Advice on Revisions After Exchange Surgery
I had my exchange surgery on December 4th. I had had a double mastectomy in June. Cancer was on left side and had sentinal node removal on left side. Immediate expanders were put in. This was at the end of June. As soon as mastectomy was healing I could see there was a huge dent on my left side. With each expansion the expander moved above the dent and it was almost as if the scar was not allowing the expander to drop. My ps surgeon assured me he would fix this at the exchange surgery. Fast forward to December. He had to do a lot of work and my scars on each side go from inner breast all the way to my back. He took flaps of fat out under each arm hence the long scars. I was happy with that because on left side it felt like I couldn't put my arm down because of the fat being pushed by the scarring and dent in breast. It is kind of hard to explain. I will add pictures once I am added to the photo forum. He said the dent was from scarring (not sure how a scar formed immediately as it was there as soon as mastectomy was over) and extensive tissue being removed to get all the cancer on that side.
He was very optimistic though that the dent would be gone. I could tell immediately that a small dent was still there. It is just enough of a dent that you can see it with a t shirt or tight shirt on. I really was looking forward to not wearing a bra. I also went with the wrong size. I wanted to be smaller...I used to be a 42 D. Told him I wanted to be a C. I asked if that would look funny on me since I am 5 7 and 175-180 pounds. He said no. My implants are silicone high profile. As soon as I got home I could tell they were too small. They don't project from the side at all. I can live with that. I measured and according to my measurements I am a 42 AA. I wish so I had read the tips on here of what size to get BEFORE my surgery. Previously I was going to go with 3 d nipple so I could always go braless, but recently I did decide to do nipples because he told me that would help me fill out a bra and project when I went to see him for my one week post op check. He said the dent would continue to fill out and that all looked good. I went back again about two weeks ago and he still said all looked good and that the dent might still fill out. We went ahead and scheduled the nipple surgery for the end of January. I won't see him again before then. I really like him, but I just feel like he isn't taking the dent seriously. At least I know he isn't trying to just get money out of me and suggesting revisions already.
But anyway, the dent is still there and on the outer edge of scar under arm and toward my back there is a nipple like dog ear. It literally looks like a nipple. I hadn't noticed how bad it is until this week. Also when I lie down or bend over or sit a certain way the scar line on left breast folds in/indents all the way across like the breast is folding in half. The right breast stays up and smooth. Both breasts fall down to my underarms when I lie down like my old breasts did. I thought implants stayed up and erect. I can live with this falling to the side though because that is more realistic I suppose. They are spread apart also like my old breast. I can live with that too since I know sometimes the beast grow together and cause a problem. .
My main issues are: the dent and the folding of scar when I lie down or bend over and the nipple/dog ear on end of scar. My scars run across where the nipples will be. So basically on my left side when I lie down my nipple will fold in. He is doing my nipples in his office with just a numbing shot. So I know he won't be doing anything to fix the dent or the denting of scar across breast. I don't think he can even fix the dog ear on end of scar in office. He will probably have to do some kind of hospital surgical procedure to do any of those fixes. As far as he is concerned there are no fixes to be done, but I am going to call next week and ask for an appt to show him the dog ear and the folding scar line and tell him I don't think dent will fix itself. He has no idea about the dog ear or the folding. Also, I forgot to mention the scar on the left side is thicker and harder feeling than the right. My question to all of you is what will he do to fix these issues? what is usually done? Shouldn't I ask him to fix those issues before making nipples? I think the nipple will be in the way of him fixing the folding issue. Am I being too picky? Do any of you have the issue of your scar line sinking in all across your breast. To be fair to surgeon when I first met him I told him I just wanted to look good in a top, but I have to wear a bra to do that now to hide the dent and folding line. I also have to stuff my C cup bra to fill it out. I don't want to have to do that. I want to be able to just go braless or put on a bra and go. Any tips or suggestions or stories of how similar experiences would be appreciated and also what your doctors did to fix these issues. Sorry to be so long.
Comments
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i just want to add that I probably posted this in wrong section. I just can't seem to get hang of all the topics and subtropical. I got some great advice from divecat yesterday. I would just like to hear more about what fixes are made to address these issues....in particular the folding of the scar line across the breast.
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Hi tiddlywinks, I can't help you with the issues about the recon, as I am a uni without recon, but I did have "Dog Ear" just as you describe and I was able to have it removed, in my Surgeon's office. It was the first time he had done it that way, but it was a great success and I am so glad that he decided to do it for me, with a local anesthetic. I did wait over a year after my UMx, because I really didn't want more surgery, or more importantly, another anesthetic, but I hated that thing. Apart from being downright ugly, that Dog Ear felt like it had a bunch of cut nerves in it, so it was always zinging and zapping and it would work its way up and over the side of my bra. The surgery took about 45 minutes and it added another 7cm or 3'' to my Mx scar, but 10 months or so out and it is so fine, it is really hard to see.
I just wanted to let you know that these things can be removed and the result can be really good. If you want to see pictures of the before and after they are on breastfree.org.
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Thank you so much for answering my post! You have given me hope that my surgeon can fix some of my issues in his office without being put to sleep. I looked at your pics and your dog ear is much larger than mine. Mine is about the size of a small nipple. I can see how yours was causing pain and irritation. It is amazing your surgeon fixed it in his office under local anesthesia. He did a great job and it looks beautiful! Thank you again!
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You're welcome tiddlywinks! I'm so glad this could give you some hope, that it is fixable!
I had to laugh, isn't it strange how we can look at pictures like that and say to each other that it is a great job and it looks beautiful! We have a totally different perspective now!
I had a friend who looked at my scars and exclaimed "Oooh, it looks like they tried to cut you in half!" Bless her! LOL
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Yes it is. Most of my friends keep saying how jealous they are I got new boobs.I'm like yea right. If you only knew. They just don't get it. Then they bring up hoe great Angelina jolie looks. One night right after my exchange surgery, I shared them to some ladies who kept saying how lucky I am. The looks on their faces when they realized it isn't the same as getting a boon job!! I hope they will quit it now. I'd have been tickled to keep my 42 longs for the rest of my life rather than get cancer and end up with Frankenstein boobs.
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