Exchange City

I was sent home with very little info... Mainly just told to sleep on my back for 5 days and watch out for a fever. I

The RN called back. She answered my questions but didn't volunteer new information. I feel like I don't know what to ask...because I don't have enough knowledge about the recovery. If that makes any sense!!!

Scared67: Call your doctor. My PS apparently provides a detailed sheet of some sort that she'll either give me at pre-op appt or after to my spouse. Each doctor has their own way of doing everything. Mine, for instance, said no showers until large bandage (or maybe it will be a bra) is removed at first post-op, which I'm expecting will be a few days later since my surgery is on Thursday.

Extreme tenderness may be very normal depending upon what you had done. And raising arms -- I wouldn't until I talked to my PS. Go slowly and call your doctor! I believe many here advise T-rex arms by your side, but again, talk to you PS. And good luck to you!

DizzyGirl: You're getting new boobs on my 50th birthday! That's a SUPER lucky day. (And the start of the great 70s Earth, Wind and Fire hit, September: Do you remember the 21st of Sept? Well, you will!)

I'm also getting Inspira smooth rounds. I plan to talk to my PS about the implants again, projection she is looking at, estimated size (though I know this is determined at surgery), activities to avoid, what I'll go home in. The basics. Hope yours goes well!

Thanks Eastcoast!

I was allowed to drive with drains at MX and that was good as I had them for 3 weeks!

My only restriction is no driving until 48 hrs after last narcotic pain med...at MX I was only at Tylenol at home so had MX on Friday and drove on Tuesday, the first time I needed to go somewhere.

My BS put me on nothing over 5 lbs for a month at MX, but the PS with my exchange says nothing over 15lbs for 4 weeks...I think I will stay at the lower number, 15 seems too high.

I will chime in and say I was told no vacuuming for 3 months. It really uses your pec muscles. I WISH I could have got away with that one!!

EastCoast TS- Well, hopefully it is a good day then!

I am only planning to take 2 weeks off of work. It sounds like that is about average. The PS said it is unlikely that I will have drains. I was hoping to have some excess skin removed (side boobs basically) but I forgot to mention it at my last appointment (chemo brain I swear). I called them the next day and her nurse said to ask her about it at my pre-op appt. I was disappointed at that answer because I knew they would request the insurance pre-auth before I had a chance to talk to her. It may be too late to get that added. In my defense I did talk to her about this when i was having fills and she agreed to do it.

In regard to the current conversation..I will have to ask about restrictions on driving and lifting. Thanks ladies!

DizzyGirl

scared67, If you were sent home in a surgical bra, it was for a good reason. I had one as well as a tight ace bandage that I had to leave on for a week until post op. I had gummies that have to adhere to skin/muscle to avoid rotating. If you have regular silicone smooth they wdrop and fluff. Cup size doesn't really match reconstruction. It takes a good 6 months to see a result. Walk away from the mirror, I know it's hard.

Robin

Dizzygirl, I took off 2 weeks and it was plenty. Driving when off pain meds. Lifting restrictions were not over 10 pounds for 6 weeks. If you have a lot of pocket work you don't want to pull any internal stitches. Remember, "just because you can, doesn't mean you should ".

Robin

Thanks RobinBlessed! I know my work will let me come back even with a lifting restriction because I work a desk job. It is something to keep in mind at home though. I think I blocked out my BMX instructions once it was over.

DizzyGirl

Noodlesmom:

I'm getting Inspira cohesive silicon smooth rounds. My PS used the term gummy bear at the beginning and I asked for more info.

I have read that they can feel heavy...but they seem the better option over anatomical. And I did not want textured, with some of the latest info, though issues are rare. That's about as much as I know!!!

Aren't you going small, too? I was only filled to 270cc in the TEs (I know, people, it's very tiny!) and am expecting 300cc or so implants. But I'm really petite -- 5.2" and about 95lbs right now. I'm hoping for nice modest B cup because I was AA cup before! Really, I think I'll be happy to have any boob/foob for the first time ever. Too, I'm expecting them to look like hamburger buns at first. Maybe you and I will not have the total heavy feeling with smaller implants.

Only negative is my TEs are really far apart and one has dropped some as well. Hello, pocket work! Lateral capselectomy (sp) I think is what was on the insurance approval. If I was having simple Exchange, I'd be really looking forward to it. As it is, I'm still looking forward to it because TEs suck.

Excited for you, too!!!

I have had Allergan 410's cohesive gel anatomicals for 4+ years. I am very happy with the shape. I would be OK if they were a little smaller. They are below the muscle & like Robin, I don't find them heavy. But I had dense breasts to start so... Good luck.

Hey, guys:

Another question for experienced Exchangers. I was reading about Exchange surgery and one doctor mentioned sending capsule tissue to pathology. (This with pocket work.)

Is that typical? I want them to send it for my cancer side for sure. Why not?

THANKS!

Thanks, TrmTab.

I don't know why -- but this is seriously something I never considered. (duh)

Thank goodness for advance research. Doctors do not tell us these things. And I don't feel quite secure enough to leave everything to them. That may mean I'm a control freak. Ha ha.

I had my pre-op visit yesterday with the PS. It went okay but she is going with a different brand than we originally talked about. I will be getting Mentor UHP silicone rounds. We looked at the dimensions and think these are less wide than the Inspira for my volume. I trust her so but I am still kind of nervous about it. She explained that there is no perfect answer and I will likely be happy with either one. I appreciate the fact that she took the time to explain it to me and didn't just make the decision herself. I will also be getting a lot of fat grafting. She says this helps smooth things out and improves the tissue that was radiated. She will also be removing some of the tissue on my sides. Overall seems like a good plan.

All set for exchange on 9/21/17.

Exchange tomorrow!!! Just back from final pre-op visit to PS...and another 500 fill to my leaky TE.

Got a report time to the hospital of 11am, ugh, a long time to wait with no water...when I had the LXs and MX I had 6 or 6:30 reports to the hospital and nothing to drink/eat after midnight...reporting 5 hrs later but still nothing after midnight. The amateur scientist in me says that doesn't make sense...

Think of me, I will report back when able tomorrow or Saturday.

TT