or worried about and he will put your mind at ease.

deekaay

Kate, good to hear from you.  We are all here routing for you!!!  Take good care.

Anonymous

Just had my post op appointment with Dr Khouri. He said everything looked good so am cleared to fly home. He said he doesn't need to see me again unless I decide to move forward with getting rid of the implants all together. I don't think I'd want to go through this again, though. And I think things will be so much better just doing this. He swapped out my 375's for 225's and then did a LOT of fat grafting taking it from my stomach, hips and thighs. I can no longer feel the implants under the skin and the skin is warm now! No more Barbie boobs. I've still got a lot of swelling but I'm not seeing any rippling either! I'll post photos when I can on the picture forum.

leeinfl

"the skin is warm now"  - YAHOOO!!!  Isn't that wonderful?  I am SO happy that everything went well.    "I'm not seeing any rippling either" - Your rippling days should be over my friend! 

Thanks for posting - continue to take it easy.  It'll take a while for the bruising and swelling to go away and don't worry about lingering numbness at the lipo sites.  That can take quite a while, but it will go away.  

So, so thrilled for you.  Have a safe flight.  (Can't wait to see your photos!)

suzanneinphoenix

Hi, Kate33.  So happy that everything went well for you.  I hope that you will get some feeling back as everything heals internally

Suzanne

hopefulhealing

Yeah Kate

Anonymous

I'm feeling better every day though my bruises are becoming more technicolor every day!  They are itching like crazy, too, which is a sign they're healing but it is maddening!  I still feel very swollen.  At least I hope it is swelling and that it will go away.  I had told Dr. K I wanted to be smaller but I still feel pretty big.  I hope we didn't get our wires crossed!  I almost think if I did go through with a second procedure he could just take the implants out next time and do the FG and I'd be perfectly happy with that size.  Just not sure I could go through that again- the surgery and dealing with his office.  Guess we'll have to see how it goes.  

TinaT

Kate33:  Ouch!  Glad you're home and hope the swelling leaves you just the size you hoped for!  Take care...

sweetie2040

Hey Kate! Glad your coming along well. It sounds like you have a lot of swelling. I had a lot after my exchange and I got a lot smaller afterwards. That may be the case for you and you'll end up just the right size. It's so great they feel warm and you don't have ripples!! So happy for you.

Anonymous

Tina and sweetie- Thank you!  I have to admit the size is freaking me out a little.  I keep looking in the mirror and thinking OMG!  I know, I know.....step away from the mirror.  I guess it is like exchange surgery and things will change over time.  Just so impatient for it to happen quickly.  

sweetie2040

Kate- I understand all to well. Remember you and I like to analyze things a lot. I'm sure though that you must have a lot of swelling if he did all kinds of work in there. I had very minor work at my exchange and still had swelling. Months later I look a lot smaller. Are you headed home soon?

Anonymous

sweetie- I flew home on Tuesday right after my post op appointment.  It was a looooong flight and was so glad to be home!  

hopefulhealing

Kate congrats.  You did it!!  I can't wait until all the swelling and bruising is gone and you do look in the mirror and say, Yes it was worth it and I look FABULOUS!

Anonymous

Determined- Thank you!!!  I hope that day comes soon!  Am feeling a little down today.  I think it's just that crummy feeling as I try to get all that anesthesia out of my body but it's kind of depressing looking in the mirror right now.  I'm battered and bruised and swollen and, of course, I go to the dark place and think, "What if I screwed it up even more?!?"  I think I'm ready to cover all the mirrors in my house for a month or two.  LOL!

hopefulhealing

Kate, I know what you mean. It is wierd how we feel after an exchange. I do think the anesthesia has something to do with it. I know you will be beautiful and wonderful when you heal. Be gentle with yourself. You have been through a lot!

leeinfl

Hi Kate - you are not alone.  Everything is kind of overwhelming and you feel all "blah..." - I hated feeling like that, but you know it will pass.  And you will be fine - more than fine!  Hang in there - the bruises will fade and a very beautiful Kate will emerge!  Hugs!  (have a giant bowl of ice cream!  with chocolate!  You earned it!)

deekaay

Kate, is there a chance that Dr. K. put more fat initially since the fat shrinks?  I know with the regular fat grafting, my doc says there can be shrinkage up to 50% or more.  Don't know if that's the same for your procedure, but I would ask Dr. K if he "overfills" the fat.  If so, it might give you some peace of mind while you heal.  Hugs, deekaay.

Anonymous

deekaay- I got an email back from Dr. K and that is exactly what he did.  He said it is a good thing that I feel too big because a lot of it is swelling and once that goes away I should be closer to the size I wanted.  I'm just being too impatient!  LOL!  He also said the numbness is common and should resolve within a few months, too.  As far as fat retention I think with Dr. K's method it is around 85-90%.  Not sure why his method works better, though.

leeinfl

Dr. K has better fat retention because he injects the fat droplets at a time instead of in a big "glob."

Kate - I'm glad he was able to put you at ease.  He's great about getting back to you when you email him despite his crazy schedule.  I'm such an impatient person too - want everything done yesterday!  LOL - hang in there!

mtks

Kate- this may sound very ignorant but I see you live in AZ and your insurance covered the cost with Dr. K? He is in-network? I don't know what I was thinking. Just thought in-network was within

your own state.? Interesting!!!  I hope each day you are feeling better! Although it takes time to heal after surgeries (think how many you have been thru!) one day soon you are going to be so glad you did this. You will look SENSATIONAL!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous

mtks- My DH works for Southwest Airlines and they have employees all over the country so I think our "in network" extends a little farther than most.  I was pretty excited to see he was in network since that was a huge savings for us.

sweetie2040

MTKS-I live in CT and we work in CT but Dr. K would be in network for me if I went to him. There is another Dr. in CT who does his procedure and she is out of network so I can't go to her. Insurance is so annoying. If you think you want to see him, just call your insurance company and find out if he is on your plan or not.

Kate-How are you doing today? I felt like you after the exchange. I think it's from the meds and being put out. We are constantly going through ups and downs with all of this. I asked my Dr about doing Dr. K's procedure and he said a colleague of his went to his seminar. He didn't seem like he would be doing it anytime soon  though and just said there is no way to put fat in all areas of the breast and he could only do it for indentations. Our course you are case in point that fat CAN be put in the whole breast. I guess it's going to take a while for this procedure to be the new way of reconstructing breasts. When I told him I knew a couple of people who had it done, he was like really, for reconstruction? Like he was surprised it would work for that.

leeinfl

Sweetie - The surgeon who did my mastectomy couldn't believe it when I was there for a follow-up visit in December.  When I explained the procedure to him, it was like a light bulb went off and his whole face lit up.  He was blown away and said that if it weren't for the mastectomy scars, it would be hard to tell and feel that my breasts aren't "original".  Like MBJ posted - if the surgeons aren't doing this themselves or haven't seen it with their own eyes, they have a tough time believing it can be done.  Like anything new and innovative, it just takes time - unfortunately, so many more women will have to endure pain and discomfort of TEs and implants until it becomes more widespread.

Anonymous

sweetie- I'm feeling much better today.  Feel like I kind of turned a corner as yesterday I was pretty down.  I do think the anesthesia does a number on me mentally for some reason.  And the surgery, itself, was causing me to have a major fibromyalgia flare so that wasn't helping.  Took a long hot shower this morning, though, and evaluated everything.  The bruising is so much better and is healing faster than I thought it would.  (Maybe wearing the Spanx helps with that?)  The swelling seems to have gone down though I am still feeling a little "wide".  Am hoping maybe its just the swelling under my arms since the incisions are in the arm pits.  The numbness in my arms has gotten better, too.  I'm glad you corrected your doctor's wrong assumptions that FG can't be used for overall recon.  Just the fact that having the fat grafted over the entire breast has made the skin warm is huge in itself.  I no longer feel the edges of the implants, either, except right under the fold of the breast it feels a little strange.  And I still don't see any rippling either and that is all after just one round of FG.  I truly wish all PS's were trained in this and it was routinely included in recon.  My original PS said that implants were never designed for recon and that was why so many women had issues afterwards.  It seems like FG would be the answer for most of us.  Sometimes I get so frustrated that things haven't moved forward fast enough but then I remind myself of the MX my grandma received and I realize how lucky I truly am.

leeinfl

Kate- Wonderful news!  So glad you are feeling more like yourself.  My fat graft/exchange surgeries were a breeze compared to my DMX and TEs.  I'm sorry it's been hard for you but of course you have the added issue of fibromyalgia - I'm sure that compounds everything for you.  We were all sending good wishes your way! 

If you look at my 1st post-op photo and compare it to my last, most recent photo you will see that I was a bit "wide" too.  Especially in/under the armpit area.  Like you, I was a bit concerned about that, but...with time that resolved itself and the breasts became more rounded and comfortable.  I don't know if that was swelling from the surgery or fat "settling" in - all I know that everything just came together with time. 

Anonymous

Lee- Thanks for the reassuring words since this is probably my biggest concern right now.  I sometimes realize after the fact that I assume my doctor is always on the same page as me with what I am wanting.  I felt so rushed during my consult with Dr. K so I think that's why I'm nervous about my final result wondering if I was clear with what my final goal was in all this.  Thanks for "holding my hand" through all of this!