Exchange City

I've had to do Hibiclens washing (both night before and morning of surgery) for all my surgeries and they have me doing it for the Exchange too. Definitely a best practice. But hadn't heard of MSSA or nose swabs. It sounds like your team has things covered well!

Good luck to everyone having exchanges this week. Mine is Friday and I cannot wait!!

OG56, sorry, I've never heard of that proceedure.

Good luck to you all either u our exchanges

What are the nose swabs for?

Girls, I know this question might be silly, but I wanted to know if anyone has similar experience. My exchange surgery is next month. It's been 6 months since my bilateral mastectomy, and during those months I' ve gained some feeling back in my foobs area. Is there is a chance I will lose it again due to the new surgery? Also I have shoulder issues in my right hand (frozen shoulder), and slight swelling in both arms. How will I convince nurses not to use needles and not take blood pressure at least on my right arm? They get really agitated as I remember from my mastectomy when you give them directions

Dafne - I wrote all along my arms with a black magic market - no shots - no BP. My son thought I was nuts. Most hospitals have a plastic band they will give you for your arms (s) to alert the nurses & tecs not to use arms. But presumably you'll need anesthesia. I made sure I arranged with anesthesia before hand to access in my foot - not my arms.

The following link is a great resource about lymphadema. Many of our BCO women contributed. I found a place to buy my own plastic arm bands. And there are good references about how to find a certified & trained LE therapist.

https://stepup-speakout.org/

I got them from Peninsula BioMedical, Inc. at the recommendation of someone on one of the LE threads on BCO 5 or 6 years ago. Looks like their website still offers a "free alert band". They have a snap and are re-usable. They say:

ALERT:LYMPHEDEMA; No Blood Tests, Blood Pressure, No IV or Injections into this arm

http://www.lymphedema.com/

I have since saved several from different times I was in the hospital. Those say only LIMB ALERT but are very visable. Tell the nurses you want them.

Letty:

Mine are looking good as well. Lymph node scar you can almost not see (Feb). My derm recommended BioCorneum. She said lots of cosmetic derms use it (personally). Silicon based.

Got it on Amazon. Not super cheap but seems to go a long way.

I didn't use anything special. Just the regular thick CeraVe cream. My BMX & exchange surgery were both in 2011 right across the front of my breasts from side to side - so 6 years ago. You have to really look hard to see any lines at all. The only scar still visible is from my port removal just one year ago. I think a practicing intern or resident did that removal.

My son recommended Mederma & I did use that occasionally when I remembered.

Many thanks, MinusTwo!

good luck scrafgal! I too am watching my astros WIN!! WOOHOO! Are you from Houston? I live in Woodlands! I hope all goes well! It was so much easier than the BMX surgery!! Hugs & Best wishes

Greetings!

I had my surgery this morning and all went well. I am at home resting. I stayed up too late watching Astros celebrationso on TV!

I got plenty of pain meds via IV and they sent me home with a painkiller prescription that is filling now. So, far the pain is much less than the mastectomy/tissue expander, so that is good. I have to wear a compression bra and spanx for several weeks. Right now, I can't tell how it feels without the bra since I've not taken i ttotally off since coming home. However, I know that the surgical pain is a LOT less than for the other surgery even with the bra on. However, I DID open the front-velcro bra at the hopsital and thinks look pretty good with both breasts, although there is some swelling. I got recontruction on the right and a lift on the left. The donor sight for fat grafting was my outer hip/upper thigh. There is managable pain there.

My post-op with the PS is in about three weeks, just after Thanksgiving holiday.

Let's keep each other posted!

Scrafgal & Lynae, you are amazing! Your bubbly, upbeat posts the day of surgery are very positive and encouraging to those that are waiting for their procedures. Thank you for sharing!! Scrafgal, I am confused though, I had read other posts saying compression to newly fat grafted areas was a no-no as it could inhibit the blood supply but that compression for the areas the fat was taken from was definitley a good thing. I am having quite a bit of fg at the end of the month, will have to research some more!!

T-Sue and Minute, best wishes today!! I am praying for a great outcome!! AsT-Sue said, rest up ladies...don't do to much just because you feel like you can!

Shoregirl, I had fat grafting with my exchange and was told by PS nurse not to wear compression bra so as to give the grafted fat opportunity to create blood supply. I didn't have a lot of fat graphed but I do think I've retained a good amount so far (6 weeks post exchange). Seems there are different schools of thought.

Glad everyone seems to be doing good after their exchange. I'm six weeks post exchange and feeling really good. The implants are starting to soften up some as well.

Thoughts and prayers to those having their exchange today.

Thanks Grandma3x and Sitti. I feel like no compression to the grafted area makes sense. Congrats Sitti on the fat surviving! Grandma3x, did you do more fg after 6 months because fat didn't survive or just needed more?

LettyF, I know you are counting down the days!!

Scrafgal & Lynae, you amaze me that you posted on the day of your surgeries! I was so dopey from the anesthesia that I pretty much slept the entire day when I got home!

T-Sue---looking forward to hearing your update and I'm trusting that everything went well with your exchange.

My surgery went well, no drains and I am feeling good--I'm off the prescription painkillers except for one Oxycodone at night. I may not take it tonight.

Instead of putting me in a bra, my PS wrapped my chest up with yards of ace bandage compressed pretty tightly. I am supposed to leave it that way until tomorrow (day 3) so I have no idea what I look like!!! As I said, I'm not having much pain at all at this point but the bandaging/tape is feeling itchy so I can't wait to take it off tomorrow.

My PS didn't say anything about exercises like they did for the BMX. But I'm going to start taking walks today. Yesterday I was still a little too dizzy.

oh and I did want to ask you ladies who had your exchange already if your breasts were round and full in the front around the old nipple/new scar area or still a bit flat? Mine are still a bit flat there...they haven’t filled out and never did with the TEs either. I also have a nice size gab between breasts so not much cleavage going on there. My PS told me he would fix & fill in during the exchange but it doesn’t seem to look much different. How are yalls? Is this normal for a time period