Exchange City
Comments
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I've only had 2 surgeries and I'm totally ready to be over and done with cancer. I'm praying hard that the exchange will go perfectly and I can move on with my life. I can't imagine 18 surgeries.
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Stacey - Lol! That is how everyone feels! I hope you have smooth sailing from this point on! Some of my surgeries were bi-lat, so I am about to have number 16 - let's hope it is a sweet 16, right? Honestly, I was diagnosed long ago enough that the recon issues are disconnected from the cancer, it is not emotional for me at this point - more of a nuisance. It is kind of like the movie Groundhog Day, and the pre-op people recognize me now, ha!
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SpecialK - thank you so much for the information about exchange surgery (nipple - sparing vs. not)! I still don't know which one to choose, but leaning toward nipple-sparing again. I had a good outcome last time except for losing the NAC due to close margins.
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SpecialK - since I imagine you've been through this before (did you have tissue expander infections?) I have a question. I feel like an idiot for not knowing what to do since I'm a nurse but it's so different when it's your own body.
Anyway - I was just in the hospital for 4 days/3 nights for tissue expander infection and they gave me lots of IV antibiotics and sent me home on oral augmentin. I was supposed to follow up with the surgeon one week post-op but he's not in the office until 10 days postop. The infection started with a seroma in the bottom of the breast and I went in and had it cleaned out and the seroma has not returned. Ever since the surgery the whole area on the bottom of the breast felt thick and firm and kind of bumpy and inflamed. Today I'm noticing pain in one distinct spot and I can feel that most of the area is getting softer and less lumpy but there are a couple of firm lumps and one of them is tender I don't know if I'm getting better, or worse! I can't see any redness..... It doesn't help that most of the breast is numb.
When I had the infection the entire breast was reddened post-op, extending almost all the way up to my clavicle and down underneath. I can't see any redness at all.
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Stacey - I have not actually had an infection, all of my issues stemmed from necrosis and exceedingly thin skin and pectoral muscles. That said, I have been here long enough to glean info from the experiences of others. Infection usually involves redness, warmth, sometimes a fever, and sometimes pain. A seroma can also cause pain - basically from displacement, does not always cause an infection, but can lead to one. If you are not having redness and warmth that is good. You are not that far out from surgery so it is possible that your discomfort and these small areas are just some inflamed or irritated isolated areas. When do you see your surgeon again
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I'm seeing him on the 12th. I crack myself up sometimes. I swear I've started getting old over the past year - had to get glasses for the first time. I didn't notice my breast was red when I had the infection because my foobs are too close to my eyes LOL. Today I was looking in the mirror trying to find any redness there where the pain was and couldn't see anything. Finally I got the idea to get out the lighted magnified makeup mirror. The sore part is just a teeny pimple. It just happens to be near one of the lumps so I thought the lump was painful. It's strange how the nerves get re-routed and I can't always tell where the pain is coming from. I had some necrosis on my left incision and had to have it revised. Fortunately I think I still have enough skin left (knock on wood). I've noticed a lot of new capillaries forming on the surface. They're not pretty but I guess they're bringing the blood where it needs to go.
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Hi ladies;) was just fishing for opinions on nipple reconstruction vs 3 d tattoos. I have been getting advice to not have nipple reconstruction from a couple ps here. I know that I've heard that they flatten out. Thanks!
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Stacey - lol! Glad it is nothing more serious, and I'm with you on the glasses. I have them stashed all over the house, in the car - everywhere. I have also found using the cell phone camera and enlarging the picture to be helpful, as well as using a handheld magnifying mirror. I had a spitting stitch on the underside (IMF) incision and the little mirror was good for keeping an eye on it. It is interesting that referred feelings occur in weird places - I have had stitches removed from an incision on the front of the breast at the nippleand felt it right above the sternum - very odd sensation.
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Best wishes to you SpecialK. My surgeries were hard enough so I can't even imagine. I'm no expert, but my PS specifically told us that she did not cut my pects. She lifted them up off the chest wall and put the TES under them. I had a great deal of pain during expansion from my tight pects so I stopped at 250cc. For exchange PS managed to squeeze 300cc high profile mentors under my pects, again with no cutting. I did have some lipo on the sides and cut nerves everywhere which still act up. PS's all have different methods for these surgeries. I will eventually visit Vinnie for 3d tattoos.
Scottie
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Hey I noticed they moved the Back to top button away from remove email notifications!!
Nice going and than you!!
Robin
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Had my exchange surgery Thursday. I felt great the first night but not so great the past two days. I think my main problem is not being able to sleep well. I'm anxious to see what they look like but they told me to keep everything wrapped up until Monday when I go back to Dr.
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mvspaulding - I had my exchange done 4 months ago and I was soooo anxious to see them but honestly, they have changed so much! That first peek was a completely fictional representation (thank god!!). I've gone from hysterics about the size, location & shape of them to wishing I could walk around topless 24/7 so I can show them off. Be patient & be prepared that they may not be beautiful... YET.Also, one thing that really changed my view of them was seeing them with nipples... Check out nippletattoos.com. It's the site of a tattoo artist (she's a previvor)that specializes in 3D nipple tattoos but she also sells incredible TEMPORARY nipple tattoos. I could NOT believe the difference. My foobs went from lumps to actual breasts with the addition of a kiddy lick-n-stick tattoo LOL.
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I am 4 weeks post surgery and just went back to PS to remove a stitch that never dissolved. So good to get that taken out as it was kind of painful. I had a single mastectomy so the one side has a silicone implant and the other side he gave a lift and saline implant. As of right now, there really are not a match. He says I have to wait 4 months for things to settle. My mastectomy side sits higher than the other side. He said I had a lot of scar tissue from radiation. I am a bit disappointed as I don't think I can really wear a t-shirt at this point since they just don't look even.
I am hoping that, with time, it will drop a bit and I will look more balanced. Anyone else have this problem? PS says they are same size. He says we may have to go back in 4 months and "tweek". Not really what I was hoping for.
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thanks Fluffy, she did warn me that they wouldn't look so good right away but I would need to give it some time. I'm so glad to be rid of the expanders I just am anxious to get all of this behind me now.
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Glad you are doing well. Sucks about the sleep. After my DM, I slept in a recliner for a few weeks (until all of the drains were out). That was the only place I was comfortable. Now that my husband is gone, my daughter wants to sleep with me all the time so should be interesting since she was scared of my drains. Keep us posted. 2.5 weeks for me.
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Okay ladies, I am reaching out to all of you for some help for one of my cancer support group ladies. She had bmx, te's and saline implants. She isn't too far out but complaining of a flap of skin near one side at armpit. I haven't seen it yet but sounds like dog ears. But also a lot of pain too. I don't know anything about saline implants. I also don't know if she had pocket work done or not. They are not even. They told her to masssge them after the fact but didn't show her how. She can't sleep on that side for pain. But I didn't sleep on my side for months! Any suggestions?
Thanks
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Suzanne50, 4 weeks out is just the beginning! Read my post above yours. 4 months out I can finally say that I love my foobs but before that they were too high, lopsided, hard, shaped weird.... It will definitely "drop & fluff", don't you worry!
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mvspaulding, I hear ya! I lived with those aweful expanders for 16 months. 1100cc of concrete.... I didn't sleep much, I'll tell ya
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robinblessed54, my dog ears went away once my implants dropped. I was pretty unhappy with them before that but now one side is completely gone & the other side is minimal. I think both issues really depend on how far out she is. I couldn't sleep on my side for the first couple months either but I'm at 4 months now, they've softened, all pain is gone I can sleep on my side again.
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robin, I had some extra skin on either side of TEs. PS gave me the option of bilateral lipo or removing the skin. I did not want additional scars so chose lipo. Very painful but it did the trick.
I still can't sleep on either side. Not sure why but it's nerve related. I sleep with a total body pillow that allows me to curl up some what. I even travel with it. It gets some weird looks. Lol
Scottie
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Fluffygerbils...I am so happy to hear that there are good things to come since at this moment in time, I am not happy. And I have to say I am not even that picky. I don't care about size - I just want same size! But you have given me hope. So I will hang in there and be patient. This is why I love this site - there is always someone a few steps ahead of you with hope for those a few steps behind.
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Fluffy (and others): My foob is also very much higher than my natural breast. Have been waiting patiently for the "Drop and Fluff". It's been 4 months. I saw the PS this week and he didn't think it was going to drop, as my skin is so tight. I'm still hoping, as I look pretty uneven on tigher shirts. Has anyone taken maybe much longer than 4-6 months to drop or am I the odd duck. I posted some pictures on the picture forum.
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bikefam. . .I think drop and fluff varies. My PS actually laughed when I asked her if that would happen and she was right with regard to me. I'm more than 8 months out and mine haven't budged because my pects are so tight. PS promised me sisters, not twins and mine are fairly close. Still consider a second opinion.
Scottie
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Bikefam, i had bilateral recon, but my left was lower about half inch. I'm one year out now, and I think they seem to look better to me with time. I did massage the higher one down. I also adjusted the genie bra so the band was above the implant on the higher side. I also tried an ace wrap, under the lower one and above on the higher one to help it come down. I saw that on a u tube video on how to deal with asymmetry after an augmentation. The left is still a little lower, but not noticeable in a bra and clothes. A second opinion ps told me that he thought they were both sitting too low. Not worth it to me to consider a revision. Maybe if they get real bad, or actually need replaced, then I'll consider. My natural breasts were asymmetrical too. Also, a natural breast has more droop than any implant could I think.
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I just wanted to add that my ps never suggested the things that I tried to make my right implant lower. I just wanted them to look as even as possible. I think it did help some. Time probably helped the most. I don't think a reconstructed breast will have the droop of a natural breast.
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My right foob was higher too. It dropped on its own substantially but was still a bit higher so my PS gave me some "pocket displacement" stretches to do (basically just pushing it to where I want it). They are working for sure. I can barely notice a difference anymore.
Everyone is different but do be patient, it takes months before you should think to worry about the final outcome & even then, there's some easy fixes to get further improvement
Kingster, i don't have a genie bra but I think I'll give your ace wrap idea a try! Genius. Maybe I'll be able to get my right side down that last 1/4 inch!
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Dear ladies,
I am writing to report my experience on the exchange surgery that took place on March 24th.
A short summary of my story: Due to the mastectomy I had of my left breast more than 3 years ago, on November 2015 I had a surgery to place the TE Mentor CPX, medium height, 650cc. In 3 months, the TE was overfilled to 680cc. One month after that last fill, on March 2016, I had a surgery that included an exchange of the TE for an anatomic implant on my left breast and a prophylactic nipple sparing mastectomy on my right breast with direct to implant reconstruction.
On my left breast the PS replaced the TE with a Mentor anatomical implant, tall height, high profile, 610cc. That was the easy part of the surgery. On my right breast, he performed a nipple sparing mastectomy and placed a Mentor anatomical implant, tall height, high profile, 485cc. There was a need for a smaller implant on the right due to the skin that was spared. He also placed the nipple higher performing a mastopexy because my right breast was ptotic. Finally, because my right breast areola was rather big, he cut a piece and used it as a transplant on my left breast.
Today, almost three weeks post surgery, everything is healing well. The transplant of the areola on the left breast was successful. The left breast is healing quicker than the right breast because the muscle and tissues had already been healing since the previous placement of the TE. On the right breast there was more pain which the first four days prevented me from being able to lie down and get up from bed on my own. Also, the right breast is still swollen and even though the implant is smaller on the right, the breast looks bigger. It is not very obvious in clothes, only without clothes.
The PS told me that the swelling on the right breast could take up to six months to subside. Is there someone who could confirm that? I am wearing a sports bra with buttons in the front 24/7. I am really looking forward for everything to heal completely and for the swelling on the right to subside so I can see what my new foobs really look like! So far, I am pleased with the result and I really like the shape that the anatomical implants give to my foobs. I like better the size of my swollen right breast but I will have to settle for the size of my smaller left breast which is a not very full C cup. On the bright side, I will have the C cup I wanted the least (but prefered a D cup), plus breasts that are firm and no longer ptotic! I don't think I will be doing anything to reconstruct the nipple on the left breast, the transplanted areola is enough for me, at least for the time being.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Any thoughts are appreciated.
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Scottie, Kingster, Fluffy: Thanks for the comments. I'll check out U-Tube and maybe try the ace bandage thing. Or maybe get a genie bra. Everyone seems to love them. My PS said I could try massaging it, but didn't tell me how. Pocket displacement stretches-sounds like a funny term, but it it's just pushing things around, I've been doing my own version of massage like that but maybe I'll get more aggressive. When I massage it too much, my incision gets sore-does anyone else have that 4 months out?
So yes, I'm going to ask him again about a lift and how symmetric he can make me. Then maybe be a second opinion. I really am trying to be patient. And I appreciate talking with you ladies about it, as my DH and close friend here are probably getting tired of hearing about it
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The post exchange massage I was instructed to do (bi-lat, I did not have symmetry issues, but I feel like this technique might work if that was the intended use) was to push the implant in the directions of the clock hands noon, 3, 6 and 9 - by pushing up, down or to the side, pretty firmly and holding for 20 seconds. So at the noon position (top) push down and hold, at the 3 and 9 positions push to the opposite side, and at the 6 position push up. I was advised to do this several times a day, basically as often as I thought about it. This can help prevent capsular contracture and assist with softening so the implants move down into place and fall forward a bit (the fluff and drop you all hear about). Not all PS advise massage so this is something you should discuss with yours. If you have had allograft material placed at the time of exchange most PS will not have you massage as you may disturb the graft and it won't adhere correctly.
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Hi Bikefam, Your individual procedure & implants etc dictate whether it's appropriate to massage... Our situations are probably all a bit different.
I was told NOT to massage my implants for the first few months. It wasn't until 3 months that I was instructed to do the stretches to help lower one implant. I'm pretty sure she called them pocket displacement stretches but I might be wrong about that. Basically I just put my palms at the top of the implant near my armpit & push my implant down & towards center (because that's where my implant should be). She said to do it firmly but gently, just so I feel it stretching at the bottom where we need it to stretch. I do that for 5-10 minutes a day & it is helping a lot.
I'm just 4 months out but I do not have any pain at all. Honestly I've had almost zero pain from my exchange. But then I lived with my expanders for 16 months so I was good & stretched!
Definitely do not do any stretches or massaging without your PS's ok first though!
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